Dominic: As a researcher my job entails getting hold of tools and materials for the junkyard, thinking up challenge ideas and getting people involved in the show as well as looking for suitable locations for them to be shot in. The ideas come from all over – people submit them, either directly or on discussion forums (fora?), we have a long list of ideas which didn’t make previous series and old fashioned research elicits yet more. I have colleagues whose particular area of interest and expertise are air- and water- borne challenges too.

The question is a little loaded however because research is only one element of my job. I also run all the I.T. in the office and on set, I write the content for the Channel4 (UK commissioning broadcaster of Scrapheap Challenge) website and provide publicity photos and timelapse video of the build days. I am one of the two “men in white coats” on the projectile challenges and am seen by most people as a sort of human form of crazy glue, or perhaps more appropriately, gaffer tape (duct tape), as I am often first port of call for problems that arise. I used to drive a lorry with the team’s contraptions to and from the challenges, but thankfully that stressful task has been passed on to someone else (I often had a stress-inducingly large load to pull)

J: That certainly sounds like a lot on one's plate! For those, like myself, could you explain how the show is classified?

D: The original mandate was definitely for an educational science show, but there’s certainly no harm in trying to make the shows entertaining as well. Cathy (whose idea the whole thing was) is head of science here and is also my boss – nice work if you can get it I’ve been told… It is really all the things you say it is – game, reality and educational.

J: Any differences between Junkyard Wars and Scrapheap Challenge?

D: Presenter (host), accents and length of finished product (There are more adverts in the US version so it is shorter – often sacrificing graphics for ads - I think this has been covered by the newsgroup: alt.tv.junkyard-wars) There is a different crew working on the shows (although I work on both.) I think the American crew were at first a bit shocked by us when we came out to LA to film the current batch of shows. There was a lot of “What can I get you sir?” and “How high would you like me to jump sir?” obsequiousness which we have since beaten out of them. With sticks.

J: And who said the British weren't violent people? Have any machine ideas been rejected?

D: After they were built or at the planning stage? If you mean the former – no way – we wouldn’t have a show. The latter? There are loads of ideas that haven’t made the cut for just as many reasons. We haven’t finished yet so some of those will be on future shows. Some machines seem interesting on the drawing board, but what is the challenge? We did windmills (not one of my favourite shows – I got very wet and miserable that day along with everyone else – see it’s not all supermodels and nose candy) but the hardest thing about that show was to decide what the windmills actually did. They weren’t going to be powerful enough to turn mill stones or drive a sawmill for instance, so we settled on the coffee bean idea. Wave power would be good, but what would make a fun and practical challenge, and how would the machines be deployed?

Bowser rejected a machine idea from his expert in one show, and the walking machines rejected us the first time around. Neither got off the start line and we had to reschedule after they had been tinkered with a bit more. (hope I haven’t broken anyone’s heart there) Mostly the teams get the machines done in the time though and only safety enhancements are done in the interim period between build and test. I can feel myself veering away from the question, so I’ll stop.

J: Do you personally have a favorite build?

D: I definitely have a favourite test – Amphibious Vehicle from series 2 of Scrapheap Challenge. It was on an army base in the UK – on the high speed off road testing track for armoured vehicles. It was also on my 30th birthday and since the track was one-way (you don’t want to come over a blind hill and find that there is a Landrover doing 65 mph in the opposite direction) each time someone arrived I volunteered to drive our crew 4 wheel drives around the entire course to the gate to pick them up from the carpark at the top. So I had a great birthday and the challenge was also one of the most enjoyable ones to watch (The army boys from the base almost wet themselves when they saw what happened to the Navy’s boat too).

J: One more question about the show, specifically about the experts. What requirements are there to be an expert?

D: You must be able to do the job and it helps if you are pre-eminent in your field (which would be the same field as that show’s subject matter). It gives you credibility and us a chance to use some footage of your previous exploits to further enhance that credibility. Enthusiasm is a great plus too. Some people would cut off their left arms to be on the show, while others whine about missing days off work. It’s quite alright to whine about the atrocious accommodation we provide though, but that is what Tequila was invented for – to transform the ugliest Travel Lodge in Canning Town (East London – home of the old Scrapheap) into a magnificent palace.

J: I've just got a couple of general questions for you and I'll let you go. Have you worked on any other TV shows?

D: I used to edit audio for BBC Radio 5 Live which is a mix of news and sport. I have shot footage for a bit of nonsense called “House Moves From Hell” and helped out on various shows including Shipwrecked in my ‘human crazy glue’ capacity.

I think my usefulness on the show [RDF] stems not so much from my previous showbiz experience (but that obviously can't hurt if you are interested in making a career for yourself in tv), but is culled more from the fact that I have had almost every type of employment known to man at one point or another, have a degree in film and tv and travelled around the world for five years between school and university, which probably serves to make me more self-sufficient and worldly (but not in the good way - with the ladies).

J: Very cool indeed! Since JW/SC is, in essence, a reality program, what are your thoughts on the current 'reality' programs?

D: I wish I had time to watch more of them…but I really don't enjoy Survivor or Big Brother (I have only seen the UK and Dutch versions of BB) as they are boring and exploitative. Exploitative in a rubbish soap opera way rather than in an intelligent super cruel way. Mwahahahahaha. IMHO I think that if you are going to watch the minutae of people's lives as a manipulated spy tv format, then you might as well let the girls and boys sleep in the same dorms, watch them on the toilet and in the shower, and send in agents provocateur to spice up the action. Scrapfact: the UK BB was directed by a woman who also helmed three episodes of our favourite show: Landyachts, Mileage Marathon and Walking Machines.

J: We'll have to talk about Big Brother another time. Maybe I can straighten you out. ;-) Thank you for talking to us and I'll give you the parting words. Anything you'd like to say?

D: Yes, hopefully my inbox will shrink a bit if I vent the following:

• Kids’ Junkyard Wars / Scrapheap Challenge you say? We’re working on it.

• Is the Junkyard seeded? Yes in that we built the whole thing from scratch in a real junkyard, and no in that we don’t want the challenge to turn in to an Easter egg hunt where the contestants just assemble a kit of parts. “But what about the Mylar!” you cry indignantly. “Get over it!” I retort.

• How do you become a contestant? For Scrapheap Challenge (if you are in the UK) you keep watching the web site: http://rdfmedia.com/scrapheap/apply/ and although it may not change for months and months, and although it has some weird grammar on it (I will sort that out sometime soon) that’s the place to go. We WILL change it when we need more Scrappers and Junkies. Also watch the shows and announcements are made at the end when we need more applications.