2 week videography training and internship

Train to become a BSAC Professional HD Underwater Videographer on Koh Tao, Thailand

Underwater videography course Thailand

2 Week BSAC Pro HD Underwater Video Training

Become an underwater videographer in one of Asia's top dive destinations! While you are living on the beautiful island of Koh Tao, you will be trained to capture the stunning underwater world. Oceans Below will provide you with all of the skills and equipment needed to produce professional HD underwater videos. Your training will include the use of high-quality HD video cameras, Gates and Aquatica Underwater Housings, and Adobe software. Join our highly experienced team of professionals for the 2-week BSAC Pro HD Underwater Video Training program.

You must be a certified PADI Rescue Diver (or equivalent) with 50+ logged dives It is possible to add on the scuba training courses before the start of the Pro HD Underwater Videographer Training if you have no prior dive experience. Oceans Below can organize your dive training and accommodation through Koh Tao’s Premiere 5-Star IDC Center.

2 week video training

Get hands-on experience in the making of top-quality underwater movies. Learn to shoot everything from the biggest fish in the world, to the smallest shrimp, using full manual camera controls for that perfect image(white balance, focus, exposure, lighting, and zoom) edit your movies on Adobe Premiere Pro.

Instructor and student with the HD cameras

Available Dates

The Pro HD Underwater videographer Training Course is available year-round. We only take 2 people per course to ensure that each trainee gets lots of personalized attention throughout the course. We begin a course at the start and at the middle of each month. These courses usually are booked at least a few months in advance, so make sure you check in with us prior to traveling to check the availability.

The best time of year for a chance to see Whalesharks is close to the monsoon period, so April/May and September/October/November are the best months. However, they can turn up anytime. May to February are the best months to get close encounters with the Bull Sharks. April, May and June are the easiest months to spot Green and Hawksbill turtles. Throughout the year you’ll see Moray Eels, Stingrays, Scorpion Fish, Octopus, Sea Snakes, Boxfish, Jacks, Groupers, etc...

Health Requirements for underwater videographers

If you are looking to participate in this program you need to ensure that you are reasonably fit and free from any conditions that may prevent from or be a danger to you while diving. Before coming to Thailand, it is best to consult your doctor and get a signed Medical Statement.

Underwater videographer training Thailand

2 Week Underwater Video Internship (only available after the 2 week BSAC Pro course)

Once you have completed your training, you will have the option to follow one, or both of the following:

-learning to produce souvenir videos for divers. Film and edit a movie to music telling the story of the diver's day trip. By the end of this internship you'll have gained all the skills and knowledge to be successfully employed in the field.

-continued Education and skill development. Quite simply, diving and filming to produce your own short documentary. Diving away from the main student dive sites and so avoiding the crowds, spending 45 minutes filming a seahorse to get that perfect shot. Or head out to the dive sites that the big student boats can't reach, Sam Ran pinnacle, Sail Rock, Hot spots to shoot the big stuff.For this course we will be using the Goodtime Adventures speedboat so we have no time restrictions and can get to any dive site in a matter of minutes.

Goodtime Adventures speedboat

You must be a certified BSAC Sports diver or PADI Rescue Diver (or equivalent) with 50+ logged dives. Being a competent scuba diver is critical as you will be filming PADI Instructors with students in training and you will be expected to look after yourself underwater. It is possible to add on the BSAC Dive Leader or PADI Divemaster Training Course or even the BSAC Open Water Instructor Course or PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) before or after the Underwater Videographer Internship.

Available Dates

The Video Internship is available year-round. You may begin any time after your 2-week Video Training Course. The length of the internship is 2 weeks. Oceans Below will give you as many opportunities as possible to gain experience.

Oceans Below Video Interns Enjoy a Great Day of Filming!

Written by Elisabeth

Tuesday, 08 December 2009 11:22

Yesterday, I was out with two of our new BSAC Pro HD Underwater Video trainees, Alvin and Simon, for Day #5 of their course. We took advantage of some spectacular weather and dive conditions to join the crew from Koh Tao Easy Divers on the morning dives at Twins and White Rock. The visiblility seems to have cleared up with great conditions especially at White Rock. We focused mainly on manual white balance, manual focus and sequencing.

Simon and Alvin post-dive...

The guys' skills are really coming along and they are both showing themselves to be naturals with the Aquatica HD underwater housings in their hands. Alvin is a PADI Divemaster who has spent a long time working in Sipadan, off the island of Borneo, with thousands of dives under his belt. This shows in his camerawork. Simon, who is passionate about his filming, is currently completing his Divemaster course with Crystal Divers and already thinks like a pro- he'll do anything for a good shot! Simon's come over to Oceans Below to do a Professional HD Underwater Video internship and paired with Alvin, they are keeping Aidy and me on our toes.

...at work in the studio...

The afternoon was spent in the office editing the footage from earlier in the day. The end result is pretty impressive from both Alvin and Simon (sadly, no Theodore- the third Chipmunk!).

Today, Aidy will take Simon and Alvin on 2 afternoon dives with Simple Life Divers to practice transition shots and macro shooting. We are looking forward to their edited movie tomorrow.

In other news, our professional underwater videographer Cecile is back after being away for 7 months! We welcomed her return by getting her in the water immediately where she filmed 6 Open Water students at Koh Tao Easy Divers with IDC Staff Instructor Chris 'The Boy'.