"Of Shark and Man" Promo Teaser Trailer!

 

I've been a little quiet on here the last three weeks and there's been a very good reason for that.

On Saturday I screened a special promo teaser trailer for "Of Shark and Man" at the Bite-Back Charity Ball, an annual event run by the excellent Bite-Back shark conservation group, an organisation I support, run by some fantastic people with a real commitment to shark conservation so it was a pleasure to be involved and give the attendees a sneak preview of what to expect from "Of Shark and Man."

This year's event was sponsored by Fiji Me and the guests were made up of members of the media and dive community and was also attended by the acting High Commissioner for Fiji and his wife and like all Fijians, they were a joy to spend time with.

The deadline I had was almost impossible to hit but I managed it...Just! The trailer was finished at 3am on Friday morning and I was up to catch a train at 5.30am, the obligatory technical problems of editing HD video on a laptop using software that often doesn't work properly meant I was unable to avoid "squeaky bum time" but I just about managed it. It is by no means perfect however, it gives the first full concept of what you as a viewer can expect from the finished film.

You wanna see the world's biggest Bull sharks in the kind of numbers you won't see anywhere else? You want a totally different perspective on shark conservation? You want a bit of drama? You'll find it all here.

However, there's a catch. This isn't for public consumption so you won't find it anywhere, even on this blog, no embedding, no facebook, no file sharing, nowhere, so how do you get to see it? Easy...

Sign up to the mailing list at www.officetoocean.com just below the "Behind Blue Glass" trailer. There is no spamming, no data collection or any of that nonsense, just updates on this film and future projects so if you want to see it, sign up, it takes sixty seconds. The trailer is hosted privately so you can't see it without a link or a password, this info will be sent out on Monday October 3rd to everyone on the mailing list.

The trailer lasts four minutes and nine seconds and I think you'd agree the leap in quality from previous projects is quite obvious, as for the shark footage, that kinda speaks for itself, Beqa Lagoon is head and shoulders above anywhere else in the world for Bull Sharks and it shows.

Spread the word, get your friends to sign up, things are just about to get exciting...

I will also have "Making it Happen part 4" coming soon, along with news about "Behind Blue Glass" so keep checking back!

As always, I welcome your comments, don't be shy and let me know what you think!

David

Films don't just make themselves!

 

Well yeah that's a fairly obvious statement but seeing as the lack of internet put paid to the video diaries about the crew I figured it would be nice to do a little blog about the people who helped me make "Of Shark and Man."

Probably the most important member of my crew was someone who has been with me on this since day one when I first came up with the idea not for this film, but the whole "From the Office to the Ocean" concept when I brought it up over a few beers in his garden a couple of years ago. 

 

He's been mentioned regularly on this blog in the past but Hamish Harper has been invaluable to me for a number of different reasons. From the second I first came up with the idea, Hamish was the only person aside from myself who had the faith and belief that I could make this happen and he immediately got on board and offered his services in whatever capacity I needed. Hamish's greatest strength is his ability to perfectly balance creativity and practicality and has provided me with the most vital element of support before and during filming, which only a tiny handful of people have done, and that is to give a constant stream of encouragement and enthusiasm, when I needed help, advice, encouragement or just a pick-me-up, it was Hamish who would do it.

 

It was Hamish who helped me shoot the teaser trailer, who introduced me to the Cameras Underwater crew, who found me a cameraman (see below) and who in Fiji operated as sound man, photographer, cameraman and general diving guru and provider of musical light relief and entertainment at which he was very, very good. Hamish's involvement won't stop there either as we will be doing some UK based filming and he will be involved with "From the Office..." moving forward as well. A great bloke, a great friend and a huge part of the making of this film.

 

Believe it or not the original plan, way back when, was for me to spend a year writing a book, that's what "From the Office..." was originally intended to be, then after encouragement from Jim Standing at Fourth Element I decided to go down the route I had always wanted to follow and that was film. Originally intending to spend the vast majority of time behind the camera, I was intent on doing the lion's share of the filming myself but when it became clear I would actually need to be in front of the camera most of the time it became apparent that I would need a professional cameraman and a good one at that. 

Having worked with him in the past, Hamish recommended Hugh Fairs so I called him up, he liked the idea and said if I could make it happen to count him in. I like to think I'm pretty good behind a camera but for this film I needed someone much better, with more experience and greater technical awareness and after twenty five years in the industry Hugh has that pretty well covered! Both topside and underwater, I learned a great deal from Hugh during the process of filming and that will stand me in great stead moving forward both behind and in front of the camera. One of the most important things was being able to guarantee that the footage we shot would look great so a very good cameraman was a must and Hugh is most certainly a very good cameraman! During an edit, it becomes much more enjoyable to work with great looking footage and it opens up more possibilities within the film's structure and in this case, I can't wait to start because the footage looks brilliant!

 

Without doubt the most vital component in all this happening in the first place is Fiji Me and in particular, the amazing Jane West and Martin Harlow. When others didn't want to know, Jane and Martin had the cojones to take a big gamble on an unknown quantity and put their money up to make it happen. They immediately saw the idea I had for what it was and were nothing other than incredibly supportive, enthusiastic and passionate not just about the film, but about the conservation message. Without Jane and Martin, this whole thing would not have happened full stop and when times were hard, when I was unsure whether anyone would be interested in what I was doing, Jane and Martin were there to give encouragement and support and because of them one of my life's dreams came true.

For Fiji Me the conservation message isn't just fluff to sell a product, it's something they believe in and support and as further proof, off the back of this film, Fiji Me are sponsoring this year's Bite Back charity fundraising evening for shark conservation. Jane and Martin aren't just amazing people, they are an asset to tourism, to Fiji and passionate lovers of Fijian people.

