Traumfabrik Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Before Your Very First Game
• Setting Up the Game
• Course of the Game
  • First Quarter
  • First Round
    • Playing Building Spaces
    • Allocating Production Chips
      • Directors, Actors, Camera Crews, Musicians, and Special Effects
      • Agencies
      • Guest Stars
    • Leftover Production Chips
    • End of a Round
  • Further Rounds
    • Playing Party Spaces
  • Further Quarters
• Completed Films
• The Film Awards
  • Film Award "First Film" (in 3 Genres)
  • Film Award "Best Film"
  • The Grand Film Awards
• End of the Game
• The Films
  • Casablanca
  • From Here to Eternity
  • King Kong
  • High Noon
  • Ben Hur
  • Gone with the Wind
  • North by Northwest
  • On the Waterfront
• The Stars
  • Ingrid Bergman
  • Burt Lancaster
  • Cary Grant
  • Grace Kelly
  • Yul Brynner
  • Henry Fonda
  • Humphrey Bogart
  • Frank Sinatra
  • Marilyn Monroe

Contents

• 1 game board
• 5 privacy screens
• 22 screenplays
• 50 contracts (+ 1 extra contract)
• 11 film awards
• 1 "camera" playing piece
• 1 rulebook
• 93 production chips
• 30 film values

Before Your Very First Game

Carefully punch the pre-cut pieces out of their frames. Insert the 11 film awards and the camera playing piece into their stands. Sort the pieces into the box insert for storage.

Setting Up the Game

• Lay out the game board.
• Take the 30 film values, sort them by their value (0 to 22, the values 8 through 14 exist twice) and lay the film values out face up next to the game board.
• Take the 3 "Best Film" film awards (worth 5 points each) and place these awards on the 3 small spaces next to the PARTY space on the game board. Place the remaining 8 film awards next to the game board.
• From the production chips, pick out the 4 director chips with a light-colored back. Place these 4 chips face up on the 4 small spaces of the game board (in front of the "Hollywood" space).
• Shuffle the remaining production chips and place them face down next to the game board.
• Each player receives 12 contracts (the "play money"). With 5 players, each player receives only 10 contracts.
• Each player receives a privacy screen, behind which they hide their contracts. With 2 players, the game is played without a privacy screen (since the distribution is then no longer a secret anyway).
• Sort the 22 screenplays by their printed studio numbers. Each player takes over one studio and receives 1 set (3 screenplays with the same number). Each player lays their 3 screenplays face up in front of them. With fewer than 5 players, the remaining numbered sets are put back in the box.
• Shuffle the remaining screenplays (without a studio number) and place them face up as a stack next to the game board (only the top screenplay is visible).
• The camera playing piece is also made ready.

Course of the Game

The game spans a total of 4 quarters. In each quarter, the spaces of the game board are worked through once in clockwise order. Each space corresponds to one game round.

First Quarter

At the start of a quarter, the spaces of the game board are filled with production chips:

Push one of the 4 face-up director chips onto the first building space, "HOLLYWOOD."

Now take a number of production chips and place them face up on the 5 further building spaces bearing the famous landmarks — placing on each exactly as many production chips as the number shown on the space (2 or 3).

Onto the two party spaces (marked with a star), place as many face-down production chips as there are players taking part.

The starting player is chosen at random. They place the camera playing piece in front of themselves.

First Round

In each round, one space is "played." In the first round, that is the first building space — the "HOLLYWOOD" space.

Playing Building Spaces

Production chips on building spaces are auctioned off, with players bidding contracts! The winner of the auction receives all the chips on that space.

• The starting player, with the camera playing piece in front of them, makes the first bid. They may pass or bid any number of contracts, including zero contracts.
• Bidding continues clockwise. Whoever's turn it is may either pass or must bid a higher number of contracts.
• It is not permitted to bid more contracts than one owns.
• Whoever passes is out of this round of bidding.
• Once all players but one have passed, the remaining player receives all the production chips on the space. They then pay the contracts they bid — placing them in the middle of the game board.
• These contracts in the middle are then distributed evenly among all the other players. Any leftover contracts remain in the middle until the next distribution.

Example: With 4 players, A wins with a bid of 7 contracts. They take the production chips and pay the 7 bid contracts. Players B, C, and D each receive 2 contracts from the middle; the seventh contract remains there.

• At the end of the round, the winner of the auction receives the camera playing piece. They are the starting player of the next round.

Allocating Production Chips

As soon as a player has received production chips, they must allocate them to their screenplays.

