Heavy/Getty Tyler Hynes
Tyler Hynes released a unique online film that has been wowing his fans. In fact, it gained so much attention that one of the film’s iterations actually crashed the server hosting the movie.
Hynes Stars in a Short Sci-Fi Film That Has Multiple Versions
ChimeraA scene from Chimera
Hynes’ new short film is called “Chimera.” Fans were able to watch it on a website called experiencechimera.com. (Note: The film has some violent moments, so Hynes issued a content warning.) The site periodically released different iterations of the same film, and has been rapidly attracting attention from fans.
To view each iteration of the film, you had to be able to answer a riddle that served as a barrier to entry. The riddle changes for each new version. The riddle for version V1.1.3 read: “We Are All B…” with seven spaces after the B. Whenever the film switched to a new iteration, the website makes note of which version fans were watching. The version was “V1.1.3” as of March 14 at 3 p.m. Central.
The film is a science fiction movie — a very different genre from Hynes’ Hallmark films. It takes place in 2035, according to Version 1.1.3, and starts out with a shot of a creature walking across a wasteland-looking landscape. The movie mentions a series of unsolved suicides, and then follows a short moment in a character named Kyle’s life (played by Hynes.) Elements of the film make it appear to be apocalyptic in nature.
It’s worth noting that, as Hynes also warns his fans, there are graphic elements to the film, including a depiction of suicide. When he tweets about the movie, he often adds: “WARNING: Chimera contains graphic material. Viewer discretion is advised.”
One Version of the Film Crashed the Server
The final version, called “Merge” or V 1.1.4, premiered on Wednesday, March 15, at approximately 4 p.m. Eastern. This was not a new version of the film, but rather a heartfelt thank you to fans for watching. It included a stream of many visitors’ theories and conversations throughout the experience.
At the moment, there doesn’t appear to be a way to watch the earlier versions of the film.
Each version stayed online for approximately 48 hours. When V 1.1.3 premiered, so many fans wanted to watch it that the server crashed.
Apologies for the server crashing (traffic overload). Thank you for your patience.
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WARNING: Chimera contains graphic material. Viewer discretion is advised.
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Chimera V 1.1.3 should now be live for 48 hrs.Enjoy :)
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WATCH HERE – t.co/vbDxDvSDOl
Link in bio.
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#chimera
Hynes tweeted: “Apologies for the server crashing (traffic overload). Thank you for your patience.”
Fans have been gathering on social media and in the film’s chat room to talk about theories about the movie and what it all might mean. There are a lot of mysteries that we won’t get into here in this story, just in case you are reading and haven’t watched anything yet. But the film is full of mystery, dropping tantalizing clues that viewers are analyzing in-depth.
When V 1.2 went live on March 9, Hynes wrote: “Your attention to detail and speculation has been thrilling to see. Ur interaction with each other couldn’t be more beautiful. Enjoy this next part of the journey. See you in the chatroom ;).”
If you want to join in the discussion, fans are talking about the movie frequently in the Tyler Hynes Official Fan Club on Facebook, where Hynes sometimes drops by to share his own thoughts.
On Instagram after the final version appeared, Hynes wrote: “For those who have asked: ‘what is this chimera thing?’ The above, along with the heavy.com article will illuminate what you’re curious about as close as one can without having experienced it. For those who partook in this moment in time/experience the website now stands as a monument to you. Cause it was you that we were interested in. 10,000+ unique comments, theories, concepts, engagements over the lifespan of these past 12 days. What you see above and on the site is just a small fraction. What this will become, time will tell.”
“Chimera” is vastly different from Hynes’ next project that’s premiering on Hallmark. “A Picture of Her” premieres on March 25 on the Hallmark Channel and stars Hynes and Rhiannon Fish.
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