VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!! EVERYONE READ THIS POST!!

Fellow Fantaversians,

I am happy to inform you that big things are afoot. Things that, if they are seen to fruition, could mean a bigger, better home for the Fantaverse, the game, and all who dwell within its borders.

I began talks almost a year ago with the former player known as MrHam (real name: Matt) and his friend David, who is a web designer (and who I now officially make an honorary member of the 'verse). They had a plan to rebuild my website, thelatestmoviereviews.com, from the ground up, making it cooler, more interactive, and just a better place to be all the way around.

Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed having my own blog, and making weekly updates to it with new reviews, new trailers, etc. But the truth is, barely a dozen people visit my site on a daily basis, and something needs to change. I can't keep pestering you guys for new reviews if there's no one reading them, can I?

The ending goal... actually, scratch that, the PRIMARY goal of these changes ("ending" is the wrong word, since the changes and improvements would, in all likelihood, be ongoing) is to have all functions of the Fantaverse be one one site, rather than separate sites. Imagine that there is one site that includes movie reviews, trailers, movie news, show biz developments, and, of course, the fantasy game. All that, on one site. That would be cool, wouldn't it? Even FM didn't have all that!

When one thinks about it, the possibilities are endless. One site, that has everything that a person interested in movies could want: the latest box office numbers, trailers, professional and amateur reviews, DVD releases (which would be provided via RSS feeds from websites like IMDb, BOM, RT, etc.), you name it. I am sure that a permanent version of the Fantasy Game could be created, perhaps in cooperation with our Italian friends who created the MMG site. Like I said, anything is possible.

I have been in contact with Barca, and he is on board with this. The Boards that we currently frequent were created to be a temporary solution, not a permanent one, and while the game and our community have been able to sustain itself this past year, the truth is, we have grown as a community very little, and we have lost a lot of people who were once regulars. We need to expand our horizons, and this may be the way to do it.

But when the new site, which will have all or most of the bells and whistles that I mentioned, is ready for launch, we are going to need a LOT of help to keep it hip, cool, up-to-date. I am virtually certain that many of you will be on board with this, but I don't want to summarily volunteer your services without specifying exactly what it is we need. As best as I can describe them, we need:

1. People to review movies, probably the most current movies to start with, and then possibly movies of the past as we build our archive.

2. People who are plugged into the movie and show biz scene - in other words, if some development comes up, we need them to post it on our site as soon as humanly possible. Perhaps this movie was delayed, this one was scrapped, or this one is going forward. This company just bought that studio. This famous actor just passed away. This actor just signed on to do this project. And so on, and so forth, you get the picture.

3. People who regularly are on the watch for new trailers. As soon as a new teaser, trailer, film clip, or featurette hits the web, we need them to be posted, along with commentary.

4. At some point, we will need people to help spread the word of our site, once it starts to take shape. Advertise, market, casually mention, whatever it takes.


If we can make our new and improved site the talk of the Internet, our little community may grow a hundredfold. And if it REALLY takes off, just imagine how we, the pioneers of the original Fantaverse, will be regarded. As Gods among men!

And maybe, just maybe, at some point, we can turn our passion into a viable business opportunity, one that can be shared by all who helped make it a reality.

So, for now, I would ask for any and all input that you have. Let me know what you think of the idea. Let me know if you have any other touches or improvements that might be made, and I assure you, I will let my web designer know. But, for now, let me know if you would be willing to sign on as a contributor/writer/reviewer for the new site. I need as many as are willing to put the time in, whether that be an hour a day or an hour a week. No help, in whatever form, will be refused. If you are indeed on board, you will receive an e-mail with further instructions at a later date. You will most certainly be kept in the loop as news of our progress develops.

Thanks to all of you in advance for your help.

Sincerely,
Shrykespeare

I like it. Another idea is a place for those of us who make films to put them up for watch. I know Geez and some others do stuff, so it would be cool to have a place to show that work.

Brilliant news!! To have a fully functioning site with all the features you have mentioned and more would definately grow our community. As always i will be willing to do anything that is necessary to help move this project along. I may be a man of few words but keep me up to date if you think of anything i can bring to this site.

And maybe, just maybe, at some point, we can turn our passion into a viable business opportunity, one that can be shared by all who helped make it a reality.

THIS is my favorite part

If we can make our new and improved site the talk of the Internet, our little community may grow a hundredfold. And if it REALLY takes off, just imagine how we, the pioneers of the original Fantaverse, will be regarded. As Gods among men!

This one's pretty good too.

I'd be a major contributor.

You Know Me

Sounds great. Sign me up for a reviewer (to that end, I'm working on reviews for Tyler Perry and Gamer, Shryke).

I think when this is up, we ALL should sign up for message boards on all the major movie websites, IMDb, JoBlo, Rotten Tomatoes, CHUD, ComingSoon, slashfilm, hitfix, EW, etc etc and do our part to try to entice people to play our game. I think the game itself is a niche we have that can attract movie fans, from there they'll see the rest of the site.

Is there anyway we can get some adspace on these sites for free? I imagine it costs a pretty penny, maybe we can strike some sort of cross-promotion deal with someone...

Yes i am on board. I will write reviews gladly and i like the idea a lot

Awesome! I'm in for whatever help is needed. I'm not the best reviewer in the world but I'm always up to date on any new info/trailers/breaking news and would love to help out in any way possible or needed.

If I can finally get this stick out of my ass I'll try an write some more reviews for you Shryke. Other than that I'll help out in any way I can and its great to finally hear some great news on this front.

yay! Shryke saves the day again. Also I liked Banks idea about everyone signing up for the major movie forums and driving traffic to the game.

I have been writing hundreds of movie reviews on Netflix for about a year, and really enjoy it. Can I be one of the movie reviewers? If so, how will this be done?
Thanks.

At the moment anyone is welcome to submit a review to Shryke. Just email it to him and he will have it up on his site ASAP. I'm sure that is still to be the plan when this website is formed too.

I'm noting all your names and responses. I expected nothing less from you guys, you are the BEST!!

Sure beats working here...

Hey Shryke, also the italian guys will be happy to collaborate with you.

An hour a day or an hour a week... lately I've been at the latter category, but I'll pitch in where I can.