The film documents a cardboard arcade created by then 9-year-old Caine Monroy, operated from his father's auto parts store in East Los Angeles in mid-2011.
The film's success also led to the creation of similar cardboard arcades in schools worldwide and inspired the formation of the Imagination Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on fostering creativity and entrepreneurship in young people globally.
Before 2011, Caine spent weekends at his father George Monroy's store, where he tried selling various items such as yard signs for sports teams and snacks from vending machines.
The store was located in an industrial area of East Los Angeles with low foot traffic and mainly served as a warehouse for online sales.
[1] In the summer of 2011, Caine discovered several discarded boxes at the store and asked his father's permission to set up an arcade in the front.
Mullick was intrigued by the arcade and spoke to Caine about it, impressed by the business elements, such as the $2 "Fun Pass" offering 500 plays.
[4] On the day of the flash mob, George took Caine out for pizza in the afternoon to allow over one hundred participants time to gather and prepare signs.
Surprised and excited, Caine initially thought he was dreaming but quickly realized it was real and that people were there to play his arcade games.
The film featured an original song called "Caine's Arcade" by local musician Juli Crockett, along with a track by the band Dead Man's Bones, fronted by actor Ryan Gosling.
After three days of the video's release and the donations to Caine's college fund, he began working out the mission statement for the Imagination Foundation.
Three weeks after the follow-up film, volunteers organized over 270 Cardboard Challenge events across 41 countries, including one at Caine's Arcade in Boyle Heights.