It's easy enough to say you want to be a pyrotechnition. You go down the local DIY store, get a box of fireworks, and take em apart, and end up screwing up your garden.
Okay, it's fun, I do it often. But, if you really want to be doing 'pyrotechnic stunts' that are for film, you need to source pure ingredients.
It doesn't look good if your actor blows up in a shower of sparks.
The following only applies to UK law:
To legally own black powder, there are a few things you need first.
-Firstly, you need to be 16, as this is the minimum age to apply for the various forms/registrations you need.
-Secondly, you need a CERTIFICATE TO ACQUIRE AND KEEP EXPLOSIVES. This is easy to obtain just by going to the local police station (don't worry, you wont get raped by an escaped convict if you go ). That lets you keep up to 15 kilo's, which is waay more than you'd ever need for any effect possible at this level of film making. Please note that this does NOT mean you can transport explosives via any vehicle. For this, you need extra certificates, etc. that I will talk about sooner or later
-Thirdly, you need a legal safe storage container for your black powder. The UK law states that:
You can make one yourself, or buy one (at a quite inflated cost)Under the provisions of the Manufacture & Storage of Explosive Regulations 2005 containers of Black Powder must be kept in a box constructed of 18mm plywood
-Finally, you need to KNOW what you're messing with. Black powder burns. It's a fact. Burning things hurt. It's another fact. Consider getting various useful pieces of safety equipment, for example a face shield, or an easy to take off overall (Don't want to have black powder go off, burning your face and your best clothes, do you?)
Now, where to buy the powder. In the UK, Black powder is hard to buy. It's a fact. I don't know of any shops locally that stock it in the Surrey area, and the only online shop I know of is www.black-powder.co.uk
This site is not only a good place to buy powder of all kinds and legal storage boxes, but also has a good amount of useful information regarding the law and how to use the powder effectively.
