I just finished a great conversation with Gary, headmaster of the super popular British Harry Potter site:
theSnitch.co.uk.
He was in the middle of upgrading his site, but took some time out to allow me to ask a few questions.
Here's the interview:
Dumbledore of SnitchSeeker.com: Thanks for letting me interview you, Gary. I appreciate it.
Gary of theSnitch.co.uk: No problem :-)
Dumbledore: To start off, what motivated you to start a Harry Potter site?
Gary: It was actually just after I finished book 4, I was on-line doing not a lot and whilst surfing a movie site I found out they were going to make Harry Potter & The Philosophers Stone the movie, I was filled with excitement about the whole thing and when I found the first screen shot, I just had to make a movie site, partly because I could not find another site apart for the hp galleries who devoted themselves to just the movie..
Dumbledore: That was a while ago. So how long has the Snitch been online? When did you launch the first time?
Gary: We have been on-line sine April 10, but to make the sites birthday official we decided on May 1st as we had had problems and came to life fully on May the 1st 2001. We are 2 years old next month!
Dumbledore: Cool! Happy Birthday soon then! :-)
Dumbledore: What made you decide to go "co.uk" rather than .com or .net for example?
Gary: Well I am myself British, I live in the United Kingdom, and as American sites really ruled Harry Potter on the web I wanted to push the fact that we were British and could do something just as wonderful as any American site..
Dumbledore: That's a great idea since Harry Potter is British anyway
Gary: exactly
Dumbledore: How do you think the films have affected the online HP community?
Gary: We all love to talk potter, I think that the movies have amplified an already large fan base and have brought millions of new people on-line to chat, surf and everything else a potter nut likes to do, or as they all call themselves on our forums "Snitchers"..
Dumbledore: This next one may be difficult to answer in only a few words, but I like it so here you go: How do you feel Harry Potter has affected today's youth?
Gary: Well it's brought a sense of Magic back into our life's and is getting kids to pick up books and read again, what with PS2`s, Xboxes, kids don't bother to read, why would they need to, but Harry Potter is making books and reading cool again..
Dumbledore: so, what do you think of the movies so far
Gary: I think they are only getting better, COS was a vast improvement on TPS so I expect POA to be something very special, but with the cutting of some main characters and a new Director we will just have to wait and see..
Dumbledore: So you think you might prefer Chris Columbus' style over Alfonso Cuarón?
Gary: Well he was the director of A Little Princess, it's a good kids movie, so I think he can do a good job, perhaps Evan better then Chris. But as I said we will have to wait and see..
Dumbledore: So, what are some of your favourite non-HP sites?
Gary: Hmm, to name a few:
Linkinpark.com Movies.com Firebox.com www.bbc.co.uk/celebdaq/ Dumbledore: I really like linkinpark.com. They have a creative design.
Dumbledore: So, what is the most popular feature on your site?
Gary: The Galleries, I think it`s all the pictures, lol people just like looking at pictures
Dumbledore: lol - very true.
Dumbledore: Do you have a theory on who will die in Book 5?
Gary: Well signs point to Hagrid, so I think it might be Hagrid, But i do hope it isnt..
Dumbledore: Do you have a favourite character from any of the books?
Gary: My Favorite character is Hagrid, his setting and his position at Hogwarts, just make him my favorite and he is always ready to defend his friends.. and I love Fang..
Dumbledore: In that case, I really hope he doesn't bite it in the next one.
Gary: indeed!!
Dumbledore: What about a fave book?
Gary: Goblet Of File, it's the biggest of the 4 as you know and for me was pretty epic, the Quidditch world cup and Triwizard Tournament were an absolute pleasure to read, and it also sheds more light on Lord Voldermort.
Dumbledore: What are your expectations for Book 5?
Gary: I expect it to explain a lot of things we don't yet know about Harry's Parents, I am really looking forward to this, a lot more action, plenty of Quidditch and no killing off of Hagrid, frankly I just cant wait..
Dumbledore: I'm very excited too! :online2long: I guess there are a lot of fans with pretty high expectations.
Gary: Oh yes, everyone cant wait..
Dumbledore: I noticed you are upgrading your site. What are some of the new features, and When do you plan to you re-open?
Gary: Well the new site is going to improve the snitch allot, we adding a whole new section devoted to the DVDs, everything you would possibly want to know. The cast list is going to get more in depth, the galleries have taken on a new style and structure to make them as easy as can be to surf, and we have plans for much much more then we have been able to do coming this year.. and we open the new site tonight if I can get what I need to get finished..
Dumbledore: doh! I better not take up much more of your time then. Just one more question.
Gary: lol, it`s ok
Dumbledore: It's a two-part
Gary: ok, lol
Dumbledore: and I ask everybody: Would you meet with JKR if you had the chance?
Dumbledore: and What would you ask her or What would you say?
Gary: I knew you were going to say that, lol
Gary: Well I am a very shy person, but I would LOVE to meet j.k, in a nice coffee shop and have a long chat about Harry Potter with her, and I suppose my first question would be when you have written the last Harry Potter book, would you, or are you going to come up with something of the same genre and you think it could be ever as epic as Harry Potter?
Dumbledore: Well, I'll let you get back to work
Gary: thank you very much
Dumbledore: I had a couple other questions about your personal life, but I'll let it slide ;-)
Gary: thanks
Dumbledore: he he
Gary: lol
Dumbledore: Gary, you have a great site and we all love it!
Gary: Thanks very much :-)
Dumbledore: Thanks for your time and for all the hard work you put into
theSnitch.co.uk!
:o 
B) 
:unsure: 
:mrgreen: :angrysmile: :ermsmile: >
x3
