A marketing team at The Concept Farm created content for this series circa 2005 - 2007. The sites they created / wrote for included Fang's Blog, wingkidsarereal.com, and instituteforhigherliving.com. They also created some content that ran on the main site, but we'll begin with the individual websites.
The Concept Farm used to have a page on their site dedicated to the work they did for James Patterson. It's gone now.
This page is under construction. It's a little messy...
This blog still exists, but images in many of the posts have succumbed to link rot. I've recovered a handful of them, which you can view here.
To read even more Maximum Ride blog posts, go to this page.
Accessible at the Wayback Machine.
This site is referenced in some blog entries from 2005:
Winged Kids: The True Hollywood Story? [June 13, 2005]
Paranoia! [June 16, 2005]
Denial. [July 2, 2005]
[rolls eyes] [December 2, 2005]
This section is not as complete as I would like it to be, because I can't access the archived whois records for this site.
This site no longer exists, and while I haven't been able to find an archived version of it, I can tell you a little bit about it. I've used TinyURL links at some points because linking to forum threads on archive.org is a little difficult.
In June 2005, a poster on the Maximum Ride forums found the site, and made a thread about it. At that time, attempting to access the site popped up a login form requesting a username and password. Attempts to use usernames / passwords based on the book failed.
By August, the thread has become an impromptu roleplay session. But the last post on the page reveals something: someone crossposted the link to unfiction.com, then the premiere ARG-solving community. If the MR.com forums couldn't crack this case, could unfiction?
Sort of.
Here's the unfiction thread. (Note: this thread was created by merging separate threads created to discuss the site, so it doesn't read very well.) They don't get very far, but someone on the second page does turn up whois data to find out who owns this domain, as well as wingkidsarereal...
I'm going to have to disappoint you on a couple of levels. wingkidsarereal was registered to the Concept Farm. But instituteforhigherliving had more complex results. The registrant was listed as Miller Brewing Company, but the results also apparently mentioned a marketing agency which was then called... "agency". (They are now called Designory.) I haven't been able to go any further than this as of yet.
I'm not sure if any of this ever got back to the MR.com forums - unless someone else has backups, or was there and remembers how things went, this is where the trail ends.
Which is a shame, because I would love to know more.
Directed by Leopoldo Gout and Mark Corotan.
This video was posted to Max-Dan-Wiz in 2010 (before FANG was released), then uploaded to YouTube later.
Before this video was posted, concept images were "leaked" on MDW. You can view them here.
Various content that ran on the main site during its Flash-based period:
(The left half of this image shows what maximumride.com looked like around the release of the second book.)
Some of this material was included in paperback editions of the second book.
Image credit for the above: Caitlin Bergmann.
Now let's look at some other things. Source: The Concept Farm's website.
Sorry about the image quality. I can't do anything about it unless someone out there has larger versions of these images. Transcripts are at the bottom of the page.
A little later in time, there was a Flash-based tool to create images of people as if they were avian-human recombinants like the main characters.
Before the release of the third book, there was a click campaign on the website, which began with the goal of reaching 1 million clicks, as a result of which there would be a fourth book. This goal was reached, and additional goals were added.
First image
Clockwise from top right. Almost all of these are only partly visible in this still image; when originally shown on the website, they were viewable in full.
An email to Walter Powers <wpowers@itexcorp.com> from Roland Ter Borcht <rtborcht@itexcorp.com>. Subject: Deadline Approaching Fast. Date: 2 Apr 1999. Message text: Stall. You should know by now that I will not answer...
An article. A black-and-white, close-up shot of a man in a surgical cap and mask appears at the left. Text:
Ter Borcht, Roland
Geneticist- Medical license revoked, 2001.
- Imprisoned for unauthorized criminal genetic experiments on humans, 2002.
- A controversial figure in the field of genetic research.
- ter Borcht was for many years considered a genius and the leading researcher in human genetics. However, in 2002, after being found guilty of criminal human experiments, ter Borcht was declared insane. He's currently incarcerated in the "Dangerous-Incurable" wing of a rehabilitation facility in the Netherlands.
