By ROGER COLLIER

The Ghosthead

Name: Matt Provencal 
Age: 27
Occupation: Videographerand graphic designer
Moved to Ottawa from: Montreal

Affiliation: Member of The Ontario Ghostbusters and co-host of Cross the Streams Radio Show, a Ghostbusters podcast

Favourite Ghostbusters memorabilia: A scale proton pack signed by cast members Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson.

Insider knowledge:

1. The Bill Murray role was written for John Belushi, who died before filming began.

2. Pee-Wee Herman actor Paul Reubens was chosen to play villain Gozer the Destructor, but the part was recast with Serbian model Slavitza Jovan.

3. The original script was set in the distant future and featured interdimensional travel.

4. Though he auditioned for a voice part in the cartoon series, Ernie Hudson lost the role he played in the movie to Arsenio Hall.

5. The iconic white Ectomobile was originally black but didn’t film well at night.

Movie appeal: “The biggest reason I loved it from the get-go is that despite its being a comedy, Ghostbusters taught kids that science is your friend and that using science to combat your fears and nightmares can help you achieve any goal you set your mind to.”

Watched the movies how many times? “Can’t even count. I’ve seen the first and second films over a few hundred times. Easily. But let’s be honest, the second movie was there to sell toys.”

Top websites: Spook Central, protoncharging.com, ghostbustersnews.com, gbfans.com, ghostbusters.org

What you need for a costume: Tan U.S. Air Force flight suit, Ghostbusters ID badges (eBay), pistol belt, elbow pads (actually volleyball knee pads), a proton pack kit. “The pack can be pricey. You can build one and aim for a $200 budget. Or you can get a custom pack — the gun, the pack, everything — for about $1,200, and it will have lights and sounds.”

This story appears in the May edition of Ottawa Magazine. To read the full article, click here to order the back issue or an online edition.