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Ash Ali says:

I can’t remember, but I watched a special on either the History Channel, the Sci-Fi Channel, or Discovery Channel that pitted UFO hunters with real experts and they pretty much proved that the photo’s were fake.

Aaron says:

Good catch Bruce, it does sound like a viral campaign gone wrong.

Now, when *are* they going to make a movie regarding the Greys and the Thuul?

Gary says:

There is supposed to be a movie about the Greys in development .
As for the rest ,
I cant believe I am saying this but BRAVO FOX!

Yes, and I was surprised to see the craft in the show, but there it is! Thanks Aaron.

BTW: in the first image that is captioned: “One of the many images posted by Raji in 2007″, at the base of the long appendage.

Are those Sarah’s three dots she’s been chasing? Hmm.

I say they ran with what was created for them by C2C, Isaac, Ty, Stephen, etc., etc., etc., and especially the dronies.

It WAS a story, whether true or not, it was a GREAT story and the bulk of it unfolded in the forums.

If I was a producer I would have done it long ago. There’s no viral thing here, just someone with a bright idea to use what was there for the taking.

The DRT and the investigators brought a lot of light to the subject. It was probably about that time frame when their writers said, “hey, let’s do this drone thing”.

I think that’s all it is because there is no risk legally speaking. That story that took place between May and early August of 2007 (predominently) belonged to nobody because nobody was willing to claim it. Then again, it belonged to everybody, especially the dronies.

I sit back and giggle now because after the show I thought about aka: Isaac and what he must be thinking right now since I’m sure he’s heard about what aired. Hoax or not, no glory for him. Instead, he was left out in the cold.

By the way, if someone here reading comments missed the program, I have it at the following address to watch.
California drones are main theme for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Season Finale

pharmakos says:

I am a ufo believer and I happen to work in special effects. I have seen “real” ufos and they are actually mundane looking like a simple light in the sky. THESE PHOTOS ARE FAKE, generated in 3D software. UFOS are real, these pictures are NOT

Metallicat79 says:

I think had the Writers strike not occured, and if this was indeed a viral campain, that this would have been brilliant.
I am a bit of an interesting person when it comes to UFO’s and such, though I believe that it is an intruging concept,i really don’t belive in UFO’s, but i do belive that we are not alone in the universe, I belive that any other species out there would be no more advanced than we are.
But thats me. My Best friend (other than my wife) is a member of the paranormal research society up here, and can talk your ear off, we have many a debate about it.

John says:

Seems pretty clear to me that either the ‘UFO’ was created by the effects people from the show or the show modeled their drones based on the UFO pics. The similarities are uncanny. I’m leaning towards botched guerrilla advertising. The so-called “spiky things” are what really does it for me.

freakyandcloudymemory says:

This blog post contains enough factual errors as it pertains to the “California Drone” case that I feel safe labeling it irrelevant.

Sys_Config says:

Ahh the Greys, Whitley streiber signed that contract (sony)for that about the same time he signed for his 2012 (Warners)war for sould quietly on June 15, 2007 less then 2 weeks befor this Drone hoaxers did their release of Isaac aka TSCC abrahaham we saw in tscc. to using the Isaac caret site documents.
As to the owner of the site..
Todd Schwartz an oregon Attorney for Carr Butterfield and schwartz , Securities frirm, claimed he set it up. within 7 hours of the Isaac . Oddly , the webmaster Tony Savo, based now in bellingnam WA set up both sites, as well as one for a former Game Maker Sin Games, that went belly up.
None of them answer questions..
Neither do the people who helped promoted it c2c
Alienware use the original designs and claim intellectual ownership..but will not disavow any connection with viral.
TScc just barely modified the same designn..essentially intact, except the letters.
If you go to AW latest CGI Breed flick,
not the rotating nodes in the film with the 3 dots and the central skull with red Eyes..hmmis T4 being weaved in slowly?
AW always has done themed laptops with Warners, superman, simpsons, Dell, did warcraft..
The strikes as I see them essentially want to get some piece of the online ryalties and residuals as well as for integration of stories into games..etc.
Thus a viral marketer represents acrually both moviemakers, pc makers, and game makers..its naturally synergistic.
Regards All
I can’t wait for Camerons Avator,,as well as T4
Cheers
Sys

freakyandcloudymemory: Despite my terse recount with the “factual errors” that I took from the very sources all the relevant sites tend to have quoted back and forth, I think the images alone, without the words seem to speak for themselves.