A newspaper article discussing a dead body found in Washington DC. This article is transcribed as the fourth image on my SOF scans page.
A newspaper article titled "Winged Kids": Fact or Fiction. Only a few words are visible:
parade? ... If these ... real and not ... figment of ... Patterson's ... they're not ... good job at ... profile.
A blurry black-and-white image showing winged people standing on the top of a building.
An email from Dean Mickelson <dean.f.mickelson@fbidivision.gov> to Anne Walker <anne.a.walker@fbidivision.gov>. Subject: Classified. Date: ### 13, 20##. Message text: Agent Walker, ...an issue that needs to be... ASAP. This may not...
An article from the Washington Examiner. This article is transcribed as the sixth image on my SOF scans page.
An article. Title: Former Leading Human Genetics Researcher Declared Insane; Labeled 'Dangerous-Incurable'. Article text:
After several hours of deliberation by a panel of his peers, former leading ... Ter Borcht was declared legally insane and sent to an undisclosed rehabili... Netherlands for further observation.
Ter Borcht was imprisoned earlier this year after he was convicted... unsanctioned genetic experimentation on human subjects. His medical lic...
Second image
This is the same collage structure as the first image, but with one document at the forefront. Partly visible behind it are some of the texts transcribed above.
This image is an email conversation between Roland ter Borcht and Walter Powers. A fragment of it appears in the first image; this is the full email. I've stripped the formatting and presented it in chronological order for ease of reading. Email text:
On Apr 1, 1999, at 10:24 AM, Walter Powers wrote:
Roland,
We have a schedule to maintain. Our client can't wait any longer and I have a press conference to schedule. I need to maintain the facade that we operate a legitimate business here, remember? You're not answering your private line, and we had to take care of your "assistant," so how else am I supposed to get a hold of you? Carrier pigeon?
Stop the bureaucratic crap and play the game.
Walter
From: Roland Ter Borcht. Subject: Deadline Approaching Fast. Date: 2 Apr 1999 14:28:33 -0400
Stall. You should know by now that I will not answer my phone whilst I'm running trials. And he couldn't keep quiet. Wasn't a team player.
Frankly, I don't care what you do. I care about my work, and only my work. At this moment, I need more time to fix what you've done. Don't try to rush me.
Say whatever you want. Focus on the new plant. Just do your damn JOB.
RTB
Third image
On the left is a zoomed-out view of the maximumride.com front page before the release of the third book. It looks like a desktop. Clickable images appear. Brief descriptions, some based on my best guess, clockwise from top right:
The front page of Fang's Blog, early March 2006. It's showing this entry.
A link to buy the first book on Amazon.
A manila folder - clicking this would show you the papers you've just read.
A link to a soundtrack album featuring the Weepies and other bands.
A link to purchase one of the books on Amazon.
A tattered piece of yellow paper with a blue logo. This led to a minigame where you could design yourself as a birdkid, using your own uploaded photos.
An image of the first book's cover. This led to the subpage for the paperback edition.
Link to the soundtrack album for the second book.
An image of the second book. This led to the subpage for this book.
On the right is a short article about the Concept Farm's work for Maximum Ride. It includes a full-page magazine ad for the first book: the text I can read says "You know that dream where you can fly? You're not dreaming." Article text:
ENJOYING THE RIDE
One-stop shop The Concept Farm, which will market all of author and former adman James Patterson's releases this year, has created a wildly popular online presence for readers of his latest thriller, Maximum Ride. A modern-day sci-fi suspense novel for the Harry Potter set, the book features six adolescent kids with wings created by ethically-challenged scientists, on the run to New York. With a blog, message boards and customizable radio spots, site traffic quickly ballooned to 100,000 hits per week after the book's debut in April, according to Concept Farm director Griffin Stenger."The idea was to get more content out to a voracious audience. This age group has a very short attention span, but the numbers on the blog haven't dropped off."
