Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:21 pm
Ok, so I'm not really one for blogging. I've always had trouble accepting the idea that a person might actually care enough to read about my life as it really isn't all that exciting. Having said that, today I actually have something to talk about.
If you've gone to see Transformers then you also likely saw the strange trailer for an unnamed movie before. Nobody really knows much about this movie beyond the fact that it will be filmed with camcorders and that J.J. Abrams (of LOST and Alias fame) is the producer on it. Being the inquisitive nerd that I am I had to find out what the deal with this thing was. Naturally I turned to the internet.
After some very light searching I discovered that the movie is being tentatively called "Cloverfield" and it is some sort of monster movie featuring a creature called "The Parasite". Upon digging a little deeper I discovered that this movie is apparently somehow connected to this website: http://www.ethanhaaswasright.com . There's currently some debate over whether the two are actually connected or not. Regardless, I assure that this story is about to get creepy.
If you go to that website and can figure out the puzzles you eventually get to see a strange and unsettling video with a guy talking about the prophetic visions of one Ethan Haas.
There's also a link that brings up your email client with the subject line "I'm one of you... help me!". I was bored so I figured 'What the hell' and I sent off the email. A few minutes later I get two responses. The first is an email giving hints of how to get through the puzzles; it was from a man named Van Mantra (the same guy in the strange video mentioned earlier). The second email read as follows:
“I think i’m safe, for now. Wherever I go it isn’t long before they find me. It seems The Mezin are connected to every aspect of humanity, from culture and religion to our most advanced technology. I have to be careful contacting all of you. When I began I thought I could safely speak about his writings and perhaps save us all….”
Now let me break here to explain something. This whole marketing tactic is called viral marketing and it's fairly common amongst movies and video games. The internet is somewhat a buzzing with this whole Ethan Haas website and literally thousands of people have gone through and already experienced what I posted about above.
However, nobody has experienced what happens next.
All of what I wrote above happened about a week ago. Since that time I'd forgotten about the website and had been concentrating on some pressing matters at work. Yesterday at around 3pm I was working away when I was told that there was someone downstairs to see me. This is mildly weird as virtually nobody comes into our building but it is not completely unheard of. I simply assumed it was a package I would have to sign for.
This is where shit gets crazy.
As I walk down the stairs there's a young man about my age standing at the door. He's a fairly typical-looking skater guy with a backpack and a skateboard; I had never seen him before in my life. I later found out his name is Mike.
Mike: "Are you Adam Spencer?"
Me: "Yes"
Mike: "Some guy on the street just gave me $5 to deliver this letter to you."
Me: "What?"
Mike: "I don't know. He gave me $5 and said your name is Adam Spencer and that you work in this building."
He hands me a non-descript, unsealed, plain white envelope with "Adam Spencer" written on the front. I open it up and it reads:
"A.S.,
You endangered yourself by contacting me, and for that I am grateful.
You must tell people that I was here.....that I came to you.
The Mezin Source are liars and fools.
We must all heed the writings of Ethan Haas before it is too late.
We must prepare for the coming war.
Make them listen. Tell them I was here....and to believe my words.
We must all act on 08-01-07.
It is not too late to change the future.
Van Mantra"
Needless to say, my mind is officially blown right now. I immediately ask Mike his name, which he tells me. Next I ask who gave him the letter. He says it was an average looking guy wearing a baseball cap (disturbingly enough the man in the video named Van Mantra is also wearing a baseball cap). Mike and my coworkers friend both ask for the website (posted above) which I gladly give to them.
I should note that nobody knows I emailed that site. The only person that knew I was even on the site was my other coworker Chafic who swears up and down that he had nothing to do with it. Judging by his reaction and his level of obsession over what happened I am inclined to believe him.
Any of you from Fredericton know that this is a small city and there are no giant marketing firms that do this sort of thing. Beyond that, nobody online will believe me that this has happened. They either think I am pulling their leg or someone is pulling mine. The only problem with that being that nobody knew I was participating in this ARG (alternative reality game).
