Destroyers of Legends is one of the most popular broadcasts of modern television, and the fame of its presenters and participants has long stepped over the Atlantic Ocean. The dynamic science fiction show is a true TV hit, and its characters are known to millions of fans. One of the most striking of them is Grant Imahara, whose personal life and family are of interest to many of his fans.
Student years
An American of Japanese descent studied at one of the best technical universities in the world - the University of South California, diligently mastering electrical engineering, and successfully received a bachelor of science degree.
However, the passion for the exact sciences fought in him with a passion for the film industry. At one time, Grant Imahara even thought about a cardinal change in specialization and wanted to become a screenwriter.
However, in the end, he found a solution that allowed him to combine his passion for cinema and his engineering background. For some time, Grant Imahara worked as an assistant with Tomlison Holman, who was a professor in the school of motion picture arts and, incidentally, the creator of the TNX system for Lucasfilm. The practice of the master of special effects was not in vain, and the young Japanese plunged headlong into this specific type of activity, all his free time studying the basics of radio telemechanics and electronics.
Behind the Scenes of Star Wars and the Terminator
After graduating from the University, Grant Imahara, whose photo at that time was not known to anyone, entered the service at Lucasfilm. However, the boring work of a licensing engineer did not suit an ambitious graduate, and he does not stay here for long.
Soon, Grant Imahara became a specialist at Industrial Light and Magic. Here he worked for almost ten years and took part in the creation of a huge number of high-budget blockbusters. The name of the Japanese can be found in the credits for the films "Star Wars", "Terminator 3", "The Matrix: Revolution" and many others.
As a specialist in remote control and electronics, he participated in the creation of robot-like models for the above paintings.
If we talk about Star Wars, Grant Imahara was engaged in updating the design of obsolete robots R2-D2, while preserving the charm of the good old heroes.
He was also responsible for controlling the mechanical hero during public appearances and filming in commercials. Being a recognized specialist and expert on R2-D2, the engineer even starred in a humorous documentary dedicated to the legendary robot.
Battle robot creator
At one time, the Battle of Robots TV show, or BattleBots, was popular, in which Grant Imahara also noted. Here he acted as the creator of the Deadblow combat robot, which often emerged as the winner of many duels.
Having successfully proved himself in this field, Grant became a real specialist in the design of mechanical fighters.
He led the ILM team during the filming of the show "Super War in the landfill, " which managed to prevail in a heated battle with other opponents.
After such feats, Imahara decided to share his experience in creating combat robots and wrote a colorful book "Downhole Robot: An Illustrated Guide to Creating Combat Robots." Until now, this guide is considered an authoritative publication on robotics, illuminating the familiar field of engineering from an unusual angle.
The destroyer of myths and legends
Despite the prevailing stereotypes, American television produces many popular science programs, where the foundations of the universe and surrounding reality are illuminated in an accessible and fascinating way. One of these projects was “Legend Destroyers”. A team of scientists, engineers and just skilled guys try by experiment to confirm or refute the tales and legends that have developed in folklore related to technology, science, nature. Vivid, non-standard experiences look very impressive, and the show has a consistently high rating among viewers.
At one time, several former ILM workers tied their future careers to "Legion Breakers." Among them - Lida Walkovich, who became an assistant producer, as well as Tori Belechi. The Japanese himself came to this project under the influence of Jamie Heinemann, who repeatedly threw him this or that work. So this time he encouraged his comrade to new exploits.
In The Legend Destroyers, Grant Imahara, whose height (1.69 m) sets him apart from his comrades, is part of the junior team or the “young team”. Here he replaced as a third member welder Scottie Chapman.
In 2012, he also appeared on the screen. The Japanese played a cameo role in one of the episodes of the series "Erica".
Screenwriter and mentor
The passion for the big screen and creativity did not leave Imahara during his engineering activities. In 2004, he wrote the script for the short film Architects of Evil. Having become a full-fledged author of a small picture, the engineer also starred in the main role of his masterpiece. However, it was just a project filmed for a local film contest, or literally translated from English - a film contest shot in the backyard.
An unrivaled creator of martial androids and models for cult films, Grant Imahara generously shares his experience with the younger generation. He is the curator and leader of the team of robotic engineers at Richmond High School, which takes part in various competitions and competitions of robots.
Imahara is happy to help children in creating mechanical devices that can most effectively perform a clearly defined range of tasks.
The engineer did not escape the mentions in specialized publications. He was devoted to an article in Spectrum magazine, which highlighted interesting technical developments and finds of the Japanese.
