Skills / Qualifications
24 natural history film credits to my name
10 years professional dive experience
4,500+ logged open circuit dives, 500+ hours on closed circuit rebreather
Part 107 Commercial Drone License and 200+ hours of flight time
Diving
I’m a PADI Dive Instructor of 10 years, with over 4,500 logged open circuit dives, and over 500 hours on closed circuit rebreather. As a dive instructor I can teach 11 PADI Specialties, including First and Second Aid Courses. By teaching over 200 + dive students, I have gained the expertise to effectively plan diving activities in a variety of environments carefully considering any potential hazards. My dive career has taught me how to problem solve, work closely within a team, and effectively cater to a diverse customer base.
While the lush and dense kelp forests of southern California are my home, I have underwater expertise in a variety of environments around the world. I’ve dived and worked in 10 countries around the world, from my home waters of southern California to the pristine and vibrant seas of the Caribbean and South East Asia, and blue water diving in the middle of the Pacific off of Costa Rica. Through these experiences, I’ve not only gained an expansive knowledge of marine creatures all over the globe, but the most effective way to approach and film them.
While a lot of the projects I work on have been land based, the other 50% have been liveaboard based on either fishing yachts of 60’ or more or large research vessels hundreds of feet long. These shoots have lasted 3-6 weeks at a time so I’m no stranger to long stays out at sea.
Camera Assistant
For the past 4 years, I’ve had the pleasure of contributing to a wide range of natural history productions in different and challenging environments all over the world. From landmark series like BBC’s Blue Planet III and Netflix’s Our Planet 2 to the immersive viewing experience of Post Cards from Earth at the MSG Sphere and Blue Whales: Return of the Giants in IMAX, I’ve provided crucial on-site support to camera operators, lent knowledge and expertise regarding local environment and species conditions, and have provided pre-shoot logistical fixing, vital for the success of any project.
Out of the water, I maintain and clean underwater housings, and swap media, batteries, and lens between dives, ensuring that when the moments of brilliance happen, we’ll capture it. In the water, I provide vital camera support assisting the camera operator and team to accomplish our shooting objectives no matter how ambitious. Whether it’s moving crucial tripods and lighting rigs into place for benthic shoots, coaxing animal behavior, or communicating with the topside production team via underwater comms, my participation in projects is essential to their success. While most of my work has been underwater, I provide that same crucial support for land-based projects. And most importantly, I’m an outgoing people person who likes meeting new people and excels working in a team by anticipating the needs of the project.
Camera and Drone
Through my time assisting, I’ve developed a keen eye for the narrative based, sequence storytelling work that’s the cornerstone of the natural history film industry. I’m actively shooting local sequence stories to hone these skills, examples of which you can see here. Through my relationships with producers and camera operators, I’m able to stay on top of the latest camera equipment and techniques.
As a drone pilot, I possess a FAA Part 107 License and I have 200 hours of flight time between a DJI Mavic 3 Cine and Inspiration 2, both of which I’ve flow from land, small rigid inflatable boats, and large research vessels for projects.