It's no secret I am a huge fan of the Canon DSLR range of cameras and obviously, to shoot a professional film, you need professional cameras and because of Canon, I am in the privileged position of owning and using the Canon 7D and an assortment of lenses, they even gave me use of the 10-22mm wide angle lens for the making of both "Behind Blue Glass" and "Of Shark and Man" for nothing!

This whole film was shot almost entirely (Go Pro footage aside) on Canon cameras (two 7Ds and a 550D with 10-22, 15-75, 70-300 and 50mm lenses and even the tiny Ixus 100) and the footage speaks for itself. Canon were behind me as soon as  approached them and have been supportive and enthusiastic since the moment they became a firm part of "From the Office to the Ocean" and because of them, I can now get the results I want. A special thank you to David Fidler and the brilliant Alan Harborne, it's a privilege to be a small part of the Canon family.

 

Alex Tattersall, a great bloke, an amazing photographer (see above image) and a man who got me out of a pretty sticky situation regarding housings for our 7Ds. Alex runs www.uwvisions.com/ and is a distributor for Nauticam housings which I can know confirm if they weren't aware already, are Bull Shark proof! (click the link for the video, I haven't decided when more clips will be made available but when I do, I will let you all know!)

 

The Fijian people are some of the greatest individuals on the planet, friendly, always smiling and always happy to talk to a pasty Mancunian with a camera in his hands, they are the real stars of this film. Fiji is a beautiful place, paradise in fact and this is augmented by its wonderful, wonderful people who, when they weren't joking about eating us, were all too happy to help with anything we needed and made us feel enormously welcome throughout the whole month. An extra special thanks to the people of Galoa village who allowed me into their homes and made me feel like a genuine part of the village, something I am hugely humbled by and as of now, I consider Galoa my special Fijian village.

The people of Fiji are undoubtedly behind the protection of their sharks and are refreshingly well informed about shark conservation. This tiny dot on the map is now on the brink of some major positive changes in the shark conservation world and that is down to its strongest, most valuable asset, the people themselves.

 

I have learned more about the process of film-making this last year from Liam Wright at Banter Media than from anyone else. Liam and I have worked together in the past and became friends after he interviewed me for a film he was making and who then worked alongside me on "Behind Blue Glass." Liam is an impressive individual who has built a successful production company from the ground up and is still in his mid-twenties. Always ready to offer advice and support, Liam has been vital in my development both creatively and perhaps more importantly, technically and has offered both his and the services of his team to me regularly this last six months when he was already snowed under with other work and for that I will be forever grateful. In the event I secure the post production budget I need, it will be with Liam and the BM boys and girls that I undertake the entire post production process and I have a feeling Liam will be involved throughout the lifespan of "From the Office..." or at least I hope he will, he's a very busy boy after all!

 

Last but not least is the unsung hero of "From the Office..." and along with the rest of the Nerve Engine boys, my best  mate for well over ten years, Kris Allen. Kris is responsible for my website and is forever providing technical advice to a total computer moron (err...guess who!) who also designs the graphics I use online and in emails. Without Kris, these promo materials would have to be done by me and ergo, would look utterly dreadful so at the expense of his own time, Kris helps me look good! Not only is Kris a thoroughly brilliant fella with tonnes of tech-knowledge, he is also a talented musician who has a new band in Leeds called Shields alongside another of my closest friends, the insanely talented Owen Wilson (not him, the "other" one!)

Big thanks to all the above! As you will have noticed I have been rather prolific on the blogging front of late and there are more to come in the coming days, I actually started this on Saturday so I am still catching up with a ton of work as we speak but there will be more Shark Week reviews coming, hopefully a photo special from Fiji and also, as promised, an in depth blog about how I actually managed to make this absurd concept actually become reality!

Spread the word, join the mailing list and the Facebook group and get in touch, your involvement is both encouraged and welcomed!

david@officetoocean.com

Upping the ante!

So, our time here is running out...FAST! I wanna apologise again for the lack of updates but for the last week or so we have been sans internet which has been very frustrating but hey, I'm in the South Pacific, what did I expect?!

The other thing which hasn't been going according to plan either is the weather, the last week or so has seen pretty miserable skies, tonnes of rain and a fair bit of wind meaning surface conditions aren't great and the viz in the water has been variable to say the least. With visibility in mind, it's a bit of a double edged sword, on one hand, the murkier water makes the Bulls in particular more energetic, more unpredictable and they get closer, very close! However, with all that cool stuff going on, the murky water also makes the capture of these sequences very difficult, more action, less clarity. C'est la vie!

Speaking of getting close, that's what the final stages of production will be all about getting even closer to these animals. Being within touching distance of what may be the biggest Bull Sharks in the world is a pretty awe-inspiring experience, to move away from the confines of the walls and barriers which are expertly patrolled by the safety team ensuring all guests leave fully intact is no small matter.

 

Do I think I'm ready to take those next steps? Yes, of course, is it up to me? Hell no! You can't just go and play around with these sharks if you don't know what you're doing or have an understanding of how to handle both yourself and them. Will I be nervous? Yeah, probably a bit but that's not a bad thing, I have no intention of trying to be a hero and if I get the chance and don't feel comfortable, I will say so, there would be no shame in that because not many people at all get to venture out there, certainly not many like me!