Directors, Actors, Camera Crews, Musicians, and Special Effects

• Production chips from these groups are placed face up on the corresponding, free positions of one's own screenplays. A director chip must be placed on a director space, an actor chip on an actor space, and so on.
• Production chips may also be placed on chips already lying on a screenplay, as long as the corresponding film has not yet been completed (see below). Only the topmost production chip counts toward the "value" of a screenplay.
• White positions on screenplays may be filled with any one of the following production chips: actor, camera crew, musician, or special effects. If a chip is already lying on a formerly white position, then only chips of the same type may be placed on top of that chip. A screenplay may only ever contain one director and one guest star (see below). White positions may therefore not be filled with them.

Agencies

Agencies are used as jokers.

• They may be placed freely as directors, actors, camera crews, musicians, or special effects on screenplays — but not as "guest stars."
• As long as a film has not yet been completed, agencies may also be placed freely on top of production chips already present.
• However, only agencies may be placed on top of agencies.

Example: A musician is played onto a white position. Now only musicians may be placed on top of this chip. Finally, an agency is placed as a joker on top of the musicians. As a result, only agencies may be placed on top of that from then on.

Guest Stars

Every screenplay contains a guest star position along its bottom edge. A guest star can increase the value of a screenplay, but it is not required to complete a film.

• As long as a film has not yet been completed, guest star chips may be placed on this position. It makes no difference whether the position is already occupied by a guest star or not. Only the topmost guest star counts toward the value of the film.
• Guest star chips may only be placed on guest star positions, and guest star positions may only be filled in this way.

Leftover Production Chips

If a player does not want to use a production chip, they must return it face down to the box. Saving production chips for later is not allowed.

End of a Round

Once all production chips have been allocated, the round ends and the next round begins.

Further Rounds

Now the next space in clockwise order is played. For building spaces, proceed as described above. Party spaces work differently.

Playing Party Spaces

When a party space is reached, the production chips on that space are revealed.

• Every player may take one of these chips.
• The order in which players may take a chip is based on the number of red actor and guest star chips each player has lying on (all of) their screenplays:

First, the player with the most red chips chooses, then the player with the second-most, and the player with the fewest chooses last. If two or more players have the same number of red chips, priority goes to whichever of them is the starting player, or the one seated closest to the starting player in clockwise order.

Example: A is the starting player, followed by B, C, and D. A has 2 red actors lying on their screenplays; B and D each have 4 red actors, and C has only one. So B takes 1 chip from the party space first, then D, then A, and finally C.

• As described above, players place their production chip on one of their screenplays.
• The starting player does not change at party spaces.

Once, after 8 rounds, all production chips have been cleared from the spaces of the game board, a film award for the "Best Film" is presented at the end of the first, second, and third quarters. See the corresponding section below for details.

Further Quarters

Then the next quarter follows.

• As described above for the first quarter, production chips are placed on the spaces.
• The starting player from the last round (the party space) remains; they do not change.
• The starting player begins the next round — with the auction for the director chip on the "HOLLYWOOD" space.

Completed Films

A film is completed as soon as all positions of a screenplay (including the white ones) are occupied by production chips. The guest star position may be occupied, but it does not have to be. If the guest star position is still empty once all other positions are occupied, the guest star position can no longer be filled.

• Once a film is completed, all stars visible on the screenplay and its chips are immediately counted. If a position holds more than one chip, only the topmost one counts. Important: a guest star with a black star gives a deduction (-1).
• From the film values, the one matching the resulting number is selected and placed on top of the screenplay.
• If there are still 2 matching film values available, the one with the plus sign is taken first. It is worth more than the film value without a plus sign.
• If the required film value is no longer available, the next-lower film value must be taken instead.
• Completed films may no longer be altered.

As soon as a player has completed one of their films, they take the top screenplay from the stack and place it in front of themselves. If the stack of screenplays has run out, none is given out anymore.

If, after completing a film, a player still has further production chips to allocate, they may also place them on the new screenplay.

Example: The player has won 3 production chips at auction. With one chip, they filled a screenplay — the film is complete and they take a new screenplay. The player now has 2 chips left, which they may distribute freely onto their screenplays.

The Film Awards

There are 11 film awards in total; six of these film awards are given out during the game — the six awards worth 5 points.

Film Award "First Film" (in 3 Genres)

There are films in 3 genres — Drama, Adventure, Entertainment. An award of this kind is given for the first completed film in each of these genres.

The award is presented immediately after such a first film is completed. The award is placed on the screenplay of the film.

Film Award "Best Film"

This award is given at the end of quarters One, Two, and Three. The award goes each time to the film completed so far that has the highest film value. The award is placed on the screenplay of the film.

It is entirely possible for a film to receive an award in multiple quarters.

Don't forget: a film value with a "+" counts for more than the same value without a "+"! If two films have the same value, the one whose film value bears the plus sign wins.

The Grand Film Awards

The remaining 5 film awards are given out directly after the conclusion of the fourth quarter (at the end of the game) and placed on the screenplay. Only completed films can receive one of the following 5 honors:

a) Best Film (in the genres "Drama," "Adventure," "Entertainment")

The film with the highest film value is honored in each genre.

b) Worst Film

The film with the worst film value is "honored."

