"These programs have created a whole new genre of artists, with fireworks as their medium," said David Whysall of David Whysall International Fireworks.

Whysall's Orton, Ontario, company, for instance, uses a product from Finale Fireworks to choreograph shows.

Designers pick a music track and lay down a background picture of the backdrop location, according to Finale's website. Then they can choose from thousands of graphical effects that mimic various types of real-life firework shells, rockets and effects, simply dragging and dropping them onto a timeline.

The result is a that gives pyrotechnics companies a visual artifact that they can use to fine-tune the show or display to potential clients.

Finale and competing products, such as ShowSim, can also export script files to a variety of fireworks firing systems, which execute the actual show. In addition, ShowSim offers a 3D environment that allows users to change camera perspectives and get a sense of how the show will look from various audience viewpoints.