Definition
A waterfall, or “Niagara”, is a line of gerbs hung upside down from a cable stretched between two masts, a bridge or a façade, and linked by quick match so they light together. The sparks fall in a continuous curtain along the whole length, from 10 m to several hundred metres on famous bridges. Waterfall gerbs are designed to burn 30 to 60 seconds with cold or warm spark fallout, mainly silver, sometimes gold or coloured. A waterfall is rigged 4 to 10 m up to let the curtain develop; its lengthy preparation calls for a lift or ladder and a cable rated for the weight of the pieces. It often marks the end of a tableau or the middle of a display.
In practice, for the display company
A waterfall is above all a rigging job: gerbs per metre, cable length, quick match, access at height. PyroDesk describes it as a composite piece for the quote and stock, places it on the site plan at its true length, and PyroSimulator renders the falling curtain so you can time its ignition to the music.