Tip: This is a good place for the guest star with the value -1 (black star), as well as production chips without stars.

c) Best Director

The director award finally goes to the player whose director chips together show the highest total number of stars (only completed films count). Agencies used as director do not count here.

If two or more players have the same number of stars, the director award is not given out.

End of the Game

The game ends after the fourth quarter, once the "Grand Film Awards" have been given out.

Each player now adds together the film values of their completed films, the values of the film awards they have won, and the number of contracts they still have remaining.

Unfinished films do not count toward the score.

The player with the highest total value wins the game.

Author and publisher thank all playtesters who contributed to the development of this game, in particular Chris Bowyer, Dave Farquhar, Martin Higham, Ross Inglis, Kevin Jacklin, Chris Lawson, and Ivan Towlson.

© 2000 Hasbro International Inc. All rights reserved.

Distributed in Germany by Hasbro Deutschland GmbH, Overweg 29, D-59494 Soest. Distributed in Austria by Hasbro Österreich GmbH, Davidgasse 92-94, A-1100 Wien. Distributed in Switzerland by Hasbro Schweiz AG, Alte Bremgartenstrasse 2, CH-8965 Berikon.

The Films

The rulebook closes with background notes on the classic films and stars pictured on the game's screenplays and production chips.

Casablanca

USA, 1942. Director: Michael Curtiz. With: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt. Music: Max Steiner. 3 Oscars: Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay.

Adventurers, agents, refugees, and henchmen of the Vichy regime meet during the Second World War in Casablanca — in Rick's bar. The romance between bar owner Rick (H. Bogart) and refugee Ilsa (I. Bergman) founders on the task of saving Ilsa's husband from his Nazi pursuers.

In 1952, a shortened and altered version came to German cinemas, in which all references to the Third Reich and the Vichy regime had been removed. It was only the new dub by ARD in 1975 that produced an authentic version of this cult film.

Casablanca's theatrical release was disappointing. Success only came once the "Casablanca Conference" with Churchill and Roosevelt took place in January 1943 and the film was given a fresh release.

From Here to Eternity

USA, 1953. Director: Fred Zinnemann. With: Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed. Music: George Duning. 8 Oscars: Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Cinematography, Sound, and Editing.

The novel by James Jones, skillfully condensed by screenwriter Daniel Taradash, tells the story of soldier Prewitt and his unit in the days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Prewitt refuses to step into the ring as a boxer. He and his friend are harassed for it, and the friend pays with his life. Prewitt avenges his friend, has to go into hiding, and is shot upon his return (after the Japanese attack).

King Kong

USA, 1933. Director: Merian C. Cooper. With: Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot. Special Effects: Willis H. O'Brien. Music: Max Steiner.

A film crew discovers a prehistoric island in the South Seas ruled by the giant gorilla King Kong. The ape falls in love with leading lady Ann and abducts her. King Kong is captured and exhibited as a wonder of the world in New York, where he ultimately meets his death.

The film is said to be based on a novel by Edgar Wallace, and etchings by Gustave Doré served as models for the jungle sets. A toned-down version of the film came to German cinemas in 1952. Only in 1969 was the classic re-edited for Germany.

High Noon

USA, 1952. Director: Fred Zinnemann. With: Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Lloyd Bridges, Lee Van Cleef. Music: Dimitri Tiomkin. 4 Oscars: Leading Actor, Music, Editing, Best Song.

This drama of a lone man is among the films of the century. Marshal Kane chooses the uncomfortable path — he confronts the killer Frank Miller — alone. His wife (Grace Kelly), a Quaker, betrays her ideals at the last moment and saves her husband.

In the original cut, the story's told time and its running time were identical — about 100 minutes. After negative test screenings, the overlong film was cut down to the now-familiar 85-minute version. "High Noon" is also seen as a reckoning with McCarthyism. It was likely the clear allusions that cost the film the Oscar for Best Picture.

Ben Hur

USA, 1959. Director: William Wyler. With: Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, Stephen Boyd. 11 Oscars: Best Picture, Director, Leading Actor, Supporting Actor, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costumes, Editing, Sound, Special Effects, and Music.

The novel of the same name by Lew Wallace had first been filmed in 1925. The remake required five years of preparation. Filming began in May 1958 at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome — including what is probably the most famous race in film history.

Gone with the Wind

USA, 1939. Director: Victor Fleming. With: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland. 8 Oscars: Best Picture, Director, Leading Actress, Supporting Actress.

Producer David O. Selznick bought the film rights to the novel, published two months earlier, for $50,000 as early as July 1936. In 1937, the novel won the Pulitzer Prize. Once it became known that the novel was being filmed, a tremendous battle for the lead roles broke out among Hollywood's actors.

