Wow, the response from all of you has been so fantastic! I’ve had such a huge response that I have had to create a special email account for interview possibilities.

Please email me at Echelon_Interviews@yahoo.com if you are interested in being interviewed. If you have already emailed me at my other email address and have not heard from me, please resend your information to the new address.

You can also find me on twitter @AmytotheO or on Tumblr http://amytotheo.tumblr.com/

We’re very excited that MTV Buzzworthy posted an article about The Rogue Echelon film, “Lost in the Wild.”
The article has also been posted on the 30 Seconds to Mars official website!!

The article says:

“You may recall that we recently posted about 30 Seconds To Mars‘ awesome new video for “Closer To The Edge.” The U2-meets-Rush epic is basically a global love letter to the band’s incredibly dedicated fans who call themselves “The Echelon,” with some lucky 30STM supporters appearing in the beginning of the clip.

Well, apparently, talking on camera about how much they love 30 Seconds To Mars is something fans of the group are really good at! Which brings us to the The Rogue Echelon, a website that hosts a series of video testimonials from fans, talking about how deep their love for the band is.

Look, fandom is a tricky thing; it can be a blessing or a curse for a band. But in The Echelon, 30 Seconds To Mars seem to have found an extended family of sorts.”

Read the full article on MTV Buzzworthy here!!

Hey Echelon, up for something new? After reviewing my tremendously fun hour long phone interview with Elizabeth (better known as @RedPlanetWoman, our own traveling Echie), it became clear that I was not going to have an easy time of writing up my traditional interview. No bother. I think what I have here is fitting.
I love all the Echelon that I interview, with my whole heart. And Elizabeth is no different. I adore this girl. She is charming and witty, devoted and down to earth. She is someone I can simultaneously be instant friends with but also look up to. She inspires me. I hope she inspires all of you as well.

Elizabeth T.
Age: Of Jared and Shannon’s generation
Philadelphia

No copyright infringement intended
Photos are the sole property of their owners.

There you have it, isn’t she just fantastic? If you want to read more about her travels to see Mars abroad, look for her travel blog here on our site. If you’re smart (and I know you are *wink*), you will seek Elizabeth out and get to know her. She is absolutely divine.

Interested in being interviewed? Hit me up at @AmytotheO.

Name: Bernadeta V.
Age: 15
Location: Lithuania

I want to move to Lithuania just so I can do promo with this superstar Echelon, Bernadeta aka Berta. She is phenomenal. Comical, endearing, brutally honest and strongly devoted, Berta is as lovely on the inside as she is on the outside. After we finished the “formal” interview, we spent a fair bit of time just chatting. About Mars and life and whatever suited our fancy. But that is just for us… here is for you.

Me: What is the Echelon?
Berta: Echelon to me is pure freedom, a huge family, where people support one another and fight for their beliefs no matter what. The driving force is the music of 30 Seconds to Mars, of course, and it is what keeps us so connected.

Me: Fantastic! I don’t know you very well yet, so we’ll start by having you describe yourself in 10 words or less.
Berta: Oh, I saw that coming! Okay, so, let’s see… a messed up, naturally stoned girl who doesn’t sleep. Will that do? (smiles)
Me: That will do. How do you mean messed up?
Berta: Well, just random, I suppose. VERY random. I also attract troubles, but that’s another story. (laughs)

Me: (laughs) I understand. We may have to get in to that attract trouble thing later though! What got you involved in the Echelon?
Berta: If you wish – no problem! 30 Seconds to Mars music got me involved in the Echelon, like many other people. I heard a song called Capricorn about 4-5 years ago; I loved it from the very first moment, so I started doing a research on the band until I came across the Echelon. I’m glad I did.

Me: Love Capricorn! Tell me a little about some of the promo work you do for the band.
Berta: You gotta love Capricorn, it’s made of love! Well, I was running a forum for Echelon Lithuania with a couple of other Echelons, as well as a twitter account. Lithuanian Echelon has done a few organized promoting attacks in different cities of Lithuania, so I took part in my city, too. What our folks do from time to time (it was especially active right before TIW came out) is street team work, mostly: flyers, posters, glyphics put up everywhere. You know how it goes. (smiles) We also introduce the band to the people we know.
(pause)
Berta: We knock ‘em out and put in a basement, along with Mars CDs. Okay, this one isn’t so true… maybe.

