Under the Boardwalk

'Under the Boardwalk' (2023), is a heartwarming animated musical comedy from Paramount Animation, that blends the charm of ‘West Side Story’ with the vibrant energy of the Jersey Shore. The film follows Armen, a land crab from the shore, and Ramona, a sea crab, whose budding romance sparks tension between their contrasting communities. When a storm sweeps them far from home, their love becomes the catalyst for an epic adventure that ultimately heals the rift between their feuding communities. DNEG Animation’s stunning visuals bring to life the 76 minutes of singing crab mayhem, perfectly complementing the film’s heartfelt story of love and reconciliation. 

Directed by David Soren, the DNEG Animation team focused on translating stylized character designs into animation that captured each character’s personality and interactions. Our team faced challenges animating the crabs to express human-like emotions, but drawing inspiration from 2D animation techniques they were able to hit the shapes the director wanted to see. The Rigging and animation teams balanced modern CG with traditional animation styles, achieving the director’s vision.

A unique aspect was creating ‘Crab Sign Language’ for Shelley, a deaf character who communicates through her claws. The team collaborated with sign language consultants to ensure authenticity, especially for a pivotal moment between Shelley and Bobby, avoiding tokenism and creating a meaningful character arc for Shelley.

The production also required custom crab rigging for over 300 variants, choreographed musical numbers, and careful attention to scale, lighting, and environments. Water and sand simulations posed technical challenges, but the team successfully blended realism with stylized design, ensuring the film's visual success.