Creating and exporting a script for your firing system is basically a four step process:
- DESIGN. Create the show by inserting effects. Drag the little white playhead on the timeline to preview.
- ADDRESS. Assign firing system addresses for all the effects (“Addressing > Address show”).
- EXPORT. Export the script (“File > Export > Export firing script(s)“).
- DOWNLOAD. Copy or download the exported script file to your controller (“File > Download > Download firing system script“).
Step (3) creates a file, which you should transfer to your firing system in step (4) either by USB drive (example: Cobra, Pyrosure), or by using the firing system’s software to download it (example: FireOne, Galaxis, Explo), or by downloading it directly from Finale 3D (example: Pyrodigital, Pyromate).
At a finer level of detail, the three steps often expand into this list of steps for pyromusicals:
- Set the show duration and other show information from the “Show” menu.
- Layout your shoot site by adding firing positions (“Positions > Add”) and dragging them on the grass.
- Add your sound track(“Music > Add song”).
- Press the yellow play button to listen to the music, and press “i” to insert empty cues at important time points.
- Insert effects at important time points or at other times.
- Assign firing system addresses for all the effects (“Addressing > Address show”).
- Export the script (“File > Export > Export firing scripts“).
- Print a “rail/pin” report for the crew to setup the show (“File > Print > Print report > Basic script rail / pin report”).
Even this deeper level of detail doesn’t include all the functions the software can perform for you, such as making videos, printing labels, or creating rack layout diagrams, but these basic steps are the steps that are common for almost all pyromusicals, so they are good starting point.