Gross explains that this ‘correct’ version of the symbol (ISO , signage buffs), with the crossbar running top left to bottom right, was then only used in Europe where the ‘no’ sign was more familiar than in the US. “Danny Aykroyd had it written on the page, that the boys came in with this logo on their shirt, or on the side of the Ectomobile, of a ghost trapped in the ‘no’ symbol. The original logo design became iconic after the first Ghostbusters film in 1984, but it almost never was. The animated logo seen in the first chapter of the film shows it having both legs, which wasn't quite the same as the design used later in the film which had the ghost not showing its right leg at all. The classic No-Ghost logo is firmly cemented as an essential piece of film history.
Even for what we know as the definitive version of the logo, there are two slight variations of it, with subtle design differences. This form of the logo was mostly used in Europe, where the use of the ‘no’ sign is more familiar in daily life. This is because in the international ‘no’ symbol (officially called the general prohibition sign) the red bar runs instead from top left to bottom right. This is where the concept of a ghost inside a ‘no’ sign is thought to have first appeared.
- It’s very graphic, clear and easy to interpret, it has a strong personality, and it was simple enough to work both on film posters and in smaller sizes such as on the Ghostbusters’ uniforms.
- Beyond the logo’s official history, CHOGRIN’s mock-up reveals that the book would have explored Mooglie’s influence across pop culture and merchandise, from toys and plushies to ads and parodies that riff on the iconic ghost.
- The solution is as simple and literal as the original design.
- If you’re building this model, I hope you enjoy the enhanced quality and realism this addition brings – a fitting tribute to the ‘No-Ghost’ sign, a cool and much-loved piece of movie iconography.
- Amid these observations, the fact that a logo was to become so firmly embedded in the fabric of a comedy about a team of parapsychologists might sound insignificant, yet, in film terms, the ‘no ghost’ symbol went way beyond the contraints of the storyline.
- There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector.
Interestingly, as the film’s end credits roll, members of the huge cheering crowd assembled outside the building where the final scenes take place can be seen holding up T-shirts sporting the logo. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. Again, the logo was a tweak on the original, with a more edgy, distressed look that sees the red circle of the no ghosts icon take the form of a metal door studded with rivets. That meant it needed a strong design that could stand in for the film's name, becoming synonymous with the film itself. One early logo design that never saw the light of day shows what appears to be Thing from the Adams Family in handcuffs. Originally, the script described a logo on the Ghostbusters' uniforms, and designers hadn't put a lot of work into it.
Ghostbusters II Images
And this comic element is reflected perfectly in the logo. But this is brilliantly offset by the movie’s deft wit and playfulness. We all know that the ghouls that terrorise the citizens of New York in Ghostbusters are at times downright terrifying. The magic of the No-Ghost sign is in the tone it sets.
Capturing the spirit of Ghostbusters – the story behind the No-Ghost logo
- But most of all, why include it in the film itself?
- Michael Gross went to Brent Boates, one of the artists already working on concepts for the movie, to help with the design.
- The ghost (given the name Mooglie during the making of the movie) has a mischievous rather than overtly menacing look.
- Gross explains that this ‘correct’ version of the symbol (ISO , signage buffs), with the crossbar running top left to bottom right, was then only used in Europe where the ‘no’ sign was more familiar than in the US.
- The suit was for 50 million, plus the destruction of all Ghostbusters film prints.
- The result was an iconic logo that remains recognisable today, although it’s had some tweak.
This design, featuring a smiling Mooglie who holds up two fingers to indicate a sequel, wouldn’t exist in the Ghostbusters world itself and so loses its diagetic quality. This curiosity is lost in the choice of logo for the Ghostbusters II movie. With additional input from Brent Boates, an artist working on visual concepts for the movie, the legendary logo was born. The ghost (given the name Mooglie during the making of the movie) has a mischievous rather than overtly menacing look.
As some film commenters have suggested, the Ghostbusters logo is ‘diagetic’ ie of the fictional world of the film. The film also celebrated New York City at a time when its image had been severely damaged by years of financial problems and high crime rates. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. For more cinematic logo inspiration, see our pick of the best movie logos. Stuart Reeves, the designer behind it, posted about the design on social media. As a bonus, the end of the film sees a brief appearance of another, quite different Ghostbusters logo.
