Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544153
20 PROP CULTURE I SPRING 2026 of blanks demanded real mag changes and informed the performance more than an inert proxy would. We used many real guns clad to replicate the various weapons from the M249 Para as the RDA Hydra to the Mac-11 as Varang's machine pistol. An important component of the Wind Traders' technology was using water for ballast, as well as firefighting. We decided that the frequent attacks from the Ash raiders would usually involve a fire attack. We created a waterskin with folded ends much like a dry bag and did a test in our parking lot to make sure that our stunt performers could effectively aim and deploy a large amount of water from a water skin. Once we proved it, we came up with weighted balls as a capture proxy for the water, and it made the final cut. The script called for the Ash raiders to shoot flaming arrows from their flying Ikran. Instead of assuming that movie magic would make this all possible, I was asked to prove it. We came up with the idea of an ember cauldron mounted to the front of the Ikran harness that would have to be shrouded with thick wet leather to preserve the fuel for the flight to the target. Right before the attack, the Ash stripped away the shroud, allowing the embers to flare. Next, we had to prove that the arrow could stay lit in a headwind and not extinguish when fired. We built a low-resolution version of the cauldron and used charcoal for the fuel. We made a practical wet leather shroud which we tied on with a quick-release knot. Add an arrow soaked in a flammable liquid in the rear-mounted quiver, and we proved that you could light an arrow while in flight. I was lucky enough to be the one on the Ikran buck with a bow facing two Ritter fans going full. I drew the arrow, pulled the shroud, lit the arrowhead, and fired the arrow into the headwind. We left no doubt that our designs could be practical. I came into the project knowing quite a bit about performance capture, but our prop team's innovations helped us use the technology in new ways. We eliminated the need to build both markered and unmarkered versions JAMES CAMERON DIRECTING OONA CHAPLIN WITH VARANG'S FLAMETHROWER SAM WORTHINGTON WITH BLANK-FIRING RIFLE MARKERED FOR PERFORMANCE CAPTURE