My uniform is so butthurtingly inaccurate, some people cry at the sight. Then again, we’re Chicago Division:
Then there’s The Steel City Ghostbusters. Brad, Swartz, and another member has their Black-Gold Combo:
Not everyone want’s to do standard. Custom is what adds flavor to the mix and creates something new and different. I say to you good sir is go for it, you turkey!
Hear, hear!
I agree with most people that have said on here that accuracy is not something of a concern. I for one like to have mine as close to the movie’s appearance as possible. I have the tan flightsuit from GB1 but the placement of the patches are not exactly placed to the micrometer as the movie ones. As long as it appears to stand out in a crowd in which it gets noticed and admired by the bystander, then you’ve achieved the look you want.
I turn away from ghostheads who get so nitpicky about others’ costumes and props. Hyprocites they are! You’d think that they’re movie accurate costume is exactly like the movies down to the material the boot laces are made out of. Creativity and individuality is always fun but within taste and reason.
For those who are nitpicky and always criticizing the inaccuracies of props and costumes, this is what I say, “Yours is also not movie accurate because you were not in the movie yourself!”
I admire screen accuracy. It shows attention to detail and that you’ve put some thought into making something that could’ve just came off the movie set. Fans of the movie admire that too.
As for the creative/non-accurate packs, I’ve heard comments from “that’s cool” to “that’s not what it looked like in the movies” to “since when do Ghostbusters wear CD players?”, etc.
Positive comments are better than negative comments, and it gets tiring explaining what your non-accurate pack does or why that part is there all the time, so IMO, I care about screen accuracy.
I like to get as accurate as I can. If I can’t get spot on 100% I’m not going to lose sleep over it however.
I care about it up to a point, I want to be able to make my pack as close as possible to the movies but in saying that there are some things that differ, like using non split tubing or changing the way parts are attached etc.
These things may be relatively minor changes but none the less they are not exactly accurate.
im more or les going for the look of the originals rather than perfection.
What i dont agree with though is ridiculing other people packs just because they want to customise a part , use an easier to find alternative or come up with their own slant on the whole build.
Its great that there are members of the community striving to get every detail of the pack as close to the originals as possible, if there werent people doing that then we wouldnt be where we are today .
But there comes a point where you have to step back and remember just because some ones elses build might not exactly be whats considered accurate doesnt mean there is anything wrong with what they are doing.
If we all played a riff on the guitar with exactly the same phrasing then things would get boring pretty fast.
its good to mix it up and put your own slant on things now and then.
I try for screen accuracy, but only to a point. Besides not being able to find/duplicate certain aspects exactly (due to the constraints of money, skill, and/or time), I’m just an odd creative person and want to put some of that originality into my gear. Nothing too crazy, mainly little not-glaringly-obvious touches here and there.
If you dont look like Harold Ramis, Billy Murry, Dan Aykroyd, or Ernie Hudson…Then you can NEVER be screen accurate!!! :walterpeck:
My philosophy is that of “close enoughs”. If it’s not perfect but looks close enough, who really cares? If it’s enough to please yourself, that’s all that matters. Sure, there are some GREAT packs that are very close to completely screen accurate, but (especially if you’re scratch-building) as long as YOU’RE happy with it, other people’s opinions don’t matter that much.
I enjoy being accurate (or a reasonable facsimile thereof).
For me, it’s not about status or bragging rights. I’m perfectly content to let a few things slide for the sake of convenience. I almost always have my flightsuit sleeves rolled up with no elbow pads because it’s comfortable, I wear my trilby with the flightsuit, and I have my own name on the nametag. Beyond that, though, I try to get my stuff as close to a screen-used item in general (not necessarily an exact replica of one particular screen-used item) as I can.
It’s a challenge. Researching the construction methods of original pieces, sourcing exact parts or making your own replicas, building things the same way the original prop makers did: all of this is a challenge and one that I find very enjoyable.
I like to compare my philosophy on prop building/costuming to people who restore classic cars. We both try to use original parts, try to come up with clever ways of sourcing or recreating different parts, and we enjoy the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment we get from having bested a challenge on our own (or with the help of a few very talented community members 
), but we’re still willing to have fun with it. They might get their own custom license plate, paint it the color they want, possibly give it a radio upgrade or something unique to make it theirs, just as I like to take a flightsuit or pack that I’ve tried to build as close to the originals as possible, and then give them my own personal touches here and there that might still have fit in on the original props.
This is where I come from, and while I can’t speak for all the other people who often get put down around here for being “slaves to accuracy,” I’m pretty sure that’s the way a lot of others feel about it too. It’s not about rubbing other people’s faces in it or making anyone else jealous, it’s about a personal challenge and the sense of personal satisfaction from being able to stand back and say “I made that.”