 

This film is about relationships, convictions in one's beliefs and courage and all three relate back to the sharks here, my relationship and growing level of communication with these sharks, my relationship with Mike and everyone I meet here in Fiji, and just as important, my relationship with myself but remember this isn't all about me. The courage and belief these amazing people in Fiji have displayed in establishing, protecting and servicing a one off shark diving site which has now become, in my opinion, THE model for shark conservation for the rest of the world to follow is one hell of an achievement. What we can only hope is that there are more people like Mike and his team in other parts of the world with the courage to use this model and really get stuck into saving sharks. I hope so, but I fear not.

 

Going over "the edge" could be a metaphor for many things but in essence it is what it is, challenging one's self to test his own beliefs and ideals of himself and the sharks he loves so much and trusting that they play along. It's about respect, first and foremost respect for the animals, then respect for people putting you in this situation and then, that these guys with perhaps more experience with what lazy wordsmiths refer to as "The World's Most Dangerous Shark" than anyone else on the planet, trust that I am capable of doing it right and that hopefully they respect the reasons why I am doing it and end up respecting me. It's not for the "buzz," will it be a buzz? Of course it will, is that why I want to do it? No. It is all about the above and hopefully putting out a message that "Shark Week" ain't the bastion of all shark truths, quite the opposite in fact.

Anyway, what else? I went out with Hamish this morning to film Papa and Toombi laying the bait bins at around 6am. Now, different people find enjoyment in different things, watching telly, playing sport, playing music, taking all manner of illegal chemicals, whatever, I don't judge so don't judge me when I say getting up at 5am to dump bins full of fish heads in to the sea was a blast. Going down with the bin in that eerie pre-daylight, pre-humanised world and being circled by five friendly (and totally non-threatening) Grey Reef Sharks and joined briefly by a big Bull and a Whitetip Reef Shark was, well, it was mint! Also great to spend some time with Hamish and the unlucky B.A.D Boys who got rostered with the early morning, watching a beautiful sunrise and smelling of rotting tuna. Seriously, that is my idea of fun and I want to do it again, in fact, a proper early morning dive down there would be even better but I don't see that happening.

 

As for the film itself, I'm getting there but this last week ain't gonna be a holiday. There is still a shed load to do, will we pull it off? I sure hope so but time is running out so there is a lot of sweat and tears to go, no blood though as these sharks are thankfully, pretty well behaved...Usually! There are already a few I have become particularly fond of, the really heavy set, powerful and dominant Bulls, Maite, Grandma and Gill and a Grey Reef Shark called Tootsie, although Mike usually refers to Tootsie as "an arsehole" due to her very forthright, confident and aggressive nature but all that makes her a great performer. I prefer "Tootsie."

The big story is still no Tiger and I am starting to get a horrible sinking feeling we won't get one whilst we are here, the day one did turn up, "Adi," I was not diving, instead I was either throwing up or asleep due to a 24 hour bug or some dodgy Heineken, I wasn't told to give the canned beers a swerve here due to issues before so having one as a treat before bed turned into something rather grisly a few hours later but the less said about that the better!

Due to internet issues we have been unable to upload any more video diaries which is a real shame however, to compensate, if we cannot do so in the remaining week, I'll pop a load of stuff up online when I get back by way of an apology to you all.

Finally, Alex and Lisa, tell Sam and Charlie that Uncle David is bringing them back some shark teeth and they couldn't be fresher, a couple of them popped out of the mouths of some very big sharks right before my very eyes, pretty cool eh?

After having said the weather is finally improving, it's just started raining again...Bugger. Let's hope Dakuwaqa gives me a boost and throws some good fortune my way, I want this Tiger so badly...

Boundaries and Barriers

 

We're almost half way through production of "Of Shark and Man" now and the brevity of what I am actually doing is finally totally sinking in. I'm not only directing, producing and promoting my first feature length film, I am doing it with a crew of only three, on the other side of the world where life is very different to what I am used to back home and you then have the added fact that I am doing it surrounded by up to 100, yep that's ONE HUNDRED huge Bull Sharks. This is a big, big task to pull this off but hey, pull it off we are!

I have managed to see more of Fiji than just the beaches and underwater. Alfie here at Uprising, who has been nothing short of superb, took us to the mountains that lead into the jungle the other day and the scenery was stunning, really stunning. A pterodactyl circling the various huge mounts wouldn't have been out of place!

 

We have also been to Fiji's capital, Suva, twice to film and do some interviews with Alfie (above is a pic of us both looking super cool whilst being filmed by Hugh) and it's a great place, very photogenic and tonnes of atmosphere.

It has become clear to me that this experience is about boundaries and barriers. I am most passionate about integrating myself with the locals and in particular Mike and his amazing staff. I have the utmost respect for them all and I hope that when I leave, they can feel some respect for me also. Today Mike even implied he will be a little sad when I leave so I think he's starting to become quite attached to me being here...eh Mike? ;)

The other connection I want to make is with the sharks. I have begun to enter into the unspoken dialogue with the sharks here on Shark Reef and I am aiming to increase that communication further in the remaining dives. It's a relationship, you respect them, hopefully they have at least a modicum of respect for you, if that isn't there then you can forget them either a) coming close to you and b) seeing you as something other than a vulnerable flapping idiot in the water and I would hope that isn't the case with me! 

Watching Shark Week or just general shark shows on television does not prepare you for the experience of diving with sharks on Shark Reef. I have dived with many different species in many different places but things are very different here. If you're a "shark hugger," forget it, they don't care and will make mincemeat out of you at the drop of a hat. These sharks are enormous, if I didn't know better I would half think Mike had grown these giant Bull Sharks in a lab somewhere to do his bidding as and when he wishes. Speaking of communication with sharks, it's not a generic thing, you can't just open a "dialogue" with sharks and expect them to listen. It;s species and location specific, here on Shark Reef, the level of understanding Mike and the boys have with these animals is astonishing, it really is a two-way street and to watch how Rusi, Manasa and Tumbi control the feeds is a glorious thing to behold, man and shark in a symbiotic relationship where the sharks have learned a specific way to behave during these feeds. Of course this can never be fully controlled but here is possibly the best example in the world of how to do it.

