Hands-on Underwater Filmmaking Session

with Tom Campbell

Sunday August 29, 2010
This is a very special hands-on instructional experience. State of the art professional camera equipment & Amphibico underwater housings provided. Bring your own mask, fins, & snorkel or dive gear. Classes will be given on snorkel so need not be dive certified but should be a proficient swimmer.

Back again for BLUE 2010, marine cinematographer Tom Campbell & Amphibico, innovative leader in underwater housing & lighting systems, team up to present their highly successful seminar that was sold out at BLUE 2009. If you're serious about your career and have ever wondered why 10% of the people in this industry make 90% of the money, or how to improve your cinematography skills, or what equipment to use to get professional results, this is the seminar you don't want to miss!

Tom shares both shooting and marketing tips that are beneficial for both beginning & experienced cinematographers. With informative presentations combined with hands on training in the pool with various Amphibico housings, you'll gain valuable insights into surviving in this competitive market and economically demanding times.

 Comments from a few of last year's 24 participants say it all:

"You are a true professional and I love that you have done so much to help clear a path for those around you. I still have a lot to learn when it comes to filming underwater, and I should jump on any chance I get...especially when you are teaching it." - Rob Sams, Sisbro Studios,

 "I found your hands on workshop to be extremely helpful and informative; I certainly came away learning more than I had even hoped for. Sometimes just hearing how another guy thinks about a certain problem or getting another perspective on how to manage the business end is incredibly valuable. Not everyone is as generous with that type of hard to get info

 "That workshop was the most valuable learning experience I had a chance to participate in at the festival. The wisdom Tom shared from his experiences is still percolating in my head, and will continue to do so for some

 "I thoroughly enjoyed your talk on the last day at the pool and felt as though I was perpetually learning throughout the entire day. I felt like a sponge every time I was listening to you all week long. I think what I learned most from you is how you've run your company from a business perspective. To me, aside from your obvious abilities, your business sense

•  Camera choices

•  Video Formats

•  What lenses work best

•  Tripods

•  Audio

•  Working with your camera's informational features

•  Underwater housings and applications

•  Lighting

•  White Balance

•  Importing your footage into Final Cut Pro

1. Digital SLR capable of shooting video
2. Laptop computer with Final Cut Pro or other editing software
3. Tripod

Improve your underwater video skills: while experiencing the magnificence beneath the surface of the Monterey Bay

For beginners and emerging filmmakers, here is an opportunity to hone your underwater video skills while experiencing Monterey's incredible underwater world.  This full day boot camp combines a kelp bed dive aboard the boat Beachhopper II, followed by an informative classroom workshop. Cinematographer Richard Theiss will take you through many of the need-to-know technical aspects of underwater video, plus share information on how to build a dramatic storyline, tips on effective editing, and which distribution formats are best to utilize.  This workshop provides a great diving and learning experience whether your goal is to create exceptional family videos or you have aspirations of shooting a BLUE Ocean Film Festival Award winning documentary.

 PARTICIPANTS MUST BE OPEN WATER DIVE CERTIFIED

 DATE: Tuesday, August 24th

 Morning Dive Session - 8:30am to 2:00pm

(Transportation from the hotel available if requested, departs sharply at 8:15am)

•       2-Tank dives aboard the Beachhopper II (Dock K, Fisherman's Wharf Marina)
•       Tips on focus, iris, gain, white balance, manual and auto functions
•       Effective underwater filming techniques - working with light

Afternoon Workshop Session - 3:00pm to 5:00pm

Portola Hotel & Spa, Bonsai Room

•      Review footage from the morning dives
•      How to develop a dramatic storyline or powerful message
•      Effective editing - cinematic or MTV style?
•      Video formats - making the right choice for distribution (YouTube, online, TV)

*If you need to rent dive gear or a basic underwater video camera, we have made arrangements for discount packages with Backscatter (you will need to provide your own mask, snorkel, and fins).  Workshop participants will be provided with all the necessary contact information. 

 *Your Instructor: Richard Theiss is a cinematographer whose work has been utilized by Discovery, National Geographic, A&E, Google Ocean, and others.  He is one of the leading videographers of Isla Guadalupe's great white sharks and has produced an award-winning documentary,  Island of the Great White Shark.