In this e-mail interview, we quiz Jonathan McLaughlin on his time as an underwater videographer trainee with Oceans Below on Koh Tao...

What University course were you studying?
Film Production Technology

What year had you finished before your training with Oceans Below, Koh Tao? How long have you been working and what was your job before coming to Koh Tao?
I graduated in 2005, lived in Canada for a year with the odd job as a runner. Got back to UK mid 2006, worked as a gardener for the last 3 years! Running alongside with gardening I set up my own film business which is still going to this date.

How does the content of the Oceans Below videographer training compare with what you do for a living?
It’s very different, no tripod!! You just film what you need instead of filming loads then picking out a small segment of it. Makes you think on your feet, in your head your editing whilst filming.

What do you plan to do now that you have finished your training and Internship with Oceans Below?
Embark on my Mongolia trip and push more work for my film business as I’ve jacked in the gardening, well full time anyway! So I need some cash…

Do you think training with Oceans Below helped your future prospects? If so, how?
Immensely, filming and editing skills have improved tenfold; have more capability to think on my feet.

Did you show any of your underwater video footage to people back at home - colleagues, lecturers? What was their reaction?
Hell yeah!! I showed the whole world! They loved it, very jealous of that way of life!! They loved the work I did and one person said the music was perfect and he’s in a band so I was chuffed with that.

Jon (seated, center) with a group of PADI Open Water students that he filmed

What would you say to someone thinking about taking an underwater videography course with Oceans Below?
Do it!! It will be best thing you ever do; people there are also great they don’t have film snobbery! If you don’t like the filming, then you will love the diving, and the things you see. Also it improves your diving skills, you got to be a good diver to do the video course, if you don’t like the filming or diving you still get to meet loads of people with amazing stories, if you don’t like at least one of those then you’re not human!!!

trainee page