Be Your Best Keanu • 2018 rpg finalist

Elizabeth Stong & Ron Blechner • no link

A game about Keanu trying directing, with cast & crew of all Keanu / Keanu characters for 5-25 players. * Players discuss safety and consent. * Each player chooses their Keanu or Keanu character (any gender). (Neo, Ted "Theodore" Logan, Evil Ted, Robot Ted, Sad Keanu, Movie Star Keanu, Constantine, John Wick, Jonathan Harker, Johnny Utah, Johnny Mnemonic, etc) * Choose a player to be "Maybe I Should Try Directing" Keanu (MISTDK). * Players collectively choose genre and setting for the movie. * Other Keanus chooses a movie role or crew member. (ex: Leading Lady Ted, Choreographer Neo, Caterer Sad Keanu) * Movie is 10 scenes, 5-10 minutes each: * Opening * Complications * Meet Mysterious Stranger * Raise Stakes / Danger * Flee & Recoup * Learn Lessons * Fail Again * Inspirational Moment * Epic Scene * Conclusion * Each scene: * MISTDK chooses location. * Players agree on general plan. (2-3 mins). * Actors perform scene. MISTDK makes adjustments as needed * MISTDK says "cut" to end scenes. * Character-appropriate creative differences between Keanus, especially MISTDK, are encouraged. * If Combat: Combat participants agree to either: * Kung-Fu pose-off: Audience, group vote, or MISTDK decides winner. * Quote-off: players have conversation using only Keanu quotes; first to stall or repeat loses. * Game ends when movie finishes.

When designing this game, we drew inspiration from Fiasco! and New World Magischola: The Search for the Snow Dragon.

A director’s cut of this game will be published in the future!

Many thanks to Larp Shack, New England Interactive Literature, Rebecca Slitt, and our wonderful playtesters: Kristin Brumley, Eric Kociecki, Robert Story, Kat McConnell, and Mike Gill.

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