Welcome to the inaugural Finale 3D PyroJam Fireworks Design Competition! This competition is open to all fireworks designers the world over. To get started, review the competition info and rules on this page and then follow the steps in the “How to Participate” section. Don’t wait to get started, you must submit your completed show design by January 31st. Following the submission deadline, three finalists will be selected from all the competition entries received. These three shows will be assembled and fired at PyroJam by Innovative Pyrotechnic Concepts. A panel of judges will determine 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and the audience will cast their vote for the “People’s Choice” award.
You don’t need equipment. You don’t need manpower. You don’t even need to attend the event – but we hope you will anyway! All you need to do is design an incredible show! The 1st annual PyroJam music and fireworks festival will take place place on Saturday, May 28, 2022 in St. Leonard, Maryland, USA. For event information and tickets, visit pyrojamusa.com.
This competition has ended. Check out the side-by-side videos from PyroJam.
If you don’t have a Finale 3D license, please follow the steps below to request a free promotional license for the competition. If you already have Finale 3D Hobbyist or Pro, then you are all set, please skip these steps.
To create a realistic, emotionally-impactful pyromusical display, choreographed to a custom-themed musical soundtrack for the inaugural PyroJam festival.
Competition design entries will be reviewed in February 2022 by the PyroJam organizes. After careful consideration of all show designs, three finalists will be selected to have their shows produced at the PyroJam festival. The final ranking of 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will be determined by a panel of judges after watching all three real-life shows. In addition, the People’s Choice award will be given to the show that receives the most votes from the PyroJam audience.
| Rank | Prize | Pyro Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prize | $2,000 | +200 | ||
| Second Place | $1,500 | +150 | ||
| Third Place | $1,000 | +100 | ||
| People’s Choice | $500 | +75 | ||
| All participants will earn +50 Pyro Points for entering the competition. | ||||
1. Download the PyroJam show design template (.fin file)
2. Subscribe to the PyroJam competition effects catalog
3. Design a show following the competition rules
4. Use the Submission Form to submit your show.
• Does your show include a title and theme?
• Did you use the design template provided?
• Is your show between 9 and 10 minutes?
• Does your show include a music soundtrack?
• Are all of the products from the PyroJam catalog?
• Is your show within the budget of $20,000?
All shows must be submitted by January 31, 2022.
Each show must include a title and a short description. There is no specific length requirement for the show description, it should simply be of sufficient length to introduce the show and give the audience some insight into the theme and design concept. For example, a show description could be a few sentences.
Shows must have a total length of 9 to 10 minutes.
Competition entries must be designed using the PyroJam Finale 3D show (.fin) template. The template is available for download at the link below. You may use as many or as few firing positions as you like, but please do not modify the firing position layout.
The position layout consists of 5 rows of firing positions.
| Row | Position Names | Position Quantity | Types of Effects (Subtype) | Angle Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P-01, P-02… | 19 | Ground effects such as gerbs, flares and strobe pots | None |
| 2 | F-01, F-02… | 19 | Single-shot effects and single-row slice cakes | None |
| 3 | CK-1, CK-2… | 7 | Cakes | None |
| 4 | 2.5″ to 4″ Shells 1… | 5 | 2.5″, 3″ and 4″ Shells | Max 20° from vertical |
| 5 | 5″ and 6″ Shells 1… | 3 | 5″ and 6″ Shells | Max 20° from vertical |
Shows must be designed exclusively with effects contained in the PyroJam Finale 3D supplier catalog. These are real life products that will be used to produce your show at PyroJam (if you are selected as one of the three competition finalists). Please use the products as they are presented in the catalog. For example, individual shells from the catalog should be used individually in your show. Please do not create chains of shells or other effects on the timeline to conserve firing system equipment, or for any other reason. The PyroJam catalog also contains pre-made chains of shells. Please use pre-made chains in your show if desired, but please do not break apart the chains into individual shells. Please also do not break apart cakes.
To turn on the catalog in Finale 3D, login to finale3d.com then go to My Account > Supplier Catalog Settings.
Shows may use up to $20,000 of product from the PyroJam catalog. Finale 3D will automatically calculate the total amount of product in real time as you add items to your show. The total amount is displayed in the lower-right corner of the design window, as shown in the screenshot below. Please make sure your show is not over budget!
Important note: To ensure your show price total and used quantities are calculated correctly for chains, please confirm your Finale 3D user settings match the following.
A screenshot of the correctly configured user settings is below. Click on the image to enlarge.
In addition to the budget requirements, the amount of each product in the PyroJam Competition catalog is also limited. This is based on the real-life fireworks inventory that has been set aside for the competition. The quantity of each product is limited to the amount shown in the “Available” column of the Finale 3D Effects window, as shown in the screenshot below. Please don’t use more of a product than is available!
There are no firing system or cue count limitations. Your job is to design the best possible show with no concern for the total number of modules or cues required!
The total duration of each show must be between 9 and 10 minutes. Each show must include a music soundtrack. You may pick any songs or music of your choice. There are no pre-selected songs and there is no list of songs from which you must choose.
| Category | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Impact | What was the overall impact of the show? Was the show interesting, engaging, compelling, moving, etc.? |
30% |
| Design / Script | Did the design include a variety of firing patterns? Was the show creative, containing new or innovative firing patterns/scene combinations? |
25% |
| Use of products | Did the size and use of effects match the feel and emotion of the music soundtrack? How was the use of color? Were the colors coordinated and complimentary within each scene? |
20% |
| Music score | Did the soundtrack help to convey the theme of the show? Was the soundtrack editing well executed? Were the transitions natural and seamless? Did the soundtrack include multiple tempos such as slow/fast, calm/energetic? |
20% |
| Title/Theme & Description | Did the show include a title or theme? Did the show include a description or synopsis? Was the theme evident and well depicted in the show? |
5% |
By participating in the competition, contestants agree to have their display setup and fired at PyroJam by Innovative Pyrotechnic Concepts, L.L.C. Contestants also agree to allow PyroJam and Finale Fireworks to use submitted content, in whole or in part, for marketing purposes. Finale Fireworks may further use submitted content, in whole or in part, for training, demonstration, and other purposes. Contestants names and company names (if applicable) will be listed publicly each time submission material is posted on YouTube or any of PyroJam’s social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, & Linkedin).