Dan Aykroyd has been digging through Ghostbusters archives, sharing two snapshots from the making of the 1984 classic: concept art for the team’s jumpsuits and proton packs by John Daveikis, and a Polaroid taken on set in October 1983.
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What the original Ghostbusters outfit reveals
The artwork depicts an earlier, darker, more science-fiction–driven take on the team’s gear, created with art by John Daveikis. The drawings suggest a heritage of ideas—such as elements that would later inform the Ecto Goggles—carried forward into the film’s final design. In the early conception, Ray is shown wearing an infrared‑type visor during the Sedgewick Hotel assignment.
An early rendition showed a crossed ghost emblem that later grew into the franchise’s most recognizable logo. While not the final No Ghost logo, the core concept appears well before filming began, illustrating how the look evolved before cameras rolled.
The notes point to Aykroyd’s initial concept as broader and more science-fiction oriented, a direction refined by the creative team, including Ivan Reitman and Harold Ramis, shaping the final tone of the New York–set supernatural comedy that reached theaters.
Polaroid on set from October 1983
Alongside the concept art, Aykroyd shared another image: a Polaroid credited to his mother Lorraine, dated October 1983. The photograph shows Aykroyd in Ray Stantz costume with the No Ghost logo hanging behind him, offering a vivid time capsule from months before Ghostbusters opened in theaters.
The Polaroid, taken on the set, underscores the rapid evolution of the Ghostbusters gear and branding, from early concepts to the iconic look that became part of pop culture history.
