Tabletop goes Hollywood - maybe (idea discussion)

[Drachenklinge]

Hi folkes!

I've been going around with this idea for quite a while now. Like most of us (at least I suppose so) I am playing with the idea of having my own tabletop-system ... but, lets face it ... we all do that but we seldom put it to real. So ... I'm telling You one (haha, just one!! You think I am crazy? ^^) of my ideas now. ^^


Tabletop going Hollywood?


The basis for my idea!

Imagine a western-situation. There is this gunman, a cool one, quick with his hand, no one can match him ... the Yul Brunner type from magnificient seven.
What what is this guy behind the scene? Would he hit anything smaller than a house with his gun? Maybe not. "On stage" he is the king, but behind, maybe he is an overaged actor, nearly at his end of his career, far to old for any new role.
What about the lovely and beautiful young lady?
In real life she is a bitch to any interviewer and maybe deep inside she hates her fans! Charisma? Don't mention it!
Then there is stage-director ... in the film, bareyl time enough to be in his own movie, he just plays the older useless stable-boy. No one listen to him. But - beware! - when behind the camera You better jump, if he says so! Even if hissed silently through gritted teeth!

So ... we have "the scene" and "behind the scene".


The tabletop-setting (also called "The great Fluff" - hey, maybe there's a working title for the tabletop? ^^)

Bad luck! two film-teams need to use the same movie-place. The only good news is: both movies are western, so they agreed to use the town, since all folks look like from the same time and place anyway. The only problem is ... each film-team does have to pay a hell of attention not to film the other team's camera on film.
But then again ... if You now how important it is (and You all do!), to be the first with the brand new western in the cinemas for a Oscar-nomination ... why not putting the camera, where it is most useful? Right in front of the other ones team! Ha!


Da rulez ... so far

Your film-crew consist of a few camera-men, the director, a few actor and some nobodies (my dictionary says "extras"?). In Your turn, You are allowed to move some (or all ... dunno) of Your crew, and You alternate between "action" and "cut" phases.
But, mark my words! It's important to have both, because during "action" You are not allowed to use the director (the director cannot direct actors (^^) when the camera is one, now can he?), but during "cut"-phases Your actors and extras will disappear into their breaks, pauses and caravans, quicker than yester-year's snow!
In addition our brave action-hero and outstanding gunman will hit a mosquito right between the eye ... on stage! But behind the scenes he will just stumble over about anything, including the much important town-hall-fake! If he is not chasing (and annoyingly so) the female crew-members, that is.
Also ... we may have some assistants, who might just be able to "organize" missing parts of our equipment, and You do not want to know where from ... as long as they just silently do so!

Lots of miniatures with lots of profiles, I think. ^^


I hope You see, where this is heading to!? The funny thing ... this works with all historical era's, see?

So, what Do You think? Is this idea worth working on it any further? Or maybe I am just way too complicated ...

Opinions will be highly apreciated!

best wishes
Drachenklinge

[Cherno]

I think it's a great idea

I'd keep the rules fairly beer-and-pretzels though, a fun game like this should play quickly and not get bogged down. I could imagine some purpose-built cardboard 2d terrain like real cheap movies have in the background, maybe even a cactus or two made of wood (There was actually one movie that had those).

Call it "The Final Cut" "Director's Cut" "Blood on the Cutting Room Floor" "Oscar Wars" "Lights, Camera, Action!" or something witty

[Drachenklinge]

Thanks!
You're right, I think Bier & Bretzel is most likeley the only way to play this game "seriously" ^^

I forgot to mention the idea of the actual tabletop-terrain. Obviously one needs a "set" (in this case western city) and an of-stage area. So then every miniature can be moved to and from in between those two areas.

From the Tactica (an excellent little tabletop-con in Hamburg, Northern Germany) I know that there are film-crew-miniatures (come to think of it, maybe that was the initial point of my idea? Cause we played a King Kong scenario, but without any off-stage ^^). Also there was this idea of having certain elements "on scene" like: in this shot is a lady, the King Kong and a hero ... BIG shot here! 3 Points!

I thought that every player "needs" either a certain set of minis, e.g. like this:

very basic
- a director
- a camera-man
- an actor
- big adversary

add
- staff of assistants
- bigger camera-crew
- more main-actors
- more bad guys
- (more) extras
- special-effects-team

... or can choose his team from a list, according to the plot he want's to have on film.


I am not so sure though, about the interactions between all the "persons". The goal obviously is to "make the movie", means: have some scenes after every end of each one's "action"-turn.
Then there is some camera-angle, which needed to be checked, if there are some "non-western" elements in sight. Maybe there is some core area, where there should be noting but western-style at all, and some outer-rim, where it can be cut, but the scene/player gets some penalty. Maybe now some cards (e.g. "a studio with cutter") come in.

Also You need some "plot" for the scenes, say: kill the bad guy, rescue the lady (and the little kid running across the street while show-down), have the big showdown, etc.
However - I think, it is not important in which sequence one is doing the plot.

So, after each player knows his or her plot (maybe drawing cards, too?) they start filling the set, respectively their starting areas. According to the fame of the director (fame helps giving orders! ^^ Everyone knows Clint Eastwood and would gladly obey some directing orders from that one ... but who the heck is Til Schweiger?) the move or have there own basic agenda.

The actors know the plot in a basic way, can move freely on the western-side of the set, having their actions, means make the scenes, so that at the end of the turn the camera has its shot.

On the other hand the director can correct actors or crew for specific actions, move the camera team as he so chooses and moves freely behind the scenes.



Hm, well ... while writing this down, I realize where there need to come in a little bit more of specific thinking about "da rulez" ^^


However ... thanks for listening

best wishes
DK

[Cherno]

Maybe in a campaign, you could buy new lenses for the camera that have a wider field of view, or better zoom so they have better "range". Points are awarded depending on how much action the camera can film in it's arc.
Some directors have special abilities like the Not-Ridley Scott who can make psychological attacks because he forces actors to retake a scene 30 times, or Not-James Cameron who shouts all the time and is a on-set dictator.

[Dr.Falkenhayn]

... each film-team does have to pay a hell of attention not to film the other team's camera on film.

Doesn't matter if its a Porn Movie though 

great Idea,maybe taking some Shots with a real Camera (in the same Angle as the Miniature Camera) after the Action Phase 

i expect different Stats for different Directors:while the James Cameron Crew plays like a Space Marine Army,the Uwe Boll Gang is pretty much a Bunch of Gretchins 

[Cherno]

Time for a kickstarter campaign

The base set includes basic rules, two camera teams and actors, and scenery for a western movie. Expansion modules can feature different locales and periods, like Hong Kong Blood Opera, 60s Spy Films, or 70s Blaxploitation movies =)

[SBRPearce]

Assistant Directors: Their job is "wrangling" the extras.

"Mister XXX's Personal Assistant": Keeps the star from tripping over things or disappearing when he's off-camera. Sometimes subject to arbitrary firing or (depending on the star) getting beaned in the head by a hurled mobile phone.

Don't forget the essential "Stunt Double". For each star, you have (at least one) stuntman dressed to resemble them, who gets to do the dangerous bits. If the star insists on doing his own stunts, your production could come to screeching halt if he gets hurt.

[Cherno]

There's also a certain aforementioned director that uses a nail gun to staple cell phones going oof during shooting to the nearest wall. And Not-Christian Bale who has fits of screaming at poor lighting technicians every now and then.

[magokiron]

How can I have missed this thread?

GREAT IDEAS!

Please, keep us informed of how this is developing.

Best wishes.