I had quite the time bouncing around the multitude of sites that seemed to claim they were the experts, they knew the facts, etc., etc., it got confusing…

At one point, after following a link to a link to link, I had about 25 tabs of web pages opened… before my brain exploded, I had to start over and started referencing the media sources and branced out from there.

Well, thanks for coming by and contributing!!

Jon says:

Wow Bruce. I think my brain just exploded too. And I had thought it was just some weird plot twist, not some conspiracy by FOX to hide their failed viral campaign. I still can’t wait till February to find out what the hell that is all about. At the time, I thought it looked kinda like a hybrid between the flying terminator scout ships and some kind of alien craft. I really hope the writers aren’t so desperate for storylines that they would add some type of “terminators began with alien tech” story…

790 says:

Yep FOX is run by aliens,,, ;-)

I’m assuming the writers are going to link these drones to Skynet somehow.
^
I am surprised that these drones look just like actual military drones.
That’s strange…

Jon: That’s why I included the image of the scout ship from the 1991 flick… the tail caught my attention on the new one and reminded me of that.

I also surmise that folks are sucking up the UFO spin on the plot line and getting distracted in that direction.

What I really think it is, is that this new drone we the viewer are seeing, who the story writers have pitched that UFO seekers think is a UFO, is just a Terminator Drone plot line.

We’ll find out in a few short months though! This is interesting, that’s for sure.

You geeks have got it so wrong!
FOX isn’t run by aliens, it is run by killer cyborgs from the future! No duh! NBC is run by aliens, which explains why they’re replacing Leno with Conan O’Brien! CBS is run by werewolves, ABC is run by zombies, and The Sci-Fi channel is run by slavering idiots. Just look at the movies they produce.

The “California Drones” are in fact an advanced, beta-version Veg-A-Matic that has escaped from the K-Tel factory in Taiwan and is ravishing the Central Valley.

Malcolm: I’d respond but I can’t stop ROFLMAO.

Android Watson says:

Boy, mr sys config, do you ever take a break? Looks like a global conspiracy to take over the world to me.

It’s pretty simple. Co-opting UFO stories into fiction is hardly a new screen writing tactic. It’s called, being lazy.

Arc2 says:

Nice bit of detective work. I think that you are correct about the viral ad idea.

It is interesting that even with so much at stake marketers are willing to pirate the UFO matter for their own ends. None of them seem to understand that if aliens are coming here and snatching people in the night without so much as replanting one deforested hill side or leaving a genetically improved grain of rice that will finish in thirty days then we have a real security issue. This barrage of marketing nonsense along with the fact that anyone can find an audience with this topic may be a major obstacle to our own defense in the event that there really are alien incursions taking place.
Think about it… global reports of incursions, radar data, some trace evidence and very little more information. Fits the footprint of a stealthy and capable intelligence. General Natnan Twining certainly tasked the USAF to learn everything they could about “Flying Disks” and I am sure that he tasked the new USAF (founded Sept 1947) to do this because the concern was high due to the numerous events witnessed by military personnel. Of course, if you want to see them do everything short of land on the WH lawn see the pics in the Washington Post from 1952 where they are hovering over the US Capital. Check out the history of that incident and then look at what has happened since, policywise, on this topic….

Ken J says:

Yah, it’s definitely one of two things:
It’s a viral campaign that they forgot about or they contracted someone to make those photos for the sake of the episode. So he “leaked” a few of them online just to stir up the people, basically for the sh**s and giggles.

The thing about the photos is that the powerlines and the object are both focused. You would expect the powerlines to be substantially less focused than the object or vice-versa because they are not close together, the camera would have focused on one or the other.

