KAWELA — Sony Animated Pictures unveiled scenes last night of its animated penguin-surfing movie, "Surf's Up," featuring the voices of real-life pro surfers Kelly Slater, Rob Machado and Sal Masekela.

The idea behind "Surf's Up," said producer Chris Jenkins, is to bring the concept of "soul surfing" to the nonsurfers and "take them down a wave."

"It's about the feeling you get when you're out on the water," Jenkins said last night at a press reception at Ola restaurant at the Turtle Bay Resort.

The movie will be released in theaters in June.

Slater, Machado and Masekela play animated versions of themselves, helping to chronicle the surfing rise of a teenage penguin named Cody Maverick.

Cody leaves his home in Shiverpool, Antarctica, to compete in the Big Z Memorial Surf Off, inspired by a legendary penguin surfer named The Geek (played by Jeff Bridges).

The concept, Jenkins said, was inspired by the actual legend of Hawai'i big-wave rider Greg Noll.

During his journey through the world of big-wave surfing, Cody meets penguins such as a surf promoter voiced by actor James Woods.

Slater called making the movie "definitely a different experience," including seeing his penguin character come to life.

"They just made him bald like me and wearing white because I wear a white wetsuit," Slater said.

In the recording studio, Slater and Machado described Masekela as the loudest of the three and the undisputed group leader.

"I basically play a hyped-up version of myself," Masekela said last night. "It's me as a penguin with dreadlocks."

Asked if they would participate in a potential "Surf's Up II" sequel, Masekela spoke for the group and said, "That's definitely the plan. ... III and IV would be nice, too."

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com.