I am learning so much not just about the art of film-making, how to communicate with the sharks here and the general ins and outs of "Shark Heaven" but mostly about myself and of what I am capable in these situations. I am so relaxed around these animals, sometimes I have to pinch myself to appreciate the situation I am in. There is also a heightened sense of awareness and when these two sensations allign, it's a feeling of pure joy and experience. I want to earn the respect of the B.A.D Boys enough to continue to get even closer to these sharks and experience Shark Reef to the fullest of my ability and to earn the respect of the people who see the shark as a God, I feel a kinship with them, I can only hope that can be reciprocated by the time I leave.

Today I did a dive on Shark Reef on a non-feed day for a specific section of the film and wow, what an experience, nine Bull Sharks allowed me into their back yard to watch them behave as they would normally and the point of this? To disprove that these shark feeding areas become more dangerous to ordinary divers, they don't and there's no proof, in fact, today we got the benefit these feed sites can give, guaranteed, chilled out sharks that were all too happy to have us there, no aggression, no threat, just two different animals hanging out. Brilliant!!

The film is really taking shape, I'm slowly getting my tan and Mike is giving me the impression that when I leave, his "little Swiss heart" will actually break...What's not to like?!

Please cross all your crossables for me for a Tiger Shark to turn up as well. One has but it was the day we weren't diving and my new friends from Broadreach got a hell of a show in our absence, gutted for me, delighted for them. I want a Tiger so bad it hurts!

See you soon, sorry for the lack of pics, the internet connection here is painfully slow!

One final thing, Jane West and Martin Harlow at Fiji Me, thank you, you made my dreams come true, I just hope I can repay the faith you have shown in me.

Just hope it stops raining now!

What a load of Bulls!

 

We've been in Fiji now for four full days and the reality of everything is now sinking in through a haze of exhaustion, excitement and the realisation of the task in hand, oh and Mike Neumann's endless jealous remarks about my delightful, milky complexion, cultivated over a year of not really going outside at all.

What can I say about this place? It really is amazing for a whole host of reasons, the weather is outstanding, sure there's been a bit of rain but it's still warm when it does, and lovely and hot when it doesn't, what's not to like?! From our four days here there are two stand out reasons why Fiji is an incredible place though, the people and the sharks.

 

I have had numerous encounters with sharks in many different parts of the world but let me say this and I urge you to take it on board...There is nowhere in the world that offers the kind of diving offered here by Beqa Adventure Divers, nowhere. It is breathtaking and nothing can prepare you for the sheer number of Bull Sharks and also their size, they are huge, really huge!

 

When you have upwards of forty big Bull Sharks and they are coming nose to nose with you (literally!) and you feel that connection between you and them, it is the kind of feeling which puts everything into perspective, all those dreams I have had my whole life are coming true every day and to be honest, it's something I am trying not to overstate, the shark diving here in Beqa, at Shark Reef, is without question THE best in the world that I know of. Bulls, Tawny Nurse Sharks, Whitetip and Blacktip Reef and Grey Reef Sharks are everywhere, you can't turn around without seeing a shark and where else in the world can offer you that? It is mind blowing!

We have done four of these dives now with many, many more to come and we are starting to be allowed to get closer to the action which is quite humbling because this is no cowboy operation. Thes things can't be rushed and if they don't think we are ready, then we don't go closer, simple as that. The staff here, from the receptionist Nani to Mike himself are top notch, not only do they have a world beating shark dive, but they have world beating staff. Friendly, passionate, knowledgeable and most important of all, they have an understanding of the sharks and their behaviour which puts them up there amongst the best, probably the best on the planet. For me to watch and learn from them is truly an honour, it is also refreshing to have seen another side to Mike, those of you who read his blogs may be interested to know he is exactly the same in real life but having had the pleasure of sitting with him watching his shark footage today, what is blindingly clear is that he loves sharks with a passion and respect that I can obviously relate to and with an astonishing level of knowledge.

 

The concept of putting divers in such close proximity to huge, dangerous sharks without the use of a cage is of course a controversial one but here is proof it can be done and to the extreme, we had about sixty Bulls alone on our first dive and to control a situation like that takes the best people, with the best training and with an understanding of shark behaviour the anti-shark feeding, armchair pseudo scientists would do well to look at and learn from. This isn't something just anybody can do and that speaks volumes for all of Mike's staff.

 

Filming has begun of course and we have met and spoken with some wonderful people and I can also confirm that this film will feature footage, never seen before in the world by anyone, seriously, animal behaviour which has to be seen to be believed. 

This certainly isn't a holiday let me assure you, only now, at half midnight local time have I found time to do a blog and send an email, the days are long, it's hot and aside from filming I have the arduous task of downloading and logging all footage shot by myself, Hugh and Hamish who also took these photos by the way. However, I'm having a blast and I cannot speak highly enough of Alfie and all the staff at Uprising Beach Resort who have been exceptional, welcoming and warm throughout our stay here and also put us up in two beautiful villas right on the beach!

I visited the village of Galoa the other day and they were kind enough to let me film there and that has been one of the highlights. They live in what many Brits would describe as "poverty" but their warmth was very humbling, plus, they never stopped smiling and you haven't seen the happiest kids in the world til you come here, everyone is always smiling, it makes a lovely change!

 

 

 

OK, it's late, I'm tired and I still have work to do so that's it for now but keep checking back and I'll keep updating you and if Fiji's broadband will let me, I'll put some video up soon too!

