The Game Designers is a feature-length documentary film about board game designers! Join us as we follow professional and fledgling board game designers as they strive to bring their heartfelt creations to life. The challenges are great, but their resolve is even greater as they toil night and day to turn their dreams into a reality. Will the designers find success and get their games out into the world? Or will their creations become too complicated and convoluted to complete? Only time–and a whole lot of persistence–-will tell what happens!
Documentary Feature Film (2019)
The Game Designers
Movie Info
1 hour 33 min
Not Rated
(Ages 7+)
16:9, Color
Not Rated
(Ages 7+)
16:9, Color
Language
English - Spoken
English - Closed Caption
French - Subtitles
German - Subtitles
Spanish - Subtitles
English - Closed Caption
French - Subtitles
German - Subtitles
Spanish - Subtitles
Crew
Writer/Director - Eric Rayl
Exec. Prod. - Scott Alden
Associate Producers - Scott Gaeta, Ning Pan, Hans Scharler, Gian Andrea Cappuzzo
Exec. Prod. - Scott Alden
Associate Producers - Scott Gaeta, Ning Pan, Hans Scharler, Gian Andrea Cappuzzo
Filming locations
GenCon, Origins, Essen Spiel, Lucca Game Fair, Cannes Game Fair, Cmon Expo, Unpub, DragonCon, Orlando, Sunnyvale, Valence (France), Atlanta, Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill
The Designers
The Game Designers highlights the work and stories of five board game designers. Industry luminaries Antoine Bauza and Matt Leacock share their origin stories and also give a look into their latest projects; up-and-coming designers Kelly North Adams and Chris Faulkenberry work on publishing and Kickstarting their sophomore efforts; and first-time designer Doug Schepers tries his hand at developing his first title. The film also features additional designers and others in the industry who illuminate the stories of the featured set.
Full Cast
Antoine Bauza - 7 Wonders, Hanabi, Takenoko
Matt Leacock - Pandemic, Forbidden Island, Era
Kelly North Adams - Veggie Garden, Chibi Quest, Swipe Right
Chris Faulkenberry - Battle for Biternia
Doug Schepers - Spells
Tom Vasel - The Dice Tower
Glenn Frank Drover - Railways of the World, Age of Empires 3
Sandy Petersen - Cthulhu Wars, Planet Apocalypse, Glorantha
Mike Selinker - Pathfinder, Magic: The Gathering, Axis & Allies
Chris O'Neal - Boss Monster, Call to Adventure
Jason Matthews - Twilight Struggle, Making of a President
Ryan Laukat - Sleeping Gods, Near and Far, Above and Below
John Moller - Unpub Convention
Eric M. Lang - Blood Rage, Rising Sun, Arcadia Quest
Rob Daviau - Pandemic: Season 1, Risk Legacy, Heroscape
Jason Tagmire - Seven7s, Twin Stars, Chain Mail
Rob Couch - Building the Game podcast
Jason Slingerland - Building the Game podcast
Ludovic Maublanc - Cyclades, Conan, Mr. Jack
Corentin Lebrat - Draftosaurus, Chateau Adventure
Reiner Knizia - Tigris & Euphrates, Ra, Lost Cities
Wolfgang Kramer - El Grande, The Princes of Florence, Tikal
Friedemann Friese - Power Grid, Friday, Fabled Fruit
Mac Gerdts - Concordia, Imperial, Navegador
Liz Spain - Widow’s Walk, Pathfinder, Apocrypha
Sen-Foong Lim - Belfort, Akrotiri, Junk Art
Tom Lehmann - Race for the Galaxy, Roll for the Galaxy
Martin Wallace - Brass, Railways of the World
Zee Garcia - The Dice Tower
Uwe Rosenberg - Agricola, Caverna, Patchwork
John Zinser - AEG Games
Vlaada Chavtil - Through the Ages, Mage Knight, Codenames
Matt Leacock - Pandemic, Forbidden Island, Era
Kelly North Adams - Veggie Garden, Chibi Quest, Swipe Right
Chris Faulkenberry - Battle for Biternia
Doug Schepers - Spells
Tom Vasel - The Dice Tower
Glenn Frank Drover - Railways of the World, Age of Empires 3
Sandy Petersen - Cthulhu Wars, Planet Apocalypse, Glorantha