> www.maximumride.com
Client: James Patterson CDs: Griffin Stenger, Gregg Wasiak ADs: Robbie Roxas, Jessica Crimmins CWs: Caitlin Bergman, Griffin Stenger, Jessica Crimmins
Note: the following four images are very small in resolution, and difficult to read. These transcripts are incomplete.
Fourth image
Splash page for the website. At the top left is the Maximum Ride logo. Below it is a menu. The options read: Home. Our story. Our blog. Join the flock. Calling all adults. Dosomething.org.
In the middle of the screen is an embedded video, slightly crooked. The video was one of the commercials for the third book. Below it is a caption: Join my flock!!!!!
Fifth image
One of three images showing the Flash-based tool to create images of a person if they were an avian-human hybrid like the main characters.
The Institute for Higher Living logo appears at the top left. Below it is text reading "Avian/Human Hybrid Experiment".
Body text:
1. Prep the human specimen:
To get the best results, make sure the specimen is facing forward (no angles). Subjects should not wear hats or have hair covering their face.
When your subject is ready to join the experiment select "next".
At the right side of the page is an image of a human skeleton with feathered wings.
At the bottom right corner is a red NEXT button.
Sixth image
The second of three images in this sequence.
The Institute for Higher Living logo appears at the top left. Below it is text reading "Avian/Human Hybrid Experiment".
Body text:
Body type
Choose the body most closely resembles the specimen's boy type and style.
A preview image appears at the lower left. Since no selection has been made, it's just a human skeleton.
At the lower right are the available options for bodies. There are tabs for "female" and "male". We can see three of the "female" selections. One is dressed in black and standing on a skateboard. One is wearing a pink sweatsuit. One is wearing plaid leggings and a black hoodie.
At the bottom right corner is a red NEXT button.
Seventh image
The third of three images in this sequence.
The Institute for Higher Living logo appears at the top left. Below it is text reading "Avian/Human Hybrid Experiment".
Body text:
Select avian specimen
The subject will become 98% human and 2% avian. They will have the same wingspan, flying speed & markings of the avian specimen (choose wisely)
On the bottom left is a full-body illustration of a person looking at the viewer. Brown wings have been Photoshopped behind them.
On the bottom right is a selection screen for avian specimens. We're viewing the information for one specimen, the gyrfalcon. There is other descriptive text, but it is too small to read.
Included in the selection screen are an image of the gyrfalcon, a picture of its wing, and an image showing its global distribution.
Eighth image
This shows the main page of the site just before the release of the third book.
Top left: Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports logo.
Left edge: Menu for the site. Options:
Pre-Order Now! Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports. An image of the third book's cover.
Maximum Ride. School's Out - Forever. An image of the second book's cover.
Maximum Ride. The Angel Experiment. An image of the first book's cover.
Fang's Blog. A link to Fang's blog. "I don't know why they don't just [illegible] us?"
Max's MySpace. A link to the official MySpace page. "Who will they get to play" [image ends]
The middle of the page is dominated by a click campaign. Title text: Will Max go to Hollywood? You decide!
Then there is an embedded feature tracking the amount of clicks that have been made. There are three tabs visible: 6,000,000 Clicks For The Movie; Maximum Ride Goes Hollywood; Save The Flock Save The World.
The amount of clicks made is visible: 2,176,162.
Below the click counter is a text box. Transcript:
Congratulations!
You've reached 1 million clicks for Maximum Ride 4 -- and thanks to you, 10,000 books have been donated to [illegible]. Seeing you fans get to 1 million clicks so quickly has made me realize that we can get this same message to Hollywood. You know what kind of [illegible] 5 million clicks would get in Hollywood? The kind of attention that gets movies made. And you'd be making it happen. Get some help and tell a friend, and before long maybe it won't just be a book that you made happen, Maximum Ride will be a movie. Your movie.
It's all up to you, Flockstars.
Go back to the Official Sites page.
...or the Official Materials page.
Last update: 29 March 2021.
