NORTHRIDGE, Calif. (AP) — While Tom Brady may have played in 10 Super Bowls, Noah Winter has been part of 30—without ever wearing a uniform. For three decades, Winter has orchestrated the celebratory confetti blizzards that mark the end of football’s biggest game.
Winter’s company, Artistry in Motion, also produces confetti for concerts, films, political conventions, and the Olympics, but the Super Bowl remains the crown jewel. “It’s become an iconic moment,” Winter said from his Northridge office and confetti factory.
Planning the Perfect Blizzard
For each game, Artistry in Motion trucks 300 pounds of two-colored confetti for each team to the stadium. Confetti cannons are lined up around the field walls, ready to fire at exactly zero on the game clock. “It’s always better to be late than early,” Winter said, noting that in 30 years, they’ve never launched the wrong color or fired too soon.
The confetti mix isn’t split evenly—some shades dominate on camera, requiring careful experimentation. Shapes also matter: rectangular flags flutter best, spinning as they fall. For the trophy presentation, a second confetti drop is cut in the silhouette of the Vince Lombardi Trophy, sometimes even printed with social media messages for sponsors.
Sustainability and Manufacturing
Winter’s confetti is made from 98% postconsumer recycled U.S.-sourced tissue paper, fully biodegradable. Unused material is recycled, and stadium staff handle the cleanup, using tools from rakes to leaf blowers depending on the field.
Seaman Paper in Massachusetts has supplied tissue paper for the Super Bowl for 25 years, producing 150,000 pounds daily for general use. The prestigious Super Bowl order is small but highly visible.
From Disney to the Super Bowl
Winter’s journey began in lighting design and pyrotechnics, including work at the Hollywood Bowl. In the mid-1980s, Disney recruited him to create falling leaves for a live “Pocahontas” show, leading to daily confetti productions for Disneyland parades.
The leap to concerts came in 1986 when Mick Jagger requested confetti for a Rolling Stones performance at Dodger Stadium. U2, among others, followed. Winter’s first Super Bowl assignment came in 1997, when the Packers defeated the Patriots in New Orleans. The previous year, he had served as a pyrotechnician, starting a decades-long tradition.
A Legacy in Color
From players tossing confetti to make angels, to families celebrating on the field, the moment has become a cherished part of Super Bowl history. Photographer Jane Gershovich, who documented the 2014 Seahawks’ championship, said, “Seeing the players and their kids engage with it at such a wholesome level brings a lot of joy.”
Winter remains humble about his role, but for millions of viewers, his confetti designs are among the most memorable parts of the Super Bowl spectacle.