Me: (laughs) I love that you know that the Echelon is a street team… it’s such an effective way to promote the band. And it’s super fun! What is it about the band/the music/the Echelon that makes you so devoted? What do you love about it?
Berta: 30 Seconds to Mars is addictive. It’s like a drug; you just don’t stop wanting it until you become a junkie and then go to jail eventually… sorry got carried away! No, it’s like you get really attached to the music, the power and the life that the music itself spreads around! And then you come across the Echelon: a large family of people around the world who feel pretty much the same way and understand you. They won’t look at you like you’re an absolute weirdo – they understand what the madness it’s all about. You meet the family and share the love, that’s the way I see it.

Me: That is funny, beautiful and so very, very true. It’s funny that you talk about it all being an addictive drug because that is exactly what it is. What’s the Mars scene like in Lithuania?
Berta: The Mars scene in Lithuania has its ups and downs. Sometimes it just wakes up and you want to squeal from excitement because everyone wants to do STUFF (like before TIW came out or when we were making a book for Marsmen). Sometimes it gets a little quiet around and you’re waiting for next bigger news to wake up the soldiers. But we’re here! Of course we don’t have such big amount of people like some other countries because we’re a small country in general, but we do have soldiers in, more or less, every city. And it’s a nice thing to know.
Me: That’s cool. What kind of book did you do?
Berta: We were making a book that consisted of a bit of everything; street team work captured in pictures, beautiful hand-made stuff, stories written, a flag, and pretty much everything you can possibly think of that human hands can do. There was also a song recorded by our Echelon, we wrote the lyrics together.
Me: Nice! That is awesome. Where is this song?
Berta: I’ll find a link for you at the end of our chat. http://bit.ly/dx3Kai

Me: Perfect. I’m trying out something a little new with the interviews. Make them more about the individual, so I’m going to ask a couple of questions specifically about you. I’ve got to start with how you bring about trouble. (smiles) What do you mean by that?
Berta: You can ask anything, I have nothing to hide! (laughs) Okay, so what is it with me and troubles? I just happen to have bad luck quite often. For example, I break stuff: I managed to break my camera, computer and (nearly) my phone in 4-5 days only by TOUCHING them. I also get in trouble quite a lot. If I’m going somewhere, what I get from my family, is always like “don’t do stuff you’re not supposed to do – do what you need and come back” or “if you get the police after you again, don’t run – don’t make it worse.” I mean, I just sometimes decide on doing something stupid spontaneously, out of nowhere. But that’s okay, used to it by now. You gotta deal with your shit. (big smile)

Me: (long pause while laughing) That is hilarious! What are some of your talents?
Berta: My talents? Getting in trouble… if you can call that a talent. I don’t know what I can do best, because I’m very critical about what I do and I think it’s never good, but I mostly do anything that involves art: writing, photography, music, etc. So when I do those things well, I could call ‘em my talents I suppose. (smiles)

Me: That’s one of the things I love about the Echelon… it naturally attracts artistic, free-spirited (another word for trouble attracters), radical people. What in life makes you the happiest?
Berta: The music and the Echelon itself is inspiring in that way, so yes, it’s an amazing thing about it. Hey, I’m gonna steal that word! Calling myself free-spirited from now on! (laughs) What in life makes me the happiest? That’s a good question. People you love the most smiling and being happy. Fighting over what you believe in (and winning, because c’mon, everyone likes winning) and being free to do what you feel like doing. This is what makes me the happiest.

Me: Sweet. Okay, we’re about done. Maybe a couple more questions. What would you say to any (or all) the Mars boys if you had the chance?
Berta: I don’t know what I’d say, honestly. Probably nothing that they haven’t heard yet; a really pure thank you for doing what they do, for keeping it up and working hard all the time. I mean, really, they work so hard. Sometimes I just wish I could give ‘em some time off! (laughs)

Me: I know. This is a huge, long and exhausting tour and they are doing it for us. God, I love them. (sighs) Anyway, what would you like to say to your fellow Echelon who will be reading this?
Berta: Oh, so do I! Let’s get all sentimental! (laughs) I’d like to say… Hi how are you?! No, I’d only say keep the Echelon strong, guys!

