Noghost5 wrote:see, 'm not big on the requirements of the 501st either. I enjoy the different style packs from screen accurate equipment to stuff from RGB and EGB. My requirements (if i was king haha) would be just to have a jumpsuit and no ghost patch (movie or franchise) on said jumpsuit. I'm just thinking an organization that coordinates groups to do some big/great thing might not be bad.
Founder of the Georgia Ghostbusters (operating almost 15 years now) and member of the Ocmulgee Squad of the Georgia Garrison 501st for 10 here...
This is a discussion that has taken place on these boards in the past and really when you think about it, as far as functionality most franchises work like the 501st anyway. The 501st has Garrisons for each state and squads that are the subsection of those. For groups like the Georgia Ghostbusters, we operate statewide like a Garrison and a Squad...then there are states like Florida with a bunch of separate franchises that occasionally work together...a better example of the squads.
So we operate similar to the 501st, what else are we missing?
Costuming guidelines, a main message board, a large convention like Celebration 5 that brings the groups together, semi-approval from the studio...
Now lets throw the costume guidelines out the window. Some want them, some don't, lets just agree to have the franchises themselves decide that.
Message Board- You are on it...right now.
Large Convention- PKE Surge at DragonCon brings in over 100 GB fans to Atlanta annually with games, raffles, a dinner, and now panels and con involvement....there are also other GB gatherings popping up like Mass Hysteria in Alabama.
Semi-Approval from the Studio- We pretty much have this as well. Sony sent PKE Surge Blu-Rays to give away this past year. I can't speak for every Franchise, but the Georgia logo was added to flyers for the Krispy Kreme Doughnut unveil in Atl and KK got Sony to approve the use of our logo for the event....Not to mention participation and encouragement from Dan Aykroyd who owns a share of the rights to the films. Add to that the involvement of the IDW folks in the community, putting fans on the covers of or in the comics, using fan made custom pack designs, etc. Even the videogame had a nod to a fanfilm in it! It is safe to say they know we are here and they are more than ok with it.
So really I don't know what else you'd want to add.