Advice for a self-produced low-budget mythbusters clone show?

October 3, 2007 6:25 PM

Advice for a self-produced low-budget mythbusters clone show?

I've been talking to a couple people about how we could do a fun homebrew DIY mythbusters clone. The long and short of it is that we have skills in the following areas computers, programming, basic robotics, rc cars, rc planes (less so), basic marksmanship, basic automotive, basic electronics (comfortable with easy directions and soldering iron), etc. We're not experts in anything really. We also do not have a lot of money to spend. Ideally each segment on the show should cost less than 200 dollars. I'm assuming the first episode will only have two perhaps three myths/claims tested. I'm also open to testing claims of manufacturers like "does the flowbee really work," "do expensive speaker wire do anything?" etc.

So I beseech the hive mind for some myths/claims we can do in a relatively safe and affordable manner. If you can attach an explanation of how to test this in this manner, that would be great too. Whimsical ones are fine too (like the flowbee). I'm aiming for a good mix of comedy and science.

Lastly, is it possible to rent high-end equipment like an rfid reader or an oscilloscope? Or some other ways I can get my hands on stuff like this without actually having to buy them?

General suggestions or advice appreciated too.

posted by the ghost of Ken Lay to sports, hobbies, & recreation (14 comments total)

While I'm at it, how about some tips of shooting/editing nerdy stuff in a comedic interesting manner? I'm blow away at the editing work at mythbusters. Do I plan the shot and the gag ahead of time or just be generally goofy and cherry-pick the best parts?
posted by the ghost of Ken Lay at 6:28 PM on October 3, 2007

rc planes (less so)

Can a plane on a conveyor belt take off?
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 6:30 PM on October 3, 2007

For equipment, I'd suggest borrowing things that you don't intend to blow up or damage.

Universities, research institutions, National Labs (if you live near one) and large testing facilities will sometimes lend equipment and lab spaces short-term for science-positive purposes and some good PR.

It would also help if you could show that your science-positive project was in some way educational and good for introducing students to the fun world of science.

You'd be surprised at what people'd let you do at their lab or let you borrow if it's in the name of science education.

I once got someone to agree to cook a turkey in a nuclear reactor and then eat it (long story; they agreed but it never happened).
posted by answergrape at 6:57 PM on October 3, 2007

Wear earplugs.
posted by Roach at 6:57 PM on October 3, 2007

Ask this guy.
posted by googly at 6:57 PM on October 3, 2007

You'd be surprised at what people'd let you do at their lab or let you borrow if it's in the name of science education.

Or, y'know, if it looks cool.
posted by spaceman_spiff at 7:12 PM on October 3, 2007

For equipment, I'd suggest borrowing things that you don't intend to blow up or damage.

Universities, research institutions, National Labs (if you live near one) and large testing facilities will sometimes lend equipment and lab spaces short-term for science-positive purposes and some good PR.

It would also help if you could show that your science-positive project was in some way educational and good for introducing students to the fun world of science.

You'd be surprised at what people'd let you do at their lab or let you borrow if it's in the name of science education.

Here in Albuquerque, I once got someone to agree to cook a turkey in a nuclear reactor and then eat it (long story; they agreed but it never happened).

I also got some radar dudes to explain how one could cook a turkey using a hand-held cop radar gun.... which was apparently more doable.

I'm still holdin' out for the reactor though... radiation myths are fun, and RAD guys have a great sense of humor!
posted by answergrape at 7:14 PM on October 3, 2007

Being very general, the only thing I'd suggest is that the single most important thing is not what you do, but the personalities and interactions of the people on-camera. Mythbusters is a pretty cool show, but I think a lot of its success is because of Adam and Jamie and the rest of the crew and how they interact.

My counter-example is the Discovery show X-testers, which is basically a Mythbusters wanna-be, and nowhere near as watchable, basically because the two guys on-camera are just not very likable, in my humble.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:36 PM on October 3, 2007

Your first trip is to the insurance agent.
posted by Ironmouth at 7:37 PM on October 3, 2007

I'd suggest that the best thing you can do is very deliberately don't be Mythbusters. As someone who likes Mythbusters, I don't want to watch something that tries and will inevitably fail to be Mythbusters, but I'll watch something that has the same sort of appeal, but different, particularly if it's got some other value add.

My two ideas are this: one, go for the slightly nerdier crowd and engage in a little better scientific rigor than Adam and Jamie often do, and perhaps talk about it a little. You could grab some of the younger proto-geek market, or perhaps interest teachers in the 6-12 grade range in using your stuff.

As an example, I seem to recall the Coca-cola cleaning test not having a control group of plain old water, though it could have been a similar one or something in a different episode. A little discussion of how you determine what tests to run could be a differentiator. Why is this test meaningful? When are you engaging in simple proof by contradiction? Etc.

Somewhat related, I sometimes would like better information on how to make the test rigs used in Mythbusters. If you're going to be more low-cost you could leverage multiple-media and have it be a video and website (and podcast?) delivery where there's supplemental information and diagrams and so on. Maybe I'm just in a teaching mindset today, but it could be a neat way to teach some of the varied skills you and your buddies have.
posted by phearlez at 6:53 AM on October 4, 2007

Cockeyed.com has some examples of goofy and relatively cheap experiments. Be aware that Mythbusters is making TV first, and sorta pretending to test stuff second. On the web(I'm assuming this is your distribution medium), where long-format reporting is not only possible, but expected, you'd want to take a more rigorous approach.

My only personal advice is to blow your first months budget on some good safety goggles.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 7:22 AM on October 4, 2007

Ummmm.... Solve easy myths?

One thing you could do is test various home remedies for things. Shouldn't be too expensive.
posted by Afroblanco at 10:08 AM on October 4, 2007

Assuming you want to put it online, I'd make it 'inspired' by MythBusters, but not a clone. Find your own niche.

Look at the quirky experiments on Cockeyed for example. You could videoify something more along those lines. The quirky things that MythBusters would never be able to get away with.

Maybe you can get some input from asavage, he'd certainly have a lot of info on what people might like to see that MythBusters couldn't cover.
posted by sycophant at 1:56 AM on October 5, 2007

I say just go for it: get together with the team, write a list of ideas, pick a couple that sound doable & awesome, then get on with it. You'll probably get loads more ideas and a much better sense of direction once you get into the thick of things.

Consider moving away from the episode mentality, unless you expect to get on TV. If your target is largely internet folk, tailor the ideas to that: short (5-10 mins), individual sketches - the sort of thing that ends up on YouTube. This approach could also make it easier to get going; less pressure to succeed, more experimentalism, more fun.

I think with a little ingenuity you could find loads of ideas that don't need much money, that will make some group of people think, "cool, I always wanted to know/do that". Then just have fun, scrounge what you need, turn the camera on and see what happens.
posted by MetaMonkey at 11:54 PM on October 5, 2007