Bula Vinaka!

T-Minus 73 hours! What to expect while I'm in Fiji...

Twelve months and eleven days ago I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock and the sense of dread that another week lay ahead doing something I didn't want to do, purely so I could merely exist and scrape by in the world, that was when I said to myself, "sod this, I've had enough" and decided to go after what I have wanted my entire life. In the doom and gloom, recession laden UK it seemed an absurd thing to do, no experience, no money, no support system, no contacts or links to the film industry and no idea of how to start putting this whole thing together.

Now, I am only three days away from boarding the plane to Fiji, with one film under my belt, to make a film I have wanted to for the last fifteen or so years, if you don't mind me saying, it is a hell of an achievement I have got this far. With that in mind, I hope you take from this that it is possible to change your life for the better, with hard work, dedication, commitment and a never say die attitude, ordinary people like us, from average working class backgrounds, can achieve the things we believe in.

So, what can you expect while I am out there? Firstly, you can be sure you will be with me every step of the way and 'll be updating you with blogs, video blogs, behind the scenes footage and photos, not only from me but also my crew, Hamish Harper and Hugh Fairs. You will get all that here on this blog, my Twitter, the Facebook Group and the Youtube Page and for the extra special, first in the queue updates, scroll to below the trailer on the front page and join the mailing list!

I intend to answer the kind of questions I always wanted the answers for on these types of adventures that people never seem to answer, unlike all the other film shoots that give the fortunate few a chance to chase adventure around the world, this is not a closed house, I'll tell you how we are doing things, what gear we are using, what problems we are facing and give a real insight into what it is like to be doing this, I want to inspire you to follow your dreams, if I can also help by letting you in on the "secrets" behind my adventure, then that will do for me.

 

What about the film itself? "Of Shark and Man" tells two stories, firstly the story of how one man's desperate urge to fulfill his lifelong ambition leads him to take the ultimate risk, gamble everything and actually manage to achieve that dream, secondly, this film will tell the full story of Shark Reef. This will be the most in-depth and detailed film in existence, about this incredible story and will be different to anything else out there that deals with sharky subject matter. You'll meet the people at the core of what is, in my opinion, one of the greatest marine conservation success stories ever, you'll get a totally different insight into why shark conservation and a healthy shark population is a good thing, it will look and sound different to all the other shark films and perhaps most importantly, will give you, the viewer, the credit of being able to think for yourselves. This isn't a pious, chest beating declaration of impending doom or ego driven shark porn, this is for the sharks and for you, the ordinary man on the street who has been, for the most part, neglected as a target audience for intelligent pro-shark media.

Sound good? It will be...

I can't stress enough, this film has been driven by passion, honesty, will and positivity, all of which is geared towards making something artistically creative, cool and informative, not with agenda driven statistics, but with facts, to me, it's all about inspiration, heart and soul.

 

When this is all done, I will be able to look at it and know that I went from nothing to finally having a finished product and I did it my way and I did it on my own, however, there are some things one individual simply cannot do and without a small band of incredible people, this film would not be getting made at all. These are the people and organisations at the core of what I hope to achieve, not just with "Of Shark and Man" but with all my future films, inspirational, enthusiastic, positive people who walk the walk and people who had the courage to get behind someone the vast majority wouldn't even bother responding to emails from. These are people who I admire, respect and for whom I will have enormous gratitude until my dying day.

Martin and Jane at Fiji Me have been nothing less than amazing and they are the reason I am going in the first place as it is they who are the primary sponsor of this film. They haven't just provided sponsorship though, they have worked tirelessly the last six months or so and have given invaluable enthusiasm and support in what has been an exceptionally difficult time. In short, they have been a dream come true.

 

Mike Neumann at Beqa Adventure Divers (here he is stuck on the business end of a local Tiger Shark called Scarface) has been an invaluable source of advice and information, along with positive words and guidance when needed the most. I wanted to tell this story in the best way possible and I wouldn't have wanted to do it with anyone else. Thankfully, he had already heard of me by the time I contacted him when he was passed an article I wrote for DIVER Magazine a couple of years ago and from that and me chancing upon it when googling myself (ahem, yeah...) a beautiful friendship has gone from strength to strength and in a few days we'll be sharing a beer over some nice food and shooting the sharky breeze. I can't wait.

Canon  have been incredibly generous and supportive and both Alan and Dave have been brilliant. I couldn't be happier to be endorsed by these guys for the simple reason that the Canon DSLRs which are revolutionising the film industry are the best things to happen to underwater film-makers for years, they are the dog's dangly bits and I can see myself using them for years. Not only do they look better than many of the six figure price dedicated film cameras, they are also a lot cheaper and give greater artistic flexibility. I am smitten.

Mario Vitalini, Dave Glanfield and Paul Duxfield have been with me since the start of this journey and are an invaluable source of advice, information and support, they're also just about to launch their new venture and their help and the help from their colleagues at Cameras Underwater has been outstanding.

Believe it or not, "From the Office to the Ocean" was originally intended to be a book (and will be one day) but it was during a conversation with Jim Standing of Fourth Element that the concept of making it a series of films came about. I had always wanted it to be that way, however I thought it would be impossible, it seems that thankfully I was wrong and the Fourth Element guys have been with me since day one. They make the best and coolest looking dive gear around and in the Proteus, the most comfortable, warmest and best looking 5mm wetsuit I have ever used.

