Thailand » Simon Deane

Swimming With A Leopard Shark – Show Reel

This is a show reel that does not feature people in the water.

That is in itself is unusual as this clip is more than 4.5 minutes and we cover a good distance around a popular dive site in Thailand.

This clip was filmed at Koh Bida Nai in the Andaman Sea very close to Thailand’s Phi-Phi Islands.
Here it is quite common to see leopard sharks {Stegastoma fasciatum}.
Most often these sharks are seen resting on a sandy patch of the sea bed but occassionally you see them swimming.
Sometimes they’re shy and will swim away, other times they really don’t appear to care about the presence of divers.
This was one such occassion – this clip is more than 4.5 minutes long and our shark just keeps coming back…
This is one clip, one continuous clip as it was recorded, no editing involved.
Filmed in February 2008.
I hope you enjoy it, they’re beautiful sharks, graceful swimmers.


    
    
    Runtime
4:54
    View count
169

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Coral Reef Show Reel – Background

Snorkellers over coral reef The footage in this show reel was shot entirely around the Phi Phi Islands part of Krabi province in Southern Thailand. This area of Thailand is a very popular holiday destination and this part of the Andaman Sea supports some beautiful coral reefs and a very high number of diverse fish species.

Many people visiting this region swim on tropical reefs for the first time and are amazed by what they see and experience.

Filming in this environment presents many beautiful subjects and interesting behaviour by the marine life, and sometimes the visitors.

Weather and water conditions are very variable. In the shallow water around the reefs, wind creates waves which stirs-up sand and reduces visibility. Waves and currents also create surge in the water which means I have to take great care with buoyancy and swimming technique to remain stable in the water.

While bright direct sun light shows the colourful coral colonies it presents back-lighting issues when filming up to the snorkelers at the surface.

When it all comes together, the aim is to show the breadth and beauty of what lives with us below the water and the enjoyment that comes from swimming here and discovering this side of nature.

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Coral Reef Discovery – Show Reel

The Coral Reef Discovery show reel portrays snorkelers, breath-hold or apnea skin divers and first-time SCUBA divers exploring tropical coral reefs.
Coral reefs have a universal appeal for so many reasons and when you have the opportunity to explore these environments for the first-time the experience is unforgettable.

The weather and the water is warm; the colours and the shapes of the reefs created by the corals and the fish and other marine fauna are all new and so close to you.

It really is a ‘whole other world’.
In this show reel see people enjoying the discovery and exploring this new world.
Filmed on the reefs of Krabi and the Phi-Phi Islands on the Andaman coast of Thailand.


    
    
    Runtime
3:21
    View count
61

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Lisa Films – Dream Hotel Chiang Mai

April 2009

Director Of Photography Underwater Filming for Lisa Film
Simon Deane fulfils an urgent requirement to complete the underwater filming for Lisa Film’s Das Traum Hotel Chiang Mai(transl. Dream Hotel Chiang Mai).
Lisa Film’s Dream Hotel series are straight-to-TV feature length romantic adventures, broadcast in Germany in HD format.
Traum Hotel Chiang Mai is set in Thailand, the dramatic underwater scene involved a group of friends searching for their missing buddy who was last seen leaving to go SCUBA diving.
The trio of friends descend to the reef to locate an old shipwreck; on the way they encounter manta rays; at the wreck of the ship they make a disturbing discovery… Manta Ray at Similan Islands Thailand
The land based filming had been ‘wrapped’ for this production but the underwater scenes were still to be shot and the weather was beginning to change as the wet-season approached Thailand’s West coast.
Thanks to the hard work and perserverance of a small team and some good luck with a break in the weather this shoot got the material needed to complete the production.
Thanks to Similan Diving Safaris and Orange House Divers Phuket for dive support and logistics. cast and crew on RIB

Peking Express

November 2008

Longtail boat Thailand Simon Deane and Stewart Whitfield take the cameras underwater to film a game episode of ‘Peking Express’ for TV5 from France with Kanakna Productions. Peking Express is a television game show where the pairs of contestants compete as they travel to destinations in various countries.

Providing high quality, cost effective underwater camera services for a morning of shooting in one of Southern Thailand’s beautiful locations.

This game episode was filmed at Koh Muuk in Thailand’s Trang province.