Discuss all things Ghostbusters here, unless they would be better suited in one of the few forums below.
By Sixxgunn13
#4898624
Hey members, I'm very new to GB props and I have a question about how members build their packs. Regardless of which movie you build from, do most of you build an idealized pack that is clean and measured to specific specs or built like a movie set prop? The prop is usually built for a requirement during filming and isn't really as nice as some GB fan props.

I ask this cause when I made my ANH Stormtrooper suit it was made worn and beat up with a craptacular paint job to mimic the movie set props.

Is this the same in the GB world?
Cheers
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By Venkman1984
#4898643
hello friend welcome to the community. I chose to do a pack based on a combination of all 4 packs in Ghostbusters 1. Its referred to as a hero pack. I watched the movie and chose things that I personally liked the stuck out to me, little bumps and scrapes and small details. It took a very long time to source the parts because I wanted it to be original to me, and faithful and accurate to the films. Best advice is do the research and build a pack that makes you happy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvdSO7GM-ig
Last edited by Venkman1984 on September 24th, 2017, 8:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By Alex Newborn
#4898647
It's done to each individual's taste.

Some want a pack as accurate to the film as possible.

Some want something close enough to be recognizable, but lighter weight or less expensive materials.

Some want to take the familiar design and customize it, make it their own.

Some even want to make their packs totally faithful to how the real movie packs look NOW, and add rust and dust and glitches that have accumulated over time or due to neglect.

Me personally? I went with as many 'accurate' parts as I could source, but used a few resin copies for the harder-to-find pieces. Where there were subtle difference between the movie packs, I cherry-picked which ones I felt had the best aesthetic. So I've got a resistor that's accurate to Ray's pack, a detail that's only on Egon's, etc.

I also concealed a rotary switch in my resin Legris elbow on the underside of the ion arm, so mine can do the 'switch me on' sound effect *live*. Fellow busters get a big kick out of it, but the movie packs didn't actually have a practical switch in that location to accomplish this.

Decide what kind of pack YOU want, and make the one that pleases YOU.

Alex
#4898654
For my packs, I tend to go for what I call "idealized production-accurate". For example, I incorporate a lot of the small and unusual details that are inherent in the Hero packs, such as the odd shell texturing, unpainted swatches on the motherboard for GB2, wooden block spacers for GB1, weathered thrower grips, bolts drilled through the rivets for GB2, etc.

Elements that I don't replicate are the obvious wood grain on the pack fins, leaking epoxy for some of the components, etc.

Like Alex stated above, I also like to cherry-pick different details from the five Hero packs; my GB1 Hero pack combines elements mostly from the Spengler (ion arm + resistors assembly), Omni (thrower configuration), and Venkman (ribbon cable twist).

Most importantly, do as much research as you can on the original props and then decide which direction you want to go with it. No one is going to judge you for taking any creative liberties, and as long as you take your time with the construction, I'm sure you'll end up with a great-looking pack that you're happy with.
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By TK5759
#4898698
As corny as it sounds, my best advice would be to build the pack you love--the one you've always dreamed of owning. I can't necessarily speak for anyone else here but my pack has become like my kid and I could pick it out instantly from a group of packs because it has certain nuances.

So, start a build thread, build the pack you've always wanted, and don't let anyone tell you you're doing it wrong (unless you actually are because then we're helping). ;)
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By DarkSpectre
#4898699
As a seasoned builder and con goer, I build my packs to be functional, yet look good. I also build them inexpensively, using lightweight materials. Because here's the small and skinny of it. Joe Q Public will never know the difference of a 3500 dollar screen accurate pack over a 200 dollar decent looking Home Depot build unless they're into this hobby and even then, it's none of their business, how much you spend on it. As long as it makes you happy, fits your budget, and still invokes that "wow" factor with the public, it's done it's job.
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By Lee FW
#4898703
Film accuracy has never been a big thing for me. Having spent a few years prop making for film I've gained a new perspective. The prop on screen is often just what was able to be made in time to get it in front of camera. A lot of times they'd never stand up to real life scrutiny or last more than 5 minutes at a convention. When making replica props for fun I'll always go for an idealised version, something that's gonna look good in person and last while maintaining the look. I'm more for it looking like how you remember from the film, not what it looks like in archival hi-res closeup bts photos

As for my pack, gonna be starting in next month or so and pretty sure I'm gonna ignore the cast metal textured look, it's just something I never really noticed when watching the movie and prefer the smooth look that some people go for. Accurate, no, but it'll be the pack I want.
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By DarkSpectre
#4898705
Exactly my thought, Lee. Functional and looks good. No means perfect but only I know that. I guess I can't imagine spending 3500 dollars on something I can't touch, or wear, when I could build a nice looking one that suits my costuming needs for a fraction of that.
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By DarkSpectre
#4898712
Because they use a 300 dollar fiber glass shell, all aluminum parts, real fittings not cast and full lights and sound. The actual props were custom built by Columbia's prop house back in 1984.

