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VIRAL NEWS

Super 8 Viral Launch: New 'Scariest Thing I Ever Saw' Website

by Alex Billington
May 7, 2010
Source: Super 8 News, Unfiction

As expected, following the in-theater premiere of Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams' Super 8 trailer is the launch of a new viral game to follow until the release of the movie next summer. Not only does it look like they're making things very complicated (and hard to find), but they're already setting the tone by launching a website with a URL that spells out Scariest Thing I Ever Saw. Creepy. If you can back in Independence Day, there was that scene where Jeff Goldblum figures out that there is a countdown signal coming from the aliens, and it gets crazy when he asks "what happens when it runs out?" Well, we've got the same question.

That scariestthingieversaw.com website was discovered when users on the Unfiction forums noticed that there was some text flying through the Super 8 lens in the trailer (that photo above comes from the official movie website: super8-movie.com). When put together, it spelled out Scariest Thing I Ever Saw and that's now where we are. Found on there is an old school terminal for a PDP-11 computer, made back in the 70s, that allows users to interact with it like it were a fully working server. Eventually it gets to a point where you can't progress any further because it's counting down by "Loading External Data" from some external files.

The newly launched Super 8 News blog is also following and investigating this viral and they've discovered some very interesting things hidden in that computer. Their calculations show that the countdown should end sometime around noon on May 15th in about seven days (but that's not confirmed because the server keeps adding more lines and jumping around). Additionally, they found some text that gets printed on the screen saying: "Stop posting publicly. I can answer your questions. I have proof." Again, very creepy, but the perfect way to kick this off after that mysterious trailer involving Area 51, aliens, and the US Air Force.

Beyond that, we're not sure where this will go or what is next, but the question is: What happens when the countdown ends? It looks like there may be files (video or audio?) that we'll access that will probably contain footage or other creepy alien-related stuff. All I know is that Abrams is probably going to take us on a very wild ride leading up to the release of Super 8 and I cannot wait to find out what's next. Stay tuned!

Explore tags: Hype, Movie News, Viral News

http://promovieblogger.com/ ProMovieBlogger

Saw the trailer during Iron Man 2. Should be good.
tra la la la la di da

Boring...I'm so sick of viral crap. it's the same old same old...............
Dad

#3, no it's good thinking on your part. But I don't think you thought it all the way through. Maybe the train crash caused it to be free from imprisonment that it was in while the train was still on track? I don't know... not to excited by the Teaser, but that could change. I just need more.
Brian Ricci

So excited about this!
Brian Ricci

Even with my excitement I tend to overanalyze. I can't help but wonder something about the monster/alien/rosie o'donnel/etc. If its strong enough to punch out through the side of the train car why wouldnt it have just done it? Why wait for the accident?

No

maybe it was going willingly

Panda

So this is maybe a stupid question. I bet some one have allrdy tryed it. But whene you first get to the side. you got the main window. if you lift this window away by draging it as you do whene you like to move any browser or window on a pc. Thene you find under "Print all pages to defult printer" i don't own a printer sadly, other vice i whould have tryed it. (i tryed click it though, and it ask me to instal my printer.) So what do you get printed out if you do this? anyone know? Cheers
Craig

#6, this is what prints out: Stop posting publicly. I can answer your uestions. I have proof. >>>>

cybergod

actually i got the printer to print out something very differant then what you said, it was a letter posted by a man kinda reminising to someone about past work he did and it also printed out a picture with the letter of some scientists standing in a row to take a picture and in the back ground was a choak board with some equasions on it and behind that you caould see and large expansive facility of some type

zeldaprimed

I saw Iron Man 2 in IMAX and the trailer did not show!!!
twispious

I remember following every step of Cloverfield's viral here on FS,alas I found the movie quite disappointing,but the viral strategy was brilliant beyond words,and I'm more excited to follow Super-8's viral shit than the eventual film.
blasphemer

this is just JJ the Hack's Cloverfield bullshit all over again...huge build up to an even bigger letdown....I'll pass on this one...fool me once, shame on you... fool me twice, shame on me....what a joke...
The movie man

I saw this trailer in front of Iron Man 2. To be honest, the Cloverfield trailer was soooo much better. It gave me more chills than this one. I dunno, thats just me. Anyone agree?
sleepykid

Kinda agree with #10. Phoney mystique for an underwhelming pay-off. MI:3 sucked and so did Star Trek. Just give us a straightforward trailer and a decent film, Abrams. That would be a surprise.
Brian Ricci

#5, I was actually thinking that also. Maybe it got loose during the crash. Or maybe it was knocked out and the crash woke it up. Anything's possible. I hope this movie doesn't blow. I don't want another giant monster attacks the world movie. I keep reading stuff about a scene where kids are shooting some film in the 70's. When they check the film out there's some sort of monster in the background. Maybe this is why they have to move the area 51 stuff. Or maybe I'm really reaching now.

cybergod

or maybe it is totaly symbolic and nothing actually broke out of the train car in the movie!!

