In a large industrial workshop on the backlot at Docklands Studios Melbourne, Tim McGaw is deep in concentration.
Sculpting tool in hand, glasses perched on his nose, he’s refining an object that in a few months’ time will appear completely real on screen.
Tim calls himself a “stuff maker.”
The film industry knows him as one of Australia’s most experienced props makers.
And his screen career began in the most cinematic way imaginable.
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Back in 2000, while working as an art teacher, a colleague mentioned her sister was joining the crew on the first Star Wars film to be made in Australia, Attack of the Clones.
Within weeks, Tim had scored himself a junior role as a model maker, crafting light sabers and other weapons in a large team of more than 40 props and model makers.
“It was like a kid’s dream come true. When the first Star Wars came out I was about 10 or 11 so I was the target audience.”
And Tim was primed for the job, with a varied skillset including antique restoration, jewellery making, metal work, cabinet making, ceramics and sculpture.
Tim returned to the Star Wars franchise for Revenge of the Sith (2005), this time in the costume department.
“The first thing that landed on my desk was the original Darth Vader costume – I had to remake the helmet. That was a ‘pinch myself’ moment.”
“At our wrap party, George Lucas was going around introducing himself to as many people as possible and asking what they did. It was great for morale.”
Not long after, in 2004, Tim found himself on what would be the first of many backlot roles at Docklands Studios Melbourne – the international blockbuster Ghost Rider.
Others include Where the Wild Things Are (2009), The Pacific (2010), Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (2010), Jack Irish (2016), The Leftovers (2017), Upgrade (2018), Winchester (2018), Preacher (2019), True History of the Kelly Gang (2019), Shantaram (2022), Foe (2023) and War Machine (2026).
He’s also made props and costumes for a raft of productions outside Victoria, including Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and Mortal Kombat (2021).
For Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (2010) Tim made a cutthroat razor, carved in wax then cast in metal and plastic (image supplied)
Tim helped craft the interior for the self-driving car from Upgrade (2018) (image supplied)
Detail from the spaceship from Foe (2023) (image supplied)
The armoured personnel carrier from War Machine (2026) (image supplied)
Adaptability the Key
Tim says the key to props making is to be adaptable. “You’ve got to learn to think on your feet and to think sideways.”
Last-minute requests are pretty routine: “They’ll be rehearsing today for something they want to film tomorrow and decide they want to break a chair in a fight sequence, so suddenly you need to make breakable furniture.”
“The weirdest thing I ever had to make was human faeces, for a scene in The Pacific where someone falls into the latrine pit.”
Tim’s been quick to adopt 3D printing as a fast way to create props, particularly anything that needs to be mass-produced.
“A printer can work overnight while you’re sleeping. You can print any shape really but there’s a lot of cleaning up – the resin is messy.”
Thousands of Props Later
“I’ve lost track of all the props I’ve made.
When I’m watching a film, I do find myself looking at the props and if it’s something I’ve made and it looks good, it makes me proud.
“Having helped make Darth Vader’s costume is incredible.
“But if I’m at a party I don’t always tell people I worked on Star Wars, because then every other Star Wars nerd in the room is going to want to sit next to me!”
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