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e d i t i o n 4 , 2 0 1 8 | c g w 2 5 t's hard to visualize the expansive digital world we call the Internet, a global system of interconnected computer networks that link people, places, and all things. But for the CG animated feature film Ralph Breaks the Internet, that is exactly what the artists at Walt Disney Anima- tion Studios had to do. Then, they had to build it and bring this massive "invisible" world to life. Ralph Breaks the Internet is a sequel to the 2012 film Wreck-It Ralph; in that film, the perpetual video-game antagonist Wreck-It Ralph sheds his villainous reputation by redeeming himself among his fellow game characters, who socialize outside their game roles when Litwak's arcade closes at night. During that quest, he befriends Princess Vanellope von Schweetz, a little girl with a big penchant for high-octane racing in Sugar Rush, a candy-themed kart racing game. Ralph Breaks the Internet picks up six years later in the arcade, as Vanellope finds herself on the verge of losing her game unless a difficult-to-find part for Sugar Rush can be located. Where can a person find such an item? On the Internet, of course. So Ralph and Vanellope travel to this mysterious place via a newly installed Wi-Fi router in the arcade to locate the obsolete steering wheel and prevent Sugar Rush from becoming permanently unplugged. Ralph Breaks the Internet is Disney's 57th animated feature, directed by Rich Moore and Phil Johnston, who shares writing credit with Pamela Ribon. Moore directed the original Ralph as well as the Oscar-winning Zootopia (2016), with Johnston also serving as a writer on those films. "We wondered if there was more to the story [of Wreck-It Ralph]," says Moore, who, along with the rest of the team, transported the lumbering Ralph (John C. Reilly) and feisty Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) from the arcade to the Internet. Joining the pair are some characters from the pre- vious film as well as many new ones, including Yesss (Taraji P. Henson), an entrepreneur and head of the media site BuzzzTube, and Shank (Gal Gad- ot), a tough-as-nails avatar from the online racing game Slaughter Race. Throughout the film, Ralph and Vanellope are put to the test. The same can be said of the entire production team on this film. Building the Internet Where does one even begin when it comes to conceptualizing and bringing the Internet to life on the big screen? Aer all, it is a gigantic, complex world – one that creates awe when Ralph and Vanellope first see it. The artists wanted that same reaction from audiences. Before anything, the team had to understand how the Internet and websites work, and then translate that concept from something akin to a board grid to a land with hubs. "We wanted a metropolis feel, but sort of abstract," says Ernie Petti, technical supervisor, who interfaced with all the departments on solving the technical challenges that would arise. The design team conceptualized the Internet as a cityscape – "the biggest city you've ever seen," says Petti. It is filled with wires and boxes and districts, and teeming with brands (some real, some not) from all over the world. To keep their vision current during the four years of production while the actual Internet continually changed, the group focused on its main pillars – shopping, online gaming, and so forth. New Steps in Worldbuilding "We came away from Zootopia with the ability to build a world as big as that city – with distinct districts that were all fully realized and uniquely populated on a scale that was mind-blowing," Moore says. "The tech- nology here has taken a huge step forward in the last few years, and we I Images ©2018 Disney