Live Game Labs

Members of ELGL were interviewed for a documentary about live action role playing made by Briana Young last year. Member Andy Ashcraft, with the help of Graydon Schlichter, designed a larp just for her: Wedding Survivor.

The movie was just released on video, and will screen at Wyrd Con (http://wyrdcon NULL.com/) Friday night at 11pm!

Check it out:

Tribeca Film Institute distributes Live Action Role-Playing documentary by filmmaker Briana Young

Los Angeles, CA – The world of live-action role-playing (LARP) is one of performance, storytelling, gaming strategy and—most importantly—social interaction. There are no game controllers, no boards, no dice.

Filmmaker Briana Young offers Screw It, I’ll Play Make-Believe, a playful and enrapturing look at this thoroughly immersive activity that for some is a cathartic release, and for others a means of escape, but for everyone who chooses to commit the time and expense of doing it, LARPing is addictive fun that allows fully grown adults to engage in the magical realm of make-believe.

In this 38-minute film Young explores this subculture by following two different role- playing groups: A theater-style group that improvs through a Lost-esque story of an island wedding gone awry; and a combat-style group enacting an epic battle between elves, humans and orcs. Though the two are distinctive in their approach, Young identifies here not only what unifies their experiences, but reveals the universal human needs that LARPing can satisfy.

The Tribeca Film Institute distributes this Screw It, I’ll Play Make-Believe through their TFI Reframe Collection, which specialize in hard-to-find independent, educational and experimental films for home and institutional use. Screw It, I’ll Play Make-Believe is available for purchase and instant stream rental through the TFI Reframe Collection web page (http://reframecollection NULL.org/films/film?Id=2097) and Amazon in both NTSC and PAL formats. Screw It, I’ll Play Make-Believe has played at festivals and conferences in Denmark, Sweden, Russia and Los Angeles, and has garnered critical acclaim:

“A real contribution to the documentaries on gamers and gaming culture.” • Henry Jenkins, author, Fans, Bloggers, and Gamers: Exploring Participatory Culture

“Hip, clever and refreshing. Not your everyday documentary.” • Sarah Lynne Bowman, bitchmagazine.org, Beyond Make Believe

Briana Young is a graduate of USC’s prestigious School of Cinematic Arts where she earned a Master’s Degree in Visual Anthropology. She has directed and produced numerous non-fiction content, from cutting-edge multi-media online platforms to short and feature-length documentaries. Some of her notable work includes Maid in LA, a peek into the often painful lives of Latina nanny-maids who live and work in middle and upper class homes; and Ladies of the Gridiron, which follows the women’s professional football league as it struggles to define itself in the massive shadow of its men’s counterpart.

For inquiries and interview requests, please contact: Briana Young: byoungdocumentary@gmail.com

ChronoAgents Reloaded Road Rally has been postponed to August.

Stay tuned for the exact Saturday date (it won’t be August 20).

Aaron Vanek is lead designers for a large live action role playing (interactive theater event) occurring this summer.
We welcome new and old players welcome. If under 18, please contact me first.

Once Upon a Castle
Saturday, July 30 · 12:00pm – 8:30pm
at Castle Ivar (http://www NULL.castleivar NULL.com)
Facebook event (http://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/event NULL.php?eid=208169912539609)

Ivory towers rise above the mossy glens and mystical trees of the kingdom known as the Enchanted Forest. You have been invited to this majestic castle to celebrate the birth of a king – as have all the other nobles, rulers, and kindhearted fey for miles around. Invitations have been sent out and with the Exiled Queen Cleopatra of the Wastes, Prizm and Solara (Dragoons of Alonia) and the rival brothers King Leon and Prince Lukas of Oncomn all planning to attend, it’s sure to be an evening to die for.

What could go wrong at a royal christening?
***
This event is being held at the fantastic five-story, multi-towered Castle Ivar in Los Angeles. Meet a fairy on a balcony, witness a knighting, a duel, a battle for good or evil. Enjoy a ceremony, a feast, a cup of fine wine. This location is to die for – and when you fill a fantastical castle with creatures of myth and magic fairy tales are bound to come true.

