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This equipment is untested, and highly unstable.
- Holtzmann; Ghostbusters (2016 Movie)

The Proton Box was a prototype device designed to capture ghosts in the 2016 movie.

History[]

For the Conductors of the Metaphysical Examination's first official investigation, Jillian Holtzmann carted the Proton Box down into the Seward Street Subway Station. A grounding device was also built into the device for safety purposes.[1][2] However, it was still in its early stages and was both untested and highly unstable.[3][4] Holtzmann powered up the Proton Box and typed on a keypad once she saw the Electrocuted Ghost. Abby Yates declared they were talking the ghost back to the lab. Holtzmann cautioned the technology was in its early stages. At 4:21 pm, Holtzmann handed a bulky particle thrower to Erin Gilbert. Holtzmann told her the thrower was going to shoot a proton stream at the ghost and instructed her to wait for her go ahead. Erin inquired why she was operating the untested nuclear laser. Holtzmann noted she had the longest arms.[5]

A train horn blew nearby. Patty advised them to hurry up. Holtzmann remembered she forgot the most important part and placed a collar around Erin's neck for a little bit of grounding so she didn't die immediately. Holtzmann asked Erin if she knew her iron level. She did not. Holtzmann told her it was fine. Abby chuckled. Patty asked them if they caught a ghost before. Holtzmann gave her the green light to aim and fire. The proton stream fired but stopped way short of the ghost and drooped into the ground. Abby suggested more power. Holtzmann tried again. Erin fired off a sustained stream and wrangled the ghost but it was still coming at them. Erin asked if the stream could get any stronger. The ghost growled and thrashed at them as the stream entangled it but it continued to close in on Erin. The ghost pawed at her. Erin gasped and fell on her back. Patty alerted them the train was coming and it was time to leave. Abby asked Erin to lure it back on the platform. The Proton Box fell on its side. They pulled Erin to the platform. The train closed in. Patty realized that was the express train, which meant it wasn't stopping at the station. Holtzmann remembered and quickly removed the collar. The train ran over the Proton Box and the ghost was freed. Holtzmann quickly figured out how to make the proton stream strong enough to subdue ghosts and how to make the technology more mobile. The Proton Box was succeeded by the Proton Pack.

Trivia[]

  • During filming, the prop was used but in the final version of the movie, the gun and Proton Stream were all digital.[6]
    • The prop thrower was a large LED bar.[7]
  • On page 18 of Ghostbusters 101 #6, Ray Stantz used the Proton Box instead of Erin.

Appearances[]

Primary Canon[]

Secondary Canon[]

References[]

  1. Jillian Holtzmann (2016). Ghostbusters (2016 Movie) Extended Edition; Chapter 6 (2016) (Blu-Ray ts. 00:41:17-00:41:18). Sony Pictures. Jillian Holtzmann says: "I forgot the most important part."
  2. Jillian Holtzmann (2016). Ghostbusters (2016 Movie) Extended Edition; Chapter 6 (2016) (Blu-Ray ts. 00:41:20-00:41:25). Sony Pictures. Jillian Holtzmann says: "Erin, this is just a little bit of grounding so you don't die immediately. Do you know your iron level?"
  3. Jillian Holtzmann (2016). Ghostbusters (2016 Movie) Extended Edition; Chapter 6 (2016) (Blu-Ray ts. 00:39:13-00:39:15). Sony Pictures. Jillian Holtzmann says: "This equipment is untested and highly unstable."
  4. Jillian Holtzmann (2016). Ghostbusters (2016 Movie) Extended Edition; Chapter 6 (2016) (Blu-Ray ts. 00:40:57-00:40:58). Sony Pictures. Jillian Holtzmann says: "This is a little rough. It's in its early stages."
  5. Jillian Holtzmann (2016). Ghostbusters (2016 Movie) Extended Edition; Chapter 6 (2016) (Blu-Ray ts. 00:41:13-00:41:14). Sony Pictures. Jillian Holtzmann says: "You have the longest arms."
  6. fxguide "Who you gonna call? Call Illoura, MPC, SPI, & Zero VFX" 8/10/16 Line reads: "Zero VFX also got to focus on the Proton packs for another sequence when the new devices are first used in anger in the subway. On set for the subway, unlike in the Times Square sequence, the correct props were worn by the actresses but the end gun and the plasma rays were digital."
  7. fxguide "Who you gonna call? Call Illoura, MPC, SPI, & Zero VFX" 8/10/16 Line reads: "The beam was sometimes animated by hand and sometimes procedurally generated, but in both cases the beam was generated in Houdini. The prop gun was a large LED bar that had to be removed in post, but it provided the much needed contact lighting on the actresses. "Often times there’s a two-foot LED light beam attached to the barrel of the proton gun," says Brian Drewes, co-founder of Zero VFX (Boston). "Removing it was a complicated challenge, especially when there was practical ectoplasm covering it. That's where a lot of goop enhancements come to bear."."


Gallery[]

Primary Canon Images[]

Behind the Scenes Images[]

Secondary Canon Images[]

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