International Movie Maker

International Movie Maker Rulebook

Table of Contents

Introduction

To make a film you need a Film Story, a Director, a Male Film Star, a Female Film Star, and of course the relevant number of Location Units.

All Films, Directors and Film Stars are available to you in different values. This means that if, for example, you make an Epic Story which is the top value film with Epic Film Stars and a first class Director, it will earn you more money at the box office than a Comedy Story with a mixture of stars. As the game proceeds you may bid for any part you need to complete a film from another player - but keep an eye on your cash - it can soon go!

The winner, at the end of the game, is the player who has made films to the highest value plus the value of all his assets and cash. Good shooting.

Preparation

Place the board in the centre of the play area. Each player selects a coloured playing piece. Shuffle the pack of Production Cards and place them face down on the board. Place the Location Cards, Distribution Cards, and Charity Performance Cards in their appropriate places on the board.

Banker

Elect one player to be banker. The banker gives 750 000 £ to each player, including himself, and places the balance of cash in a convenient location with the Oscar pieces.

What You Need to Make a Film

To complete one film the player needs:

A Film Story
A Male Film Star
A Female Film Star
A Director
A Location unit or units

These cards are obtained and bought when the player lands on 'Take Production Card'. Location units can be bought when the player lands on 'Location Units available'.

What Your Film Is Worth

The value of your film depends upon the production cards accumulated for the making of each film. You can collect any combination of production cards to make a film. It is an advantage however if, for example, Turk Logan who is an Epic film star, is matched with an Epic story rather than a Comedy. It means that once you have completed a film it will earn you more money at the box office.

You therefore have the choice of aiming to make a high value film collecting the appropriate cast for each film or taking pot-luck with a mixture of different people in your film.

Films, film stars and directors are graded in the following values:

The Films

Epic Story - worth 5 000 000 £ on completion
Historical Story - worth 4 000 000 £ on completion
Comedy Story - worth 3 000 000 £ on completion
Musical Story - worth 3 000 000 £ on completion
Western Story - worth 2 000 000 £ on completion
Horror Story - worth 1 000 000 £ on completion

The Film Stars

Western Stars: John Haines Jnr., Dan Thacker, Rosa Lee, Sheila Wild
Horror Stars: Frank N. Stein, Count Vampire, Lucretia ffang, Hermione Hyde
Epic Stars: Richard C. Redford, Turk Logan, Caron Myers, Rosanna Rhodes
Historical Stars: Rupert Jago, Cecil C. Wolfe, Vanessa Yardley, Vivienne Orde
Musical/Comedy Stars: Ronald Rombach, Dancy Scott, Dolores de la Rue, Laura Lovejoy, Lou Cumins, Harold Foy, Meryl Munro, Bila Bliss

The Directors

First Class Directors: Friedrich von Einstein, Meyer Wallenstein, Solomon Galt
Second Class Directors: J. J. Hackensack, L. P. Bailey, Barnum Flickstein
Third Class Directors: Norbert Barrington, Prince Oliver, William G. Grant
Fourth Class Directors: Otis P. Goopher, Sultan Spokes, Reginald Ponsonby

Obviously more locations are needed for an Epic film than for a Horror film. The player requires the following number of location cards to complete his film:

4 location cards for an Epic film
3 location cards for an Historical film
2 location cards for a Comedy film
2 location cards for a Musical film
2 location cards for a Western film
1 location card for a Horror film

Assessing the Value of Your Film

Each production card has a face value which is payable on purchase to the Bank. When it becomes part of a completed film its value increases. To assess the value of any combination of cards collected in a completed film, refer to the table on the face of each card.

Players can make a film using cards of their choice, but once a film has been completed cards cannot be substituted.

To Begin Play

Players roll both dice for the highest score to determine who goes first. Highest player then rolls the dice and moves his piece the number of places indicated starting at "Box Office". (Rolling doubles does not permit a second consecutive turn)

Take Production Card

If a player lands on a space which says "Take Production Card", the player takes the top card from the production card pack that has been placed face down on the board. The player can, having examined the card, elect to do one of two things:

He can buy the card. The player can buy at the face value shown from the bank.
He can auction the card. If the player decides he does not want the card it is auctioned and goes to the highest bidder from the other players. The money goes to the bank.

If the player does not buy the card, or receives no offers from the other players, he returns it to the bank by placing it face down on the box marked "Production Box". This card plays no further part in the game. All cards in a player's possession must be in full view of the other players.

Location Cards Available

If a player lands on a space which says "Location Cards available", the player can buy the number of location cards available shown on the square from the bank. He may, having bought them, sell them to another player. They cannot be returned to the Production Box. If no location cards are available play continues.

Distribution Companies

If a player lands on a space which says "Odeon/Classic/Rank/Granada/ABC/Essoldo Distribution", this is an optional purchase. If a player decides to buy the Distribution Company, and it has not been bought by another player he can pay the bank the face value of 300 000 £.

Having bought the Company, the player is entitled to collect 50 000 £ rental from any other player that lands on his space, plus 100 000 £ in addition for each completed film that player may have. The value of each film is increased for each Distribution Company the owner has. A table showing the value is printed on each distribution card.

If the player decides he does not want the Distribution Company he cannot offer it to another player on that turn. He can, however, buy the Company and sell or auction it to another player on a subsequent turn.

The Box Office

Immediately a player has completed a film, i.e. has a complete set of production cards comprising a Film, a Male Film Star, a Female Film Star, a Director and the required number of location cards to make that film, he collects 10% (1/10) of the completion value shown on the set of production cards each time he passes Box Office. The value of location units held does not count towards the value of a completed film when assessing Box Office money.

