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ILMfan 10th Anniversary
Copyright © 2006 All rights reserved
ILMfan History
In 1995, when the World Wide Web was just getting started, I decided to build a website dedicated to Industrial Light + Magic. ILM didn't have a website (and they wouldn't until around 2000), and I knew there were a lot of ILM fans out there starving for information. I called the website ilmfan, and the URL was www.ilmfan.com.
One of the original graphics of the ILMfan site, dated July 23, 1996!
At the time ILM was very secretive, still working out of San Rafael in an unmarked building and the last thing they wanted to do was draw attention to themselves by building a website. The World Wide Web was just in its infancy, and ILM’s PR department was slowly learning the power of the Internet. By 1997 I was receiving emails regularly from ILM employees asking me to correct film credit data or to clue me in on upcoming events. It was usually the same old story:
"My mother was browsing through ilmfan.com and noticed that you had not included me in the credits for Innerspace. Can you correct the oversight?"
By the end of 1997 the ILM PR department was contacting me regularly to either correct data or to comment on stories that we were discussing on ilmfan.com. We had a nice working relationship. They would send me plenty of Tchotchkes, ILM T-shirts and even invites to ILM parties, with only one condition, I could never reveal ILM’s street address. I even received a few Christmas cards. For a diehard ILM Fan…life was good.
Here are a few other historical facts:
- What ilmfan.com looked like back then at http://www.zaske.com/ilmfan/
- May 1996, the first mention of ilmfan (previously housed at www.teleport.com/~ilm) on Usenet.
- 1996, IMDB opens for business.
- 1997, First usenet post by Manuel
- The First Usenet post by Manuel mentioning ilmfan.com
- 1998, LucasFilm creates a website.
- 1999, Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace opens
- 2000, ILM opens a recruiting website
The ILMfan Experience
So how does one explain the ILMfan experience? It would probably be very hard to put in words, compounded by the fact that I can't believe 10 years have actually gone by. Starting from the beginning, like probably many of you out there, it all got started with the original Star Wars (1977). I was mesmerized, hooked, and it started my passion for movies and visual effects. In no small way it would lead to many thing, including me studying Engineering and computers.
I found ILMfan back in the mid-90s, when most access to the Internet was text-based and having something like the old Mosaic for the WWW was considered a luxury. My memory is so foggy that I could almost swear it was back in 1995 although evidence points to 1996. It was around that time a few other circumstances led me to find out more about visual effects: it was when I started buying Cinefex and also attended my first SIGGRAPH right after graduation. Finding sites like ILMfan around that time helped with the thirst for more info.
Quite unexpectedly I started becoming an active participant, first in the old forums and by submitting news like reports about ILM at SIGGRAPH. Around 2000, and much to my surprise, theFan asked me if I could help running the site, posting news and helping with the credits database. Along the way I even stepped toes at ILM, as out of the blue I tried contacting Hans Uhlig about Synchronicity without going thorough Nagisa at PR (hey, I'm and engineer, not a journalist!). Not long after he offered me to run the site completely. I must confess I did think it over as it was a scary prospect but I accepted as I couldn't conceive the site dying, so on November 28, 2001, the site reopened. Who would have thought ILMfan would (probably) become the longest running VFX related site on the Net?
So what has been the experience running the site? I couldn't have envisioned it back then. What started as a hobby has almost become a full time job (while having a real full time job!). At times I even considered quitting, to let the site die. Even at the most adverse times, running this niche site has been extremely fulfilling, and not because of getting information about VFX and ILM, but mainly the experience with the people. The enthusiasm readily apparent at the forums is one of the most fulfilling aspects of the job, and I would consider many of the regulars close friends. One of the neatest things that ever happened to me was getting recognized one SIGGRAPH around the ILM booth, after reading the name on my badge "hey, dude, are you the one running ILMfan?". Knowing the site is of some pleasure or help to someone out there is truly great.
There's the other side of the coin, also meeting people from not only ILM but VFX pros in general. It's their fantastic work that keeps wowing and inspiring me. And some of them have become true friends as well. It has also been a quite unexpected journey. When I originally asked ILM for a tour, it was half joking never really expecting to get it. Still thinking back about it I can't believe I roamed the the halls where so much memorable imagery was created. My hope is this site helps dispel some misconceptions, but most importantly show the human side in this challenging business. My hats off to everyone involved in visual effects.
At the old "dream factory" in San Rafael, June 2002.
I would like to thank all visitors to this site, it because of you that ILMfan is what it is and keeps on going. A special thank you to ILM PR past and present, in particular Nagisa, Suzy, Ellen, Rachel, Miles and Megan, for all their patience and help, Ellen, Kelly and the gals at the ILM SIGGRAPH booths, all my friends at ILM and other facilities (you know who you are ;-) for their friendship, insight and inspiration, and last but not least to Steve "theFan" for the opportunity to run this, it's been a blast! Someone mentioned if we could make it to the 20th Anniversary. I don't know about that, but it's been one hell of a ride, so lets keeps enjoying it as long as it lasts!