Mike Selinker - Pathfinder, Magic: The Gathering, Axis & Allies
Chris O'Neal - Boss Monster, Call to Adventure
Jason Matthews - Twilight Struggle, Making of a President
Ryan Laukat - Sleeping Gods, Near and Far, Above and Below
John Moller - Unpub Convention
Eric M. Lang - Blood Rage, Rising Sun, Arcadia Quest
Rob Daviau - Pandemic: Season 1, Risk Legacy, Heroscape
Jason Tagmire - Seven7s, Twin Stars, Chain Mail
Rob Couch - Building the Game podcast
Jason Slingerland - Building the Game podcast
Ludovic Maublanc - Cyclades, Conan, Mr. Jack
Corentin Lebrat - Draftosaurus, Chateau Adventure
Reiner Knizia - Tigris & Euphrates, Ra, Lost Cities
Wolfgang Kramer - El Grande, The Princes of Florence, Tikal
Friedemann Friese - Power Grid, Friday, Fabled Fruit
Mac Gerdts - Concordia, Imperial, Navegador
Liz Spain - Widow’s Walk, Pathfinder, Apocrypha
Sen-Foong Lim - Belfort, Akrotiri, Junk Art
Tom Lehmann - Race for the Galaxy, Roll for the Galaxy
Martin Wallace - Brass, Railways of the World
Zee Garcia - The Dice Tower
Uwe Rosenberg - Agricola, Caverna, Patchwork
John Zinser - AEG Games
Vlaada Chavtil - Through the Ages, Mage Knight, Codenames
Additional Interviews
Brittanie Boe - Be Bold Games
Bruno Cathala - 7 Wonders Duel, Five Tribes, Kingdomino
Bruno Faidutti - Citadels, Mission: Red Planet, Raptor
Bryan Pope - Mage Wars, Spoils of War, RWBY: Combat Ready
Corey Konieczka - Star Wars: Rebellion, Twilight Imperium IV
Daniel Solis - Kodama, Junk Orbit, Kigi
Dominique Metzler - SPIEL (Essen Game Fair)
Elisa Teague - Apocrypha, Geek Out!, Widow's Walk
Emerson Matsuuchi - Century, Specter Ops, Reef
W Eric Martin - BoardGameGeek News
Graham Russell - The Fittest
Isaac Childres - Frosthaven, Gloomhaven, Forge War
Jacob Fryxelius - Terraforming Mars, After the Virus
Jamey Stegmaier - Scythe, Viticulture, Chaterstone
Jason Alan Kotarski - Dead Drop, Great Heartland Hauling Co.
Jeff Johnston - MoonQuake Escape, Flashlights & Fireflies
Matt Wolfe - Wombat Rescue, Avalanche at Yeti Mountain
Maureen Hiron - Continuo, Cosmic Cows, Qwitch
Richard Breese - Keyflower, Reef Encounter, Keyper
Richard Launius - Arkham Horror, Elder Sign
Stefania Niccolini - The Specialists, Zhanguo, Rhein: River Trade
Seiji Kanai - Love Letter, Lost Legacy, BraveRats
Ted Alspach - Suburbia, Ultimate Werewolf
Thiago Aranha - Arcadia Quest
Travis Chance - Path of Light and Shadow, Heroes Wanted
Vital Lacerda - Lisboa, The Gallerist, Kanban
Zev Shlasinger - Tales of the Arabian Nights
Bruno Cathala - 7 Wonders Duel, Five Tribes, Kingdomino
Bruno Faidutti - Citadels, Mission: Red Planet, Raptor
Bryan Pope - Mage Wars, Spoils of War, RWBY: Combat Ready
Corey Konieczka - Star Wars: Rebellion, Twilight Imperium IV
Daniel Solis - Kodama, Junk Orbit, Kigi
Dominique Metzler - SPIEL (Essen Game Fair)
Elisa Teague - Apocrypha, Geek Out!, Widow's Walk
Emerson Matsuuchi - Century, Specter Ops, Reef
W Eric Martin - BoardGameGeek News
Graham Russell - The Fittest
Isaac Childres - Frosthaven, Gloomhaven, Forge War
Jacob Fryxelius - Terraforming Mars, After the Virus
Jamey Stegmaier - Scythe, Viticulture, Chaterstone
Jason Alan Kotarski - Dead Drop, Great Heartland Hauling Co.
Jeff Johnston - MoonQuake Escape, Flashlights & Fireflies
Matt Wolfe - Wombat Rescue, Avalanche at Yeti Mountain
Maureen Hiron - Continuo, Cosmic Cows, Qwitch
Richard Breese - Keyflower, Reef Encounter, Keyper
Richard Launius - Arkham Horror, Elder Sign
Stefania Niccolini - The Specialists, Zhanguo, Rhein: River Trade
Seiji Kanai - Love Letter, Lost Legacy, BraveRats
Ted Alspach - Suburbia, Ultimate Werewolf
Thiago Aranha - Arcadia Quest
Travis Chance - Path of Light and Shadow, Heroes Wanted
Vital Lacerda - Lisboa, The Gallerist, Kanban
Zev Shlasinger - Tales of the Arabian Nights
Movie Stills
