Under the Boardwalk (2023) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A timid land crab overcomes inherited fear and social division to save the crab he loves and unite two communities.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

Shells Beneath the Boardwalk

Armen lives cautiously among land hermit crabs and avoids water because of his parents' death in a storm. A visit to Bruno's club brings him into direct contact with the opposing sea-crab community.

Key Events

• Boardwalk Crab Community — Land hermit crabs live beneath the boardwalk and resent visiting sea crabs. Characters: Armen, Bobby, Manny, Jimmy Location: Under the New Jersey boardwalk
• Armen Fears the Water — Armen avoids social life because his parents died in a storm when he was young. Characters: Armen Location: Land-crab community
• Trip to Bruno's Club — Bobby, Manny, and Jimmy take Armen to his uncle Bruno's club. Characters: Armen, Bobby, Manny, Jimmy, Bruno Location: Bruno's club
• Club Fight Erupts — Armen bumps into Ramona, and tensions with visiting sea crabs become a fight. Characters: Armen, Bobby, Manny, Jimmy, Bruno Location: Bruno's club

Swept Beyond Home

A confrontation at the seashore leads to Armen losing his shell and being swept away with Ramona. Their separation from home places both characters in captivity and danger.

Key Events

• Land Crabs Evicted — The land crabs are expelled, and frustrated Armen leaves alone. Characters: Armen, Bobby, Manny, Jimmy, Bruno Location: Outside Bruno's club
• Armen Loses His Shell — Armen is confronted, harassed, and stripped of his shell before Ramona intervenes. Characters: Armen, Ramona Location: Seashore
• The Devastating High Tide — A high tide sweeps Armen and Ramona away and devastates the land-crab community. Characters: Armen, Ramona Location: Seashore
• Captured Above the Boardwalk — A human collector captures Armen and places him in an artificial shell. Characters: Armen Location: Far end of the beach
• Reunion in Captivity — Armen reunites with Ramona while both are held away from home. Characters: Armen, Ramona Location: Collector's captivity area

A Journey Across Divides

Armen and Ramona escape and travel through pier attractions while revealing their deepest insecurities. Meanwhile, their disappearance increases conflict between the land and sea communities.

Key Events

• Escape from Captivity — Armen and Ramona escape together and begin searching for a route home. Characters: Armen, Ramona Location: Far end of the beach
• Pierside Confessions — They discuss Armen's fear of leaving his shell and Ramona's pressure to be perfect. Characters: Armen, Ramona Location: Pier attractions
• Rivalry Intensifies — Armen and Ramona's disappearance deepens hostility between the land and sea communities. Characters: Armen, Ramona, Bobby, Manny, Jimmy Location: Land-crab community
• Bobby Questions Violence — While searching for Armen, Bobby begins questioning his habit of using physical force. Characters: Bobby, Armen Location: Beach and boardwalk
• Bobby Breaks the Fight — Bobby tries to stop a violent fight and accidentally breaks an opposing crab's arm. Characters: Bobby, Manny, Jimmy Location: Beach near the boardwalk

War Beneath False Proof

Bobby begins rejecting violence, but a broken arm and a false death claim drive both communities toward war. Armen and Ramona struggle with judgment as their love grows.

Key Events

• The False Death Claim — Armen's shell is presented as false proof of his death, pushing both communities toward war. Characters: Bobby, Manny, Jimmy Location: Land-crab community
• Love Tested by Judgment — Armen hesitates under outside judgment, distressing Ramona as their relationship becomes serious. Characters: Armen, Ramona Location: Pier
• Ramona Collapses — Ramona dehydrates and collapses, forcing Armen to carry her toward the water. Characters: Armen, Ramona Location: Beach

The Sea of Courage

When Ramona collapses from dehydration, Armen carries her through the fighting communities and enters the water despite his deepest fear. Her revival exposes the false story, enables reconciliation, and helps Armen release his past.

Key Events

• Battle Stops for Armen — Armen pushes through the fighting crabs, and both sides stop when they see his sacrifice. Characters: Armen, Ramona, Bobby, Manny, Jimmy Location: Beach between the communities
• Armen Enters the Sea — Armen conquers his fear and submerges Ramona in the water, reviving her. Characters: Armen, Ramona Location: Ocean
• Communities Reconcile — Armen is praised, peace is restored, and the communities celebrate together as he gives away his shell. Characters: Armen, Ramona, Bobby, Manny, Jimmy, Bruno Location: Beach beneath the Jersey sky

Story Breakdown

• Boardwalk Society — The story begins within a divided coastal society of land and visiting sea crabs.
  • Land Crab Community — Armen lives beneath the boardwalk among land hermit crabs.
  • Sea Crab Rivalry — The two crab groups vacation together but cannot tolerate one another.
• Armen's Fear — Armen's traumatic past makes him afraid of water and reluctant to leave his shell.
  • Storm Memories — His parents died in a storm when he was a child.
  • Rotting Shell — His deteriorating shell remains a reminder of his parents and his past.
• Club Conflict — A social outing exposes the hostility between the communities and separates Armen from his friends.
  • Bruno's Club — Armen attends his uncle Bruno's club with Bobby, Manny, and Jimmy.
  • Eviction — A confrontation with visiting sea crabs causes the land crabs to be expelled.
• Lost and Captured — Armen and Ramona are swept away, while Armen is later held as a potential pet.
  • High Tide — The tide carries Armen and Ramona away and devastates their home.
  • Artificial Shell — A collector places Armen in an artificial shell before he reunites with Ramona.
• Love Across Divides — Armen and Ramona grow closer while confronting their personal insecurities and social pressures.
  • Pierside Confessions — Armen discusses his fear, while Ramona reveals the pressure placed upon her.
  • Growing Romance — Their shared journey develops into love despite judgment from others.
• War and Redemption — False accusations and violence lead to a final test in which courage replaces division.
  • False Death Claim — A shell is used as false proof that Armen has died, provoking war.
  • Bobby's Change — Bobby questions violence after accidentally injuring an opposing crab.
• Courage and Peace — Armen defeats his fear, saves Ramona, and helps both communities reconcile.
  • Ocean Rescue — Armen enters the sea and revives Ramona after she collapses from dehydration.
  • Letting Go — Armen gives his shell to an older crab and celebrates a new shared community.

Directed by

David Soren

Key Cast

• Michael Cera — Armen (voice)
• Keke Palmer — Ramona (voice)
• Bobby Cannavale — Bobby (voice)
• John Magaro — Manny (voice)
• Jon Rudnitsky — Jimmy (voice)