LOST Finale Parties

SERIES Finale Party Pics...

2010-05-24T20:15:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! I've officially had my last LOST Finale Party ever...so sad! While we process what exactly happened in the finale, check out some pictures of the festivities...some amazing costumes again!

Check out all the pictures here.

PART THREE is here...All is revealed!

2010-04-26T19:14:00.000-05:00

This is it folks...the beginning of the end! PART THREE of the final video is complete. If you've yet to see PART TWO: click here or PART ONE: click here.

For those that need a refresher, PART TWO ended with Dr. Gemelo leading me through the jungle to the GEM, where I found Mike in the act of killing my Bad Twin. Just as our reunion commences, Mike sedates me with a poison, on someone's orders. As I collapse to the floor, two shots ring out, killing Mike. Right before I faint, the identity of the shooter and the one behind all of this is revealed...it's SCOTT!

Enjoy the conclusion to what has been an epic undertaking. I want to take a second to thank everyone that helped me with this enormous project. Whether it was by holding the boom mic, sitting tied in a chair for a photograph, chasing me through the jungles of Costa Rica, reading horrible lines I'd written, helping apply makeup or helping film, I appreciate each and every person's help along the way. It means more to me than you can ever imagine.

On with THE END: Since I uploaded them to YouTube, I had to break PART THREE into a couple chunks, so make sure you check each part out by clicking the images below:

Enjoy!!!

PART TWO of the Final Finale Video Launches!

2010-03-01T07:00:00.004-06:00

PART TWO of the final video is complete. If you've yet to see PART ONE, click here.

PART ONE ended with the Smoke Monster dragging me away, while on the other side of the island, my Bad Twin had captured Mike and my dad at gunpoint...

Since I uploaded them to YouTube, I had to break PART TWO into a couple chunks, so make sure you check each part out by clicking the images below:

PART THREE will wrap everything up, so stay tuned!!!

PART ONE of the Final Finale Video Is Here!

2010-02-01T22:05:00.007-06:00

As the final season of LOST premieres tomorrow, I thought I'd have a little premiere of my own today! I've put the finishing touches on PART ONE of this year's video. PART TWO & PART THREE will be released in the coming months leading up to the party...

Since I uploaded them to YouTube, I had to break PART ONE into a few chunks, so make sure you check each part out by clicking the images below:

Enjoy!

My Dharma Shark Shirt...

2010-01-29T07:45:00.024-06:00

A shirt I designed featuring the Dharma Shark and classic LOST props he's eaten throughout the years is now available on CafePress. Thanks to Whitney at PopCandy for posting a story about the shirt here.

If you're interested in buying a shirt, I've put it on several different styles/prices of shirts at: http://www.cafepress.com/mattislost.

I Was Interviewed By Entertainment Weekly...

2010-01-01T18:19:00.004-06:00

This is pretty insane...Jeff (Doc) Jensen writes awesome LOST articles for Entertainment Weekly all the time. A while back, I sent him some photos of my parties as well as a link to my most recent teaser trailer for this year's video.

He wrote back saying he's interviewing die-hard LOST fans and wanted to know if I wouldn't mind answering a few questions. Crazy!

QUESTIONS FOR A SUPER-FAN: MATT ROESER

Continuing our periodic profiles in crazy Lost obsession, meet Matt Roeser, a 26-year-old senior graphic designer (employer: Atomicdust) from St. Louis. Roeser's love for Lost inspires him to spendmanymanymany months planning, prepping, and executing elaborate Lost-inspired videos that serve as invitations to his equally elaborate Lost season finale viewing parties. Last year, Matt even created an Internet alternate reality game as part of the invitation. (And you think I have too much time on my hands?!) You can check out Matt's blog, which he began to archive his work. Matt's already working on the invitation for his series finale hootenanny. He's even made a teaser video for it — his version of a ''save-the-date notice.''

I recently asked Matt some questions. He was kind enough to give me some answers.

