Keep to the Code (website)

For other uses, see Keep to the Code (disambiguation)

Keep to the Code
URL	http://www.keeptothecode.com (Website discountinued)
Type	Fan site
Language(s)	English
Created by	Terry/Captain Van der Decken Bruce/Doctor Bacchus Ryan/Captain LeQuatte Lady Killigrew
Maintained by	Captain Andros Nervy Nan daisylovesDK
Launched	March 18, 2005
Current status	Inactive

"While Disney will have its own 'Official Movie Website' with its own content, we are the only group they're allowing to use the 'Official Fan Site' title."

―KTTC Administration

KeepToTheCode.com, otherwise referred to as Keep to the Code or abbreviated as KTTC, was an unofficial website created in 2005 as the premier fansite for Pirates of the Caribbean, including the original attraction and the film franchise. The name originates from the line "Keep to the Code" as spoken by Jack Sparrow and Joshamee Gibbs in the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. It was founded by a "tough crew of scallywags" and was one of the oldest fan websites that strived to be the central destination for all things Pirates of the Caribbean. With help from the Walt Disney Company, the website became the "biggest and best location" for all fans of the Pirates franchise to come for information and camaraderie. Visitors to KeepToTheCode.com started signing up for the mailing list beginning February 17, 2005, with the site having officially launched on March 18. Announced as "the official fan site of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean Movies", KTTC included information and content spanning the Pirates film franchise, though they were not owned, endorsed by or employed by the Walt Disney Company in any way.

Logos used for the fan site.

The site included news, reviews, interviews, multimedia, and an interactive internet forum and message boards. "We want KeepToTheCode.com to be the one-stop shop for all things Pirates of the Caribbean," said Bruce Cain, a co-director of DizHub.com. "We've established relationships with several outside sources, so we have a few incredibly fun tricks up our sleeve that we think site visitors will really enjoy - contests, Pirates prize giveaways, and a lot more. It will be time well spent for any Pirates fan."

By March 11, KTTC Administration launched the internet forum and message boards, primarily moderated by a team of volunteers. The original owners and operators included Terry/Captain Van der Decken, Bruce/Doctor Bacchus, Ryan/Captain LeQuatte, and Lady Killigrew. Other users who maintained the website included usernames Captain Andros, Nervy Nan, and daisylovesDK. The forums covered a diverse range of fandom interests, from the original Disney attraction to the films, video games, Disney Parks, as well as other fan activities. Keep to the Code had attracted a number of Pirates VIPs—screenwriters, actors, and authors—to post on the message boards. This interaction between the fans and the creators of Pirates was a popular component of the site.

Around July 2011, the Pirates of the Caribbean Wiki became affiliated with Keep to the Code. The Wiki uploaded an image, originally created by Captain LeQuatte and approved for use by all the administrators, which was used as a link to the fansite. Despite the community being fairly active, KeepToTheCode.com suffered a series of technical difficulties and was closed down around 2020.

VIPs who have posted at the Forums

Several individuals closely associated with the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise had user accounts and posted within the KeepToTheCode forums and message boards. Among them were:

• A. C. Crispin, author
• Greg Ellis, actor who portrayed Theodore Groves
• Kevin McNally, actor who portrayed Joshamee Gibbs
• Terry Rossio, screenwriter

Official Pirates of the Caribbean connections

Screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio mentioned Keep To The Code at least three times on his website Wordplay, specifically in Rossio's "Tales from the Set" blog entries which chronicles details from the set of the Pirates films as well as providing behind the scenes or personal information or experiences.

• "Walking the Plank - 2005" Terry Rossio "checks out" the fan website, and found an interesting discussion about Jack's character, "what kind of man is Jack, is he essentially good at heart or not?"
• On June 15, 2007, Ted Elliott responded to a post asking about what the Green Flash after Will Turner leaves Elizabeth aboard the Flying Dutchman signify, as opposed to when Jack Sparrow returned from Davy Jones' Locker earlier and as opposed to when Will returns to Elizabeth ten years later, as depicted in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Elliott said he got an e-mail from a fan who posted over on Keep to the Code ("Stab O' the Cutlass," aka Valerie), asking if the Green Flash was for the members of the Dutchman crew that stayed behind in the world of the living. His response was "because not all of the now-free crew of the Dutchman made the same choice as Bootstrap."
• "We Sail With the Tide - 2010" detailed Terry Rossio taking the time to enter a response to the message boards, in which he had to point out that the screenwriters are not uniquely responsible for the Jack Sparrow character; interpretation and performance are in the realm of Johnny Depp and the director, and sometimes content as well. As important as the screenplay is, you can't control a film at the script level.

Some of the posts made confirmed, or at least further established details that had become part of the franchise. Such information included, but are not limited to:

• Terry Rossio made a post where he mentioned the blocking details for Jack Sparrow's compass in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. He also made a post about how Davy Jones and the curse of the Flying Dutchman were originally meant to work. In addition, he made posts to "debunk falsehoods" during the production of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides in 2010. Prior to the film's premiere in May 2011, Rossio debunked The Hollywood Reporter's widely-reprinted report that the Pirates of the Caribbean 5 screenplay was "done and has been turned into the studio".
• Greg Ellis made several posts about his character Theodore Groves. In January 2008, Ellis wrote how there was a group of fans on another forum who decided to give his character a name after the first movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl; there were many contenders, but when the votes were tallied "Theodore" was the winner and seemed to fit him well. In July 2010, while On Stranger Tides was filming, Ellis hinted Groves was "upped to Lieutenant 'Commander' this time around".
• A. C. Crispin signed on so she would be able to answer questions about her novel Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom. In her first post, Crispin clarified that the mention of "James" was meant to be a joke and "a bit of background chitchat to have going on in that scene while Jack considers how to get Esmeralda to speak to him." She also hinted at what was the final version of the book's cover, which she thought was "an excellent likeness of the 20 or 25 year old Jack Sparrow", though this was prior to a different cover being used. Crispin also posted a new except every month prior to the book's release date.

External links

• KeepToTheCode.com - Facebook
• KeepToTheCode - Twitter