To properly realize handheld camerawork within the confines of an entirely animated world, Surf’s Up was often filmed through a means that the directors described as “ motion-capture for the camera.” Animators and a layout team had to create a whole 360-degree digital world for the penguin characters to inhabit, rather than just the items that would be in a given shot. Speaking of visuals, Surf’s Up especially deserves more recognition for its groundbreaking animation and filming techniques. Whereas Happy Feet strove for realism in its character designs, Surf’s Up embraced cartoony designs and a juxtaposition of sandy beaches and penguins, both of which leave reality far behind. Plus, despite being told through the “grounded” means of a mockumentary format, putting these critters in a sunny environment makes Surf’s Up the kind of story that could only be accomplished through animation. By setting the story in a tropical environment, it was impossible to confuse Surf’s Up with the likes of Happy Feet or March of the Penguins. Surf’s Up also managed to stand out thanks to one critical detail that cemented its unique identity compared to other penguin-centric films. The latter element proves especially amusing in a standout scene where adversarial surfer Tank ( Diedrich Bader) shows off his various trophies and their names to the camera crew. This affords lots of fun opportunities for unique bursts of comedy that you couldn’t do in a traditional animated feature, including cameras getting knocked over, mics slipping into the frame, or direct interviews with the fictional characters. Though it gets dropped for a handful of larger set pieces, Surf’s Up largely commits to emulating a documentary style of shooting within this penguin-populated world. RELATED: Exclusive Video Interviews from the SURF’S UP Premiere in Hawaii But those familiar tendencies are used as a template for more daring storytelling and filmmaking choices, including the mockumentary filming style. Certain characters, like Chicken Joe ( Jon Heder), fit right into the archetypes you’d expect to find in any American animated kid's movie. The plot for Surf’s Up is nothing extraordinarily unique. Plus, he’s managed to stumble onto a potential coach in the form of Big Z ( Jeff Bridges), a penguin surfing legend that went missing years earlier. But an opportunity to participate in a surfing competition on the sunny tropical shores of Pen-Gu Island means that Maverick has his shot.
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