Line Rocket
Line rockets are funky little pyrotechnic effects that are used
in theater and other live performances.
How they work
A line rocket is pretty much a small firework rocket on a string. Okay,
not on a string, but on a steel wire.
The steel wire is stretched across the room, and the rocket has a little
steel loop affixed to it, so it can fly along the wire.
Why they are funky
Okay - here is how I used them in A Midsummer Night's Dream (also see Motion
Detonator for more effecs from the same performance):
Imagine: you are sitting very still... Some violin music is warning
you that something is going to happen. Then, all of a sudden, four rockets
fly about three feet over your head, and a giant explosion happens
on stage..
The rockets part, that's what line rockets are all about. You can, with 100%
certainity tell where the rockets are going (they are on a wire, remember).
The wire can be quite thin and almost invisible. There are two types of line
rockets - one just flies very fast, and one also makes a loud whistling
sound. Both types don't drip, so you can fly them just over (or next to...)
the audience, scaring the wits out of people. A cheap trick, yes, but everything
to make a show that gives a lasting impression, right?
Back to the
node on pyrotechnics
Please read the
disclaimer. Also, make sure you have read the
Pyrotechnics
safety tips.
SAFETY FIRST