I’m sure that sense of satisfaction is the same reason why the rest of you are in this hobby, and it’s why I don’t generally put anyone’s gear down for being “inaccurate” or “custom.” Just remember that we’re all in this hobby because we love what we do; don’t listen to anyone who puts your work down because it doesn’t live up to their own standards, and at the same time try not to put us accuracy guys down either. 
Well said, Jairus.
as far as I’m concerned, “SA” comes within budget -
some of us made our Packs out of corrugated cardboard boxes and a ton
of glue and paint
plus whatever do-dad and whatchamacallit I found around the house!
My flight suit came from eBay - $36 shipped
Black combat style boots - $24 - Walmart
Ammo web belt - $5 - Army/ Navy surplus store
Elbow pads - $8 - Kmart
“No Ghost” logo patch - $4 - eBay
And guess what? Even though my uniform was not
100% screen accurate, nearly everybody on Halloween night wanted their picture
taken with me, and my Pack as well I felt like a celebrity!!
to an extent. My next project will probably strive to be a bit more “accurate” but generally I’m okay with making a recognizable representation. 
Jarius hit the nail on the head, we are all in this hobby together for the sole purpose of pure fun & satisfaction with the end product!
We are all different, some people want screen accuracy as close as they can get it (like myself), im still chasing little things like a certain looking GB1 key chain but apart from that im more than happy with the uniform/gear i have & thats whats really important here, the fun factor!! When the fun has been taken away thats when it becomes a chore & less enjoyable, when people put down your pride & joy your obviously not going to be happy (whatever hobby that might be) but so what anyone else thinks, what matters is what you think & what personal modifications you might want to add
I wouldnt put anyone elses gear down if it wasnt screen accurate, id applaud them for coming up with something a little different, its all down to personal preference
To qoute myself, Which I felt I had to post in my own uniform thread only a few hours ago:…
"I think people here have created some wonderful props and costumes, not all of them have been accurate, yet they still look great. This site should be about the fact that we all love Ghostbusters, not about alienating or nit-picking people who may not have the budget to be 100% accurate.
I’m a member of many prop building forums, and to date, this forum is shocking over how often people criticize other people’s work.
Not everyone has the same work tools, building skills or budget to produce an accurate prop.
For me, it’s not about accuracy, it’s about taking part and sharing a love for something with other people.
Also, many people here build their props for different reasons, whether it’s for Halloween or New Years costume, a movie buff collector, or like me, to help raise money for charity, were accuracy isn’t necessary do to damage that could be caused by wearing it so often.
I think it’s great that people are passionate about the accuracy of their props they build, but bare in mind that others may not have the expenses, or follow that dream as deeply as you. So THINK, before you critisize."
And I mean what a say about this being the only prop forum I’m a member of that openly criticizes the slightest detail of other peoples work, without a single thought behind that persons age, skills, tools available or budget.
it’s about time people showed more respect to other peoples work on here.
i think customizations on uniform is alright; but when it comes to like the pack, accurate as possible
This, I think, says a lot.
It’s a double-edged sword. As somebody who has spent the last few months researching in preparation for my own uniform, I care enough so somebody will know it’s a ghostbuster. Beyond that, I don’t really care. Like a few of you said, your name is on the uniform, not Venkman or Spengler. You’re not portraying a character, you’re being you.
And in that respect, I don’t particularly care about having to dye my uniform multiple times to get that “movie color” that still doesn’t look right under certain light anyways. I’m buying a black rothco and I’m keeping it black. I’m aware the GB2 uni is a lighter shade, and that’s what I was originally going for to be honest, but I look better in black lol. If I was ghostbusting, I’d rather wear that color anyways because if I got slimed or something it wouldn’t be as noticeable. Just sayin’
I’d rather see more individuality in uniforms to be frank. I get tired of reading about y’all and your never ending obsession with screen accuracy. It’s commendable, I admire your dedication, but breathe and be yourself. It’s not like there was ever an established uniform standard for every Ghostbuster on the planet in the movies. Why? Because the only known ghostbusters were the NY division. I’m in Columbia, SC so I’ll do things my way. In turn, my uniform will stand out and be somewhat memorable versus a sea of men and women in khaki. I also remember people’s different color choices on here a lot easier, esp. the sage green ones that look fairly boss.
As long as you look like you put some kind of effort into making your uni, then I don’t mind a little change ups here and there. It’s all good lol
Just to be clear, this is what hostility towards anyone with an eye for accuracy looks like. Read through this thread and point out to me where a single one of the “accuracy nuts” have made veiled insults like your own toward originality-minded guys, then please rethink your own condescending tone.
my props are wildly inaccurate, and everyone on here treats me with respect and invites me into their ghostbusters groups. so it’s a great community.