A screen accurate pack can run between 2500 - 3500 dollars.
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#4898714
DarkSpectre wrote:The actual props were custom built by Columbia's prop house back in 1984.
The original Hero packs for GB1 were actually built by Boss Film Studios. If I correctly recall the interview with the designer, Stephen Dane, they only had six weeks to get everything (packs, traps, and car) designed, built, and shipped to New York. Given the originality of the design and overall quality of the props, that's pretty incredible for such a time frame!
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By Sav C
#4898728
DarkSpectre wrote:Because they use a 300 dollar fiber glass shell, all aluminum parts, real fittings not cast and full lights and sound. The actual props were custom built by Columbia's prop house back in 1984.

A screen accurate pack can run between 2500 - 3500 dollars.
OK, thanks! Basically would the original props they built have cost 2500 - 3500 (minus inflation)? Probably a dumb question, but honestly I have no pack building experience!
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By Lowberg
#4898766
I think there's a happy medium, and everyone has their own view on it.

I think most builder's philosophy is to try and make it aesthetically look as close as possible to the real one, regardless of the types of parts you use (resin, aluminum, replica, ect)

There's also people on both ends of the spectrum...

There's people who have gone as far as trying to source the exact same electronics and internals that the props used, and replicate every scratch and ding from reference photos....sourcing vintage versions of clippard valves and vintage tubing.

I've also known people that want a perfectly idealized pack, people who will change things cosmetically to be more practical, add stuff on (I knew a guy who put a trap holster V hook on his pack, similar to the cartoon version).

Its more about what makes you happy.

...Just don't put silver paint on the shell to make it look weathered...my biggest pet peeve haha.
People go "hey in real life it would have been made of metal!" Drives me nuts!
(Ok....do it if it makes you happy :) )
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By DarkSpectre
#4898767
It really does depend on preference and usage. If you're just going for something to display, then totally go all all out, but if you're a costumer, the working man's idealized pack would be a better fit, since wear and tear would be an issue.
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By J2Metal
#4898770
I always operated under the idea that the packs were built in a workshop (or dinner table over a magnificent feast representing the last of the petty cash) by hand and not on an assembly line in a factory. So they should all have some kinds of individuality to them. This is assuming of course you are building "your" pack and not trying to reproduce one from the movie exactly.

I built my pack how I wanted it to be and continue to tweak it. I have a clean paint job on it and no weathering because thats how like it to look. I am sure some expert prop builders could go over my pack and find 100 things I did wrong or that aren't 100% accurate to the movie but it makes me happy and at the end of the day thats why I do this.
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By DarkSpectre
#4898773
J2Metal wrote:I always operated under the idea that the packs were built in a workshop (or dinner table over a magnificent feast representing the last of the petty cash) by hand and not on an assembly line in a factory. So they should all have some kinds of individuality to them. This is assuming of course you are building "your" pack and not trying to reproduce one from the movie exactly.

I built my pack how I wanted it to be and continue to tweak it. I have a clean paint job on it and no weathering because thats how like it to look. I am sure some expert prop builders could go over my pack and find 100 things I did wrong or that aren't 100% accurate to the movie but it makes me happy and at the end of the day thats why I do this.
That's the approach that I take with my builds as they were hand built by Ray and Egon so they all would have individuality.

Hell man, I've always felt that judging other people's equipment is a dick move (unless the person being judged has a piece of junk they're trying to pass off as screen accurate). Plus let's not forget that there are people donning the spirt packs now. I've been building for 12 years and I make a point to tell my commissions that they are hand built and no way perfect but look good. Especially since I don't charge much for a build.

Again at the end of the day it's whatever makes you happy, be it completely screen accurate or being functional and looks nice, it's also about budget as well.
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By TK5759
#4898816
Lowberg wrote:I think there's a happy medium, and everyone has their own view on it.

I think most builder's philosophy is to try and make it aesthetically look as close as possible to the real one, regardless of the types of parts you use (resin, aluminum, replica, ect)

There's also people on both ends of the spectrum...

There's people who have gone as far as trying to source the exact same electronics and internals that the props used, and replicate every scratch and ding from reference photos....sourcing vintage versions of clippard valves and vintage tubing.

I've also known people that want a perfectly idealized pack, people who will change things cosmetically to be more practical, add stuff on (I knew a guy who put a trap holster V hook on his pack, similar to the cartoon version).

Its more about what makes you happy.

...Just don't put silver paint on the shell to make it look weathered...my biggest pet peeve haha.
People go "hey in real life it would have been made of metal!" Drives me nuts!
(Ok....do it if it makes you happy :) )
*Yoda voice*
To Lowberg you listen, save you it can!
By Sixxgunn13
#4898822
Thank you all for the informative posts , I think I will try to do as much scratch building of the main body myself and Motherboard. Then for the sake of weight i'll probably go resin cast parts on some stuff. As to offset the weight of the sound and light that will eventually be in my pack.

cheers

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