The thing I never understand about UFO sightings, is why it is always lights in the night sky? I’m not saying I believe we’re alone in the universe, but don’t you think that with all the technology required to fly hundreds or thousands of lightyears, that they would know how to hover around in our atmosphere covertly without blinking or brightly shining lights… Unless they WANT to be seen…

Ken J says:

I think daylight sightings are more credible. I also hate those really shaky videos like the person holding the camera has parkinsons or something. You know it’s because it’s a fake and they don’t want to show the object too clearly because it’s some pie plate being hung from a tree or something…

Sys_config says:

Hi Bruce
I see no problem with TV/Movies/pcmakers/game companies borrowing from ufology. Its good business. I do so a problem with them fabricating events and or molding public opinion on any group people, whether considered conspiracy koko koos or not.
To me thats no different than someone working in a fire department setting fires to drum up business, or pyromaniacs working as fire personnel.
In pursuit of business, TV reporters (I can’t recall if it was 60 minutes or what)once staged an explosion in an auto collision investigation by adding accelerants near the collision point to prove in their report that one of the automakers involved had a faulty vehicle.
Not very nice thing to do to either the automaker nor us the public who was taken in by the report. But it was on the screen, and people believe what they see on the screen, because its on the screen. There is implicit trust by the viewer that the presentation is an honest one.
I’m a storyteller in a library by trade, and I tell all kinds of fanciful stories.
When my kids leave, they know its just a story.
Fox may have, like turner broadcasting did in Boston with its viral that backfired, is just making news and helping a warners patner along with whatever in that drone hoax.
So, do I take a break ever of course..
Do I acquiesce to News making or helping fabricate news? no.
Why its a gas tank then, A drone now, or a WMD like Iraq. There are consequences.
Thats why bad haboits like that should be broken early.
In the meantime..Enjoy SCC and T4 as I will, , they look so real!
As for Fox , their stories are guarnteed, at least as far as the stage set.

Rob Keyes says:

They should make a movie about us discovering that Fox is run by aliens. And this would be how it started.

It would have flashbacks to the cancellation of Firefly.

DrDil says:

“I had quite the time bouncing around the multitude of sites that seemed to claim they were the experts, they knew the facts, etc., etc., it got confusing…”

Everything you needed was right here:

http://www.dronehoax.com/

Cheers…..

Sys Config: Turner / Boston thing: That was those bomb scares right? For those who don’t know, if I’m right, Turner did some viral campaign that across several cities actually, but adults didn’t get it and called them in.

Subways and roads were shut down to remove the light box smiley faces.
http://www.boston.com/news/specials/local/cartoon_devices/

Rob: ScreenRant Gate!

DrDil: WELL NOW YOU TELL ME!!! For the uninitiated, it’s nuts how much is out there and depending on the search terms one uses directly influences the results one finds or doesn’t find!

Thanks for coming by though! Appreciate the input.

elevenaugust says:

“I had quite the time bouncing around the multitude of sites that seemed to claim they were the experts, they knew the facts, etc., etc., it got confusing…”

Everything you need is also right here:

http://droneteam.com/drt/index.php

That was our group who hired the PIs to investigate this case, and still continue to do so.
Please, check it!!
Cheers

Jon says:

Love the idea Rob!

Flashbacks to Firefly… LMAO

Sys_config says:

Bruce Thanx for reporting this as sites like this are actually the first behind enemy lines so to speak and are a fantastic and valuable resource in helping separate fact from fiction, fantasy from reality, just like Dr.Dils dronehoax site.The hollywood and tv machine complex is, bigger than Skynet for sure,is and you help us in a fun way who the players are. Not to mention the great critiques by the fans here.
you certainly made a “believer” (of this site)out of me!
keep up the great work
cheers
Sys

Thanks Sys… I think you will like it around here! Bruce

Jon says:

@Sys_Config
Bruce is a fantastic television critic. I love his work. They are always well thought out and well written.

I pledge my allegiance to you to Bruce. As long as we have sites like ScreenRant, yours and mine, I will be a reader and a fan.

