Growing up, his dad always shot fireworks in the backyard, and at 17 when he was ready to join the workforce, he went straight to a career in pyro. David got in contact with RKM (rkmfireworks.com) and started full-time shortly after he turned 18. He shot his first pyromusical for them at the Elkhart, IN fairgrounds in 2017 using his father-in-law’s scripting software. Today, he enjoys scripting pyromusicals with his buddy and RKM partner in crime James Keomongkhon. The dynamic duo were the masterminds behind RKM’s Pro display at Sky Wars 2021.

His RKM team is family – both literally and figuratively. David actually met his wife, Amanda, at MoPyro’s club shoot (known today as Sky Wars) in 2015. Amanda’s father was a lead shooter for RKM at the time. David jokes that he remembers calling “dibs” when he and James first saw her. He and Amanda hit it off, got married in 2017, and now their one-year-old son Zachary is fascinated by fireworks like his parents. “I’ll be scripting shows and he’ll be watching, and his jaw will drop.” So, yeah, David’s got a future pyro on his hands. Must run in the family!  

David’s Favorite Pyro Memory
Sky Wars 2021 was David’s favorite learning experience to date. He’s happy with how his and James’ show turned out, and he’s proud they overcame several technical issues on the field. The show was a bit delayed, which David says “felt like an eternity” but they finally got the system going and their giant show delighted the crowd. What stuck in David’s mind after that show was his realization of how precise the effects can be dialed in during the scripting process.

David on His 2023 Competitors
David is highly aware that he’s up against some incredibly talented teams this year, but that knowledge only makes him more excited. “I’m actually looking forward to pulling out the big guns and seeing what we can do!”

David’s 2023 Show
For his show this year, David’s music selection is completely different from anything he’s ever chosen before. He’s going for an “epic, dramatic” theme with upbeat music, and at least one of his song choices follows a storyline of winning a battle (how applicable!). While he usually chooses music he thinks will hit everyone’s taste, this time, “I’m doing something that I’ve always wanted to do.”

As for the effects, David’s been getting inspiration from Chinese shows. “I like the way they do their sequencing, and I might throw some of that in there.” He also plans to experiment with silver dragons, wind bells, and some other fun new effects in RKM’s arsenal. 

No fooling around, watch the show David scripted for RKM’s demo at Cobra-Con 2022 in Fort Wayne, IN. This show shot on April Fool’s day starts playful but gets seriously awesome about 1 minute in: