The look on people’s faces when we arrive?  Priceless.  For everything else, there’s Mastercard.

 

 

West Coast Busters Inc.

Your first,

   your last,

      your ONLY line of defense   ...against the scum of the ethereal plane.

FAQ

( OR—”Ask Dr. Venkman!” )

 

            

How much did it cost?  How long did it take to build?  How much does it weigh?

             Bryan Fear, aka-Dr. Venkman.  ( Ray Stantz was always my favorite on the team, but since people tell me I look more like Bill Murray I guess I’ll be Dr. Venkman. )  Either way, that’d be me.  I made this stuff.  Check the “Personnel” page if you want to shoot me an e-mail.

Who built all this stuff?

             Since starting this whole mess back in July of 2003, here’s a few places you may have seen us suited up and entertaining the crowds.  We’re San Diego based so we generally won’t be seen too far from the Southern California area.

· 2003-July 17-20: Comic-Con International

· 2003-October 31: Halloween happenings in San Diego
( Hometown Buffet, National City, CA / Legoland /
  Star 100.7 FM Halloween Cruise )

· 2004-April 18: Newport Beach Film Festival

· 2004-July 22-25: Comic-Con International

· 2004-October 29-31: Halloween happenings in San Diego
( ScreamZone / Boo-Ball / Monster Bash / X-SanguinIII )

· 2004-December 4: GenCon

· 2005-May 5: Entourage HBO

· 2005-June 4: City of Hope - Cancer Survivors Day

· 2005-July 1-3:  Anime Expo

· 2005-July 14-17: Comic-Con International

· 2005-August 20: Discovery Science Center

· 2005-October 28-31: Halloween happenings in San Diego
( Boo-Ball / Del Mar Oktoberfest / Landmark Theater / Monster Manor )

· 2006-March 3: Ability First

· 2006-March 4: CondorCon

· 2006-April 8: Landmark Theater, midnight showing GB2

Other events planned for the near future are our continued work for City of Hope, appearances at Comic-Con and hopefully we set up some form of partnership with San Diego’s Children’s Hospital.  Wish us luck on that one.

What events have you been seen at?

             For the most part, I’d call it an “unresolved childhood issue” or something.  When the movie came out in ‘84 I built two proton packs for Halloween for me and a friend.  They were horrible.  I always wanted to make these much better but as time goes on and an adult has responsibilities, things are left behind.  I know a lot of prop-collectors that wanted things like lightsabers and Indiana Jones whips and...  Yeah, those are cool and all but there’s something about that proton pack.  The lights, the sounds, the details...  No one knows what to make of it.  ...or how to make it.

             That is, until I saw various plans online for building a proton pack back in ’97.  I didn’t have the money or time to act but then in 2002 I was issued an indirect challenge.  I was at a Comic Convention with a friend; she was dressed as Lara Croft and I was dressed as a Ghostbuster.  Someone else dressed as a Ghostbuster started nitpicking how wrong the details of my uniform was and...  Well them’s fightin’ words.  I committed myself to build not one but THREE proton packs.  ...and a PKE meter!  ...and the goggles, and the trap, and the sniffer, etc. 

             I’m just not willing to do a lackluster job on anything I feel strongly about.  If I’m going to BUILD these things then I expect them to be as good as the ones in the movie, if not better.  Honestly, since the packs in the movie never made sounds until a sound-stage dubbed them in later, mine might be a bit more.  I know that sounds a bit ego-centric but I ain’t taking it back.  These things are the “brought off the screen and into reality” experience and I’m well aware of it.

 

Why did you build all of this?

             Unfortunately, no. 

             It’s not that we wouldn’t like to do parties/shows/events, it’s more that any exchange of money/goods/services for appearing at an event is probably something Sony would sue us over.  The largest lawsuit I’m aware of is where Sony sued some guy in Illinois for about $900,000 which is the minimum licensing fee for using their copyrighted logo, equipment, etc.  Knowing this, perhaps you can see our hesitation.

             Although we have done events in the past, these were for charities or other organizations with a specific tax code that sort of protects us. ( No profit = no payment )  We have worked for City of Hope, The Del Mar Screamzone and Monster Manor, taking no payment in any of these cases.

Do you do parties, shows or events?

             We get asked a lot of questions about our equipment and why we do this.  “How much did it cost?”, “What’s it made out of?”, “What was that?” and “Will there be any more of them?!” ( We only got asked those last two questions once at the Biltmore Hotel; it’s a long story. )

             Here’s a brief synopsis of the most common questions we get asked.  Since this isn’t a site that includes a forum or any interactive Q & A, feel free to shoot Dr. Venkman an e-mail if you have any questions of your own.

What’s with these ads for Hyperdyne?

    Are these ads paid for?  Is there some marketing partnership between us and Hyperdyne? 

    No, these ads ( as seen above ) are here at our expense.  We believe in Hyperdyne’s products.  Without their electronics kits, these things are just metal, wood and plastic.  There’s “doing the job right”, and then there’s everything else.

    All of us here on the WCB team have heard comments from those who feel they can make their own electronics kits; bigger, better, cheaper.  ...no one ever does though.  It’s all talk.  Hyperdyne is all results.

    Which one are you?