Fan Casting

Ember. An isolated, underground city with enough supplies for its inhabitants to survive at least 200 years. The goal is to keep humanity safe from an impending apocalyptic disaster. Approximately two hundred and forty-one years after Ember is established, the city′s supplies are in danger of exhaustion and its hydroelectric generator is in decay, causing the power to go out intermittently. At their graduation ceremony, young people are assigned their jobs: Lina Mayfleet is assigned the job of "Pipeworks Laborer" and Doon Harrow is given the job of "Messenger". However, both are displeased with their assigned jobs so they exchange their assignments and begin work in their respective positions. It is revealed that the seventh mayor was Lina’s great-great grandfather and the box with the timed lock is in the cupboard in their house. By now the timer has finished counting down and the lock has clicked opened. When searching the cupboard, Lina’s grandmother finds the box but tosses it aside, not realizing its importance. The opened box is found by Lina’s baby sister, Poppy. When Lina comes home, she finds Poppy with torn pieces of paper in her hands and mouth, Poppy has all but destroyed the instructions. Lina saves the scraps of paper. The writing on the message resembles the writing on labels and books left by the builders in the city. Lina realizes that the document is instructions on how to leave their dying city.