A candid moment

Jamie Hyneman, the Mythbuster who needs no introduction, has graciously agreed to take some time out from his busy schedule to answer a few questions from the Mythbusters Fan Club.

MBFC: So, given the 5 years of support from Discovery, the high ratings and very active fan base, when do you think Mythbusters is likely to take off as a hot new show?

Jamie Hyneman: I'm not sure what this question means- at 5 years and approaching 100 episodes it is what it is. The ratings have steadily climbed over the years, the audience demographic is unusually wide, and the press on the show has been very positive. Discovery is very happy with everything to do with the show, and while it will likely never be a blockbuster sort of TV show as compared to mainstream broadcast TV, it is one of their strongest performers and the fact that we are making a strong, steady climb means that we may be around for a while.

MBFC: When you were approached with the original Mythbusters idea what was your initial reaction?

Jamie Hyneman: My reaction was that it would be fun and interesting to try, but that it would surely end after the first couple of episodes. I have made a life out of being agile and open to new things as far as my interests and work go though, and even having a successful FX business is unlikely- yet I did it. So I have a general outlook that anything is possible with careful thought and diligence. That it actually worked out should not be surprising to me. Yet it is. Even after 5 years, I can't believe I'm doing this, and feel like it is some strange dream that sooner or later I will wake up from.

MBFC: Were there any initial reservations on your part as to whether this show would be a viable commercial venture?

Jamie Hyneman: Tons. It all just seems very unlikely. When you consider the mindlessness of most of what is successful on mainstream TV it is obvious that a show like Mythbusters should flop immediately. And yet we did not, and are still gaining audience.

MBFC: Tell us a bit about the early days of the show's development. Any interesting anecdotes?

Jamie Hyneman: There are all sorts of things that were odd about the way things came together but most of them would be things that I would not make public. One thing that I could mention was that given the success of certain other reality based shows, we were encouraged- in fact instructed- to snipe or argue with each other on camera. We did not invent arguments, but we tried letting fly when something bothered us. Normally we would consider this kind of thing unprofessional in the workplace, so we would not give a co-worker grief or trash talk about them at any opportunity. But production was demanding it, so we did a little, and found it very distasteful and now refuse to do it. Even now, if something slips out the cameras will be on us like harpies, so we usually keep it to ourselves and deal with it when out of camera shot. There is not much of that anyway, so it is not a problem.

MBFC: What impact did the initial development of the show have on M5 Industries. Has the show continued to affect its day-to-day operations?

Jamie Hyneman: Mythbusters, like any production, has no tolerance for anything that impedes them. If there is any noise, or anything in their way, they for the most part won't compromise. After over 20 years of dealing with productions I am pretty used to this attitude and I just accept it. Therefore I have reduced the total amount of work outside of the show that I take on- in particular I am not accepting other film or video production related work (which used to be the majority of what I did) because it is kind of like having more than one alpha male in a small space. They don't get along and won't share like good children. I have been taking on occasional R&D type projects that I can nest in a corner of the shop out of the way. I have grown to like this type of work better anyway, as business and industry is more grounded and not as laden with creative type egos.

MBFC: Of all the prototyping work M5 Industries develops which project are you most proud of, and why?

Jamie Hyneman: These 'most' questions for the most part don't work. It is like asking a parent which of his children he loves most. I am passionate about most of the projects I have done. Usually the most challenging aspect of the work I have done is meeting a time frame. We have pulled off jobs that would have taken any other company many times longer- we became known for that. I have invented my own techniques for motivating and managing crews in very tight time frames.

MBFC: Given your reputation for proper organization of resources and cleanliness, have you found that the cast and crew of the show adhere to your "shop rules"?

Jamie Hyneman: No. Production is pretty much like a derailed freight train. It just does what it does and that is that. On occasion I lay down some request or arrangement to keep things workable here, but that usually lasts about a week or so and then we are back to where we started. I am pretty used to it, and just aim for being able to actually move around in the shop to some degree. It surprises me that people can actually not be able to accommodate simple necessities and yet be able to retain things like toilet training, which most of the crew here actually handles fairly well (with one or two exceptions).

MBFC: As the show has matured what subtle changes do you feel have made it better with time.

