IT'S SOMETHING UNPREDICTABLE
BUT, IN THE END, IS RIGHT
After many talks and debates, and after weighing the pros and cons of the future of the site, we have decided to officially close HillyFans.Com. Please know that this decision was not taken lightly and that there were many factors that led us here. We have always been honest with you and we strive to be honest during this time regarding the site shutting down.
When the idea of HillyFans.Com first came into play, we were both excited for what might happen with it. It was a silly idea but one that was feasible. It took a while to get the site off the ground but, in the end, it was a brilliant decision. It allowed fans to meet somewhere online and both Sara and I watched as new friendships were formed.
Even more humbling to us was the fact that Hillary and Hannah liked the site. We were both incredibly grateful that the girls offered to work with us for exclusives and photos. As any owner of a fan site will admit, that is one of the highest honors that can be given to the admin of said site.
For a full year, we've worked hard to give you pictures, news, interviews, and that time has not been wasted. Conventions and parody filmings, contests and meeting new people - all of it has been a great 12 months. Over the year, however, there has been a shift for everyone involved. Real life gets in the way too often and there were times when Sara and I often asked each other, "Is this worth it anymore?"
Running a site is expensive. I don't think that's a surprise to anyone reading this. Webspace, domain names, layouts, traveling to get great updates - that's just the monetary value. Running a site is also expensive when it comes to time and both of us are now in a place where we can't devote enough time and energy to this site like we used to nor are we in a place where the little time we have is worth the money that has been put into this endeavor.
HillyFans.Com was like a child for the two of us. That's possibly the only way to convey how much this site means but there comes a time to say good-bye. Lately, we've been running into problems with people using our copyrighted and/or exclusive photos or footage. We've been told to take down certain things from the site despite our statement that we have and always will be a fan site and not an official site in any way, shape, or form. Although we have done our best to be quick with news, time is costly and most photos, articles, and interviews are out days before either of us are able to put it up on the site.
We are incredibly thankful for the people we've met through this site. We think of ourselves as lucky when it comes to remembering all the incredible fans we've met, whether it was through the Forum, Twitter, filming for NEW MOON PARODY, or at conventions. Naming all of those who have become a part of our lives would take up far too much time and space, so if you are reading this, please know that we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your joy and excitement regarding the site and The Hillywood Show. We especially want to thank all the photographers who have given us website exclusives, the correspondents who kept everyone updated on events we could not attend, Jake for making the two of us smile when he admitted he visited this site on a regular basis, and anyone we've ever spoken to or talked to during this past year.
Before our official sign off, we just want to remind you all of a few quick and easy things. Any photos that were in our gallery are the property of their respectful owners. We are still around even if we are no longer running this site and retain the rights to our photographs, which cannot be reposted anywhere without our express permission. All other photos were given to us for this site only so if you would like to use them anywhere, contact the photographer.
The HillyFans.Com Twitter, HillyFans.Com YouTube, and HillyFans.Com Facebook will be kept open but will become inactive. We do this only so anything with HillyFans.Com is not used in any manner that we did not originally intend. Please note that the domain name will still be active for a time though the site is not. Any content found on any of the HillyFans.Com venues belongs to their respectful owners and the use of any of them must be with permission - aka - reposting exclusive interviews without either of our permission is not allowed due to copyright.
Many of you have become our friends over the last few months and we hope that the closing of HillyFans.Com does not stop you from continuing to speak with us. We have a blog that we invite all of you to follow:
There, you can also find links to our personal blogs, personal Twitters, and other such places online.
In closing...
We thank you. Truly, our gratitude is yours. Without our fellow fans, this site would have never taken off as much as it did, and for that, we thank you a million times over.
Mary & Sara