Professional HD Underwater Videographer Internship | 2 Months | 170,000 baht

Paid Gap Year Thailand - Videography Internship: Overview

There are many professions within the scuba diving industry, but none more exciting than underwater videography.

In Koh Tao [and elsewhere], professional underwater videographers earn a living by capturing amazing underwater experiences on film, highlighting the underwater world of coral reefs, deep sea pinnacles and stunning marine life.

Just imagine joining a group of novice divers for the last two dives of their PADI course – capturing their experiences on film and documenting their underwater exploration of Koh Tao’s tropical coral reefs. Being able to edit the footage to produce a professional movie and then screening your film to the appreciation of the divers.

This scuba diving internship makes this possible, combining dive courses, underwater videography training and selling and presentation skills, giving you all the tools you need to work as a professional underwater videographer.

Even if you don’t plan to pursue diving as a long term career, this diving internship is an exciting and rewarding opportunity, where you’ll learn a lot, and really enjoy the challenge.

Structure of the HD Underwater Videography Internship on Koh Tao, Thailand

No previous diving experience or qualifications are necessary – these scuba diving internships include absolutely everything you need to work as a professional underwater videographer.

The dive internship is built in three parts.

First you’ll complete regular PADI scuba diving courses, from beginner through to PADI Rescue diver, turning you into a safe, confident and competent scuba diver.

Next, it’s onto the underwater videography training phase, where you’ll be put through an intensive learning curve. You’ll develop the skills and techniques required to capture and edit professional underwater movies. The course is done over two weeks and you'll be trained on the highest quality HD Underwater Video Cameras and Housings. Our experienced video team has a combined 15 years diving and filming on Koh Tao and offers the most extensive training of any video school in SE Asia. We've actually written the book- the only professional-level underwater video manual sanctioned by any of the dive training agencies (BSAC)- on Professional HD Underwater Video.

Finally, this scuba diving internship concludes with the best bit – a paid pr video internship, during which time you’ll go out and film real customers, and get paid each time you produce and sell an underwater movie.

Let’s take a detailed look at exactly what’s included and involved:

What is included in our Gap Year Thailand Videography Diving Internship

Training & Courses

PHASE 1: PADI Scuba Diving Courses

i: PADI Open Water Course

The open water course introduces scuba diving basics including scuba diving theory and safe diving practices. You'll learn scuba diving skills in shallow water, then further practice them and learning to control your buoyancy in open water, as your explore Koh Tao's coral reefs over the course of four open water training dives.

ii: PADI Advanced Diving Course

The PADI Advanced course involves five more training dives which introduce new and exciting areas of diving.  This includes the deep dive right down to 30 meters, an underwater navigation dive where you’ll practice utilizing observation skills to help naturally navigate a dive site as well as how to use a compass underwater to find your way, plus other optional dives such as photography, underwater naturalist, night diving, dive propulsion vehicle and more...

iii. PADI Emergency First Responder & Rescue Diver

Here the emphasis shifts to considering other divers in addition to yourself.

The EFR course grounds you in identifying and responding with Basic Life Support techniques for topside emergencies, whereas the Rescue course allows you to apply those tools to in water rescues. The focus of the Rescue course is on anticipating and preventing potential problems before they occur, and responding effectively when required. Rescue training encompasses many areas such as self rescue techniques and self sufficiency [critical to working as a videographer], dealing with problems at the surface, tackling underwater problems and overall emergency management.

You’ll really learn a lot!

In addition to these dive courses, we’ll encourage you to make ‘fun dives’ between your courses, allowing you to further practice your diving skills such as buoyancy control and navigation – both critical to the next phase of the diving internship. We require that you log at least 50 dives before we proceed to the next stage of your training….

PHASE 2: HD Underwater Videography Training

Now the diving internship steps up a gear with your intensive HD underwater videography training. Over the course of two weeks, you’ll work mostly 1-on-1 with one of our experienced professional underwater videographer trainers, perfecting the skills you need to function as a professional underwater videographer [and have lots of fun]!

Training includes a mix of theory, filming on land and 14training dives. Specifically we'll cover topics such as:

- Maintenance, care and handling of underwater video equipment
- Use of HD camera on land
- Safe diving practices whilst filming
- Focus and white balance
- Shot types, lengths and camera moves
- Developing a story line, story board and sequencing
- Editing and producing the movie [high performance PC with Adobe Premiere Pro]
- Sales techniques

As part of the course you'll get a copy of our BSAC Professional HD Underwater Video Training manual which gives detail on all these skills and techniques.

Throughout the videography training you’ll get lots of feedback and advice from our pros, before the final and most exciting phase of the course . . .

