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 Pro Video Course Update

Written by autumn

Thursday, 05 May 2011 10:56

We see a great many people come through the doors of Oceans Below each year, and it's always exciting to meet people who travel to Koh Tao from all over the world in pursuit of their dreams of becoming an underwater videographer. The Oceans Below/ BSAC Professional HD Underwater Videographer course seems to be growing in reputation and popularity as each day goes by! The 2-week Internship following the course is a great way to practice and apply the principles taught.

The office is currently filled with many budding, underwater filmmakers!! This group seems to get on together immensely and there is much camaraderie both in the office and on the boat. Amongst these characters is 18 year old Ben from Christchurch, New Zealand. He has amazed us with his mature attitude and genuine passion for everything aquatic. We have decided he can't possibly leave and have given him an opportunity to become our freediving videographer to replace everyone's favorite- Jason- who is now managing a dive resort in the Maldives.

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Pro Video Instructor Trainer, Elisabeth, with the Trainees at Fraggle Rock

Nader, an American film student & wedding videographer seems to have become part of the furniture around here and his creativity and understated charm makes working with him a real pleasure. His highlight was the six turtles he filmed during his BSAC Pro HD Underwater Video course & internship.

Austrian Lisa's bubbly personality is going to be sorely missed when she leaves for the Perhentian Islands later this month to work as a PADI Dive Instructor. She has enjoyed every part of the course. The two days out on the Goodtimes Adventures speedboat, diving empty divesites with amazing visibility, was a major highlight and something she talks about incessantly!!

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Pro Video Intern Lisa filming a sea snake

Ross has taken it all in his stride and approached the course with a very laid back attitude. His studies in marine biology have served him well and his documentary on symbiosis, particularly the relationship between the anemone & the fish that inhabit it, is sure to amaze us!

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Pro Video Intern, Joey, films a whaleshark

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One of Koh Tao's resident turtles

Joey & Pieter, friends from back home in Belgium, have been working as cameramen for many years, mailnly filming sporting events around Europe. They have been unbelievably lucky throughout the course, having had numerous encounters with whalesharks and turtles during their dives. They have put in many hours of editing time & have fastidiously researched in order to make amazing documentaries. Joey's whaleshark documentary will be on our You Tube page soon..check it out!

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Inquisitive whaleshark

As well as producing many amazing student films, there has been much in the way of extra curricular activity. Oceans Below staff & students have enjoyed hikes up to the famous Koh Tao lookout, Fraggle Rock, for a heavenly sunset. We have enjoyed the return of the black tip sharks to the aptly named Shark Bay, where Elisabeth has taken them out for some snorkeling and photos. Last week we spent an evening at the Muay Thai fights watching people beat each other senseless. We've knocked back many sunset drinks at Fizz Lounge and the Buddha Bar. We spent an afternoon having a go on the flying trapeze and recently, we had a night out together for pizzas and bowling.

All in all an amazingly successful and enjoyable time here at Oceans Below!