Alex

Maybe the amount of bytes left ot load are the amount of people left who need to visit the page? It might something like Paranormal Activity's Demand It-people have to visit the page, and then they will reveal something new. Or maybe it's an amount of minutes until the trailer is officially released online.

No

or maybe it something to just keep you guessing, driving you insane untill you go and spend all your money at the movie theater!!! lol

jjboldt

#4 Gotta agree with ya. I'm excited about the movie, but I am also getting a little bored with viral garbage. Is it really ever that exciting?
Proudfoot

#12 - WHAT? MI:3 and Star Trek were GREAT films.
Harold

Its pretty simple to figure out what "SUPER 8" is about and am sure the script will change after this disclosure: Super 8 is and what the statement entails...Super 8. The old school video camera used back in the 70s. The whole train crash isn't even part of the actually movie, its a setup (like the teaser trailer for Star Trek, showing the construction of the Enterprise). The Super 8 camera is capturing all the events related to the alien (i.e. Cloverfield with the camcorder usage as the group embarks). The dynamic of the plot will be based on that premise. THAT'S IT FELLAS! I am banking the final cut will be partly today's timeline and a mix of the Super 8 creature footage. There no way it can be 2 hours of Super 8 so-called classified footage of the creature. There you have it:) JJ, just start working on Star Trek 2 already...geez.
tra la la la la di da

MI3 didn't blow as bad as MI2 but it still sucked some hairy balls and Star Trek was...Star Trek. It's hard to say coming from a fan of Star Trek but it was nice, fun...just wasn't Star Trek. lol Still, Cloverfield's build up was way better! Loved the trailer for that. This was a bit...meh and underwhelming. I didn't watch it here and waited til tonight when I saw Iron Man 2 and boy was I disappointed. I will say this, the crowd was speechless. Most were like WTF!?!
Bob

search "Super 8" trailer on the youtube!
Bell

A number of points before I proceed to explain my piece: 1. MI:3 - Didnt see it. Grew tired of the series, the third should have been made eventho it was prompted by Abrams 2. Star Trek - was the bomb diggity. Wanted to watch it all over again once it was over. Have to comment on #17... the footage of the Enterprise actually did have somethign to do with the film. At that point in the timeline, the Enterprise hadnt been completed and ready to launch yet. Hense the movie being the prequal to everything Star Trek ..sheesh, really? 3. LOST - Yes, season 3 & 4 lost a lot of viewers from the ever-stretching plot, but i'm glad I remained faithful to the series. The final payoff will be massive! 4. Fringe - Is no one else watching this series??? There's such complex writing in this story, I cant believe it hasnt been mentioned once in the comments yet! If you havent checked this show out, I STRONGLY suggest you all do. Though its in the second season already and a major plot turn will be happening this week, i sugggest you rent season 1 and catch up (before Thursday)! How can anyone be sick of viral footage?? Are you kidding?? Especially when you're dealing with JJ.. Its the epitome of geekdome. This is who he is. This is what he does. Might as well call yourself a lazy fan if you dont want to make the effort to get lost in the fantasy. The viral info is part of what makes the anticipation so worth while! For some of you (and most of the ppl i know), the viral info to Cloverfield was much better than the actual film. Which there was an overwhelming sign of "that's it, really?" once the film ended. I must disagree. Even though i missed out on most of the viral, I enjoyed the film to tremendous lengths! Yes. the camera shook alot and was a bit annoying at times.. but this is the craft of the film. It helps you to believe that you are that character with the camera. It makes it feel all the more believable that it could very well be as real of an event as any moment you've filmed yourself. Maybe some of you are having problems allowing yourself to let go and to be fully emersed in the fantasy world. To those ppl i say dont even bother with the fun stuff before the film's release because you will just let yourself down. Leave it to the ones who actually give a s***! Lastly, I must agree that the Super 8 trailer was a bit intriging, but did not quite peak my interest until it mentions it was a film by Abrams AND Spielberg.. Actually, I think i pooped my pants a little.. With that being said.......
Clover

