License to Kill (with squibs) in Texas

Bleepthis

Member
Ok, I've been using the whole compressed air pump squibs for a while now, but up until now I've only needed a single bullet hit or so. Well now I've written myself into a situation that I didn't really think through. I need multiple characters to be shot multiple times. The closest comparison I can give to what my shot will be like is something of the ilk of the shot in Road to Perdition as the camera slowly(but not like bullet time) pans around a group of people standing as they get cut down by automatic fire. Now I'm sure I could think of a way to do it a little differently but, I am to much in love with the shot to do it any other way.
I know from what I've read that you need a license of some sort to purchase and thereby legally use a real squib. So before going to the forums here I asked my friends dad who happens to be the police commissioner for where I live (Plano, TX) what kind of license I would need to use something like a squib and would I need any officials to oversee it. He said that I would most likely need just some sort of pyrotechnics license (which I figured but the laws do vary from state to state). But also he said that it doesn't sound like there would need to be like an officer there. So looking up the law here in Texas the website said I would need to just get a "Pyrotechnic Special Effects Operator’s License." So my question is can anyone tell me if that is the right license to be able to buy and use squibs in Texas.
 
There are several classes of pyro licenses that can be obtained. However, it isn't as simple as going to the court and buying one from an officiant. In order to get a pyro license you need to first take a class. After studying and passing the exam, you need to work as an apprentice with a licensed pyro tech for a certain number of hours. After the hours are logged you need to take another test to get your actual license. If you find a way to do it in less time, please let me know.
 
There are several classes of pyro licenses that can be obtained. However, it isn't as simple as going to the court and buying one from an officiant. In order to get a pyro license you need to first take a class. After studying and passing the exam, you need to work as an apprentice with a licensed pyro tech for a certain number of hours. After the hours are logged you need to take another test to get your actual license. If you find a way to do it in less time, please let me know.

Firstly let me just say that I am completely willing to jump through the hoops, and put in the time to get the license unless I find out that the amount of time needed is more than a couple hundred hours. With that said when I was doing my research in regards to Texas laws on pyrotechnics I found this site and this site both of which only mentioned some kind of fee, and then an examination to be administered by the state fire marshals office. Now, I also assumed that there would have to be an apprenticeship or some hours put in but, I couldn't find anything as regards to Texas. Now, I was able to find information for other states where hours are required but, no information that said that Texas required hours. This is the reason for my posting. If someone could even just refer me to a special effects company in Texas that I could ask about getting a license that would be helpful because I looked for a sfx company in Texas that might have the information and wasn't able to find a sfx company in Texas that deals with squibs. I don't live in either of the major film capitals New York, or California so the information about this matter just isn't as available.
 
Back
Top