DOC JENSEN: You throw awesome Lostparties — which one has been your favorite?
MATT ROESER: The season 5 finale party. Since the show was jumping around in time, I themed the party in the same way: guests would experience elements of all the previous finale parties I'd done. I had the hatch and jungle from the season 2 party in the living room and dining room, the Others' house from season 3 in the kitchen, the find-the-Island theme from season 4 in the bathroom. And to reflect season 5, I turned my basement into the Lamp Post, complete with computer, chalkboard, flipchart clock and swinging pendulum.

My LOST Party in the Comic Con panel...

2009-08-01T15:37:00.009-05:00

This is so excitingly cool...

They used some of my LOST finale party stuff in the fan-appreciation section of the 2009 Comic-Con Panel...

It's mixed in with some other fan stuff, so keep your eyes open for: Scott as Patchy, the projector/orientation video playing in the "hatch", Katie as the statue, Alan as Doc Ray, Carrie as Tricia Tanaka, me talking about the key to a stellar party, the Lamp Post, the Dharma cake and my Frozen Donkey Wheel in action...

Thanks Noreen!!!

Season 5 Finale Party

2009-05-15T07:28:00.021-05:00

The Invitation

The idea of a teaser video invite definitely got out of control this year. Whereas for Season 3 & 4, the videos were about a minute long, this year's invite was an epic 8 minute 2-parter. It picks up right where last year's left off with me getting drugged and kidnapped by what appears to be my Bad Twin. (If you haven't seen Season 4's video, you can here).

In addition to the video, to generate excitement before the video's release, I created a little ARG of my own, presenting an Evidence Database of the FBI's ongoing investigation from my kidnapping (from the previous year) and the incidents portrayed in the videos to come. It can be viewed here.

Broken into 2 parts, the Season 5 finale party teaser videos can be found by clicking the photo links below:

And be sure to check out the hidden Easter Eggs and screencaps in the next post down for even more insanity...

The Setup

The theme this year was time jumping.

Just as the LOSTIES were jumping through time, so were the guests at the party, as each of the rooms was decorated in a theme from a previous year's finale party (jungle and hatch from the Season 2 party, the Other's house book club meeting from the Season 3 party, searching for the island from the Season 4 party) and also a party theme that hadn't happened yet: the Lamp Post. In the basement, I recreated this Dharma station complete with a swinging pendulum, chalkboard, computer, flip chart and more.

It would have been the perfect year to go as Ms. Hawking (if I hadn't already gone as her for the Season 3 party). Since time travel played such a role in the season, I decided to dress as the Frozen Donkey Wheel, off its axis, of course, complete with pulsating green light, dry ice fog effect and a little speaker that played the wheel noise...

Photos

Like always, there were great costumes, food, and trivia prizes! Some of the prizes this year included a Dharma failsafe key, Geronimo Jackson and Ajira Airways shirts, a mini Dharma van, replica of Daniel's journal and more. Click here to see photos of the party.

Next Year

The finale was an amazing end to an amazing season (maybe even my favorite!) and I can't wait to see what the hell's going to happen in the final season. In the meantime, I'm working hard on the script for the last ever finale party teaser video, which I think is going to be a 3-parter (officially insane).

Finale Party Teaser Video Easter Eggs...

2009-04-21T19:33:00.024-05:00

Like the show, this year's 2-part video includes some Easter Eggs that may or may not play any importance in the future. If you haven't seen the videos yet, you can view part one here and part two here. Then check out the Easter Eggs below and click each to inspect a larger version:

While not shown close enough at the end of the torture scene, the phone that is picked up by Dharma Henchman is actually a Dharma-licensed rotary phone...

When Mike interrogates Matt in his kitchen, he's seen drinking for an Apollo Chocolate coffee mug...

A few people who don't recognize Jenny Beckman's body as it would look dead on the ground wondered if Good Jenny was dead or not. Confirmed in this alternate angle shot, you can see that Jenny suffered the same bullet-to-the-head wound as Alan...

Here's a still of Bad Jenny. I wonder why her voice isn't deep like Bad Matt's. Maybe we'll find out more about these Bad Twins next year...

See more of the Easter Eggs here...

During the flashback of Part 2, mimicking the opening of Season 3, there are several clues to the timeframe, as well as one that is out of place. To set the tone for my college years flashback of 2003, you'll notice my SLU sweatshirt, working on homework and to the astute viewer, my old glasses. Throwing the timeline off is an Entertainment Weekly from 2008 featuring LOST on the cover. Is this an alternate timeline?

