Chasing Ghosts Directed by Lincoln Ruchti, 2007

In the eighties, video games were synonymous with arcades, and games were bringing in enough quarters to fill the Rose Bowl. This endless possibility led Iowa entrepreneur Walter Day to declare himself the sole authority on high scores. In 1982, Walter launched his Twin Galaxies International Scoreboard and the rest, as they say, is history. Teenage superstars came from all over North America to join Walter in a LIFE Magazine feature spread, which recognized them as video game world champions. This led to nationally televised competitions, a touring National Video Game Team, and the promise of fame, fortune and… groupies. CHASING GHOSTS: BEYOND THE ARCADE revisits Walter and the LIFE players, now middle-aged men, as they reminisce on the arcade scene, its demise, and the dreams that crashed with it. It is a story of growing up, and a tribute to an era when a quarter and a dream could take you anywhere.

Awards:

2007 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Nominee