Me: It’s crazy how strongly I feel about the boys… I just love ‘em. I don’t get sentimental often, but damn if these boys can get me every time. Is there anything else you would like to talk about?
Berta: Same, you know? It’s like, this band is a part of my everyday life now and I just don’t remember anymore it being any different. So yeah, LOVE FOR MARS!

How much are you loving her now? She is fascinating and fantastic. A little Echelon firecracker from Lithuania. I am honored to have had the opportunity to get to know Berta and hope you will all seek her out.

I’m thrilled with the response from all of you, and my list of potential interviewees is long, but I’m not going anywhere, so if interested, please do get in touch with me @AmytotheO.

I am very excited to announce the completion of the Echelon Documentary, “LOST IN THE WILD.”

To celebrate, we decided to surprise you all by pushing the release date up. LOST IN THE WILD was scheduled to premiere in October, but it will now premiere Friday August 27.

HOWEVER, there is an opportunity for you to see the movie on WEDNESDAY AUGUST 25TH. The online screening will be at 5:00-6:30 PM CT time and will stream on Ustream.tv.

In order to attend this ONLINE screening WORLDWIDE, you must register as a user on this site. ONLY registered users of http://theechelonproject.org/ will receive an email containing the password to see the film.

Spread the word about this event and make sure you REGISTER on our site to receive the password!!!

ALSO: RSVP to this event on Facebook to ensure you receive the password: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144688525565436

THE TIME HAS FINALLY COME ECHELON!

Jill
Age: 17
Oberhausen, Germany

Chatting with Jill is a delight! Amiable and effervescent, this new Echelon is like so many of us who have found a home on Mars. Talking to her was so easy and carefree, full of youthful energy and hope. Enjoy Jill’s story.

Me: What is the Echelon to you?
Jill: First of all it’s a great community. It brings people together from all over the world. Suddenly you’ve got friends everywhere, people who understand you and who ‘fight’ for the same thing. That’s wonderful. It’s just (pause) I think you can’t really describe that feeling. You feel it, but you can’t describe it. I’m pretty new to the whole fandom, but I felt accepted from day one. And it immediately felt like I’ve been part of the Echelon for years; it’s weird and amazing at the same time. I was in many fandoms when I was younger, but none of them were like the Echelon. It’s very unique and I’m soo grateful that I’m part of all this.

Me: Fandom! That is hilarious. You say you are new, what was it that brought you to the Echelon?
Jill: Actually it was the Closer To The Edge video. I heard Kings & Queens and This Is War and got curious. Then I found the CTTE video and I was like…WOW. All this amazing energy, it just hit me. (smiles)

Me: I think CTTE is going to be huge! For just that reason. Have you participated in any Echelon projects/promos?
Jill: I think so, too. Many people are amazed by it, but that’s cool. It’s a great video. Yea, I did. The first one in Cologne at the acoustic set they did for 1Live. And last week we were in Dortmund where we did promo. I participated in a few video projects as well.

Me: Have you been enjoying doing the promos? What do you like best about it?
Jill: Oh yea, I totally did. I don’t know, it’s just great. You get to meet new people that are liking the same things as you, that’s the first point. And the most amazing thing about that is that we can help to spread the word about the band. And I kinda love the weird looks from all the people around who are like ‘What are they doing? What are these signs on their shirts and their flyers?’ (winks)

Me: I like those looks too! Describe yourself in 10 words or less.
Jill: Ohhh, that’s hard and I’m not very good at it, but I’ll try: Lazy, passionate, funny, kind, impatient, sensitive, and ironic. Yea that’s all, I think.
(pause)
I guess you can add twitter-addicted to the list! (laughs)

Me: Me too! I love it! Very honest. (smiles) Since you are new, have you listened to the other albums or just TIW?
Jill: Yea, I did. I bought the albums directly and I love them. Even though I have to admit I had to get used to the sound of the first one but now I love them all. I just love the songs and sometimes I keep asking myself ‘Gosh how do they know about my life?’ It just fits perfectly.