PHASE 3: Pro Underwater Videography | Paid Gap Year Internship

Now it’s time to put your skills and training to the test during a paid gap year professional underwater videography internship.
We hold contracts with five of the busiest dive schools on Koh Tao – as part of this diving internship you’ll be working on those contracts.
You won’t be on your own – you’ll still be under the guidance of our seasoned underwater videographers so will have a source of information and advice, but you will be given genuine responsibility.

It’s hard work and long hours, but exceptionally rewarding and satisfying – an opportunity to have a truly unique experience which will give you a valuable skill which can easily turn into a lifelong career. Here’s what to expect:

Up early, you’ll need to prepare your camera and dive equipment, and pack your gear bag ready for the morning dives. Then it’s off to the dive shop to meet and greet today’s customers, together with their dive instructors. Everything gets loaded onto the dive boat and you’ll head out to the Koh Tao dive sites, making two dives – usually the final two dives of the open water course.

The objective is to capture the customers experience on film, both above an below the water. Underwater you’ll film them exploring the dive site, collecting shots of the amazing tropical marine life while focusing on them completing the training elements of the course. There’s really two important components – getting quality shots of the marine life and aquatic environment, and getting the customers face on the film, preferably smiling! On the boat you’ll video wider aspects of their experience – group shots, equipment assembly, dive briefings, tropical island scenery – everything to make your movie into a proper story.

Once both dives are completed you’ll return to Koh Tao, usually around midday. Then it’s a dash to the office to capture the film from the camera to a high performance PC. This usually takes the same duration as the footage you filmed, so you can make use of this break by grabbing a quick bite to eat!

Then it’s back to work, editing your raw footage into a finished product. You’ll work using Adobe Premiere Pro, adding an appropriate soundtrack, and cropping and adjusting clips to produce a professional movie.

Once that’s done it’s time to burn the movie to DVD, and if everything’s gone well, you’ll have a couple of hours to relax.

At a pre-arranged time that evening, you’ll meet up with the customers and instructor in one of Koh Tao’s bustling beach bars, where you’ll screen your movie for the eagerly awaiting audience! Obviously it’s in the interest of the bars to have people drinking and socializing in their establishment, so many have invested in expensive wide screen projectors and sound systems which you’ll use to show your movie. You’ll be sure to get a real buzz, as you playback your movie for the customers [usually enjoyed with a few cold beers, courtesy of the appreciative students!].

Then it’s selling time – you’ll give the customers the opportunity to purchase a copy of the video – hopefully they go for it. For each copy that you sell you’ll earn 500 baht*.

It’s a long day, involving a mix of technical and people skills, but the end result is very rewarding.

Now let’s get back to what else is included:

Scuba Diving & HD Underwater Videography Equipment

As part of the scuba diving internship you’ll receive a full set of scuba diving equipment, yours to keep. This will be quality brand name equipment. Specifically, you’ll receive:

Buoyancy control device [BCD], balanced regulator set, dive computer, short wetsuit/rash vest [water is 30°C], mask/snorkel, professional open heel fins/booties, dive knife, safety marker buoy, whistle, underwater slate, underwater compass, dry bag and a gear bag to put it all in.

The quality of this gear is all professional, the same as a dive shop uses. If you want to spend a little extra and upgrade specific items we’re happy to help – we can run you through the options once you arrive on Koh Tao.

Professional underwater videography equipment is very expensive. Rather than including your own full rig, we’ll provide you with a set to use, which will be professionally maintained by ourselves. We use robust Gates and Aquatica underwater housings, and Sony HD cameras.

If you want to buy your own rig, we’re happy to give advice and line up a great deal.

Diving Internship & Videography Course Materials

This diving internship includes all the materials required during your training. Specifically:

PADI Open Water manual, PADI Recreational Dive Planner – table version, PADI Adventures in Diving manual, Emergency First Response manual, PADI Emergency Management Slate, PADI Rescue Diver manual and BSAC Professional HD Underwater Videographer Manual

Accommodation on Koh Tao, Thailand

For the duration of the scuba diving internship we’ll provide you with clean, comfortable accommodation, close to the training center on Sairee Beach. This will be your own place with double bed, 24-hour electricity and fan, en-suite western bathroom with shower. This will be within close walking distance of everything you need – shops, ATMs, bars, restaurants, the beach etc.

Post Scuba Diving Internship Options: What Next?

Koh Tao is a very busy dive destination, so if you want to apply your videography training to make a living, you shouldn’t find it too difficult to pick up paid work.

We have a policy of trying to employ our best diving internship graduates – opportunities depend on how busy we are and what existing staff are already employed, but openings do occur on a regular basis.

We also have good working relationships with other videography companies on the island, and with dive operators throughout Thailand, so will be able to point you in the right direction wherever you want to go.