BROOKFIELD, III:
Year of the Phoenix Productions is leveling up their documentary project Ghostlord and the Quest for Dark Presence with a Kickstarter campaign running through April 28th. The film delves into the life of Doc Mack (aka Ghostlord), owner of the largest arcade in the world, Galloping Ghost Arcade. He has spent nearly three decades working on a video game that he believes has the potential to supercharge a struggling industry.
Check out Kickstarter for all the information on supporting the film.
Doc Mack is known to the world as an arcade legend, but what lies behind the scenes is an incredible story of a man who never gave up on his childhood dream. Ghostlord and the Quest for Dark Presence follows Doc’s journey to create a live-action 2-D digitized fighting game inspired by the original Mortal Kombat games. Viewers will be transported back to the 90s and early 2000s reminding them of the thrill and nostalgia of retro gaming.
Back in 1994, armed with a consumer camcorder, an improvised greenscreen and a cast of friends and family, Doc landed a derelict insurance office to serve as a makeshift filming studio. After 8 days of furiously filming and breakneck story creation, they had arrived at a game, or had they? His quest to create the game took multiple detours including crooked investors, a mysterious illness, surprise iguanas, a nearly-assassinated landlord, and multiple reshoots. Beyond the chaos that ensued, this documentary is ultimately a tribute to never giving up on your dreams, no matter what life throws at you.
“I think this is a very inspiring story. Doc didn’t have the schooling, he didn’t have the connections, he created his own destiny. He now owns the largest arcade in the world and he’s doing the things he loves based on determination and passion. It’s hugely inspiring,” said Ghostlord Director, Craig Bass. “Everybody thinks of Doc Mack as the arcade guy. Doc Mack is the game designer. He’s the arcade guy, too, but at his core, he is the creator. Nobody really knows that. And now they will.”
From pitching wealthy Texan investors in his bedroom at his parents’ house to being inducted into the Video Game Hall of Fame, Doc has come a long way. He is endearingly referred to as the Willy Wonka of the local gaming community and has helped foster the industry. But the real question is: will Dark Presence ever be completed? Join Ghostlord’s quest, accompanied by a slew of industry legends and luminaries, as we seek to find out.
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