Me: It’s eerie how much the music just speaks to us. I love it. How addicted are you to Mars and the Echelon? (laughs)
Jill: Yea, that’s amazing. I guess Jared is a spy and is always behind us or something. (winks) Oh…very addicted, sometimes a little too addicted I guess. I have to admit it’s a big part of my life, since nearly my whole friends are Echelon. I’m spending most of my time by watching interviews, listening to their music or something.

Me: Awesome! Final question. What would you like to say to the Echelon who will be reading your interview?
Jill: Oh that’s a tough one again. Hmm I guess I have to thank the Echelon because they welcomed me so nice. I haven’t met one Echelon who was a complete idiot, everyone is very kind and funny and I enjoy spending time talking with them. I hope they enjoyed reading my little interview and if they wanna contact me… just write me on Twitter. I’m there 24/7! (laughs)

Me: That was great Jill. Do you have anything else that you wanted to talk about?
Jill: Was great talking to you. (smiles) Yea, I just wanted to say again, that I’m so thankful because the boys helped me through a tough time. It was pretty bad and they just showed me that everything is possible. They made me smile again and they changed my life completely from one day to another. They aren’t just another rock band, they’re something special. And I’m really sorry for each of those people who don’t get that.

Me: Perfect! And you’re welcome. Thank you for sharing with me.

Lovely and sweet, excited and devoted, Jill loves the band and loves the Echelon. She exudes the joy we all feel when interacting with the band and with each other. Get to know her, she is more than happy to oblige.

I’m thrilled with the response from all of you, and my list of potential interviewees is long, but I’m not going anywhere, so if interested, please do get in touch with me @AmytotheO.

*mars luvs*

Hey guys!

Seraphina here.

Been a while since I wrote on the site and blogged about useless stuff for you guys so I decided I would do that now.

As most of you know I have been editing the film “LOST IN THE WILD” for the past 2 months. Its has been both an exciting and arduous process. I feel bad that I haven’t done much on the site, but I want to give a BIG thanks to Erin and Amy for holding down the fort while I am away.

I would say that LOST IN THE WILD is about 70% finished. I cant be too sure when the release date is exactly. It MIGHT (and thats a HUGE might) be released before October. Knowing how OCD I will get with editing, I wouldn’t hold my breath. I must admit, I am both excited and nervous about sharing this with all of you. Its my first film, and having shared this with all of you and trying to bring forth the message we have captured on film makes it very close to my heart. I have always wanted to make films, and I’m finding it to be such an amazing thing. Even if you dont sleep as much or see the light of day as often as the people around you. Day light is over rated, sleep is for the dead.

While I’m here I thought I should give some shout outs and things you should deffo check out within the Echelon.

There’s a group who started ECHELON DAY which is basically a day celebrating the Echelon. Sounds like good fun. Check them out on Twitter: @EchelonDay

There is a really awesome Promo group on Facebook called “30 Seconds to Mars Action Take Up Arms.” Check them out here.

And this cute video made by some awesome Echelon to this song “This is War” is some thing you all should see. Nice work Echelon!

So until we meet again, stay crazy, do something productive today, remember you are beautiful, and eat bananas. They are good for you.

Later.

-Seraphina

Steph A.
Age: 22
Baltimore, MD

Completely deadpan, her opening line was “I think we need to ship all the fangirls to Antarctica, personally” and I knew I was going to like this no-nonsense Echelon. Introverted in a way unusual to the Echelon, Steph has a wry sense of humor and a sincere devotion to her Echelon family. Enjoy finding Steph.

Me: So sorry for my coughing. I have a bit of a cold.
Steph: The Jared cold? When I went to the DC show, it was when he was sick. He spit water into the crowd and some landed in my mouth. I got sick. No lie.

