Creating Shark Week Anchor Commercials - Big Productions, Big Fun

Volkswagen 2012 Shark Week

For the past three years the crew over here at Shark Diver have been the creative force behind some of Discovery Channels most memorable Shark Week anchor commercials.

The idea of off brands getting into the shark space is nothing new, Snickers did it in 2010 and the commercial world became a much more interesting world for it.

Our full time entrance into this unique and growing space was to bring the, 'live shark element' to commercials.

In 2012 we were asked to create the entire underwater world for Gillette and Shark Week.

This was one very challenging shoot as there's a saying in the production world, 'never work with children or live sharks.' That being said we managed to attract and hold six full time Tigers and over 50 Lemon sharks to a locked down offshore shark site in the Bahamas delivering a completely unique first person commercial that quickly went viral.

In 2012 we were asked again to put our collective talents into an underwater production for Volkswagen. The lead on this one was What.We.Do.Media, and you'll recognize the talent behind this company as none other than Luke Tipple.

Creating a submersible iconic car brand replica and taking into the world of sharks? - Inspired.

That's what we do here at Shark Diver, with a tight team, we deliver extraordinary commercial visions that go viral featuring iconic brands...underwater with sharks.

Looking forward to 2013 - let's go shark diving.


About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Volkswagen and Sharks Bahamas - Video

As a lot of the industry knows we were AWOL for a month this year on another fun project with the entire A-Team in the Bahamas.

Exactly what that project entailed was the subject of much speculation.

You can stop speculating. Or begin a fresh round as the first in a series of anchor commercials for the 25th Anniversary of Shark Week has officially aired.

It's more of a teaser really, but here it is.

Enjoy:

About Shark Diver. As a global leader in commercial shark diving and conservation initiatives Shark Diver has spent the past decade engaged for sharks around the world. Our blog highlights all aspects of both of these dynamic and shifting worlds. You can reach us directly at sharkcrew@gmail.com.

Discovery Channel with the Shark Conservation Wrap

Discovery Networks has the wrap on shark conservation efforts worldwide this week.

2011 is the Year of the Shark, can it get any better?

Hat Tip: The Dorsal Fin for the video find.

Shark Week -- Education or Just Entertainment?

Chris Palmer and Peter Kimball just hit a home run over at Huff Post today talking Shark Week and the ongoing debate about wildlife television.

Many years ago I wrote an Op Ed for a local San Diego paper titled "When Filmmakers Attack."

The article, written five years ago, was way ahead of its time looking into the the ongoing production slide at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico.

In the ensuing 5 years since then at Guadalupe many productions have sought lowest common denominator anti-shark programming with no end in sight. Note to the underwater cameraman who shot this garbage, and you call yourself pro-shark? Waddaya, new?

Chris Palmer knows of what he speaks as the author of the book "Shooting in the Wild: An Insider's Account of Making Movies in the Animal Kingdom" he has the insiders eye to wild animal productions.

With the obvious value of these productions to behemoths like Discovery Networks there's little chance we'll see substantial changes anytime soon, but its nice to have voices like Chris Palmer adding weight and mainstream media to the discussion.


Kudos.

As rare as "Unobtanium" - Shark attack Guadalupe?

What are the chances that you will have your vessel attacked at Isla Guadalupe by a white shark?

If you are running commercial operations at this pristine and unique island the chances are close to 0% percent. In fact in the many years we have been to this site it has never happened. These animals are curious, but just not that aggressive towards small floating vessels.

If you are running research operations at this pristine and unique island the chances are, once again, close to 0%.

If you are Discovery Networks and stuntman Charles Ingram who are only at this dive site for 72 hours to film a white shark special, the chances that a white shark will attack your floating dinghy with your show host inside are closer to 100%.

Is this real television, stunt work, staged animal filming, or just plain "good luck" for the production company?

Shark Diver

Reinventing Sea Monsters

Shark Diver

Two young girls needed - reenactment filming (South Miami)

We got sent this last week. Wonder if Tourism Miami is curious about this and the potential impacts of the shows topic on 29.1 million viewers.

Going out on a limb here but we think this show is is not going to be "World's Worst Sunburns":

This is for a reenactment for a Discovery Shark Week show!

Filming will take place on Wednesday May 20th at Black Point Marina in South Miami.

Acting experience not necessary! Will only take a couple hours.

We need two young girls with long brown hair - either sisters, or look a bit like sisters, but the hair needs to be the same. Late teens, early twenties at most.

Please contact ASAP by emailing us at sbb05d@fsu.xxx

Include a recent photo and a contact phone number!

Deep Sea News Moves-Again!

The guys over at Deep Sea News have moved (again). Turns out the relationship with Discovery was not to be, we think the boys needed some breathing room to be "all they could be":

"Discovery pursued new terms in December. The terms were unacceptable to us, so we terminated the contract. What can I say? We're on to better things. :)"

Here's the new home of Deep Sea News. See you there.

Whale Wars-Wagging the Conservation Dog

Our Whale Wars post this week has generated a mass of offline and thoughtful emails here at Underwater Thrills. We also got a few hysterical foaming-at-the-mouth diatribes as well.

Here's one example highlighting how Wagging the Conservation Dog harms an entire movement:

Sea Shepherd are not helping whales, they are exacerbating the problem. Every time they clash with the whaling ships in the Antarctic, the Japanese look like the victims, and they spin this for all it's worth at the IWC - "irresponsible NGOs, terrorist organisations" etc. SSCS are gifting the Japanese whalers a bargaining chip to use within the international diplomatic community. Whilst their hearts might be in the right place, and their passion evident, SSCS are sadly out of touch with reality.

Conservation doesn't happen by putting yourself between a harpoon and a whale - although admittedly that is a great way to get publicity. Real conservation happens in international fora - at the IWC, at CITES, within CMS, ACCOBAMS and ASCOBAMS. It's only though negotiation and diplomacy that NGOs can persuade governments and decision-making bodies to lay down new laws that protect wildlife . A £10,000 donation to an NGO that does this kind of work will secure the future of thousands or perhaps millions of whales and dolphins - SSCS would burn through it in a couple of days chasing the Japanese whalers around icebergs, giving just a handful of whales a temporary reprieve.

SSCS are attracting a lot of attention for their antics, and this is diverting funds from the organisations that can really make the difference. The environmental NGO community has come a long, long way in the past 20 years, and we've got inside governments and international fora to a point where we affect REAL change. By tackling the economics of whaling and trade, creating legal frameworks, working with industry and governance - we are making a huge difference to the conservation and welfare of these animals worldwide.

SSCS are alienating and undermining the conservation movement, not helping it. Funders should think long and hard before giving money to SSCS, and question the true value of what they get in return.