Jamie Hyneman: Instead of becoming jaded or doing our work as a routine, we are actually becoming more intrigued and fascinated by our work. We have learned a great deal, and have become more competent at doing what the show requires us to do. When you consider that so much of what we do is new to us, this means that we have become adept at going into an unfamiliar situation and taking control of it in some sense. There are things we are able to do now that we might not have been able to pull of when we started doing this work. I would hope that some of this comes through on the show.

MBFC: What led to the development of M7?

Jamie Hyneman: Space needs, in particular as was required by the addition of the additional on camera personnel.

MBFC: How has M7 changed the way the show is produced and it effect on M5 Industries.

Jamie Hyneman: Nothing of note here. We could not fit everything in M5. M5 has more equipment, supplies and tools- M7 has most of the leftover stored stuff created by the show.

MBFC: Is M7 subject to your shop rules and, if so, do you find they adhere to them?

Jamie Hyneman: Both the shops have safety and other professional shop requirements that they adhere to. I have no articular rules at M5 that would not fall within what any shop would by law need to maintain.

MBFC: Your bio indicates you graduated with a degree in Russian Literature. Given your current success, have you found inspiration from your studies that have helped make your various ventures a success?

Jamie Hyneman: There is a thing that having a broad knowledge base gives - which is part of the theory of many institutional educations; one can use that foundation as a base upon which one can extrapolate things that one has no direct experience with. When you take that biology course in high school, you may not end up using directly if you end up making a living as a computer programmer. But it and the myriad other things you learn as you go through life can apply in unexpected way and even end up allowing you to problem solve more effectively even in your specialty. In my case I have such a wide base -and a fair amount of depth- that I often find I am able to understand things I should not be able to based on any direct experience. This is one of those cases where the whole equals more than the sum of the parts. This is one place that we differ from machines or computers.

MBFC: Have we seen any influence from your very interesting background on the show itself?

Jamie Hyneman: I am not that animated, not very outgoing, can't tell a joke to save my life. Yet somehow I have a very strong presence on camera and seem to be quite a well developed character who holds his own on the show. The richness of my experience might possibly add a certain depth to the show-I am not an actor, so whatever I put out there is a result of that background and experience.

MBFC: Are there any particular episodes or segments that stand out in your
mind and why?

Jamie Hyneman: There are lots of them- but again, I am mainly fascinated by the variety of what we are exposed to on the show. There are exciting moments, but I tend to look at all the episodes as one thing that is continuously evolving. It is like a beast unto itself, and we are just riding on it.

MBFC: What inspired you to take part in robot competitions and eventual success on the Battlebots TV show?

Jamie Hyneman: I just like to experiment and try new things. I would say that my being on the show is a by product of
that, kind of like looking for bugs by turning over rocks.

MBFC: On a personal note, we understand you have an interesting tale about your 24 hours on a bump in the road in Texas.

Jamie Hyneman: Back in the sixties I hitch hiked all over the country. Amarillo Texas is on a major east/west freeway and I was there at a on/off ramp waiting for a ride from midnight to noon. You could see a headlight come up on the horizon, watch it coming closer for about 15 minutes. It would still be several miles away and I had my thumb out. Then in one second it whooshed past and you wold watch its tail lights for another 15 minutes. Not many people hitch hike any more - I know I wouldn't. I'm not sure what happened; there used to be lines of people with their thumbs out. I guess it was just the sixties.

MBFC: On a more serious note, as with all TV shows, Mythbusters will run its course. When that happens (hopefully a long time in the future) have you given any thought to what you'd like to do next.

Jamie Hyneman: I would like to put a lawn chair on the tip of a very powerful rocket, put a parachute on, get on the chair and go for a ride.

MBFC: Last question. If Hollywood were to make Mythbusters: the Movie, name the actor you would most want to play you.

Jamie Hyneman: This question came up at a speaking engagement we did once, and the audience seemed to agree that Bruce Willis would be a good choice. But I am not sure what the advantage would be - at this point we have logged quite a few hours of air time and could hold our own in a movie. Maybe after I take that ride on the rocket.

MBFC: Thank you for your time. We wish you continued success in all of your ventures.