Completed Films

The following calculations are examples:

Example 1. You hold an Epic Story (5 000 000 £ on completion), a First Class Director Solomon Galt (500 000 £ on completion), an Epic Male Star Turk Logan (500 000 £ on completion), an Epic Female Star Caron Myers (500 000 £ on completion). Total 6 500 000 £. 10% (1/10) of total film value: 650 000 £. Each time player passes box office, collect 650 000 £ from the bank.

Example 2. You hold an Epic Story (5 000 000 £ on completion), a Second Class Director L. P. Bailey (300 000 £ on completion), a Comedy Male Star Dancy Scott (400 000 £ on completion), a Horror Female Star Lucretia ffang (100 000 £ on completion). Total 5 800 000 £. 10% (1/10) of total film value: 580 000 £. Each time player passes box office, collect 580 000 £ from the bank.

Example 3. You hold a Western Story (2 000 000 £ on completion), a Fourth Class Director Sultan Spokes (100 000 £ on completion), an Epic Male Star Turk Logan (200 000 £ on completion), a Musical Female Star Laura Lovejoy (200 000 £ on completion). Total 2 500 000 £. Add value of Oscar: 500 000 £. Total 3 000 000 £. 10% (1/10) of total film value: 300 000 £. Each time player passes box office, collect 300 000 £ from the bank.

Other Board Spaces

Win an Oscar

If a player lands on a space which says "Win an Oscar" and has a completed film, he collects an Oscar from the Banker, and adds 500 000 £ in value to one completed film he has made. This amount is also added to the value of his completed film when assessing the money to be drawn when passing the Box Office. An Oscar cannot be sold to any other player or returned to the Bank for cash. An Oscar can only be used on one film. The choice of film is the player's. If a player has not completed a film he cannot accept an Oscar. A film can only receive one Oscar.

Bank to Pay Bearer

He receives the amount shown from the Bank in cash.

Complete Box Office Flop Lose Last Film

He must, if he has a completed film, return the Production Cards and the Location Cards to the Production Box. If the player has more than one film, it must be the last film completed. If the film has an Oscar it is also returned.

Star Trouble Lose Next Go and Pay 50 000 £

The player must miss the next turn and pay the Bank 50 000 £ in cash, even if he does not possess a film star at the beginning of the game.

Star Walkout Lose Star to Production Box

He must forfeit a Male or Female Film Star Production Card in his possession, unless it is part of a completed film, to Production Box. If no star is held play continues.

Retake Required Pay 100 000 £ or Lose 2 Goes

The player has the option of paying the Bank in cash 100 000 £ or losing his next two turns. This applies at any stage of the game.

Director Loss

He must forfeit a Director Production Card in his possession, unless it is part of a completed film, to Production Box. If no Director is held play continues.

The player pays 50 000 £ to the Bank in cash, and receives a Charity Performance card.

Publicity Break Gain 200 000 £

The player receives 200 000 £ only if he has paid for a Charity Performance Card. This must be returned to the Bank in exchange for the money.

Location Unit Licence Lost, Lose Unit

The player must return one location card, unless it is part of a completed film, to the location square. If none held play continues.

Bad Publicity for Studio Lose 500 000 £ per Completed Film

The player must pay the Bank 500 000 £ for each completed film in his possession.

Bad Weather Pay 100 000 £ per Story

The player has to pay 100 000 £ for each film story card held - which has not been made into a completed film.

Bidding

Bidding and negotiation between players can take place at any time for Production Cards, Location Cards and Distribution Companies. Oscars cannot be bought or sold. Players at their turn have priority to bid and negotiate if they decide to do so. No bidding between players can take place until priority bidding has ceased.

This will ensure the game continues smoothly. Bidding can be done for cash, exchange or both.

Exchanges

Players may exchange Production Cards, Location Cards and Distribution Companies between themselves. They may not exchange these from the Production Box.

If You Run Out of Money

If you run out of cash, you must sell any production cards, distribution cards, or location cards either to the Bank at "knockdown" value, or alternatively, you can sell them to any other player. If you sell your cards to the Bank they are returned to the Production Box. Location cards are returned to the appropriate square. If a player runs out of both cash and assets, he is declared bankrupt and can take no further part in the game. "Knockdown" value is half the face value.

Borrowing on a Completed Film

Borrowing cash or assets from the Bank or players is not allowed, except for loans on completed films. If a film is used as collateral, the bank will give half its total completion value as a loan. This may be redeemed by the player if he returns all the loan plus a fee of 1 000 000 £. When a film is used as collateral it becomes the property of the Bank until such time as it is redeemed.

Completing the Game

The game ends when the last production card is taken by the player who lands on a space which says "Take Production Card". The player taking the last card is allowed to use the card to complete a film or auctions the card to another player who may also use the card to complete a film. If desired the game can continue by playing any cards that have accumulated in the Production Box. These are shuffled, placed face down and the game continues until these cards are exhausted. If a short game is required each player is dealt four cards from "production" square at the commencement of the game.

Evaluation

At the end of the game each player adds up his cash assets:

a. Value of completed films at completion value plus Oscars, if any.
b. Value of Distribution Companies at completed film rate.
c. Value of Distribution Companies at cost if no completed film is held.
d. Face value of miscellaneous production cards held.
e. Total value of location cards held (50 000 £ each).
f. Cash in hand.

The Winner

The player having the greatest total assets and cash is the winner.