If you want to see an original scan of the letter go to here: http://blogs.ci-fi.net/chaf/archives/114
If you've gone to see Transformers then you also likely saw the strange trailer for an unnamed movie before. Nobody really knows much about this movie beyond the fact that it will be filmed with camcorders and that J.J. Abrams (of LOST and Alias fame) is the producer on it. Being the inquisitive nerd that I am I had to find out what the deal with this thing was. Naturally I turned to the internet.
After some very light searching I discovered that the movie is being tentatively called "Cloverfield" and it is some sort of monster movie featuring a creature called "The Parasite". Upon digging a little deeper I discovered that this movie is apparently somehow connected to this website: http://www.ethanhaaswasright.com . There's currently some debate over whether the two are actually connected or not. Regardless, I assure that this story is about to get creepy.
If you go to that website and can figure out the puzzles you eventually get to see a strange and unsettling video with a guy talking about the prophetic visions of one Ethan Haas.
There's also a link that brings up your email client with the subject line "I'm one of you... help me!". I was bored so I figured 'What the hell' and I sent off the email. A few minutes later I get two responses. The first is an email giving hints of how to get through the puzzles; it was from a man named Van Mantra (the same guy in the strange video mentioned earlier). The second email read as follows:
“I think i’m safe, for now. Wherever I go it isn’t long before they find me. It seems The Mezin are connected to every aspect of humanity, from culture and religion to our most advanced technology. I have to be careful contacting all of you. When I began I thought I could safely speak about his writings and perhaps save us all….”
Now let me break here to explain something. This whole marketing tactic is called viral marketing and it's fairly common amongst movies and video games. The internet is somewhat a buzzing with this whole Ethan Haas website and literally thousands of people have gone through and already experienced what I posted about above.
However, nobody has experienced what happens next.
All of what I wrote above happened about a week ago. Since that time I'd forgotten about the website and had been concentrating on some pressing matters at work. Yesterday at around 3pm I was working away when I was told that there was someone downstairs to see me. This is mildly weird as virtually nobody comes into our building but it is not completely unheard of. I simply assumed it was a package I would have to sign for.
This is where shit gets crazy.
As I walk down the stairs there's a young man about my age standing at the door. He's a fairly typical-looking skater guy with a backpack and a skateboard; I had never seen him before in my life. I later found out his name is Mike.
Mike: "Are you Adam Spencer?"
Me: "Yes"
Mike: "Some guy on the street just gave me $5 to deliver this letter to you."
Me: "What?"
Mike: "I don't know. He gave me $5 and said your name is Adam Spencer and that you work in this building."
He hands me a non-descript, unsealed, plain white envelope with "Adam Spencer" written on the front. I open it up and it reads:
"A.S.,
You endangered yourself by contacting me, and for that I am grateful.
You must tell people that I was here.....that I came to you.
The Mezin Source are liars and fools.
We must all heed the writings of Ethan Haas before it is too late.
We must prepare for the coming war.
Make them listen. Tell them I was here....and to believe my words.
We must all act on 08-01-07.
It is not too late to change the future.
Van Mantra"
Needless to say, my mind is officially blown right now. I immediately ask Mike his name, which he tells me. Next I ask who gave him the letter. He says it was an average looking guy wearing a baseball cap (disturbingly enough the man in the video named Van Mantra is also wearing a baseball cap). Mike and my coworkers friend both ask for the website (posted above) which I gladly give to them.
I should note that nobody knows I emailed that site. The only person that knew I was even on the site was my other coworker Chafic who swears up and down that he had nothing to do with it. Judging by his reaction and his level of obsession over what happened I am inclined to believe him.
Any of you from Fredericton know that this is a small city and there are no giant marketing firms that do this sort of thing. Beyond that, nobody online will believe me that this has happened. They either think I am pulling their leg or someone is pulling mine. The only problem with that being that nobody knew I was participating in this ARG (alternative reality game).
If you want to see an original scan of the letter go to here: http://blogs.ci-fi.net/chaf/archives/114