The rock formations are a duplicate for an exact shot in "Cloverfield" of the monster....(which is beyond brilliant beginiing with the film and the viral) The Cloverfield community is going nutz!!!!! JJ is amazing. Fringe....Slusho.....Cloverfield....but just be sly references that JJ loves to give his fans. Mr. Abrams has grown into a force that is here to STAY!!!!!
Bell

Furthermore, I think #14 is correct where they mention Paranormal Activity's site requires a certain amount of people to visit the page in order to view the information. Currently the # is at 63629bytes and we need to reach 134640bytes. Hopefully we will be able to reach this in the next day or so!
SlashBeast

Jar Jar Abrams is going to make another stinker? Why can't he stick to television? Mission impossible 3 was alright but he transformed a fairly thematic and intellectual sci-fi series like Star Trek into a completely vapid and brainless affair. This will be just like Cloverfield, all hype, utterly forgettable movie.
John31

Stop posting publicly. I can answer your questions. I have proof.
ThatGuy

Anyone else a bit put off by the following oddities in the trailer? 1) A pickup truck caused a massive freight train to flop around wildly. Was the train inflatable, or did the truck have a bed full of dark matter? 2) The wheel on the containment door is spinning wildly, even as the door is being pounded outwards. The alien inside is hurriedly opening the door latch properly with one arm, whilst beating the piss out of it with the other? I know I'm nitpicking, but that's the sort of thing that breaks suspension of disbelief for me.
Harold

Answering Comment #20, My Star Trek statement was referring to the "actual film" of the teaser trailer not being used in the movie. That's it. I wasn't pointing out the prequel angle, just the whole shot not being in the film. Nothing scary with the Super 8 trailer, get over it! Whats going to be scary is the actual reponse by the critics of the movie. LOL.
Bell

#26 - i stand by my geekdome *bow*
ryan

Ok a few things!! 1. After watching the Super 8 trailer many times in final cut frame by frame I found that at the end of the trailer, before the words "scariest thing i ever saw," there is a clear flash of a human face! I am wondering if anyone else has seen this!! The face seems to be of a young male. But it is a very clear image. 2. on the official site (super8-movie.com) there are words scrolling through the camera in red letters. has anyone been able make out with it says? I think it would be key to know what these letters say!
ryan

Ok a few things!! 1. After watching the Super 8 trailer many times in final cut frame by frame I found that at the end of the trailer, before the words "scariest thing i ever saw," there is a clear flash of a human face! I am wondering if anyone else has seen this!! The face seems to be of a young male. But it is a very clear image. 2. on the official site (super8-movie.com) there are words scrolling through the camera in red letters. has anyone been able make out with it says? I think it would be key to know what these letters say!
Raul

Ryan , Yes I saw it too, I managed to slow down the video, it appears to be a female (or a young male) wearing an astronaut helmet, I will try and slow it down a little more to see if I can read the vertical etters
3ntropy

the train derailed because the front wheel ran over the bumper of the truck. inertia threw the rest all over. i noticed some imprints on the negatives between script and live scenes. i made a few compilations of my observations that i'll give links for here. http://img243.imageshack.us/i/super8alien.png/ http://img34.imageshack.us/i/super8037.png/ http://img130.imageshack.us/i/super8framebyframe.png/ http://img706.imageshack.us/i/super8scariest.png/ hopefully you can all see them. in the frame-by-frame you see the face, then non-consecutive images of the train on it's side through the broken lens.
http://super8themovie.blogspot.com Super8

great spanish blog super8themovie.blogspot.com thanks!
Tyler

If you look at the newspaper where the rocket popsicle stick add is, you'll see an article talking about growing plants indoors. To me this relates to growing and maintaing life without natural sunlight. And if you read the messages in the President Kennedy article you will see it mention living underground if the aliens arrive. So to me I think humans are trying to find out ways to live underground if the aliens arrive. And since the name of the movie is about a Super Eight Camera that means the aliens are predicated to arrive. This gives off a very eerie feel to think we would have to move underground to not be killed my unknown beings. I will definitely see this movie, I just hope the viral marketing has more influence within the film than it did in Cloverfield. -Peace
Jack