Director George Cukor began the production but, after much strife, gave it up and handed the reins to Victor Fleming. The first rough cut of the film ran five hours long. It was trimmed down in several stages, and the story of Scarlett O'Hara and the Tara plantation began its triumphant march around the world.

North by Northwest

USA, 1959. Director: Alfred Hitchcock. With: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason.

In this spy thriller, Alfred Hitchcock tells the story of harmless advertising man Roger Thornhill, who gets caught up in an intelligence-agency affair. To clear himself of a murder charge that has fallen on him, he sets out in search of the mysterious George Kaplan — who turns out to be nothing but a fictional figure invented by the intelligence service. After a long chase, Thornhill solves the mystery in a furious finale atop Mount Rushmore. Also famous is the scene in which an airplane tries to kill Thornhill.

On the Waterfront

USA, 1954. Director: Elia Kazan. With: Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger, Lee J. Cobb, Eva Marie Saint. 8 Oscars: Best Picture, Leading Actor, Supporting Actress, Director.

Elia Kazan's masterpiece depicts a case of corruption in the American dockworkers' union. Failed boxer Terry Malloy becomes entangled in the schemes of a corrupt union boss. Unwillingly, he becomes complicit in the murder of a rebellious dockworker.

Terry Malloy ultimately takes up the fight against the overwhelming power of the union and breaks its hold.

The Stars

Ingrid Bergman

The Swedish actress was already a star by the time she went to Hollywood in 1939. The film "Casablanca" made her one of the most beloved actresses. Ingrid Bergman won 2 Oscars ("Gaslight," 1944, and "Anastasia," 1956).

Burt Lancaster

Burt Lancaster was a circus acrobat before he came to film. With his broad, winking grin, he became the star of many Westerns and adventure films. The role of pirate leader "Vallo" in "The Crimson Pirate," with its many acrobatic set pieces, was tailor-made for him.

Lancaster was one of the first actors to found his own production company, allowing him to choose his own roles and thereby never be pinned to a single type.

Cary Grant

Alexander Archibald Leach joined a troupe of acrobats at age 13. At 17, he simply stayed behind in New York during a tour, where in 1927 he broke into musical theater as a singer. Sex symbol Mae West discovered him in 1933 for her film "She Done Him Wrong." Cary Grant achieved his breakthrough in 1938 with Howard Hawks's comedy "Bringing Up Baby."

Cary Grant appeared in over 60 films, many of them unforgettable, such as the Hitchcock picture "North by Northwest." Grant retired from filmmaking in 1966, and received an honorary Oscar in 1970.

Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly embodied the unattainable beauty in many films. In 1954, she received an Oscar for her role in "The Country Girl." After filming "High Society," she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956 and became "Gracia Patricia."

Yul Brynner

Yul Brynner came to America in 1940 with a Russian theater troupe. For the role of the king in the Broadway musical "The King and I," he had his head shaved bald, which from then on became his trademark.

The musical was later successfully filmed with Yul Brynner in the lead role. His second most important role came in 1960 in the film that became a Western classic, "The Magnificent Seven."

Henry Fonda

In 1939, Henry Fonda had success with 3 films at once — all 3 Westerns (Jesse James; Young Mr. Lincoln; Drums Along the Mohawk). This fixed Fonda in the role of the upright, principled American.

Henry Fonda appeared in over 80 films but was awarded only a single Oscar — in 1981, for "On Golden Pond" — shortly before his death. Also unforgettable is his role as the killer "Frank" in the Italian Western "Once Upon a Time in the West."

Humphrey Bogart

Fittingly, for an atypical role for him, Bogart received his only Oscar — for the role of the drunkard in "The African Queen." Otherwise, Bogart was seen as the quintessential private detective — trench coat, cigarette, neat hair. He played the detective Sam Spade in "The Maltese Falcon" so skillfully that it created a new kind of film character — the cynical, resolute loner.

Frank Sinatra

"Frankie boy" first made a name for himself as a singer and was dubbed "The Voice" by his fans. With the film musical "On the Town" (1949), he achieved his breakthrough in the film business.

In the 1950s he first appeared in dramatic films, and for his role in "From Here to Eternity" he received an Oscar.

A series of caper comedies followed, in which the whole "Sinatra Clan" could be seen (Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Peter Lawford).

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe's career was built on her erotic allure. As a result, the actress was fixed throughout her entire career to the image of the sex bomb, right up until her suicide in 1962.

With the film "Niagara," she became a star, but audiences and studios alike allowed no transformation of the "sex goddess." In typical Monroe films such as "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "How to Marry a Millionaire," the star could only parody her image as a dumb blonde. The cult around Monroe was further fueled by her mysterious marriage to writer Arthur Miller and rumored affairs with John F. Kennedy.