This is sort of bizarre for me. I’ve always been a geek. One who loves toys (a collection of 500+ clone/storm troopers, a large Predator collection, large Ninja Turtles collection, quite a few Star Trek models, etc.), loves nostalgia, and especially one who loves to create things. A few years ago I went to a “Halloween” wedding- one where we would dress up (obviously). I had decided to dress up as Qui-Gon Jinn (from SW: Episode One) mostly because I have long hair and a beard and wouldn’t have to change my appearance too dramatically. It was a nice costume- not as accurate as I would have wished, but acceptable. But then I saw the groom- FULL Ghostbusters costume. It was a sight to behold. Every, and I mean EVERY, guy there was jealous. Lighted proton pack, ghost trap, EVERYTHING!
Fast forward to about a month ago. I was curious about getting a proton pack since I always wanted one as a kid. Through the most basic of research I realized that many people were making their own packs and equipment. I saw some pretty amazing stuff. I didn’t realize that one of the greatest comedies of all time had this much of a die-hard fan base. It also showed me that there were tons of great people who were sharing their own tips and secrets to make a great costume. Why didn’t I do this sooner?
Anyway, I ordered most of my basic uniform pieces recently and I’m pretty anxious to get started. Just knowing that I’ll have to sew some stuff one (looking at pictures of screen-worn stuff suggests that there was a mix of hand and machine sewn) gets me exited. I’m also working on a proton pack, utilizing wood and styrene. This is basically a dream come true: I can create something that I’ve always wanted MYSELF. The skills I’ve gained through building models will prove to be a blessing. Add to that the fact that I work for a large tool distributor so I’ll have access to most of the little pieces and greeblies I’ll need for the stuff. It’s obviously a large task and it’ll take a few years to amass everything I need, but it’ll be fun.
Anyway, thanks to those of you who read this.
