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Family Game Night

Semi-famous soap actor Dan Whitehall visits his nutty narcissistic alcoholic Detroit family one year after the passing of his father (Phil Whitehall). The ostensible narrator is Phil, who is “ghosting’” this particular game night (his Hell? his Limbo?) and telling about Dan's defects of character. The “Hell” for alcoholic Phil is that he can’t drink. Ever. Ultimately, Phil gets tricked into finding out the story he is narrating is also about him...and the family wreckage he left, begging the questions, "Who's really dead?" and "Can there be reconciliation in the after-life?"
(Neil Simon meets the Father: Neil Simon type dialogue drives a story about a dysfunctional family, a failing Father with alcoholic dementia (even in the after-life), and a son who finally stands up to him.)

  • Steve Blackwood
    Director
    Sweeps Week; Peabrain; Private; Stuck; Meet the Author
  • Steve Blackwood
    Writer
    Sweeps Week; Peabrain; Private; Stuck; Meet the Author
  • Steve Blackwood
    Producer
    Sweeps Week; Peabrain; Private; Stuck; Meet the Author
  • Bob Tourangeau
    Producer
    The White House is Fake; She, Who Dared; Le Monstro; Sweeps Week; Peabrain
  • Claire Aucoin
    Producer
    Roxie's Boys
  • Michael David Kehoe
    Producer
    Sweeps Week; Peabrain; Private
  • Beth Anderson-Song
    Producer
    Sweeps Week; Peabrain
  • Steve Blackwood
    Key Cast
    "Phil Whitehall"
    Sweeps Week; Peabrain; Private; Stuck; Beyond the Mask; Machine Gun Preacher; Days of Our Lives
  • Pamela Jayne Morgan
    Key Cast
    "Joan"
    Black Rabbit; The Holdovers; City on a Hill; Boston Strangler; Meet the Author
  • Brian J. McDonald
    Key Cast
    "Dan Whitehall"
    Sweeps Week; Dissection Day; The Compatriots; Finestkind; Northern Shade
  • Ashley Risteen
    Key Cast
    "Chris"
    The Squirrel Catcher; Autumn; Censored; Into the Night
  • Claire Aucoin
    Key Cast
    "Deanne"
    Roxie's Boys; Say Hello; Sweeps Week
  • Kevin Haley
    Key Cast
    "Joey"
    Sweeps Week; Peabrain; I Feel
  • Paul Kandarian
    Key Cast
    "Nino"
    Gimme; Eephus; Carol; Condor's Nest
  • Christopher Bowden
    Cinematography
    Shema; Sweeps Week; The Bench; Christmas in New England
  • Killarney Traynor
    Production Management
    Sweeps Week; Peabrain; Private;
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 26 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 1, 2026
  • Production Budget:
    11,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Steve Blackwood

Playwright, screenwriter, and actor Steve Blackwood’s credits include TV's DAYS OF OUR LIVES (10 year regular "Bart”), movies (MACHINE GUN PREACHER; ED GEIN ) and stage (OLEANNA; THE PRISONER OF 2ND AVENUE). Steve is known for his MASTERCLASS in Method acting technique as well as the Producer/Director/Writer of the award winning short comedies STUCK; SWEEPS WEEK; MEET THE AUTHOR and PEABRAIN, (New Hampshire Film Festival; HollyShorts; Flickers; Block Island).

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Director Statement

Blackwood Productions presents FAMILY GAME NIGHT, a new short dark comedy film written, directed, and produced by Steve Blackwood (PRIVATE; DAYS OF OUR LIVES; PEABRAIN). Semi-famous soap actor Dan Whitehall visits his nutty narcissistic alcoholic Detroit family one year after the passing of his father (Phil Whitehall). “Creating my own films has been the highlight of my career, and to work with this ensemble of seasoned and talented actors was an extra treat.”
Our last four films were SWEEPS WEEK (a finalist in Austin Comedy Film Festival, and selected by New Hampshire Film Festival and Block Island Film Festival), PEABRAIN (a selection of the New Hampshire Film Festival, a semi-finalist for Flickers RI International Film Festival, and a winner in the London International Filmmakers Festival, Paris Film Awards, and Alternative Film Festival), PRIVATE (festival wins include Berlin International Art Film Festival, SENE Film Festival, and Paris Film Awards) and STUCK (a nominee in the Houston Comedy Film Festival, an official selection of the Boston International Film Festival, and a winner in the London Indie Short Festival, Shawna Shea Memorial Film Festival, and Star City Film Festival). Thank you for considering our film for your festival. We would be honored by your selection.