Paid Work as an Underwater Videographer in Koh Tao, Thailand
Working as an underwater videographer is one of the most appealing jobs in scuba diving. Catching the aquatic world on high definition film , editing the footage to produce a stunning movie, and screening you work for appreciative viewers is a lot of fun.
Once you've completed your scuba diving internship and qualify as a competent and seasoned underwater videographer, it's time to put what you've learned to the test. Professional underwater videography will require you to excel in several areas, ranging from scuba diving and camera work to technical editing and production. Equally important is being good with people - dealing with customers, getting them to perform for the camera and have a good time and being able to sell your movie.
In Koh Tao, most underwater videographers earn money by producing souvenir movies for groups of divers, usually shadowing the last two dives of the PADI Open Water course. Videographers have long, demanding days working to pressure, but the challenge and rewards more than justify the effort. Here's a typical day in the life of an underwater videographer:
Diving: Usually it's an early start - prepare you scuba gear and underwater camera equipment then head down to the dive shop to meet the PADI dive instructor that you'll be shadowing. Together you'll greet the group of customers. Most likely they'll be PADI Open Water students making the last two dives of the course. After introductions, it's time to jump on board the dive boat and head to the first dive site. You'll already be busy filming - open water movies are a mini documentary which follows the customers' day out, so you'll already be capturing shots of them gearing up and getting ready to enter the water.
Then into the water for the first dive. You follow the group on an underwater tour, capturing the customers on film and shooting the amazing marine life and corals which they see. The idea is to make the film fun and interactive, showcasing the PADI student's underwater adventure. You'll want to get great shots of all of Koh Tao's diverse aquatic life - moray eels, barracuda, triggerfish, turtles, seahorses, stingrays, even sharks, plus get the customers' faces on film smiling underwater and having a great time.
Once the first dive is over it's back on the boat whilst you motor to a second dive site, then back into the water for another 45 minutes of underwater adventure. This time you'll also get the opportunity to film the students performing a series of underwater skills - hovering, mask clearing, navigation etc. all of which adds to the movie and lets students appreciate how they've progressed as divers during their PADI course. Once the skills are complete, it's time for another underwater tour - again catching more of Koh Tao's marine life on camera, and collecting additional footage of the soon to be certified scuba divers.
After ascending from the dive you'll jump back on the boat and return to Koh Tao.
Editing and Producing: Once back on land (around midday), you'll arrange a time to meet the group that evening to screen your movie, then race back to the office. First job is to capture your movie to computer - while the footage is transferring you've got a short break to grab some lunch. Then it's back to the computer, editing your raw footage into a high quality movie. You crop and drop shots, add effects and transitions where appropriate, insert an intro sequence and compile a soundtrack to fit your footage. Once the project is complete, it's time to burn it to DVD. If all went well, hopefully it's about 17:00, so you have some spare time to put your feet up for a bit! Other times when the process takes longer you'll be working close to the screening time, working under mild pressure to get the movie finished in time for the evening show.
Screening and Selling: Now for the most satisfying and rewarding bit. With DVD in hand, you'll head to your arranged meeting place to screen your movie for the group. Usually this will be in one of Koh Tao's beach bars, fitted with projector and serious sound system. You'll really enjoy showing your underwater footage, watching the reaction of the divers (and even the general public in the bar), as they laugh at the funny bits and marvel at the aquatic life that you've managed to get great shots of. As your movie draws to a close, you'll get an appreciative round of applause, then it's time to sell. You'll chat with the group, giving them the opportunity to purchase a copy of their movie - provided you've done a good job they'll jump at the opportunity.
Rates for Paid Gap Year Work as a Videographer
All videographers on Koh Tao get paid based on the number of sales which they make, so earning potential depends on performance. Usually one sale per day is easily enough to cover your living expenses. It's very rare that a videographer would go out to film a one person course - group sizes of four or greater are more common. This gives the opportunity for multiple daily video sales, which becomes very lucrative. During busy periods underwater videographers can do very well - it's long, complex work, but very rewarding in many ways.
So as discussed, the bulk of new underwater videographers get paid work in Koh Tao by shooting day-to-day movies of diving customers. As you become more experienced, most likely you'll get the opportunity to diversify onto different projects.
This could include producing promotional movies for other companies, or even shooting footage to contribute to other productions such as websites, marketing campaigns, documentaries or TV shows. For example, over the last year or so, our in-house underwater videography team (Oceans Below) has been involved in producing HD footage which has been used for the Thai Authority of Tourism, a reality TV show on the TLC Discovery Channel (Miami Ink), a pilot for a futuristic movie set in Bangkok, work for a marine conservation organization in the US and contributions to several film festivals.
Paid Gap Year Success as an Underwater Videographer in Thailand
On Koh Tao there are many opportunities for work as an underwater videographer, and provided you show ability and willing during your PADI scuba internship we'll do our best to keep you working with us. Even elsewhere throughout Thailand and South-East-Asia there is much demand for competent well trained underwater videographers, so your new skills and training will put you in a great position to pickup paid gap year work in Thailand and beyond.
But your degree of success will ultimately depend on your own ability and performance. There are no guarantees. If you're thinking of joining the paid gap year videography scuba diving internship but aren't sure if it's for you, here's a list of qualities which all good videographers possess:
• Well organised and willing to work. Underwater videography is fantastic fun, but does involve long hours and concentration.
• Competent computer user. You don't need to be a computer legend, but should have basic computer usage skills. You'll be taught everything you need to know about video editing software.
• Good with people. A big part of being successful is motivating people to have a good time, which really comes across on film. They'll feel more attached to you, appreciate the movie more and will be more inclined to buy a copy, which means more cash for you.
Clearly it's also important that you're a comfortable and controlled scuba diver, but that's something we'll have no problem teaching you once you're here. Prior to beginning your underwater videography training you'll have already logged many dives and be a competent and accomplished diver.
Thailand Paid Gap Year Videography Testimonial
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