You are able to move the windows on the display. If you move the window that says 'Print all pages to default printer?' there is a folder named 'Braegen14' can be seen. If this is opened, a file called 'expcnv.dat'. If you try to open this a message pops up that says 'Required components not found. No supporting application.'
Bell

#31 - Great Find! #33 - You may be on to something there..
3ntropy

@ Bell, put that together myself the considerably intellect of the internet should solve these riddles as they are released in real time.
maggotkid

the loading external files works for me? i dont know what to do next? heres where i am: http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk241/s6i6c6maggot/oldserverthing.jpg http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk241/s6i6c6maggot/oldserverthing2.jpg has this happened for anyone else?
http://www.super8fans.com Matt

The viral marketing sure has started early...
Juan

hey for the website thingy http://www.scariestthingieversaw.com/ what do you i mean can anybody send me a guide thingy or tell me what do when i answer the device question PLZ PLZ PLZ
loon

Does anyone know when will this film launch?
young swagasta

wat is the monster in the movie thay breaks out or the train or watever and transformers 3 is taking way to long .............. im hungry.
a hairy guy

i have no friends on ps3 if u wanna add me my id is diablokilla
skylin3r

hey bell what is your last name? end?
J.J. Abrams is a genius

I completely disagree with those of you saying Cloverfield was a let down and that this will be too. J.J. Abrams and his team are bloody genius's for being able to come up with these viral campaigns and connect it all to the film itself. It makes the whole experience waiting for the film to come out incredibly exciting. Most of you have become so used to just wanting to see lame ass remakes of every thing and not support true talent in writing and creating new stories to entertain people with. If you don't support or enjoy his work then eff off in my opinion!
Weirton

They r getting ready to film this move in Weirton, wv. Paramont has put flyers out about blocking roads around 9/21/10. Brad pit was also in town a few weeks ago. Was told he is in the movie.
Liam Bradey

Ok, here's what I've found so far: 1: Scariestthingieversaw.com website - get stuck after all files have loaded. Gives instructions such as .EXEC and .COMT, but I have no idea what the system is, so unable to go further. If you type in .REENTER however, it prompts you to mount a device (again, no knowledge of system, so can't go any further). 2. If you move this screen, a dialog is there which allows you to print a page out which describes a conversation between two unknown people, one asking the other to take down any public listings, as the first has information on second's father. There is also a picture of what appears to be the scariest thing I ever saw frame projected onto a wall. 3. If you then move this box, there are two files. One, as previously mentioned, won't allow you to open it, as required elements are not found. The second contains an mp3 audio file, which is a conversation in which I can't make out the words. 4. There are also three icons on the task bar, which don't appear to do anything (yet?) My guess is that more elements will become active as we near release.
BIGBOW67

I really can not wait to see this movie. Like all of you trying to figure more out about the websites, I am also stumped. I live in weirton,wv and a lot of road signs have changed, people from Paramount have came to our doors telling us little but some info. Also they have asked for people with pre 1990 cars around the 70's and 80's to borrow the cars for filming. That's about all I have seen around this little town so far but will make sure to keep you guys informed.
thedude

Have to agree with some on here! This is more JJ Bull! Sneaky, quiet teasers, no plots given till when? Maybe a month before release? He did this teaser crap with Star Trek (which totally sucked) and really with Cloverfield (major let down) and now this?! Dude, get a clue if your movie isnt strong enough for a trailer and basic storyline shown in it then quit this business you suck as a movie man! Having to constantly rely on gimmicks and hush hush spy games on the web to attract attention to your movie obviously it sucks anyway!

docanaheim55

You must not understand the industry well. Films are made and sold by their preview advertising. Coming Attractions sell the Movies. Just because yiu feel cheated and disenchanted by the hype and build up for a movie doesn't mean others can not enjoy what you are putting down and dissing on. So You don't like J.J.Abrams! Don't -pay those hard earned ducats to sit there and ruin it for the rest of us.