Double Nought Spy says:

The California Drones. I think I liked the California Raisins better!

One thing that amazes me is no one has mentioned this: Who is the current governor of California? Hmmmmmmm?

N says:

I’m afraid its a case of a show stealing the idea’s from a ufo faker who can’t copy right his photo’s or it will blow his cover. Or a real ufo witness who wants to remain anonymous & fox took the easy way out & ripped off his images.

John Doe says:

The “Fox viral marketing” notion seems way ass-backwards to me. They’re clearly taking advantage of something rather than creating it and the CARET documents are much too elegant to have been whipped up as part of an advertising campaign.

FAIL.

Ken J says:

I agree with the viral marketting idea. One reason being they have angles of the drones and versions that are slightly different than the ones that were released. So it looks like whoever they got to CG the drone photos for the show probably had him/her do a lot of different versions. Some went online before and some were used for the show.

And anyway, it’s too coincidental that there happens to be UFO sightings that fit into that finale episode so perfectly.

A lot of the studies and other research done that you find online didn’t need to have been done by Fox, you got real believers doing that for them.

And since when did Foxnews do shows about UFO’s? It was obviously orchestrated as part of their advertising…

That’s how I see it…

790 says:

I wonder if McGonald will use the same designs for the ufo/ skynet drones in T4?

phoenix says:

Don’t know how this will effect the discussion, but you were linked over at IO9, where Josh Friedman posted this comment:

http://io9.com/5117028/your-ufos-are-just-viral-marketing#c9651953

Claiming that while he was fascinated by the drones, he doesn’t want people connecting TSCC with them. His imagery was certainly inspired by them, but they weren’t created for the show.

@phoenix

Thanks for the link. Would have been nice if he dropped a comment here.

Vic

Mark says:

hmmm, notice the FOX reference on: http://isaaccaret.fortunecity.com/

“Here’s an example of how complex the process is. Imagine I ask you to incrementally add random words to a list such that no two words use any of the same letters, and you must perform this exercise entirely in your head, so you can’t rely on a computer or even a pen and paper. If the first in the list was, say, “fox”, the second item excludes all words with the letters F, O and X. If the next word you choose is “tree”, then the third word in the list can’t have the letters F, O, X, T, R, or E in it. As you can imagine, coming up with even a third word might start to get just a bit tricky, especially since you can’t easily visualize the excluded letters by writing down the words. By the time you get to the fourth, fifth and sixth words, the problem has spiraled out of control. Now imagine trying to add the billionth word to the list (imagine also that we’re working with an infinite alphabet so you don’t run out of letters) and you can imagine how difficult it is for even a computer to keep up. Needless to say, writing this kind of thing “by hand” is orders of magnitude beyond the capabilities of the brain.”

Bruce slaps his forehead in utter astonishment, my brain completely stifled by orders of magnitude and sighs a heavy sigh.

Jess says:

As someone who is all too familiar with the entertainment industry, I HAVE to add my .02.
I am not saying that I am a believer in the whole UFO/conspiracy and Im not saying that it couldnt be true…I don’t know.

What I do know is, just because a writer is on strike, if they have projects to go back to, they keep on writing. Eventually work comes back around, an you’re better off having ammo when you go back vs. being empty handed.
There is a possibility that one of the writers spent a good amount of time on the interwebs while taking a respite from studio workdays, and came upon a goldmine in the form of an already working yet unclaimed story. And if the show you hope to come back to is already about highly advance “alien” tech (I say alien, because if it comes from the future, its alien to the present)you might as well take advantage of work already done.
Unfortunately, I have an easier time believing in UFO’s than FOX’s brilliant marketing.

I love SCC, but its obvious to me that FOX is enjoying a lot of the curious stories and oddities that are chronicled neatly on the internet. This is demonstrated in Fringe. Most of its story lines are things Ive been reading bout for years. The general public just never looked.

