When the creators of ABC's "Lost" kick off production on the show's sophomore season this morning, they'll do so secure in the knowledge that Archie Ahuna is on hand to blow up, blow down, ignite, extinguish, suspend or drop anything and everything they put in his path.

The 54-year-old special-effects supervisor played a major role in establishing "Lost" as last season's breakthrough drama.

Drawing on some 35 years of experience in the local film industry, Ahuna helped the show deliver a high-impact visual punch to balance its finely-drawn character studies and intricate, interwoven storylines.

Ahuna's contributions were recognized this month when he and eight of his "Lost" collaborators received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series. The series received 12 Emmy nominations in all, tops for a drama.

"I'm still in my own little world over this," Ahuna said of the nomination. "It's like a diploma for all of your hard work. Win or lose, it doesn't matter. Just getting recognized for doing something I love to do is more than enough."

Longtime assistant Bo Ulii said the nomination was "awesome" news for Ahuna and for the local professionals he represents.

"All these years and we never did have a nomination," Ulii said. "We're all stoked. If he wins, it's 100 percent better. It's just a little more to keep us all going."

The Ahuna name is well established in the local film industry. Ahuna's father, Joe, was a set electrician and a business agent for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Mixed Local 665.

Archie Ahuna followed his father into the business, starting with an entry position in craft service on the film "Tora, Tora, Tora" and working his way up.

His first experience in special effects came in the late 1960s, on the set of "Hawaii Five-0." His most valuable instruction, however, came years later while working on "Magnum P.I." with acclaimed special-effects master Jack Faggard.

"He took me under his wing for eight years and taught me everything I needed," Ahuna said. "I owe everything to him."

A specialist in pyrotechnics, Ahuna started his own special-effects company in 1984 and has since become a go-to guy for Mainland TV and film productions passing through Hawai'i.

"Archie has one gift, and that's the ability to make something out of nothing," said set rigger Charlie Raymond. "He gets the shot and that's the only thing that counts."

Ahuna relies heavily on trusted associates, including Raymond, Ulii, Gary McEnroe and Michael Sua. His wife Fern handles much of the "powder" work, supplying spectacular pyrotechnics for films like "Pearl Harbor" and "Tears of the Sun." If necessary, he'll waive equipment rental fees or have the team construct basic props so productions can afford to hire the whole team.

"They each have their specialities, which allows us to handle anything that might come up," Ahuna said. That's invaluable in the volatile world of TV.

"With movies, you might have two weeks to prepare," he said. "With TV, you have one day, sometimes not even that."

Because many Mainland productions need a local "powder license" holder on the crew, Ahuna is often asked to supervise or consult. "I always come in as the second guy, but that's alright," he says. "They're the boss. ... My only concern is that we get the job done in a safe way."

In fact, Ahuna preaches safety the way CEOs preach profit.

"A lot of guys are so afraid of losing their jobs, they take chances," Ahuna said. "As a special-effects person, you have to have imagination and you have to be ready to do anything and everything to make what's in the script come to life. I'll do whatever they want me to do, but only if it can be done without putting anybody at risk."

That sort of attitude has endeared Ahuna to a growing list of Hollywood admirers — including the creators, cast and crew of "Lost."

Whether it's hand-rocking a two-ton airplane model in a tree, dragging Terry O'Quinn by his ankles through a jungle, or drenching the cast in a mock thunderstorm, Ahuna and his team diligently test and retest each effect before the cameras roll.

The irrepressible Evangeline Lilly once felt so secure in her safety rigging that she jumped off her perch from a high tree branch after filming a scene.

"I told Evie that even though she's safe, she shouldn't do that," Ahuna said, laughing. "If something happened, that's big money. Even monkeys fall out of trees."