You do not want to miss this! New players highly welcome, one-shot characters highly welcome. Make a character or play one that we provide. All are welcome. If you only attend one larp in your life choose the one that happens in an honest-to-god Castle!

Event costs $40 pre-reg, $50 at the door and includes a light lunch and a dinner feast (comparable to Medieval Times, but far more interactive).
***
Note that although this is part of a continuing campaign, newcomers can easily slide into the narrative and have a lot to do.You will not be required to attend any other chapters of the campaign, but can if you wish.
Costuming is high medieval OR 1930′s Earth (we’ll explain later).
There will be foam weapon combat, but only for those who wish it (duelists).

We also need a few stalwart NPC to work this event, honestly work it. We will waive your fee, but you will have a very basic character written for you, and you will be working for the GMs all day as servants, butlers, heralds, cooks, serving wenches, footmen, etc. If you are interested in working, let me know.

If interested, contact Aaron at: AaronLARP at gmail.com

Click here (http://www NULL.rockband NULL.com/blog/rock-band-murder-mystery-at-intercon-k) to read Carolyn Van Eseltine’s coverage of her role in Rock Band Murder Mystery at Intercon K on the Rock Band.com blog.

ELGL members Morgan and Aaron, designers of RBMM, were fortunate to have Carolyn on their player roster: she works for Harmonix, makers of the Rock Band video game, and was able to score us complete gear for the larp, as well as tap the Network to get a good set list for the band.

Fans of Harry Potter and sports will be delighted to read this recent article in the UCLA Alumni magazine about the college’s official quidditch team. Read on. (http://magazine NULL.ucla NULL.edu/features/brooms_up/)

Aaron wrote 17 pages of his Intercon K experiences on Live Journal starting here (http://community NULL.livejournal NULL.com/interconlarp/281369 NULL.html). Feel free to click through if you want to know what happened at the east coast larp convention. Fellow ELGLers Kirsten, Morgan, and Rizwan also attended.

Fans of Enigma Live Game Labs who are attending Wyrd Con (http://wyrdcon NULL.com/wp/) should use the code LGL when registering for a 10% discount.

Note that you can now sign up for our Wyrd Con larps! The Friday larps are both LOW attendance larps (eight max in each), whereas the Saturday ones are open to roughly 24 or more.

The ELGL schedule for Wyrd Con is:

Friday, June 10
4 p.m. – 10 p.m = Steeds, A first person shooter larp (two separate runs, each three hours).
10 p.m. – 2 a.m. = Mirror Room – A very dark parlor larp.

Saturday, June 11
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Gatsby & the Great Race – a hybrid table top-larp using classic Call of Cthulhu RPG rules.
4 p.m. – 8 p.m = Starship Valkyrie – the intense sci-fi thriller returns in a new scenario!
8 p.m. – ??? = Limbo! – a tiki bar set in hell 21 and OVER ONLY< for there wil be liquor. Lots and lots of liquor.

Sunday, June 12
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. = Chill out brunch with ELGL (and be ready for our BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!)

See you in June!

UPDATE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO AUGUST

On Saturday, [DATE TBD], Aaron will run ChronoAgents Reloaded, a road rally/scavenger hunt across the Southland. It is inspired by the movie Highlander and the arcade game Gauntlet.

You are all invited.

Details and sign up off the meetup located here (http://www NULL.meetup NULL.com/LiveEffects/events/16970977/).

This is to promote the upcoming Two Wyrd interactive theater convention (http://wyrdcon NULL.com/wp/), being held at the Hilton Hotel in Costa Mesa June 10-12.

Feel free to email with questions or comments, but please check the meetup site above before you do so.

Thanks!

Aaron Vanek was interviewed for an article about Live Action Role Playing from UC Santa Cruz.
Click here (http://www NULL.cityonahillpress NULL.com/2011/03/10/planet-larp/)

New pages have been created for Limbo! and its designer, Kirsten Hageleit. Check them out at the links on the right.