Find 815
Encyclopedia
Find 815 is the second alternate reality game
(ARG) for the American Broadcasting Company
's serial
drama
television series
Lost
. It began on December 28, 2007 and concluded on January 31, 2008 with the premiere
of the fourth season
of Lost. The free registration ARG follows Oceanic Airlines
IT technician Sam Thomas as he investigates the whereabouts of Oceanic Flight 815, on which his girlfriend Sonya was a flight attendant. Of the 324 people on board the flight, seventy-one survived and they serve as the characters of Lost. Lost previously hosted an ARG during the hiatus between the second and third seasons called the Lost Experience
. Find 815 was produced by digital entertainment company Hoodlum and ABC.
At Sydney Airport
, the Seven Network
placed a billboard
near the exit, featuring a picture of an Oceanic Airlines hostess and the company's symbol with the words "find815.com" 'painted' over the company's name.
Sam emails his friend Tracy to find out more about the four clues. The Black Rock was an old 19th century slaving ship that was mysteriously lost in the South Indian Ocean with 40 crew aboard. However, the ship was last seen leaving port in an easterly direction, when it should have been sailing to the west. But, more relevant to Sam, there is a boat called the Christiane I leaving Jakarta
for the Sunda Trench. Sam decides that he needs to get on that boat.
and has located the Christiane I. It is just about to embark on an expedition to the Sunda Trench. In order to secure a seat for himself, he must prove himself to the captain, Mr. Ockham. A man named Talbot tells Captain Ockham that this is not acceptable. Talbot begins to question Sam about his interest in the Sunda Trench, but Sam tells him he's just looking to get away on a trip. Ockham asks why Talbot is questioning Sam, and Talbot responds that his employers know a great deal about Ockham and his crew and that they have too much at stake to risk any surprises. Talbot questions Sam further, indicating knowledge of a girlfriend, and suggests that Sam is running away from something. Sam is unnerved. Ockham tells Talbot that they need Sam aboard, as their destination could be hazardous to the electrical equipment. Talbot consents, but says that he will install security measures.
Later on in his berth
, Sam begins to play with an old radio. In the static, Sam hears an old newscast detailing that radio communications with Amelia Earhart
had been lost and that her last transmission had been "this morning" at 8:43.
Official Find 815 tie-in sites
Alternate reality game
An alternate reality game is an interactive narrative that uses the real world as a platform, often involving multiple media and game elements, to tell a story that may be affected by participants' ideas or actions....
(ARG) for the American Broadcasting Company
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's serial
Serial (radio and television)
Serials are series of television programs and radio programs that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode by episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the full run of the series, which distinguishes them from...
drama
Dramatic programming
Dramatic programming in the UK, or television drama and television drama series in the US, is television program content that is scripted and fictional along the lines of √a traditional drama. This excludes, for example, sports television, television news, reality show and game shows, stand-up...
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
. It began on December 28, 2007 and concluded on January 31, 2008 with the premiere
The Beginning of the End (Lost)
"The Beginning of the End" is the fourth season premiere, and 73rd episode overall, of the American Broadcasting Company's television drama series Lost. It was aired on ABC in the United States and CTV in Canada on January 31, 2008...
of the fourth season
Lost (season 4)
The fourth season of the American serial drama television series Lost commenced airing on the American Broadcasting Company Network in the United States, and on CTV in Canada on January 31, 2008 and concluded on May 29, 2008...
of Lost. The free registration ARG follows Oceanic Airlines
Oceanic Airlines
Oceanic Airlines and less frequently Oceanic Airways are fictional airlines used in several films and television programs.The most famous use of this brand is in the TV show Lost, where Oceanic Airlines is featured branded with a highly-stylized logo depicting an Aboriginal dot painting that...
IT technician Sam Thomas as he investigates the whereabouts of Oceanic Flight 815, on which his girlfriend Sonya was a flight attendant. Of the 324 people on board the flight, seventy-one survived and they serve as the characters of Lost. Lost previously hosted an ARG during the hiatus between the second and third seasons called the Lost Experience
Lost Experience
The Lost Experience was an alternate reality game that was part of the American television drama Lost. The game was developed by ABC in the United States, Channel 4 in the UK, and Channel 7 in Australia. It was written by Jordan Rosenberg and created by the agency Hi-ReS!...
. Find 815 was produced by digital entertainment company Hoodlum and ABC.