The delivery date for the mysterious package confirms the flashback time as December 2003. And is that a Dharma logo? And I wonder if those whispers meant anything...

Code 16 J secret instructions....

The vials...which contrary to popular theories, do not contain Jacob's urine...

The package was sent by...a younger me? Sent in 1991, by an 8-year-old me...

For those that don't remember or who have never seen the best costume trophies from the last three finale parties, here they are:

Once in my basement, I head to the last safe hiding spot in the house: my Black Rock painting secret awesome wall safe!

A little hard to see in the scene, but along with the instructions and chalk pulled out of the CODE 16 J envelope, there's also an old timey key, which I put in my pocket...

A better look at those instructions...

And it reproduced on the basement floor...

This is by far the most easter-egged shot of all...where to begin: the time of the incident is 1:08. There is a photo of Amelia (from the beginning of Season 3 - the older woman who shows up to Juliet's book club early) as well as a bunch of books featured on LOST including: The Third Policeman, Carrie, Lancelot, Bad Twin, Catch 22, the Bible, A Wrinkle in Time, The Brothers Karamazov, Turn of the Screw, Watership Down and more! That's one crazy bookshelf!

And last but not least, the parting shot, which took a good bit of time in Photoshop as well as taking photos from every possible angle of my backyard and neighbor's house (and probably creeped my neighbor out along the way)...

Season 4 Finale Party

2008-05-31T10:42:00.016-05:00

The Invitation

Since Season 4 was dealing with the Oceanic Six and getting off the island, and there was the "Find 815" online experience, I decided to use that as the basis of the video invite this year. For those that saw the video invite last year (which you can view here) you know that it ended with me seeming to be working for Dharma. This year, you see me talking about not trusting people. Or is it me? Perhaps there's a bad twin running around. And in the end, you might see a familar face in an unexpected place. To be continued with Season 5's invite video... Watch Season 4's here.

The Setup

Originally, the theme for the decorations was going to be "Searching for the Island." However, after we saw more about Charles Widmore and his quest to find the island since Ben took it from him, it became about Widmore contacting me in helping him to search for the island (along with his other henchman). Going with that, I began creating an "info wall" that would take up the entire dining room wall, with photos, newspapers, maps, printouts, etc. that I had supposedly been putting together to assist Widmore. However, I also "received" a mysterious note from Widmore's daughter, Penelope, telling me not to trust her father. What to do, what to do!?! You can see the insanity of it all in the photos below. It's safe to say you know you've gone officially insane when you are creating fake newspaper clippings and feel the need to run them through the printer again on the other side with a different story in order to make it look like it really came from a newspaper. Enjoy.

Photos

Click here to see photos of the night.

Next Year

The finale was an amazing end to an amazing season and I can't wait to see what the hell's going to happen in Season 5. I think I've already got an idea for a costume, so it will give me something to work on during the long break.

Email Me With Your Party Pics

2008-05-27T22:28:00.003-05:00

Do you have a viewing party for LOST? If so, I'd love to see photos from your event. Email them to roeser.matt@gmail.com.

Season 3 Finale Party

2008-05-27T22:14:00.010-05:00

The Invitation

Since the Season 2 finale party was so much work, Scott was initially hesitant to have a Season 3 one. Although I would have none of that, this idea served as the basis for the teaser invite for a Season 3 party. The video invite went out just after the Fall mini-season and was inspired by a certain cue-card video of Juliet's...

Click here to see it and make sure your sound is on. (The video is supposed to be static for the first few moments.)

The Setup

For Season 3, since the focus of the season was the Others, I thought that for the party, we would have it be as if Scott and I, as Others, would be inviting people over for a book club meeting. However, during the party, the "Other" Scott and I would be away at the Hydra, on a last minute job for Ben that came up, and to carry on the "book club" without us. Thus, I could dress as Ms. Hawking!