Michael M says:

I dont need a goverment disclosure on the UFO question . I believe in the words of Edgar Mitchell , Gordon Cooper and my own visual encounter. The craft was somewhat egg shaped or ovid. It was white illuminated much like your computer screen white but brighter and round lights surounding it’s rim (red , blue , yellow and green) and the size was about 3 to 4 gymnasiums and about 300 feet from me at a hieght of about 100 feet . Now i have “disclosed” to you,….will you believe ?…….You should because I just would not lie about something so important !…..peace be with you and dont panic

Double Nought Spy says:

Interesting comments, Jess. I never could get into the X Files, partly because it seemed like every time I tuned the show in, Mulder was muttering about some evidence or encounter that had similar elements to the case he was on at the time, blithely getting the facts of some real sighting garbled and twisted so it fit the story line. This does not help ufology, which has enough issues without some crass commercial enterprise muddying the waters even further. Would it really have been too much trouble for them to make up their own fictional history?

BOZMAN says:

There was no viral ad campaign gone wrong here. The writers of the series saw the drone stories (just like we all did) and made it a component of their story. Future technology, mysterious characters, UFO nuts. Just waiting now for February to continue with the storyline.

Jess says:

00 Spy,

XFiles did take existing accounts of paranormal and alien activity and twist them into storylines that fit their agenda. I understand the apprehension behind portraying actual experiences people have had in a distorted manner. Especially if that causes said poeple to look like kooks. Its not for me to judge the validity of someones “experience”.

I stated before that I dont believe that this was a marketing ploy. But if it was, you comments suggest that you’d be upset because you would have been duped. Many people took the theoretical ball and ran with it. You must always do your homework when it comes to these accounts. You must ALWAYS take the sensational with a grain of salt.

Double Nought Spy says:

Jess, I am not upset about anything, and my being duped by the drone hoax was not likely at any time. I am rather disgusted with the way some of this has played out, which is why I am still one of a group who is looking for the perps. If people who care about ufology do not do their part to rid the field of rampant BS, then there is no point in pursuing it further. It will have become the sad cartoon that many people think it is.

Well said Double Nought Spy

Jeff says:

Fake. Its to bad that people have to pull these stunts. It really just helps the silent invasion that has been going on for over 50 years. Oh I know a lot of you think its all rubish, but if you were to lift you head out of the sand for a moment and do a little research you would be shocked just by the British and American released UFO files. It clearly, I mean clearly shows something is going on. The subject of “UFOS” as early as 1950’s had a “TOP SECERT” status 52 levels HIGHER than the H-Bomb (thank you FOIA) Not to mention the FBI wanted “Crashed Disk for cursory examination” (thank you FOIA). Even today any files released under FOIA in regards to UFOs are whited out, with maybe a word or two not. If they don’t exist, how can they be a threat to national security for over 50 years, for every major country? Come on folks, wake up and do a little research to base your thoughts on. Start with goverment files and you will get your eyes opened for you. Thats if you have the guts to really want to know what the true reality is…if not, keep your head in the sand.

Jess says:

Double Naught,

I understand where youre coming from, and I can see where this would lead to more trouble in validating a point of view not readily accpeted most. I guess Im looking at it from an entirely different stand point.

I have had an interest and fascination with all things “paranormal,I use the term broadly for lack of a more all encompassing word. Many of my friends don’t realize just how much reading I actualy do on the subject. I was elated when my parents retired to NM last year. For me this episode was a conversation starter. My husband is the king of all skeptics, if you can’t prove it to him, its not real. He and I talked for HOURS after the episode aired, about the origins of the story line. This is a conversation he and I would have never had previously.
I have had many chats since with quite a few of my friends whos curiosity was piqued by the show having a grain of truth. I think its brilliant to have so many doors opened to people who might not have ever been exposed to his otherwise.
Im here posting today because of shows like the Xfiles. Did I ever believe the story lines were true? Not 100%, but they got me asking the what if’s,and thats what you need!!! That what will further the cause. You might not convince everyone when it comes to this subject matter, but if you at least get the masses talking about it, you sure to convince a few.

Jess says:

sorry about the mis-spelling….keeping an eye out for the boss…not the spelling:)

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