Watch James Cameron Get Really Hands-On Filming ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’

James Cameron can really do it all. Write and direct billion-dollar movies? Check. Invent whole new franchises in his sleep? Check. Dive deeper in the ocean than anyone should ever go? You betcha. Imagine worlds so vast that you literally have to invent technology to create them? Yes, that too.

All that said, when you learn that not only did Cameron co-write, direct, produce, and edit Avatar: Fire and Ash, but he also operated the camera sometimes as well, it isn’t all that surprising. But it’s still incredibly fun to watch.

Below, io9 has an exclusive clip from the upcoming home release of the third Avatar, Fire and Ash, which is coming to digital on March 31, ahead of a release on all physical media formats on May 19. In it, you’ll see Cameron take control of his set in ways most directors would never dare. But most directors aren’t James Cameron.

That clip is just one of many, many that’ll be available when Fire and Ash comes home starting next week. Here’s the full rundown of special features.

English Family Audio Track: All objectionable language removed

Igniting the Flame: The Making of Avatar: Fire and Ash — A series of featurettes that explores the filmmakers’ journey making Avatar: Fire and Ash with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and insights about the process from the creative talents who shaped the film:

• Writing the Sequels: In 2013, James Cameron gathered a team of top screenwriters to craft a vision for the Avatar sequels. Together they created an ambitious saga that weaves new stories, clans, biomes, creatures and, most importantly, a family for Jake and Neytiri.
• Pandoran Design: Production Designer Dylan Cole and his team tackle their biggest design challenge: creating a vivid world and culture for the new clans, the Wind Traders and the Ash People, and the creatures that share their world.
• RDA Design: Production Designer Ben Procter and his team of concept artists and art directors showcase the sets of Bridgehead and the RDA. From concept art to over 70 sets, Procter’s designs set the stage for many of the film’s action scenes.
• The Women of Pandora: Dive deeper into James Cameron’s fiercest Na’vi warriors with the powerhouse actors that define these epic roles.
• Varang and the Mangkwan: Like every aspect of the Avatar films, Varang and the Mangkwan are a melding of talents, from character and scenic design to costumes and body art, but most distinctive is the performance by Oona Chaplin. Discover how she approached her role.
• Capturing Performance: Cameron and his cast take the “freedom to imagine” on Avatar‘s capture stage. The characters come to life instinctively as actors rely on their connection to each other, rather than the physical trappings of lighting, costumes, and sets.
• Stunts: Second unit director Garrett Warren takes us inside the action of Fire and Ash. If you see it in the film, his stunt team did it for real: climbing, falling, fighting, shooting, swimming, and even dogfighting on ikrans.
• Editing and Virtual Camera: On the Avatar films, Editorial is the quiet hero of production. Discover the editors’ complex process of transforming filmed “scenes” from the capture stage into performance edits, camera loads, shots, templates and finally, a finished film.
• WĒTĀ FX: Wētā FX tackles the monumental task of rendering every shot in photoreal detail. Fire and Ash is bigger and more complex than any film before it, with giant set pieces, virtual characters, dynamic creatures and vivid effects.
• ILM: ILM undertakes a pair of key scenes: Jake’s imprisonment in a thanator cage, and his thrilling escape on the gritty tarmac of Bridgehead.
• Score: Composer Simon Franglen takes us behind the scenes of his thrilling score for Fire and Ash, capturing the majestic beauty of the Wind Traders and the unsettling world of the Mangkwan. Also hear from Miley Cyrus on her hit single, “Dream As One.”
• The Art and Impact of 3D: James Cameron takes us inside 3D, a critical component of the Avatar films. Audiences feel the immense scope of Pandora, not just through the breadth of the movie screen, but in the endless depth enabled by stereoscopic filming.
• Home in New Zealand: Though Fire and Ash’s live action filming was centralized in one cozy corner of Wellington, vendors from all parts of New Zealand banded together to build the sets, costumes, props, and even working maritime vessels.

Jon Landau Tribute: If James Cameron is the guiding vision for the Avatar sequels, producer Jon Landau was their nurturing heart. In this warm tribute, the filmmakers celebrate a beloved friend and colleague with remembrances from cast and crew.

RDA Orientation: Do you have what it takes to survive the wild frontier of Pandora? In these tutorial videos, the RDA provides essential training in Na’vi language and an intelligence briefing on the clans of Pandora and the biomes they inhabit.

• Na’vi 101: The RDA’s Official Language Orientation: Before you set foot on Pandora, the RDA requires personnel to complete Na’vi language training. This video covers the basics of Na’vi—greetings, key phrases, proper pronunciation, and cultural mores. Trust us: say it right or pay the price.
• Pandora Intelligence Brief: Prepare for deployment with this essential RDA orientation video designed to give new recruits a tactical edge when navigating the uncharted territories of Pandora. This isn’t just a new world. It’s a new frontier.

Marketing Materials & Music Video – Marketing materials used to build audience awareness of the film.

• “Dream as One” Music Video: Multi Grammy-winning superstar Miley Cyrus performs her emotional end-title ballad, “Dream as One,” in the official music video.

• Theatrical Trailer 1: New clans, new villains. The Sully family fights to survive.

• Theatrical Trailer 2: The Pandoran world goes deeper than you can imagine.

Avatar: Fire and Ash releases digitally next week on March 31, ahead of a release on 4K UHD, standard and 3D Blu-ray, and DVD on May 19.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.