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.

New BSAC Professional HD Underwater Video Trainees Film Turtles on First Dive!

Written by Aidy

Sunday, 20 December 2009 08:33

Today Lo (from Wales) and Terence (from England) started their course at Oceans Below. Lo has experience on the island having done her Divemaster course at Planet Scuba and has since become a PADI Instructor. She teaches in Abu Dhabi and is just over for 2 weeks to learn how to film underwater. Terence also knows Koh Tao as he finished his Divemaster course at Crystal Divers and is joining us from Singapore. They'll both complete the 2 week BSAC Pro HD Underwater Video course and Terence will then get stuck into the professional videographer internship.

Yellow Boxfish at Japanese Gardens

We did some dry training on land this morning so they could get familiar with the Aquatica HD Wave Housings, and in the afternoon we set sail on the Koh Tao Easy Divers boat. Simon started his Pro Video Internship today and joined us in spite of the fact that his fellow trainee, Alvin (the other Chipmunk!), is taking a short break.

professional-hd-videographer-boxfish
New Trainee, Lo

The first dive was at Japanese Gardens and I spotted a very cute, young, male hawksbill turtle. Simon was able to get some great shots and even the first-timers did pretty well! We practiced camera movements, positioning and manual white-balance on this dive.

Simon and the turtle

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Shrimp (Scampi, maybe?)

For the second dive we went to Twins. The visibility was fantastic. Lo and Terence focused on sequencing, camera movement and positioning. We found a yellow boxfish that was posing nicely for the camera. Simon spotted some shrimps and practised the macro settings and manual focus. And, while on the safety stop with the new HD video trainees, Simon spotted yet another Hawksbill turtle- what a great start to the new course!