The Story

My animation is about a hermit crab with an abnormally large claw. The overbearing claw slows him down and makes it impossible to hunt for a new shell. He must find a way to protect himself before he is eaten by one of the menacing seabirds that patrol the beach for tasty looking crabs.

Here are the Story Beats, Enjoy!


SHELL SHOCK BEATS - V13
Snap is naked and searches for a new shell. He has a large deformed claw that slows him down.

Any shell Snap gets near is snatched up by a faster crab. Snap is forced to get into an old crappy shell that no one wants.

A seagull screeches above and Snap is stuck out in the open as other crabs scramble quickly for safety. A seagull named Flap attacks him.

Snap cannot escape because he is too slow. While Flap starts to crack Snap's shell open with his beak, another seagull interferes and tries to eat him also.

Snap falls into a rock crevice and is safe for the moment. Flap and the other seagull leave him alone and attack another crab nearby.

Snap pokes his head out and sees the two birds ripping the crab apart. He also notices the crab's pristine shell drop to the ground.

Snap climbs out and sees that the coast is clear. He tries to rush over to the shell but another crab snatches it up. He gets upset and strikes the ground with his deformed claw making huge cracks shoot and split along the entire rock formation.

He strikes the ground again and rocks break loose from above causing a small avalanche that stops at his feet. He realizes his claw is super strong and gets an idea.

Snap carves a new shell out of stone.

Snap continues his search wearing his new shell. Flap spots him again and attacks.  Snap is even slower with the stone shell; Flap snatches him up whole and flies away.

Flap tries to swallow Snap but can’t and spits him out. Snap falls into the water below and sinks to the bottom where he has never been. His shell gets wedged between two rocks.

A passing sea urchin pokes Snap. He has landed in a patch of sea urchins and they all start to move towards him thinking he is an intruder.

He tries to pull his shell from the rocks but it is stuck. He leaves his shell and escapes to the surface.

Gasping for air he thinks about what just happened and gets an idea.

Snap is out in the open walking around. Flap screeches above and once again, Snap is stuck out in the open as other crabs scramble quickly for safety. Snap carries on with his business.

Flap tries to attack him but suddenly stops. The large sea urchin-like spikes on Snap’s shell intimidate flap. They both have a momentary standoff and go their separate ways.

Snap walks away, untouchable with his homemade spike shell.  A perfect looking seashell sits where he was just standing.