These companies and people have either provided funding, equipment or advice but all have given encouragement, guidance and support which has got me to where I am today. I would also like to extend the warmest welcome to the newest member of the "from the Office..." family, Alex Tattersall and Underwater Visions, the UK's primary distributor for Nauticam Underwater Housings. My camera is now my livelihood so putting it in water is nerve wracking enough, putting it in water filled with very big sharks is off the scale so confidence in its protection is vital and these housings are pretty much bullet proof. Both myself and Hugh are now proud owners of the NA-7D and not only did Alex get us out of not one, but two potential disasters, he's also a photographic genius, see the pic of the Lionfish above which he actually took whilst I was next to him and remains to this day one of my favourite photos ever.

I contacted hundreds of individuals and companies for support in the making of this film and the guys above were the small handful with the cojones to back me and with the desire to support grassroots, pro-shark media and I couldn't be prouder to be associated with them all.

I just want to point out as well that donations made by a number of generous people, some of whom I have never met in my life have also got me to this position. The Indiegogo campaign raised $1000 alone and that this came from ordinary people who must be going through financially tough times like everyone else, means the world and I cannot wait to start giving you the goodies when I get back. You are all amazing!

In three days my life is going to change for ever and I can't wait. full speed ahead Beqa Lagoon!!

Oh by the way, don't forget, "Behind Blue Glass" is coming soon...

Behind Blue Glass - Finished!

Great news about Behind Blue Glass, after a total of approximately one thousand man hours work, the film is now finished! A master DVD is ready and the full HD 1080p version is exporting as we speak, twenty hours in, only fourteen more hours to go!

From day one, this was a big task, not only was it my first ever attempt at making a film having no experience of doing so before, the opportunity also happened to arise at the sharp end of the major preparations for my first feature film in Fiji, production of which begins in only one week and six days. Behind Blue Glass was also made on what can be described as a "micro budget," a four man crew, three of whom had pretty much zero experience and has been edited solely by myself on a £500 laptop which has made some of the post production process a very slow, laborious experience.



With all that in mind however, I am more than confident in saying that the quality of the end result, far belies the limitations in regards to resources, it looks great!

As for the content, I am more than happy, the film features interviews with Xisco Perez and Sr. M Ferrer, two men with first hand experience of Mallorca's Great White Sharks, Gabriel Morey, Marine Biologist, Fisheries and Conservation Minister and member of the IUCN and Brad Robertson of Ondine Escape. Behind Blue Glass also stars some brilliant members of the pubic, from the ages of 16-62 who get confronted with the opportunity of a lifetime but how do they react? Of course, the film also features underwater footage of the other stars of the show, the sharks themselves!

 

The film clocks in at just over thirty eight minutes and in keeping with the highly independent "DIY" approach, the film's original music comes entirely from unsigned, underground artists and bands, including Lifescreen, Ten, Back Page First and the one and only Rock behemoth that is Nerve Engine.

The film was shot entirely on Canon 7D and 5Dmkii with a little help from a small palmcorder and the quality of footage is outstanding. The premiere will be held in Mallorca at Palma Aqauarium, most likely at the end of August and looks set to be a pretty fancy affair. After the premiere, you will of course, be able to see the film itself. I am looking into the best ways to do this and it looks like the most likely scenario would be to make it available on two formats, a DVD with additional extras like behind the scenes stuff, the trailer and production stills and also as a HD digital download. 

Keep your eyes peeled for updates, the best way to do that is of course, to go here, scroll to below the trailer and join the mailing list. In the event I can make special offers and discounts on this and future films, they will be for the mailing list members only, maybe something worth looking into?

Spread the word, it's a great little film if I do say so myself and some very dedicated people put a hell of a lot of effort into helping me make this, with no gain for themselves, purely because they believe in the message. Because I went over to Mallorca to shoot this film and because of the press coverage I got whilst there, the issue of shark conservation is now being discussed in the national media and in the coming weeks Palma Aquarium will be rolling out an anti-shark finning campaign across Mallorca and hopefully Spain as well. This wasn't achieved by an NGO or expensive marketing campaign, it was achieved by a small handful of people who believed enough that we could make it happen which just goes to show, it is possible for ordinary people to change things for the better.

Coming soon: News on what to expect whilst I am in Fiji!

www.officetoocean.com

Here it is..."Behind Blue Glass" Trailer!

Finally, here's the trailer for "Behind Blue Glass." It's in full HD 1080p and I fully recommend making sure HD is on and "full screening" it for optimum effect. Please share with likeminded souls and as always, your comments are welcome and gratefully received so don't be shy!

As for progress on the film, I am now onto the sound/music/colour correction stage with a bit of work still left to do but we're getting close now and I am really happy with it all so far!

Not long to wait now ;)

The super happy sunshine blog!

 

My friend Mike  pointed out to me on email recently that he could sense some frustration in one of my previous blogs and to be honest, he was right. When you focus all your energy and efforts on one thing it can sometimes lead to frustration when things aren't necessarily going your way and despite your best efforts, it feels like sometimes even the slightest obstacles are insurmountable.

Things are a bit different now though however and I can say from experience that tenacity, belief and enthusiasm DO pay off in the end so by way of cancelling out any previous negative vibes this is the super happy sunshine positivity blog!

First off, reaction to the Teaser Trailer has been absolutely incredible! It has received well over a thousand views in only seven days and comments have been supportive, complimentary and effusive in praise for how it looks, its message and the music. Also, the feedback from people I have nothing but total respect for has been hugely positive and fortified my belief in what I am doing. Here are some examples from Patric Douglas, Mike Neumann, Felix Leander and Richard Theiss

It's also worth pointing out that this blog is now averaging 4,500 unique views every month, that's approximately 150 people every day which is pretty amazing really seeing as it has only been live online since this July and I would like to thank every single one of you who regularly come back to read it!

