This story first appeared in our sister publication, Walworth County Community News.
LAKE GENEVA, Wis. — “50 Years of Fantasy,” an independent documentary produced by Build Something Media, has filmed extensively in Lake Geneva as part of a feature-length exploring Dungeons and Dragons’ impact on tabletop role-playing games.
The film debuts in Philadelphia on Jan. 17, 2025 with plans to bring it to Lake Geneva this spring or summer.
Lake Geneva holds a singular place in the history of fantasy gaming, serving as one of the key locations where modern tabletop role-playing took shape. The documentary returns to the city not as a nostalgic stop, but as a living community where the legacy of collaborative storytelling continues through local creators, players, and industry figures.
Filming in Lake Geneva captured the game as it is played and lived today. The production documented an all-women’s game run by Dungeon Master Heather Ashcraft inside the historic 330 Center Street location, highlighting how inclusive, player-driven storytelling continues to evolve within the hobby.
According to a news release, additional scenes were filmed inside the Geneva Lake Museum, where a live tabletop session was recorded thanks to the support of Sonja Akright, connecting the game directly to the city’s cultural institutions.
The film also features local gameplay with legendary game designer Tom Wham, filmed at Culver’s in Lake Geneva, underscoring the everyday, communal nature of tabletop role-playing. Countless interviews were conducted during GaryCon, capturing voices from across generations of players, designers, and organizers who return to Lake Geneva year after year.
Among the featured participants is Frank Mentzer, interviewed in his home alongside what is widely regarded as one of the largest tabletop game collections in the world. Mentzer’s work—including the iconic boxed sets that introduced millions to the game—helped shape the form of tabletop role-playing and later inspired broader popular culture, including the Duffer Brothers’ Stranger Things.
Additional participants include David “DJ” Johnson, award-winning video game developer known for work on Halo and Call of Duty; Peter Adkison, founder of Wizards of the Coast; and dozens of designers, artists, organizers, and players from across the tabletop industry, many with deep ties to Lake Geneva.
Rather than focusing on products or brands, 50 Years of Fantasy documents how tabletop role-playing fostered creativity, collaboration, and belonging—often around kitchen tables, in basements, libraries, conventions, and local gathering places.
Lake Geneva’s role in that story is presented as both foundational and ongoing.
“Lake Geneva isn’t just where this history happened,” said director Chris Moreland. “It’s a place where the culture of tabletop role-playing still lives—through people who stayed, built communities, and continue to tell stories together.”
Produced by Build Something Media, a Georgia-based independent production company, 50 Years of Fantasy is part of a broader documentary effort to preserve overlooked cultural history and the communities that shaped it.
More information about the project is available at buildsomethingmedia.com.
Documentary trailer: https://www.youtube.com/@dnd-documentary
