Finnish Markku Aalto and his team Pyroman are behind the Eurovision song contest pyrotechnic special effects along with smoke and confetti once again, already for the 8th time. But not only, this year they have already done Melodifestivalen. Legendary Lordi's performance, Nightwish tours and Vancouver Olympics are other stuff in their CV. He tells about his job and details of this year's performances in HS.
This year it has been a bit more challenging than usual, as this kind of products have been forbidden into Ukraine the past 3-4 years because of the war. Special permission let the equipment truck from Finland to enter. The explosives are coming from Unites States and United Kingdom.
He tells Lordi's effects were back then the most innotative and newest things available but now there are newer things. He wants to point out Hungary's fire pillars aka single shots. There are 24 of them and they rise up to 5 meters for almost 10 seconds. That's a real special effect, to highlight that moment in the song. They consume about 200 liters of petrol each time. It was also unsure if the cameraman can walk through them until the technical rehearsals. Yes, he can.
Israel uses the same effect but in a different way. The pillars die down slowly. He tells sometimes he gets very specific plan what to do, sometimes he gets pretty free hands, like with Israel this time.
Armenia has a real special effect medley around 2:15. First 20 cans that let out grey smoke around the stage, Followed by the same ring of fire pillars but this time doing a running circle.
But it's Denmark that makes a new record. The 16 meters tall rain of fire lasts 50 seconds, the longest ever. In fact it's made of two different ones as the fires wouldn't burn that long.
How about the costs? He says he has no idea but can tell that the Danish one for example is made of 60 cans, each costing 20 euros. Including all the rehearsals that makes 12.000 euros for the materials only. There are six people working on them for five weeks. That's not free either.
No wonder delegations try to save them for when it counts, but one needs to rehearse.
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