Cyberchronicles

Cyberchronicles is a 2014 American computer-animated science-fiction adventure film directed by Terry Finn for Aroba Animation, from a screenplay written by Mike Zyden, Marty Polenn and Lars Tesler, based on a story by Ethan Vail and David Willinger. The story takes place in an abandoned computer, whose inhabitants (nicknamed 'bytians') had built into a metropolitian society, where a fellow bytian must engage in a voyage to another computer to achieve a kernel, while having to be protected by a frail antivirus bytian.

Finn conceived the story in the early-2000's after finishing Ethan's Guide to the World, following the gradully rising use of the internet, and its many utensils. Vail and Willinger were recruited, and following a first draft from Tesler, a majority of Aroba's main staff were called to reconstruct a huge factor of the second and third acts.

The film released in June 6th, 2014 by Paramount Pictures. Critics admired its story, design and writing. It was also commercially successful and recieved $498 million against its budget of $125 million.

Plot
An old computer, recently abandoned by its original owner and constantly being turned off to the point of being left in an alleyway, had its inhabitants intact. Eventually they became sentient, and started to build a society within its mainframe, and following several achievements, specifically managing to pose as a user to obtain a WiFi router from a human, they’ve received access to the internet, in which they had got resources from. Its booming metropolitan state has, however, affected the kernel of the computer itself, and after a crash, Memorant is left blacked out.

Fellow technician bytian, Memphis noticed the kernel’s frail state. Discussing with his neighbour, Tona, in a trip to an internet forum about computers, they find a post about a recent buyer of a laptop, which makes Memphis devise a plan to voyage to said laptop via email service. Tona, noticing how zealous he is about the plan, urges him that he should go with a virus protection bytian, having been told many stories about bytians not finishing their quests in outsider computers alive. Memphis agrees, and is directed to an old and frail antivirus named Ago. On the verge of death, he refused Memphis’ offer, but having read his diary, he reassured Ago that it would be the trip would be what he always wanted before passing; slightly annoyed for having to redirect to his personal secrets, he decides to join Memphis nonetheless.

They reach Memorant Email Postal Service’s delivery sector, where they have to convert themselves to .jpg files to be able to fit. Following a high-speed travel, they‘ve reached to the laptop’s mainframe.

Voice cast

 * ??? as Memphis. An underground Memorant technician in charge of protection of the kernel, he is adventurous and wisecracking.
 * ??? as Ago, an old antivirus bytian, now at the verge of passing away. Despite this, he shows signs of slight sensitivity and sass.
 * ??? as Tona, a neighbour of Memphis, and the straight-man to his over-ambition.

Development
Following the gradually rising use of the internet, Terry Finn had conceived a concept based on a society within an abandoned computer. Following completion of the TV series Ethan’s Guide to the World, and its movie adaptation, his fellow workers discussed about his idea. As with any film concept, it was pitched to Aroba Animation; it was then approved for a film adaptation.

Writing
Tesler’s first draft featured a major change to the stakes within Memphis (then named Volt)’s arrival, in which he was detected as a virus, and therefore fleeing from antivirus police.

The decision to name certain characters after Windows codenames was decided during the second redraft.

Animation and design
On conceiving the world of Cyberchronicles, one decision was to envision technology-related actions in different depictions; email deliveries were represented through hyperspace travel, and folders were towns that stored files, which acted as households.

Release
In a 2013 Aroba press release, it was initially revealed that Cyberchronicles would release in July 2nd, 2014. It was, however, moved back to June 6th to avoid competition of Planetokio, which was to release in that day.

Reception
Coming soon.