Private Project

Good Game

At the 2017 annual eSports world championship, “The International”, -- an Artificial Intelligence agent defeated the world’s best players at DOTA 2, a popular online game considered one of the most complex video games ever. While this demonstration was based on a 1 vs 1 version of what is normally a 5 vs 5 game, and play was limited to a reduced section of the map, it was a major coup. After the demonstration, and to the surprise of both the gaming and artificial intelligence communities; the developers, fueled by the excitement of the win, announced to the crowd that they will be back the following year with a new AI that can play the full 5 vs 5 game.

GOOD GAME follows the journey of the scientists and engineers at OpenAI, one of the world’s leading AI companies, as they develop their DOTA agent. During their quest, they face the
unique challenges of building one of the largest and most complex AI systems in history, in only one year.

The team is a dynamic force of young diverse engineers working around the clock with an impassioned drive to succeed. Through candid and personable interviews, they are articulate translators of the process, guiding us through and making the work and its purpose accessible and exciting.

Unfettered access to the highs and lows of the successes, stalls and hurdles that encompass the way the bot learns -- and the way its human challengers learn to adapt in return -- allows for a fascinating glimpse into the world of creating and interacting with artificial intelligence.

After a series of complications, they unveil their work at The International in 2018 to millions of fans, where they meet their biggest challenge yet: facing off against the best professional players in the world in a full 5 vs 5 match. The outcome has implications not only for the future of AI research, but for the world of professional DOTA 2 as well.

  • Chad Herschberger
    Director
    (co-director) William Matthews: Drawn to Paint (PBS)
  • Jennifer 8. Lee
    Producer
    The Search for General Tso, Picture Character
  • Kerry Deignan Roy
    Producer
    Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist, MEMORY: The Origins of Alien, 78/52: HITCHCOCK’S SHOWER SCENE, THE PEOPLE vs. GEORGE LUCAS and DOC OF THE DEAD, NO BIGGER THAN A MINUTE, TANTALUS: BEHIND THE MASK
  • Cathy Trekloff
    Producer
    Saving Face, Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist
  • Chad Herschberger
    Editor
    Robert Kirkman’s Secret History of Comics, Kim Swims, MEMORY: The Origins of Alien, 78/52: HITCHCOCK’S SHOWER SCENE, William Matthews: Drawn to Paint
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature
  • Genres:
    tech, science, gaming, ai
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 30 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 1, 2020
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    France, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    HD
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Chad Herschberger

Director / Editor - Chad Herschberger - Over the last 25 years Chad has worked on projects seen on AMC, History Channel, PBS, HBO, BBC, and festivals including Sundance, Hot Docs, and SXSW. He has produced and/or directed for clients including Annie’s Homegrown, Tracksmith, The Nature Conservancy, CNN, The Human Rights Campaign, Arcadis, Fentress Architects, Great Outdoors Colorado, Indiana University, Colorado Springs Utilities, and more. Among other credits, Chad recently served as story producer, editor, and animator on AMC’s 6-part series Robert Kirkman’s Secret History of Comics. He was co-producer and editor on the highly acclaimed documentary 78/52 (for IFC); and co-producer and editor on the documentary Kim Swims about leading open water marathon swimmer, Kim Chambers. He also co- directed and edited the feature documentary William Matthews: Drawn to Paint (PBS) about a uniquely talented watercolor artist and his relationship with subjects he has revisited throughout the course of his career.

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