Sure, you could record your own pyrotechnics - but composited stock footage is safer and, if you buy from the right sources, cheaper too. This article will give you a list of some of the least expensive stock sources on the web.
Pyrotechnic stock footage is useful to an indie movie director. Here are some of the best sources I've found in terms of value, since in my experience inexpensive stock footage is the kind most indie video artists are looking for - Artbeats stock packs and the like are great but they're also very pricey. But these sources offer very nice low-cost alternatives:
-DetFilmsHD and DetonationFilms.com: These websites are run by pyrotechnician Bob Forward, and offer HD footage packs for around $30 each, and SD footage for less - some clips are even free! It's hard to find any resource with this much content at a value this good.
-Revostock. $15 per SD clip, $20+ for HD. Not great value, but if there's a lot here and if you find a clip that's worth the price, go for it!
-Video CoPilot: They've got an AMAZING variety stock footage pack in 720p for $99. Well worth it, the elements are very useful. Water hits, dust hits, explosions, fire, muzzle flashes, and more make this a hard-to-beat all-in-one package.
-FXHome.com: Footage packs, at bargain prices, plus compositing tools you can composite them with. Good selection of stuff, especially the "Special Effects" box, which is a nice assortment of different stock elements.
-My site (TriumphantArtists.com): has in the resources page, a bunch of SD CG elements I've rendered, and a package of recorded video pyrotechnics. Plus seamless textures. Quality isn't as good as some of the other sources, but since prices range from "free" to the price of a fast-food burger, and since I plan to add more stock there over time, including some HD stock, it's probably worth checking out.
There you have it, some of the options available for people searching for pyrotechnic (and other) stock footage elements. Enjoy!
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