Pre-release
On December 28, 2007, ABC's press website (ABC Medianet) uploaded a press release announcing the return to business of the fictitious Oceanic Airlines. The release contained a phone number, which when called, instructs the listener to visit http://www.flyoceanicair.com, which features a commercial for Oceanic. On December 31, the site was updated with a video of Sam explaining his situation intercut with flashes of the URL http://www.find815.com. The official Find 815 website contains more videos of Sam as he begins to uncover the truth of what happened to 815.At Sydney Airport
Sydney Airport
Sydney Airport may refer to:* Sydney Airport, also known as Kingsford Smith International Airport, in Sydney, Australia* Sydney/J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport, in Nova Scotia, Canada...
, the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
placed a billboard
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
near the exit, featuring a picture of an Oceanic Airlines hostess and the company's symbol with the words "find815.com" 'painted' over the company's name.
Chapter 1
On December 31, 2007, Find815.com launched, and players were able to start the game. A newscast kicks off the game, and visitors learn that Oceanic Airways is making two monumental decisions: (1) the search for Flight 815 is to be called off, and (2) Oceanic Airways will be returning to the skies. Protagonist Sam Thomas is introduced, and his connection to 815/LOST is explained in subsequent video diaries. It turns out that Sam's partner, Sonya, was a flight attendant for Oceanic, and was on Flight 815. Only a few short months after 815 crashed, Oceanic will be calling off the search and focusing on its return to the skies. However, Sam has been quite vocal about the need to continue the search, and how he's going to "get to the bottom of what's really going on". One night, Sam receives an email, from an unknown person, with an attached picture of Sonya. However, upon closer view, a few clues were hidden in the emailed picture. After writing down all four clues ("The Black Rock", "Christiane I", "Sunda Trench", and "Tell No-One - Grave Consequences"), Sam replies to the unknown source, and then receives a garbled response with a hidden website in it ("The-maxwell-group.com").Sam emails his friend Tracy to find out more about the four clues. The Black Rock was an old 19th century slaving ship that was mysteriously lost in the South Indian Ocean with 40 crew aboard. However, the ship was last seen leaving port in an easterly direction, when it should have been sailing to the west. But, more relevant to Sam, there is a boat called the Christiane I leaving Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
for the Sunda Trench. Sam decides that he needs to get on that boat.
Chapter 2
On January 7, 2008, Chapter 2 began. Sam has followed the mysterious email message from the Maxwell Group to JakartaJakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
and has located the Christiane I. It is just about to embark on an expedition to the Sunda Trench. In order to secure a seat for himself, he must prove himself to the captain, Mr. Ockham. A man named Talbot tells Captain Ockham that this is not acceptable. Talbot begins to question Sam about his interest in the Sunda Trench, but Sam tells him he's just looking to get away on a trip. Ockham asks why Talbot is questioning Sam, and Talbot responds that his employers know a great deal about Ockham and his crew and that they have too much at stake to risk any surprises. Talbot questions Sam further, indicating knowledge of a girlfriend, and suggests that Sam is running away from something. Sam is unnerved. Ockham tells Talbot that they need Sam aboard, as their destination could be hazardous to the electrical equipment. Talbot consents, but says that he will install security measures.
Later on in his berth
Berth (sleeping)
The word berth was originally used to describe beds and sleeping accommodation on boats and ships and has now been extended to refer to similar facilities on trains, aircraft and buses.-Beds in boats or ships:...
, Sam begins to play with an old radio. In the static, Sam hears an old newscast detailing that radio communications with Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
had been lost and that her last transmission had been "this morning" at 8:43.
Characters
- Sam Thomas (Rodger CorserRodger CorserRodger Corser is an Australian actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Owen in the Nine Network crime mini-series Underbelly, based on the Melbourne gangland killings, and Senior Seargent Lawson Blake in the Network Ten police drama series Rush.-Early...
) used to be an IT Technician for Oceanic AirlinesOceanic AirlinesOceanic Airlines and less frequently Oceanic Airways are fictional airlines used in several films and television programs.The most famous use of this brand is in the TV show Lost, where Oceanic Airlines is featured branded with a highly-stylized logo depicting an Aboriginal dot painting that...
. His partner, Sonya was a flight attendant on Flight 815. - Sonya was a flight attendant on Flight 815 and Sam's girlfriend.
- Oscar Talbot is a mysterious man who runs the Christiane I expedition.
- David Massingham and Tracey R are friends of Sam Thomas that gather information for him.
- Sam's Mum frequently contacts him, asking him if he is okay.
- Mr Ockham the captain of the Christiane I vessel, reluctantly allows Sam onto the expedition.
External links
- Find 815 Locations on Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
- ABC Press Release
- "Find 815" at ABC's official Lost website
Official Find 815 tie-in sites