KDT

If this trailer is for a sequel its NOT for Cloverfield. When I saw this I thought I knew what it was for and had to check on it online right away but this is just like a scene in another spielberg movie, same truck, same color, same train track dinging, it was close encounters of the 3rd kind. 1977 or 78???
informant

I don't know if there's any merit to this finding or if I'm even the first to discover it or not, but if u get to the point where u cant continue on the viral site with the old computer, you will notice the list of files and underneath that is a set of input commands. Now I'm no genius but i have programmed older computers like that and if you try typing .exec [a5rsr] it will say file read error instead of invalid command, i will be trying all files to see what comes up, but no promises. Someone warn me b4 i waste my time if you have already followed this trail.
bertminusernie

I had the same thought as #49 as soon as I saw the trailer. Kind of like mr Dreyfuss' truck in Close Encounters. Anyway, has anyone else noticed that also when the remote screen pops up, if you click on the "reveal icon" arrow in the bootm left of the taskbar a speech bubble appears in the taskbar. Click on it and a password box opens up. Next part of the puzzle, I guess. I tried "scariestthingieversaw" and "super8" but no luck.
bertminusernie

Update: I found another site talking about this and the password is "toadfish112". You get a notice to say your IP address is not recognized and so you are only allowed to see a snippet of the IM thread. the two people that are conversing on the printout, about talking someone secure, seem to be back, and one has found some items that belong to his father (who his somehow involved). The other person cuts communication after leaving instructions to look further into a cannister with 3 holes on it.
unknown

it has everything to do with the 3rd encounters. my mom watched the trailer of super 8 and it has everything to do with it
unknown

my moms 56 so go figure, she remembers lol
umknown

everything from the super 8 trailer happened in the begging of encounters of the 3rd kind .BTW: Steven Spielberg was a huge part in making Encounters of the 3rd kind.
unknown

in the movie encounters of the 3rd kind. a little boy was taken from a mother by aliens. At the end of the movie the guy that was obsessed with the whole situation and aliens etc.... in exchange of the mothers boy he was taken into space instead of the little boy. that might have something to do with the Super 8 movie coming out June 11th 2010. comment here if have any further information.

docanaheim55

Your reading too much into whats here this is not a Cloverfield Redux neither is it a Close Encounters Redux . It is Super 8 cut and dried. I know you guys want to see all that stuff but this is an original storyline. Just because J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg are collaborating doesn't mean that we are getting rehashed versions of Cloverfield or Close Encounters. I believe there is an alien visit/ invasion plot being developed here. The plot revolving around Area 51 and reverse engineering and the escape and attempted recapture of an alien being. This information is somewhat a given due to the viral site and the outtakes and sneak previews of the motion picture that was shot on Location in Weirton, WVa.

Critical Eye

I'm looking forward to Super 8. Looks like it may possibly be a return to Spielberg's 80s glory days. @Harold: A Super 8 camera WAS NOT a video camera. It was a FILM camera - I used to have one. Here's the thing that way too many people forget about the difference between film and video - film has to be sent to a lab to be developed; video doesn't have to. Why? Because of the microscopic iron filaments on video allowing for the image to be processed instantly, by electronic means. As someone who works in video production, and has worked with film, I constantly get sick and tired of how people continue to name the two things wrongly. Not even the fact that video today (due to the recent advancement known as 24 fps, which makes video look like film) negates the aforementioned difference I just stated.
docanaheim55

Okay Folks it's 12 March,2011 and the latest Trailer installment has just been released on twitter. More meat to chew on as the plot to this film fleshes out a bit more and the Bait gets a touch tastier. We are just about 90 days out so the Ads and hype are going to start turning up the heat and the websites are going to really get moving. Hold on Tight it going to be a thrill ride.

John

Okay People it's May 18, 2011 and saturation advertising has begun. Another updated trailer has been released showing even more tasty tidbits. The STIES Site has gone stagnant but I can't see them letting it go without a hardpush right before the release date. Seems though everybody and their dog is trying to get on the copycat band wagon so I fear that we are going to get bombarded with alien/area51/closeencounter movies of the every kind. Look for Easter Eggs cause JJ is famous for leaving little things to trip over. Release date is 10 June,2011 ,,so keep your eyes peeled for midnight sneak previews.

Miike

to the comment about the "thing" opening the wheel on the train car and pounding the door at the same time saying that it has more then 2 arms....what if there is more then one "thing" inside????

Joshua Greer

Well there is only one thing and there it def has more than 2 arms. If there were more than one thing then they would not have been able to hide as effectively and the story itself says that it has more than 2 arms. The Super 8 Movie should be a great movie although I have not seen it yet.