The Dive Show was a huge success. Thank you to Jussi for the poster (see the above image) and once again the Cameras Underwater guys were an absolute pleasure to be around. Dave, Duxy, Mario and Caroline have to easily rank up there within the top one per cent of the nicest people in the world and their expertise and knowledge on all things relating to capturing underwater images meant the stand was never anything other than rammed, great news for me as I got to speak to a lot of new people!

It was great to catch up with Jim, Lea and the guys from Fourth Element, the amazing Alex Tattersall, Nick and Helen, Laura Evans, Paul Rose (who is looking more and more like a contender for James Bond every year), Steve Weinman and also to finally meet the incredibly friendly Blue Planet team. Martin from the Fiji Tourist Board was an absolute pleasure to be around and had it not been for it actually being at the show, my conversation with Alan Harbourne from canon would have gone from what was originally a mere introduction to us being chucked out of a pub at closing time, what a nice fella!

I was also very fortunate to finally get to spend some time with the lovely Lesley Rochat. Her talk on shark conservation and the (often unsung) work she and her colleagues undertake in South Africa was a definite highlight of the weekend. She is a passionate, articulate and knowledgeable shark advocate and some of the initiatives she has been involved in, in particular the marketing of pro-shark events and media, was nothing short of inspired! Lesley gets far less exposure than other shark conservationists and although personal exposure is not on her remit, she deserves far more. She's not in it to make money or become famous, she's in it because of a love for sharks and the ocean. She is also a case in point of someone who once was terrified of sharks until she had a face to face encounter which changed her life forever, inspiring her to commit her life to helping save what she once feared so much.

It was also great to catch up with another leader in the world of shark conservation, the brilliant Richard Peirce of the Shark Trust, and to enjoy his talk about his new book and film, "Shark Attack Britain," a slightly irreverent look at shark encounters in the UK.

The meetings I had at the Dive Show were very fruitful and I am hoping to have some exciting updates in the weeks to come! Watch this space....

If you're not aware of Indiegogo, it is a site which hosts people's independent projects and provides a platform for investment from anybody who may want to help the independent arts with donations large and small. In essence it showcases talent and also the often overlooked philanthropic nature of people who want to do their bit to help others succeed. The whole thing basically exudes goodness and positivity and with that in mind, as you can imagine, From the Office to the Ocean is featured! You will see that I have already received $355 in voluntary donations and that is in less than twenty four hours! I would love to articulate how much people's generosity means to me but I don't think it's possible, it means so much to me that people I know and also complete strangers, want to see me succeed. The whole concept of "From the Office..." is progress and achievement through positivity and inspiration and this is a perfect case in point. Donations are made in return for anything from a film credit to an invite to a premiere screening in the UK so have a look and see what you think.

The project is really now starting to gain momentum and big, household name organisations and companies and industry professionals are really starting to take me seriously which is great, it shows that if you focus and work hard you CAN achieve what at first seems almost impossible, it is also testament to the fact that most people, the large majority in fact, are decent, friendly and kind and do want to see people deserving of success, succeed.

With all this positivity flying around I want to thank the following people for their support friendship and encouragement as I may well not have mentioned them previously, Kris Allen, Mark Burrows, Mark Thorpe, Duncan Carson, Nicky Crawford, Laura Evans, Red Issue and all my United mates (too many to name however Andy McIntyre gets a mention as I know he wants one!), Richard Peirce, Terry Goss, Amanda Robinson, Jan Bailey, Benedikte Lydsal Uslam, Susana Navajas, Jim Standing and Howard Sawyer.

On the subject of Howard, check out his website. Howard and I have recently become acquainted and as well as being an articulate, intelligent writer and an excellent photographer, he's also a fascinating bloke. Check out his articles on the site, there are a couple about sharks, in particular shark feeding and the numbers used by shark conservation groups. He doesn't shirk issues and speaks his mind and I admire that, it's also worth pointing out that he addresses issues which are important to shark conservation from the angle of someone who openly admits to not being an all out shark enthusiast. It's an interesting take on an interesting subject, check out his articles and make up your own mind. He's a good guy and an intelligent guy and even if you don't agree with some of his views, at least enjoy some of his awesome photos.

That's it from me for another blog, as the winter draws in and the industrial grime envelopes my surroundings, I can still see rays of sunshine everyday and that's because of the brilliant people I am fortunate enough to know, many of whom I can count as genuine friends so a heartfelt thanks from me to you and if United can emerge victorious again in tomorrow's derby, that will ensure an extra wide smile on my mush for the days ahead!

September update - Bite back, looking forward and the gravy train...

Howdy!

It's been a manic few weeks and when I say manic, I mean MANIC! There has been charity balls, dying computers, video diaries, radio interviews, filming the trailer and a whole host of other exciting things so here is a bit of a run down of the last few weeks.

Last Saturday saw me returning to London for the Bite Back charity fundraising ball where I was part of the Cameras Underwater table and once again got to enjoy the hospitality and warmth afforded to me by Dave Glanfield who is truly one of life's good guys and who was kind enough to pay for my stay in the Strand Palace Hotel.

We were joined by Dave's lovely fiance Silvia and another of the Cameras Underwater team Paul Duxfield or "Duxy" as he is more commonly known. Duxy is a great guy and a well of technical knowledge on the subject of photography and film-making. What always strikes me about these guys is they really, really know their stuff and that's because they've been there and done it in the field, it's a huge pleasure to have them on board with "From the Office..."

The evening itself was fantastic, the food superb and the amount raised over the course of the night was a magnificent £11,500. Full credit to all the team at Bite Back who put in such a huge effort to raise money, not just for shark conservation but also the Marie Curie cancer charity, it is always heartening to see people putting their time and energy aside to support worthy causes and it was a pleasure to be in attendance.

