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The time was 1999. Only a few months before entering the new millennium. Norm Gagnon "Paranorman" was the only guy making the best packs and riding high on net-fame. Every time The pack subject would appear, so would his name. Norm recreated pack details with everyday found objects. He improved his work as more pack info was discovered due to endless hours of pack watching at his local Planet Hollywood. First time I saw his pack I boiled with envy.
"WTF? Who's this punk?" "How dare he come before I did?" Truth was, I was jealous that he tackled a project in a way that I never cared to consider. Found objects, pancakes, bottle handles, potato chip cans, etc. This guy should be accredited for his creativity at problem solving! These are smart, fast and simple solutions that work, look good, if done right, and used by everyday Hollywood propppers. I contacted Norm a few times as I got involved in the Ghost-head community. Norm published plans to build a pack yourself and was Pack-tech-support to these communities of young proppers on a weekly basis along with other experienced proppers of raising fame.
They welcomed me with open arms. Even gave me free ribbon cable. Every morning, I would wake up and stare at pack PICS on my computer. Zooming in and out looking for details never spotted. I would also get online and be part of the community in one way or another. The more I saw the PICS, the more I grew serious about taking on the project in a professional way. My local Planet Hollywood had a stunt pack on display. Weeks before paying it a visit, I spended some time looking at PICS. I wanted to be familiar with the pack for when I see it in person. Soon I learned of other packs across the country on display at theme restaurants. Getting my pack info from a freeze frame was a thing from the past and not a lot of help. The Miami Pack had some pieces missing and half of the wand gone. It was mandatory for me to take a trip up north. The week after I went to PH, Miami, It closed down for good.
It was a few days before Holloween 1999 and I was planning on visiting the Magic of myth exhibit at the San Diego Museum of art, Ca. I saved enough money for a plane ticket with a stop in Washington Dc to see the pack everyone talked about on the net. A fellow proppper by the net name "CPU64" made an announcement on the prop boards that Citywalk, a new tourist attraction next to Universal Studios in the Orlando Area, was having a Holloween costume contest with mayor prizes. Orlando will be the official "Pack Crusade" kickoff place.
The "pack Crusade tour" consisted of me and 2 suit cases boarding a tour bus to Orlando at 6:00a.m. Then, 2 days later, I would take a plane to Washington, DC to meet Norm Gagnon, James Greene and study the P. H. Pack. Then, the day after, I'll take another plane for a week in San Diego Ca. for "Magic of Myth" and hang with Viper, who is another pack expert, and members of the PRF.(A.K.A.The Prop-Builder's Guild back then)
Once in Orlando, just a few hours before the costume contest, I came out of the hotel room walking with 1' tall platform shoes and in full Chewee gear with the head on my arms heading to board the hotel shuttle service to Universal's Citywalk.
"U sure they're gonna let in wearing dat" The driver asked. I smirked and sat down. Once there, I put the head on and walked toward the electric stairs. It wasn't long 'till kids with their moms, hot chicks, and all people in general started chasing me for PICS. Someone from Universal had to come and scort me into the contest or I was never gonna get there. I knew at that point it would all be ok.
I hanged with CPU64 as he was Freddy Krugger from "Nightmare". He was bummed over universal confiscating his metal-made Freddy claws. Most of the night, it was people in costumes chasing after me for PICS. After losing to a 13' tall Taco Bell chiwua-wa, a 9' tall lumberjack with his ass showing, a 10' tall spider among others, CPU64, I and everyone who didn't win splited. More Chewbacca fans chased me on the way out for more PICS.
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