Last week, we highlighted his cartoonish IN-ANIMATES toy line, which transformed iconic Ghostbusters gear and props into expressive, character-filled figures, and his GURU vinyl concept, which reimagined Mooglie with six arms, pack-in accessories, and ectoplasmic companion ghosts. Nearly a decade ago, CHOGRIN pitched the idea to Ghost Corps, envisioning a book that would showcase the history, cultural impact, and countless artistic spins on the classic Mooglie logo. Creative director Scott Jones reflects on refreshing the Janis Joplin brand for a modern audience and what designers working with legacy artists can learn from their subjects
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Since the original Ghostbusters logo proved to be so memorable, it made sense to use it again but to tweak it enough to make it clear that a sequel was on the way. Other than that addition, the only changes were to adjust the logotype to better suite an animated series, with 'Ghostbusters' split over two lines and a spooky blue glow added around the serif font. Within two years of the feature film release, Columbia launched an animated spin off for television with DIC Enterprises. In some European and Japanese posters, a mirrored version was used. For the Ghostbusters logo, it was decided that the diagonal line should runs in the opposite direction, from bottom left to top right…
The word ‘iconic’ is probably thrown around a little more freely than it should be. Chapters like “Anyone Can Be a Ghostbuster” would highlight how fans worldwide have adopted and remixed the logo for franchise patches, logos, and local fan groups. The social-first content platform has launched a creative agency, Rad Studio, which is offering luxury brands real-time insights into how Gen Z think, look and feel Adam Murray’s photography book, The Domestic Stage, explores the history of fashion images in the home environment and how they reflect our changing culture Michael C Gross, the originator of the Ghostbusters logo, died in November 2015. Which is probably just as well, as no-one wants a repeat of what emerged when the Ghostbusters came back for a second time in 1989.
Ghostbusters Uses
The racing red circle with a diagonal line through it is based on the international prohibition sign designed by The International Organization for Standardization and used for things such as no smoking signs. Daily design news, reviews, how-tos winorio casino registration and more, as picked by the editors. Harvey Comics sued Columbia on the ground that the ghost in the logo looked similar to Fatso from Casper. Illustrator Michael Gross, famous for his work on National Lampoon magazine, came up with the solution of the famous no ghosts icon that we know.
The symbol would be required for sets, props and costumes, Gross explains, so needed pinning down right away. When it was released in 1984, Ghostbusters was a remarkable film for several reasons. The ice could be crystals formed on the Ectomobile itself, but Mooglie's classic surprised look just happens to work perfectly with the idea of being frozen still. This referenced the film's relocation of the main story from New York to a mining town in Oklahoma, and also the now rusting Ecto-1. But most of all, why include it in the film itself?
But there can be no doubting that the Ghostbusters logo is truly an icon in the history of film graphics. Beyond the logo’s official history, CHOGRIN’s mock-up reveals that the book would have explored Mooglie’s influence across pop culture and merchandise, from toys and plushies to ads and parodies that riff on the iconic ghost. In an interview from the bonus disk of the DVD collection, The Real Ghostbusters (Time Life), Gross says that in talks with director Ivan Reitman, he offered to art direct the film and look after the animation side, as it was clear that it was going to warrant a wide range of special effects and creature designs. Prior to filming, the design of a symbol for the Ghostbusters fell to executive producer Michael C Gross.
No-Ghost Sign
In fact, it made it into our list of the best logos of the 1980s. The Ghostbusters logo was initially only going to be used on the eponymous team's uniforms and on the Ectomobile. The suit was for 50 million, plus the destruction of all Ghostbusters film prints. Dan Aykroyd conceived the logo in his original Ghost Smashers script. While Europe had the logo to the upper left, the rest of the world had the logo to the upper right. The No-Ghost Sign has been used for the franchise in one form or another since its initial appearance with the first film in 1984.
The logo we know today was only developed after Columbia Pictures realised it wasn't going to obtain the rights to the name Ghostbusters in time for early teasers. The result was an iconic logo that remains recognisable today, although it's had some tweak. It was when Columbia Pictures realised it also needed a design for marketing that more serious attention was given to the matter. And why the no-ghost icon led to legal action. The art direction and final design was done by Michael C. Gross.
With Ghostbusters set for a 2016 reboot, the original film’s ‘no ghost’ symbol has been all over social media recently, but will it return for another outing, such is its standing as one of the most recognisable logos in the movies? Amid these observations, the fact that a logo was to become so firmly embedded in the fabric of a comedy about a team of parapsychologists might sound insignificant, yet, in film terms, the ‘no ghost’ symbol went way beyond the contraints of the storyline. With the newly-formed special effects house Boss Film Studios on board, Gross approached one of its artists, Brent Boates, who was working as a creature design consultant on the film, for some variations “of a ghost coming through the ‘no’ symbol’.