The other big development this month is that filming for the trailer is now almost complete with only a couple more shots to film and I have already started editing with very pleasing results. You may ask how I can film a trailer for a film about sharks, a film which has not even had a frame shot yet, in an urban English city, you can also add on to that the fact there is no music yet and a computer which died at the precise moment editing was due to start and you will appreciate this is not an easy task, however, I am confident I have cracked it regarding the concept and I have an idea of the music also, which I will write and record. The footage is all in broadcast quality HD (thanks to Hamish kindly letting me use his camera which I am dreading having to return!) and the edit is really starting to take shape so I have high hopes. I am hoping for the finished version to be available to stream online within the next three weeks.

In regards to progress with the project as a whole, things are moving in the right direction. This blog for example is averaging around one hundred unique views every day, the website is seeing very positive traffic and meetings are being arranged all the time, there are preliminary discussions with some very high profile name organisations which I am hoping to take to the next step and I am gradually building greater media awareness of what I am doing. It is also positive to see the facebook group attracting increased numbers every day and due to requests on both that group and via email, I have now added an option to donate towards the cost of making the film, via paypal, to the website simply click on "The Project" then the link to "Contribute."

It is somewhat overwhelming to hear that ordinary people, people just like me, want to contribute in some way to the cost of this first film. People really want to see it and the feedback both on the facebook page, this blog and via email is really giving me the strength to push on and make this happen despite the obvious difficulties one encounters when without a regular income of note. I have committed to, in the event the full cost is covered by corporate sponsorship or funding, donating the full amount raised by the kind people who have so far donated, to a shark charity and a charity that works to help disadvantaged youths in inner city areas.

It puts into perspective then, the general apathy from some people already within the conservation and shark based diving industry, including some with a high media profile and those who purport to make ethical shark based films with an emphasis on fact and conservation. We have the individual who was insistent the concept of an ordinary working class man risking everything to pursue a lifelong dream was already covered because Monty Halls lived in a cottage in Scotland for a few weeks (good programme but insert laughing smiley here...) and the delightful person who informed me that if they wanted to steal my idea they would and there would be nothing I could do about it (my lawyer friend begs to differ...). 

There are also the people within the industry I want to work in, people for whom I have great respect for the work they do but are seemingly averse to a simple reply to an email. Make no mistake about it, people make a living out of working with sharks and even the conservation of sharks and the marine environment, there isn't a great deal of money in the industry though so is it a case of those already in the "inner circle" being afraid of having to share their bit of the pie with someone who isn't in their social scene? Puts a bit of a downer on things really doesn't it, particularly when the in-fighting, petty squabbles and cliquishness threatens to detract focus on what is actually important, i.e. the conservation and ethical treatment of sharks through informed film production and eco-tourism for example.

The gravy train certainly exists, as it does within every industry and as is usually the case, does very little, if any good. It's all very well bombarding us with petitions to sign and reminders of your latest documentary film etc but where you can do the most good is to inspire a feeling of community and one which supports the efforts of others to do some good in your chosen field, affording opportunities for enthusiastic individuals to make the most of their potential. When I was eight I wrote to Valerie Taylor and guess what she did, she replied straight away. This continued for a few years, she even sent me a pressing of one of her books and that explains why I am here today, doing this, it made me feel like it was possible to achieve my ambitions because the number one person in my chosen field told me I could. 

I have received probably around one hundred emails in the last two months from people who feel a kinship with what I am doing, one from a girl in America even said reading my blog had made her rethink her decision to give up trying for a career in diving and that she would keep going until she achieved her dream! I appreciate that I won't receive the volume of emails they do but nevertheless, I have replied to every single one of the emails I have received, it might mean staying up until the early hours but it's common courtesy isn't it? With regards to the shark gravy train, I will make it very clear that if I am successful with all this and force my way on there, I'll be opening the doors for others like me to do the same..."There goes the neighbourhood!"

Okay some other bits and pieces...The Dive Show in Birmingham is fast approaching, October 30th/31st to be precise and I'll be there on the Cameras Underwater stand with my own little section, please come and say hello! There will be a video diary coming soon as well as the promised "Shark feeding controversy special" and the videos don't stop there! In 2009, for a bit of a laugh really, I made a feature length video diary type film of my (rather eventful) trip to film Oceanic Whitetip Sharks in Egypt and due to persistent requests will be uploading said film in sections, to the youtube page, keep an eye out for that.

At the moment my focus is on finishing this trailer (I shouldn't really be doing a blog but it feels like ages so what the hell!) so as soon as that is finished, you can be sure I will make you aware of it and would appreciate if you could spread it far and wide on my behalf!

Homelessness is also fast approaching so if you think you can help, maybe there is an email in your inbox from me, or you might be able to offer services of some respect, printing, promotion, design etc, please feel free to contact me! This isn't manufactured television reality, this is actual cold, smelly and difficult reality so any act of kindness or benevolence, no matter how small you think it is, is always humbly and gratefully appreciated.

I'd like to give a shout as well to Mark Thorpe and www.idivesharks.com it's a great site, kind of like facebook but for people who love sharks and shark diving and without endless status updates about what people have just had for tea! Also, Cameras Underwater don't let the website put you off (it will be totally revamped soon by all accounts) if you are in the market for underwater camera equipment or even if you just want advice, look no further than these guys. Do I get paid to advertise them? Unfortunately not but if I did I'd be in Fiji now, these guys are the dog's dangly bits.

Stay safe, be nice to each other and feel free to email me direct or comment on this blog, I love hearing from you!

david@officetoocean.com

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