As a result, the house was "Other-ized" with photos of Scott and I with Juliet, Ben, Patchy and more around the house, as well as a fake surveillance camera in the corner of the living room, Juliet's tape recorder sitting out (with a surprising new message on it, which you can hear below), file folders on several of the 815 survivors, a cd player playing "Downtown", copies of Carrie and A Brief History of Time, plenty of Dharma products in the kitchen, my "Other" journal where I divulge a secret relationship between Juliet and I, until it turned sour (although I still keep photos of her everywhere - sort of physco-ish) as well as the Hatch program back to be played with on the computer.

We had tons of prizes to give away for answering trivia questions and other fun activities planned throughout the night, until we watched the finale projected onto our living room wall. It was awesome. Make sure to check out photos at the link below, where you can also read my journal entries and then listen to the message that was on Juliet's tape that I left, as well as her reply on the other side of the tape.

Photos

Click here to see photos of the night. For those who are curious, Mike, who dressed as the Hatch, won best costume this year...

Audio Clip

Click here to download the newest message on Juliet's tape recorder, where I try to patch things up with her and see if she still wants me back (and I act like nothing is wrong - you'll have to read my journal entry in the photos to understand what the hell I'm talking about with this)

Next Year

I can't wait to see where Season 4 takes us as I start brainstorming possible activities, decorations and more insanity for next year's finale party!

Season 2 Finale Party

2008-05-27T22:07:00.003-05:00

The Invitation

The invitations I sent out to party-goers were in the form of a boarding pass for Flight 815, as well as a letter thanking them for choosing Oceanic Airlines and details about the party. Here's what they look liked:

The boarding pass lead them to an invite site I created. On the site, I made some artifacts for people to click on and rollover that would activate sound effects and other fun stuff. Make sure to explore (and have your sound on):

Click here to see the invite site...

The Setup

Basically, for season 2, our apartment became both the jungle and parts of the Swan Station. The living room was decked out in every plant I had, along with several friends and family's indoor plants. I'm a graphic designer and have a secret desire to make props for movies and t.v. shows. So when it came time to decorate the jungle, I recreated several classic props from the first two seasons. Everything from Sawyer's letter, Kate's wanted printout, Danielle's map, Sayid's photo of Nadia, "Henry's" map to his balloon to the burnt-in the fire Bad Twin manuscript was strewn about for party-goers to see amongst the jungle foliage. In addition, I created "Henry's" hot air balloon, the palette from a food drop, and a roaring campfire to set the mood for the jungle.

The kitchen, dining room and bathroom served as the Hatch, with the dining room being the main focus. In it was everything from the projector set up to show the infamous Orientation video to the record player playing "Make Your Own Kind of Music" to the speaker alerting a lockdown to a fully functioning version of the Hatch computer program and more. My boyfriend, Scott, is a computer engineer and using audio I ripped from episodes, we re-created the Hatch program, so party-goers could enter in the numbers, activate "Make Your Own Kind of Music" or start the lockdown sequence of events. In the kitchen and bathroom, there were tons of Dharma products.

Photos

Click here to see photos of the night...

The party was awesome and among the many prizes, there was the first ever award for LOST Dress-Uppery. The trophy was awarded to Jenny Beckman for her costume of the virgin Mary statue!

My LOST Story

2008-05-27T22:00:00.001-05:00

Hello. My name is Matt Roeser and I love the t.v. show LOST. I hadn't really heard of the show when it first came out and finally found out about it after reading several reviews of the first season DVDs online a few years back. It sounded like a pretty cool mysterious show, and loving mysteries, I thought I would give it a try.

So, I went out and bought the DVD. Three days later, I had flown through the season and couldn't talk about anything else to my friends and family but this freaking awesome show. To my great surprise, the second season was set to begin airing three weeks later. I searched the web hoping to find any site that would discuss the many crazy island happenings on the show and was happy to find there were plenty available. While I read theories left and right, I loaned the DVDs to everyone I know. Just like me, they couldn't get enough and devoured the first season.

When the second season began, I had about 15 people hooked on the show (thank you very much, ABC) and I was elated to find that show only got better as it went along. About halfway through the season, I thought, "I should plan a season finale party. That would be fun!" From there, the planning went from a group of friends watching the finale together to an all-out event involving costumes, crazy decorations, elaborate food dishes and more.

It's safe to say things have certainly gotten out of control.