Hey Raggs!

I was just reading your bio on your fansite and said "hey, he's got my ideal job -- I've always wanted a job where I was *supposed* to do internet research!!!" ;) Just kidding, I'm sure it's much more involved than that.

But seriously, that's my question, really -- withhout giving away specifics of course (because I'm sure you can't), I'm curious as to the type of research you do for the episodes, and exactly how in depth you go -- for example, scholarly journals, interviews with scientists, etc.

Since this doesn't involve spoilers, maybe you could give me a past example? I did read some of the things that you researched for the raft scenes and would love to know more.

Thanks.
oceanic_lisa

Hey, Oceanic_lisa,

People ask me that question all the time, so please forgive me for repeating myself. But here you go.... P.S. - - there have been many, many examples of things I have researched for the show including the instability of old dynamite (rememnber what happened to Arzt, the use of sea urchin spines for needles in DO NO HARM, the use of gunpowder to burn Charlie's heaadwound shut in Exodus, and the use of the radar from the crashed drug plane on the raft for the first year season finale...

At any rate, here are the rest of the details. And thanks so much for your question!

There are two of us on this show, which is extremely rare, most shows only have one. Dawn Kelly and I switch off in "the room" on a per episode basis. While in the room, we are the TV version of a court reporter, typing everything (well, almost everything) that is being pitched while the episode is being broken. While out of the room, we take care of all the research for the show - - which is the part of the job I enjoy the most. I have been on the phone with some extremely interesting people about all manner of subjects and the things I get to learn are fascinating. Let's just say I won't lose a game of Trivial Pursuit anytime soon.

Things I have contributed directly to the show include: Using the radar from the Beechcraft drug plane on the raft; Using the sea urchin spines for needles in the blood transfusion to try and save Boone's life; making the body in the tree by the drug plane be that of a priest; most of the medical procedures that Jack has been thrown (the pierced pericardium that Jack needed to drain the blood from in this season's premiere); I lived in Australia briefly, so I catch all the questions about how things work down there (remember when Sawyer was deported) and all kinds of other stuff.

The staff here is VERY supportive and always happy to let us pitch ideas which makes all the hard work worth it. We also wrote the diary and the episode guides for the ABC website last year. I recently wrote all of the FAQs and the Character Bios for the new website www.oceanicflight815.com as well as helping to create and edit content in the soon to be released LOST magazine.

I hope that sheds at least a little bit of light on why I get spend so little time at home with my wife. Still, it's a great job and I couldn't be more happy to be on the team.

All the best,

Raggs