Links to really well edited underwater videos?
 

Many divers like to grab their Underwater HD cams and go travel to some exotic place and get some spectacular footage of really bizarre critters and get some resort footage in while they are at it. Sound familiar? ;)

But when it comes to editing style, I don't see anything in the way of good formatting or editing for story telling.

We used to get "Diver's Down" with Mark Stanton which was on some sort of outdoor channel network. He travels all over, interviewing resort owners and others and puts it into a low budget piece, but always appealing in some way.

I really wish I could still get that programming as now I would appreciate dissecting the shot selection and editing style, something that would come easy to film school types but not the rest.

Can anyone recommend some links to some dive travel videos that have really good shot selection and editing styles?

Dave, I've done a fair amount of underwater filming of the Chinook salmon for my 90 minute movie "Journey Home of the Chinook Salmon". It is the first in the world film on the returning Chinook salmon from the Pacific Ocean that took 8 spawning seasons to complete. This year at the International Wildlife Film Festival I received a Honourable Mention Award for cinematography for it. Check it out at my website, Canadian Wildlife Productions: Grizzly Bears, Bighorm Sheep in Alberta & BC Rockies DVD Videos .

Leon Lorenz
Canadian Wildlife Productions: Grizzly Bears, Bighorm Sheep in Alberta & BC Rockies DVD Videos

Dave,

I'd recommend Howard Hall's IMAX work, Tom Campbell, Wes Skiles and Jean Michelle Cousteau's Ocean Adventure series and of course the BBC's Blue Planet. All of these are examples of the kind of world class storytelling and editing that we should all aspire to. A little time on Google should put on the right track for samples or places to buy their DVD's.

You might find the following link helpful:

Underwater Video Podcasts by DiveFilm.com :: Wetpixel.com

There are a large number of short dive films (a few minutes in length.) Many of these have been presented at the San Diego Undersea Film Exhibition, a film festival that has featured serious amateurs and world-renouned professionals (including Chuck Nicklin and Howard Hall). It's a great way to see a lot of styles and approaches to narration, editing, shooting, etc.

Pat

I missed the San Diego Underwater Film Festival. I have seen Chick Nicklin's work and have had a chance to talk with him in the past. I really enjoyed his Lembeh Straits videos. It shows what can be done with a single chip CMOS camera for those that think they need to pay big $ for a 3 CCD rig.


We're doing dive resort videos to help promote either dive destinations and regions or resorts and the diving to be had there. But I would like to improve on the story lines and editing from the basics we've been doing so far so I am looking for ideas.