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“BE NOT AFRAID” sign on mayors desk

Posted: August 1st, 2020, 10:57 pm
by One time
Has anyone ever identified the make up of the Be Not Afraid sign on the mayors desk?

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It looks some sort of plastic, has anyone ever made a run of these available?

Or perhaps they were sold in greater numbers in the early 80’s.

I think it would potentially be a well selling item as a sign like that transcends the movie.

Re: “BE NOT AFRAID” sign on mayors desk

Posted: August 2nd, 2020, 7:09 am
by Alex Newborn
If this helps any, I have a pic of the back side of the sign, from a Japanese book.

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Note the mayor's mug says Happy Valentine's Day. You can just make out the 'Happy' in your screen shot in the original post.

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Alex

Re: “BE NOT AFRAID” sign on mayors desk

Posted: August 2nd, 2020, 7:38 am
by Kingpin
It almost looks like a quick and dirty printed cardboard standee.

Re: “BE NOT AFRAID” sign on mayors desk

Posted: August 2nd, 2020, 9:05 am
by timeware
If someone wants it badly enough I would suggest commissioning someone from Etsy or hiring someone to make a 3D print file available.

Re: “BE NOT AFRAID” sign on mayors desk

Posted: August 2nd, 2020, 7:27 pm
by One time
I always thought the white letters were 3D and stood out from the black background.

I’ll try to get the sharpest screenshot I can from the 4K release and not a screen picture using a phone.

If anyone else wants to attempt a clear 4K screenshot, be my guest.

Anyone care to wager a guess on the dimensions and font?

Re: “BE NOT AFRAID” sign on mayors desk

Posted: August 2nd, 2020, 9:41 pm
by Alex Newborn
The Mayor's Office scene was shot in the actual New York city hall, though not in Ed Koch's real office, but in a twin to it used by City Council President Carol Bellamy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Bellamy

https://ghostbusters.fandom.com/wiki/New_York_City_Hall

One interesting detail that I found, considering the presence of the Archbishop in the movie scene, is that the quote 'Be Not Afraid' is possibly a reference to Pope John Paul II's first speech when elected to the papacy in October of 1978.

My gut instinct is that it's not a prop manufactured for the film, but was simply a 'had it for five years now' possession of Bellamy's already on the desk when they came in to film for two days.

But I have no evidence to support this theory, and haven't found any matching hits looking for a vintage desk sign with that slogan.

Kingpin wrote: August 2nd, 2020, 7:38 am It almost looks like a quick and dirty printed cardboard standee.


It's glossy and reflective when you see it in a moving video clip, though. Watch whenever the mayor passes in front of it.



Possibly made from acrylic?

Alex

Re: “BE NOT AFRAID” sign on mayors desk

Posted: August 9th, 2020, 9:50 pm
by One time
Alex Newborn wrote: August 2nd, 2020, 9:41 pm The Mayor's Office scene was shot in the actual New York city hall, though not in Ed Koch's real office, but in a twin to it used by City Council President Carol Bellamy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Bellamy

https://ghostbusters.fandom.com/wiki/New_York_City_Hall

One interesting detail that I found, considering the presence of the Archbishop in the movie scene, is that the quote 'Be Not Afraid' is possibly a reference to Pope John Paul II's first speech when elected to the papacy in October of 1978.

My gut instinct is that it's not a prop manufactured for the film, but was simply a 'had it for five years now' possession of Bellamy's already on the desk when they came in to film for two days.

But I have no evidence to support this theory, and haven't found any matching hits looking for a vintage desk sign with that slogan.

Kingpin wrote: August 2nd, 2020, 7:38 am It almost looks like a quick and dirty printed cardboard standee.


It's glossy and reflective when you see it in a moving video clip, though. Watch whenever the mayor passes in front of it.



Possibly made from acrylic?

Alex
Awesome detail. Thanks!

I guess it is acrylic.

How would we go about making a run of these?

Any idea on the dimensions or font? I'd pay sweet money to get one of these on my desk!

Re: “BE NOT AFRAID” sign on mayors desk

Posted: August 10th, 2020, 1:51 am
by Kingpin
One time wrote: August 9th, 2020, 9:50 pmAny idea on the dimensions or font? I'd pay sweet money to get one of these on my desk!
The lettering is sans-serif, similar to Helvetica (the Subway font), but the middle crossbar on the F looks to be a tad narrower on the sign... Though it could be an optical illusion.

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Re: “BE NOT AFRAID” sign on mayors desk

Posted: August 24th, 2020, 2:21 pm
by One time
Kingpin wrote: August 10th, 2020, 1:51 am
One time wrote: August 9th, 2020, 9:50 pmAny idea on the dimensions or font? I'd pay sweet money to get one of these on my desk!
The lettering is sans-serif, similar to Helvetica (the Subway font), but the middle crossbar on the F looks to be a tad narrower on the sign... Though it could be an optical illusion.

Image
You are awesome,... thanks!

Re: “BE NOT AFRAID” sign on mayors desk

Posted: September 3rd, 2020, 9:13 am
by darthbuster
I've seen ghostbusters at least 100 times and I have never noticed what the sign said. thank you for posting this!

Re: “BE NOT AFRAID” sign on mayors desk

Posted: September 23rd, 2020, 4:48 pm
by One time
I've been digging into this and trying to get the font and kerning correct. The font appears to be Helvetica World Bold (or something very close to it).

The kerning in the image posted above was 20. I tried to do a perspective correction on the 4K release and it looks like the kerning is -50 (letters are closer together) but the three words have 1.5 spaces between them (so 1.5 spaces between each word).

I created a JPG you can print out in gloss and apply to any kind of plastic backing. The size is 12 inches wide (looks approximately correct) and the top and bottom margins appear to be 1 letter height, or very slightly under.

This is the best I can do but I can't guarantee it is correct.

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