Recently I watched the DVD of a short film called The Gamers, which is an amateur film made by a group of filmmakers in Washington State who have a small production company called the Dead Gentlemen.

The Gamers details the antics of a group of role-players who are playing a fantasy game during finals week at their university. Not only do we see the four (and sometimes, five) role-playing fanatics huddled around the table with dice, soda, and junk food listening to the GM who is dictating the game, but we also see their alter-egos - a barbarian, an elf, a thief and a mage - adventuring across various terrains, and facing numerous dangers, in pursuit of their nemesis, the Shadow, and to gain as much loot and experience points as possible. Do you think it sounds cheesy? It sure is, but that's the point.

For anyone who has ever role-played this film is worth watching for the good-natured fun it pokes at the conventions of the genre, and the many hilarious observations it makes about the behaviour of people during these sessions. Unfortunately, this means that anyone who hasn't role-played might not find the film quite as amusing. The sound, camera work and lighting alternates between being decent to rather poor, and the acting is of a variable quality. The film clocks in at 48 minutes, and the ending is somewhat forced. This is the work of a group of enthusiastic amateurs whose love of the subject matter shines through and gives this low-low-budget film a watchable quality despite the dodgy special effects and strained production values.

I notice from their web site that they are now in pre-production for The Gamers: 2nd Edition, which will be a longer film with more characters, and hopefully a better plot, setting and acting.

Good luck to them because it's great to see people who are fired-up about filmmaking and are willing to take risks and learn the craft of movie-making by funding their own efforts and distributing it to their target audience. I'm looking forward to seeing their latest project in 2005.