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October 9, 2008

Go behind-the-scenes with Grant Imahara from ‘Mythbusters’

By Mark Bennett

TERRE HAUTE — Non-dairy creamer can be just as frightening as a shark.

Grant Imahara knows firsthand. As the electronics and radio-control specialist on the Discovery Channel’s popular “Mythbusters” television show, Imahara helps debunk or confirm urban legends.

Like whether it’s true that a person adrift at sea should play dead when sharks approach. Or whether it’s possible to create a huge fireball by dispersing a cloud of sawdust (or powdered non-dairy creamer) and igniting it with a flare. The crew confirmed both myths, but not without rattling Imahara and his mates, just a little.

When asked if any “Mythbusters” quests got so extreme that he or the others were ready to bail out, Imahara picked those two episodes. In the sharks test, he and fellow cast member Tory Belleci suited up in protective chainmail, slipped into the water and took turns thrashing or playing dead. “This really frightened me, because I don’t like open water, and I don’t like fish touching me,” Imahara said in an e-mail interview. “It was an intense experience, almost too much, but I got through it.”

In the powder explosion mythbust, the crew built a cannon to disperse and then ignite non-dairy creamer. The outcome had Imahara, Belleci and “Mythbusters” artist Kari Byron howling in awe at their desolate canyon test site.

“It was one of those things where we kind of had an idea of what was going to happen, but you never really know until someone finally does it,” Imahara explained. “The cannon fired, and it seemed like a dud for a few seconds. Then it caught fire and made the biggest fireball I’ve ever seen. I almost turned around and ran. I turned my head to look at the others, and Kari was already gone, up the hill. That was pretty intense.”

Flirting with disaster has made this show a cable TV sensation since 2003, drawing science geeks, thrill-seeking teens and Average Joes who long to blow things up. Imahara, who joined “Mythbusters” in its third season, will share behind-the-scenes tales during a 7:30 appearance Saturday night in Rose-Hulman’s Sports and Recreation Center.

Their work is daring, but not reckless, Imahara said.

“We pay much more attention to safety than it may appear on the show,” he explained. “We have story meetings to work out how we’re going to tackle a peculiar myth, and at that time — in the discussion stage — we can bring up any concerns. Believe it or not, every myth has insurance. There’s a company that reviews our safety procedures and approves our methods. They just happen to be the company that insures ‘Jackass.’”

The 37-year-old Imahara, Belleci and Byron comprise the “Mythbusters” build team, creating robots, dummies and devices. They back co-stars Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman.

Imahara adds high skill to the crew. A Southern Cal grad with an electrical engineering degree, the Los Angeles native served as a model maker and engineer for George Lucas’ special-effects workshop — Industrial Light & Magic. He worked on “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace” and “Terminator 3,” among others. Imahara even operated “Star Wars” creature R2-D2 in film, and developed electronic circuitry that allowed the TV commercial Energizer Bunny’s arm beats and ears to move at a constant rate. He even built the combat robot “Deathblow” for the show “BattleBots.”

That resumé fits well on “Mythbusters,” where his duties range from technical to comedic.

“Different episodes exhibit different talents,” he said. “Sometimes you’re funny, sometimes you’re smart, and sometimes you build something cool. It all depends on what bits the editors choose to build a story. One episode that stands out for a good, all-around performance is ‘Surfing with Dynamite.’ It was a cool build — a robotic, surfing Grant — and funny stuff, with good science.”



Mark Bennett can be reached at mark.bennett@

tribstar.com or (812) 231-4377.



Mythbuster Talk

“Mythbusters” special-effects ace Grant Imahara answered a few extra questions, via e-mail, for the Tribune-Star:

Do either Adam or Jamie provide a calming effect to the crew?

n “… Adam definitely has the opposite of a calming effect on the crew. It’s hard not to, because he’s running around the shop building things at a mile a minute. Jamie probably has more of a calming effect on the crew, since he’s definitely a methodical thinker and worker.”

n At any point in your collegiate training, did you attempt experiments similar to those conducted on the show?

“I made a electromagnetic accelerator for a class, but that was about it. My college experience was a bit more tame. Working on ‘Mythbusters’ is very similar to my work at the ILM Model Shop on [George Lucas’] movies, except there’s less time and much less money. We use a lot of the same fabrication tricks and techniques.”

n Was “BattleBots” ahead of its time?

“I think BattleBots burst onto the scene at exactly the right time, as is evidenced by its instant explosion in popularity. Unfortunately, it was paired with a network that didn’t know what to do with them and ultimately, sadly, died a premature death.”

Are there any limitations on transforming imaginary creatures or devices — such as those you’ve worked with in films — into cinematic realities?

n “At ILM I used so say that we could make pretty much anything, given enough time and money. There was certainly no shortage of talent. However, physical models and creatures (as opposed to computer graphic ones) have limitations on the kind of movements they can do. For example, getting up and running across a room is difficult for an animatronic creature. However, the way light falls on a practical model is natural and beautiful, and you get a result instantly, without any rendering time … Elemental forces such as fire and water are difficult to do well in computer graphics, so you always have a tradeoff.”

— Mark Bennett



Mythbuster in town

Who: Grant Imahara, special-effects guy for the Discovery Channel’s “Mythbusters” show.

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Where: Student Recreation Center, Rose-Hulman campus.

Admission: $10; call Hatfield Hall Ticket Office at (812) 877-8544.



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