Me: Oh no! That’s kind of funny. Okay, let’s get started. What is the Echelon?
Steph: The Echelon is a great deal of things, number one and most importantly they are my family and best friends; I can’t even tell you how many friendships I’ve formed because of the Echelon. I hope that I can explain this clear enough, I feel like 30 Seconds to Mars is a body and the Echelon are the blood within the body making it thrive. What keeps it going, sort of like a secret ingredient no one else has. The Echelon is a family, friendships, love, pride, and determination.

Me: Absolutely! Describe yourself in 10 words or less.
Steph: Oh god. Umm, I’m really quiet and shy. Before I know people. After, I am pretty outgoing and funny, I’ve been told. Pretty weird. I won’t lie, I’m weird. And I’m too nice for my own good.

Me: You co-run the Maryland Echelon on Twitter?
Steph: I’m actually becoming the main runner now, the girl running it now is moving to Ohio.
Me: And you do a tumblr blog as well?
Steph: Fuckyeah30secondstomarsGifs with me, Erin and Alex… who you’ve interviewed. We make gifs for people to enjoy. Capitol Street Team used one of our gifs for a contest. So we thought that was pretty cool.

Me: Next weekend you are doing a promo in Baltimore. Tell me about it.
Steph: I got a bunch of triad stickers to stick up and one of the girls has painted a Mars sign for us to take pictures with. It’ll be fun. This is my first time organizing something like this, so I’m interested in seeing how it goes.

Me: What is about the band/music/the Echelon that brings about so much devotion?
Steph: It’s the friends I’ve gotten from the Echelon. There are a lot of crappy people in Maryland and that’s all I’ve really known before the Echelon. You always talk about the band and the music with them and the projects… it’s just the camaraderie that you feel from it. (pause) And the music is amazing. That’s a big plus. (laughs)

Me: What’s your Mars “aha” moment?
Steph: I think it was this day I was feeling really, really sad. I listened to them on repeat and they made me feel better. I was listening to the self-titled album.
Me: That’s a good one. Grabs you in your soul.

Me: How long have you been a fan?
Steph: Really truly devoted fan, about a year. I’ve loved them a long time, but a diehard fan, probably about a year.
Me: What made you want to go from being a fan to being a part of the Echelon?
Steph: Seeing how people interact with one another, within the band and the Echelon, and I wanted to be a part of it because it’s more than a fan base, it’s a family. The way people act; you treat each other like brothers and sisters. It’s cool.

Me: What’s your favorite song?
Steph: Ooh, that’s a hard one. Of all time? It’s Oblivion. It’s like one of those songs that makes you feel free. You forget about everything and just feel the music.

Me: Totally. What does the Echelon do for you? Why are you a part of it?
Steph: The Echelon is my family, they gave me a sense of being, which I’ve never really felt before. I’m a part of it because my whole life I’ve always felt I’m not good enough for people, but here I feel at home I guess you could say.

Me: Why do you think so many people feel that way about the Echelon?
Steph: I think it’s because we’re all one in the same, with a few different details. (smiles) We’re all connecting over something we love, Mars, and we don’t judge. (pause) If that makes any sense…

Me: Totally makes sense. What is so special about Mars?
Steph: If we’re talking strictly about the band and the guys, I want to say the feeling their music gives me, their music can change my mood from shitty to fantastic; it gives me chills. I feel I can lose myself in it. The guys they do seem very good at heart, I don’t think I’ve really met another band, who is as big as they are, that will really take the time out to be with their fans.

Me: I agree. Final question. What would you like to say to your fellow Echelon who will read this?
Steph: I want to say thank you for giving me the chance to join the family, and for giving me a sense of belonging. It’s something I’ve never felt before and it’s amazing.

Steph is a lovely example of who Mars writes their music for. A girl who can appreciate the sense of belonging, not just to anything, but to something special… the Echelon. We are all here because the music speaks to the misfit in us all, but perhaps misfit isn’t the right word. Perhaps we are all just passionate individuals such as Steph who have finally found our place. Perhaps I’m far too philosophical tonight. Regardless, Steph is a believer, get to know her.

Provehito in Altum @AmytotheO