Pyrotechnic Artist John Ruggieri Will Light Up Cumberlandfest 2013
Thursday, August 01, 2013
Most boys dream of blowing things up, but RI master pyrotechnist John Ruggieri does it for a living.
Ruggieri is a level 8 Master Pyrotechnist and has worked on a multitude of shows all over New England and New York. And while his work on the ultimate big screen--the heavens--is remarkable, he also works on the big and little screens of films and television.
Explosions + much more
"I started the Ocean State PyroTechnics business, and I think we are the only fireworks company in Rhode Island," Ruggieri said. "We also do movie special effects. We don't only do explosions. We also do rain, snow, wind, and bullet hits effects." Lately, his pyrotechnics are part of the action in the films The Heat, RIPD, and Grown Ups 2. In fact, this week he's been setting small explosives to create the illusion of a machine gun firing on Denzel Washington's character for a scene in Washington's upcoming film, The Equalizer. Ruggieri's task--to explode the bullet fire along shelving in a big box hardware store--so he's been up in Haverhill, Massachusetts, at an abandoned Lowe's, wiring the place for the shoot. And shooting.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTRuggieri, like most masters, has been at his craft for decades--in his case, in the firework business for 40 years and a lead pyrotechnic since 1977. He's has been lighting the night sky at Cumberlandfest (which runs August 8-11 in total) for 22 years, and his work makes the event's profits for community non-profits all the greater. It's a labor of love. Check the master out on August 10th.
For more information on the Ocean State PyroTechnics, click here.
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