The Next Great American Game (2015)

After spending countless hours driving to visit his daughters on weekends and holidays, Randall Hoyt, a professor of Graphic Design, decides to put his knowledge of how to 'drive like a shark' to some use. So he spends five years creating a tabletop board game called Turnpike. He is trying to find a publisher to manufacture and distribute it. But game-company executives aren't sure the public wants to play a game about driving in traffic. This documentary film follows his year-long journey through the industry. Just as he is ready to take Turnpike out into the world, Randall crosses paths with filmmaker Douglas Morse, who has been searching for a subject for his documentary film about game designers. The journey to publish the game takes them to the crowded gaming conventions of Gen Con in Indianapolis, to Origins in Columbus, Ohio, and to the back rooms of Toy Fairs in Chicago and New York. Randall pitches to companies like Mayfair Games (publisher of Settlers of Catan), ThinkFun (Rush Hour), and puzzle and hobby game giant Ravensburger. He also chats at length with the retired buyer for Hasbro Games, Mike Gray, who imparts wisdom acquired through decades of experience in the industry. The film takes a deeply personal tone as Randall candidly discusses his struggles with bi-polar disorder and the intersections of mania and creativity. It turns out that, inspired by his time in bi-polar rehab and group therapy, Randall has designed another game, Talk+Listen, designed to foster communication and collaboration. When veteran designer Mike Fitzgerald sees this dice game, he calls it "gold, pure gold." If you liked Crumb or American Movie, you will love this film.