For reasons best blamed on an early onset of alzheimers I've managed to upload the same clip twice.

The scene was due to be shot with a squib, and there were a whole box of them all nicely prepared, unfortunately none of the SFX guys was licenced to use them. Imagine the scene, dear reader:
"I thought you had a licence!"
"Not me, but you did it yesterday!"
"Yeah but 'Arry was on set and he's got a licence."
... and so on...

This is from the rough cut but you can see that it works (when you don't expect it, and don't have a chance to rewind the tape and look too closely)

you... need.. a license?

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I know this has little bearing on helping solve the problem, but just for interests sake.....

In ancient times, when the Romans were performing a play with a death sequence in it, they would switch the actor with a condemned prisoner who would actually be killed, live, (no pun) on the stage.The audiences loved it. Bloody thirsty lot the Romans.
But they had a point.
Shame we cant do things like that today.
:lol:

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Andy, I have the perfect part for you in my next movie!

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I'm not young enough to know everything!

I dunno, there are a lot of junkies and other undesirables about. You don't wanna be getting junkie blood on you though...

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AMD Athlon 1700 (@2200mhz from 1466 sod the noise!) - 768mb pc3200 - 200GB Maxtor - Pioneer 106 - GF4 Ti4200 - twinhan/visionplus pci dvb-t - random pci analogue tv tuner - A7v600-x (to replace the a7n8x-d that died...) - random 17\" CRT
Sony STR-DE425 & Eltax c205s;
xBox w/20GB HDD- executer 2.3b;
xBox - standard;
Konica/Minolta dimage z10 w/2x512mb SD;
iRiver h340;
A silly amount of Cat-5 and usb cables

There is no licence needed for stage pyrotechincs. Fireworks of all descriptions must be classified in the same way. There are NO official licences OR qualifications you need to do stuff like this. ALTHOUGH you will most likely NOT be sold anything unless you can show a valid explosives storage (usually a HSE one or sometimes Mode B/A will do) and insurance. Some companies will probably ask for references to cover their own backs but there is no formal training yet for even operators firing pro fireworks displays infront of large public audiances.

Ed

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A quick ring to my mate Stan (full-time special effects man) tells a different story...
At the risk of being anal, it appears the above is correct for fireworks and bonfire night, but doesn't cover everything when it comes to specialised squibs and explosive effects. The rules and regulations are quite complicated when it comes to using fireworks in a professional capacity or in public places but even more so when you use firearms and explosives. (as opposed to Black Powder in fireworks). Some of the squibs used by effects people can be classed as a firework and treated as such, but only a small minority, commonly used on stage. To make matters even more complicated, apparently there is also a type of firework called a "squib" which isn't the same as the specialised explosive used in films, and there are dozens of regulations which need to be observed when using one of these explosives.
The bottom line is that on any professional production you will have to have a H&S rep on set if you're going to start letting off bangs. (covered by Health & Safety at work legislation apparently) Even if you're only engaged in "amusement" and not employing anyone or in a public place, the various explosives acts and fireworks laws still apply, especially when it comes to storing the stuff. Strangely it would appear that it's not at all difficult to get a storage licence and you get it from the police.
It would appear that an amateur stage productions sometimes come under the auspices of the Health and Safety regulations although Stan didn't know if this applies to amateur video productions. It seems that once you move away from "fireworks" and firework displays there are all sorts of regulations hiding in corners ready to jump out and bite the unwary.
At the end of the day you do what you think you can get away with, and every day thousands of plays, shows and events do just that, but if it goes wrong you could end up in deep poo-poo.

Check ''The Cranes Are Flying''. It is a russian movie famous for the scene of the dying soldier. Really good, textbook shot. They sell it on Amazon.

Andrei, wedding videographer http://faqvideo.com

www.fxhome.com, their program has pretty good gun wounds muzzle flashes, and other effects for pretty cheap (£49.99 93.98 USD) it's now called effects lab, but used to be alamDV.

(with out having to resort to live ammo)quote

excellant