Someone at Warner Brothers had a great idea. For marketing Into the Storm, which has no household name stars in it, why not go to the Richard Armitage Fan Websites to get the word out? Great idea! So they gave press passes to three websites: RichardArmitageNet.com, RichardArmitageCentral.co.UK, and http://www.facebook.com/RichardArmitageUS.
RAnet.com is based in the UK, so Ali, who does an amazing job at running that website, designated Abby (twitter) @AwkwardCelebrityEncounters to do the reporting for that site.
RichardArmitageCentral.co.UK administration is split between UK and US. Julie, the US administrator took over reporter duties for the premiere. Here is her report:
Finally, Facebook page, Richard Armitage US, who is based in Atlanta, Georgia, US, selected filmmaker Sara Alize Cross as their reporter. Sara’s interview is here:
Of course, veteran reporter Marlise Boland, of The Anglophile Channel, also interviewed Richard Armitage at the Into the Storm premiere. Here is her interview:
It is so wonderful that Warner Brothers included the fan websites as official Press!! Such previously undiscovered talent (not including Marlise, who is a pro!!) So happy for all and hope Warner Brothers realizes that this is a great idea, and invites them all to participate in The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies press at the premiere in NYC as well!! Congratulations to all!! Well done!!
Obsessive Behavior 
this is becoming a trend, giving the fansites press passes, it’s exciting to see it happening in our fandom though! they all did a wonderful job 😎
I was impressed! I wasn’t interviewing him and I went completely blank when he was standing in front of me outside the press tent! LOL!
Ah, this is really neat, Marie. Great to have the four fan-centric interviews collected in one place. I have to say that I was particularly impressed by the two reporters who had no previous experience of filming/reporting whatsoever. Really, really well done, Julie and Abby, fabulous questions, and very nice responses from RA.
Maybe this is a precedent for future film premieres (with or without RA)? These fans have proven that they are capable. The reception their reports are getting should prove to the studio that this model could be successful. (Credit to Todd Garner for maintaining close contact with the fan sites!)
So true! I’d certainly watch reports from any of them again for another movie! We learned new information about RA, and saw him get enthusiastic even! Personally, I was very interested in his response to The Crucible on Broadway. Bring it on!! 😀 😀
The Crucible on Broadway, I’m with you Marie Astra. How much does it cost to fly 30 people to NYC and put them up for a few months? Not much. The biggest expense — building out a theater to be in-the-round — can be avoided by booking our already-in-the-round house Circle in the Square: https://www.vipseats.com/venues/circle-in-the-square-new-york-ny.html They could get $100+ for seats to this show in NYC, and the fangirls have already shown we’ll go more than once. Come on, producers, are you listening?
I’m also envisioning hosting slumber parties of out-of-town fangirls sleeping on blow-up mattresses on my living room floor, so we can all go to the theater together. How’s THAT for a “NYC meetup?”
Wow sounds good to me!! 😀 😀
Thanks, Marie! I had a blast doing this for RichardArmitageNet and I really like the idea of getting the fans involved in press. It’s a new world order! 😀 ~ Abby
New world order, indeed, Abby. You three have done us proud. Your interviews are proof that if you want to get something substantive out of someone, and to break through the pre-scripted comments, send in an interviewer who knows her subject backwards and forwards, not the so-called pros who don’t even read the studio press kit ahead of time to know who was cast in the film. (https://marieastra8.wordpress.com/2014/08/08/no-richard-armitage-is-not-hugh-jackman/#comments)