New Shark Podcast

Hello All:

Just wanted to announce that the latest DiveFilm Podcast Video episode is up, and it's a great short film by one of my favorite filmmakers, Leandro Blanco. The film is entitled, "Nobody Loves You," and is an homage to sharks, particularly Tiger Sharks. The film juxtaposes elegant Tiger Shark footage with tragic stats and images on shark fishing/finning/decimation.

In addition to being an internationally acclaimed filmmaker, Leandro Blanco is also an incredible musician and songwriter. "Nobody Loves You" is set to one of Leandro's songs (also the title of the film) which he both wrote and performed. For more info on Leo and his work, his bio at DiveFilm.

I was first introduced to Leandro's work while on one of Jim Abernethy's trips, and was just blown away by the editing and soundtrack work that characterizes his filmmaking. He uses a lot of complex compositing in his editing (although, not so much in "Nobody Loves You"), and is by far one of the most creative and inspiring underwater filmmakers today. It is an honor to present his work. Hope you enjoy this podcast!

Mary Lynn

**Note: If the link above didn't work to launch iTunes on your computer and take you directly to the DiveFilm Video Podcast page, check out the detailed podcast page here at Wetpixel.com.

Well done Mary ..you are the king of dive video podcasts.

That was great how he put the that togther, what a talent he has.

Thanks Mary. That was enjoyable and sad at the same time.

When I lived in Hong Kong, whenever there was a big occasion (important customer visit or whatever) sharks fin soup was always served up. It's a status thing. There it's almost like a taboo not to serve up sharks fin soup for someone you're trying to impress.

Nick

Thanks folks! Yes, Leandro's film affects me like that too. If you like his film, please do write him and let him know. There's an email link here.

The situation faced by sharks around the world is truly dire. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed and wonder if it's already too late. But then I realize that as long as there are still sharks, there's hope. So folks will be seeing more podcasts on sharks on DiveFilm, more efforts to talk to people about why sharks need protection, more efforts to raise awareness, and my continued support for people and organizations doing work to help save sharks.

Awesome video. It's so hard to do something different on sharks, and he's done it with humor and panache. Fantastic job of writing, editing, and the song ought to make it on the charts.

Hi Mary

Loved the film! Like everything else you post, it's a huge inspiration.

I'm really glad that you're going to try to show more films about sharks in general and their current plight in particular. In only 50 years we are well on our way to wiping out a species that has been in this planets oceans for 400 million years. The really sad thing about it is that the vast majority of people just don't know what's going on and I hate to say it but most non divers wouldn't care much anyway. The amount of people that have said to me that we'd be better off without sharks when I have tried to explain to them the situation is just shocking and sickening.

The only way to change this perception is through education and you can play your part in that with your podcasts. I'm sure everyone here is right behind you! 3xcheers!

Simon

P.S. Wagsy - Mary's the Queen not King! - I know you do things different down under, but well come on!

Thank you, Simon. And King, Queen, it's all cool with me! I think the most important thing is that the podcasts wouldn't be what they are without all the help, inspiration, and encouragement of all of you. Thank you for that--it's very much appreciated!

Well, finally got to see it....an original video, with a purpose yet.....just excellent is all I can say.

We all have our own stories...in San Diego, abalone was so plentiful there would be hundreds just hanging in the tidepools. Now, I have haven't even seen one is several years. We used to go out to chum for the blue and mako sharks so we could film them up close and many would come and stay the day with us, now you can chum all day and not see a single one. In Oceanside, just north of SanDiego, they have an annual Thresher Shark fishing competition every year, we have companies like Master Charge a few years back offering free bowls of shark fin soup to new card members, we have an Asian society that due to centuries of tradiition will not look and reevaluate the effect their culinary habits have on the world and I am afraid that those countries never will; and that scares me. However, on the bright side of things, we have dive magazines like Asian Diver and Photographers like Steve Wong and his wife(sorry I forgot her name) who are frequently trying to make the public understand the destructive nature of their habits. I go on several dive trips each year and refuse to eat seafood period which is so frequently served on liveaboard boats. And yet I can be a hypocrite too as I love a good tuna sandwich now and then. I wish there were a productive answer.

Steve B)

Yes, yes! Steve, you sum up so many of my own thoughts on all this.

But I want to diverge from the message and meaning of Leandro's wonderful film for a bit here, and write a little about his art and approach. One of the reasons I am so thrilled that he allowed us to podcast his work is that he is a major inspiration to me when it comes to creating videos that are more creative and compelling. This is what I want to get better at!

Here are some things I notice as I watch "Nobody Loves You." The soundtrack is so good. I'm not a musician, but I can really see how sound and music can make a huge difference in the effect of a piece. Then there's the creative use of the footage that he has. While Leandro does some absolutely incredible complex compositing in many of his other films, this particular film gets its "look" from excellent use of elegant slow motion, good cutting, and artistic use of black&white footage juxtaposed with carefully selected infusions of color and color footage.

We who shoot underwater have access to some of the most beautiful and interesting images. I really want to get better at working more artistically with the footage I have, because I can see from watching Leandro's work how much more compelling video creations can be. Thank you, Leandro!

Mary Lynn

Hi Mary and everyone

Please promote wherever you can the idea of 'tag and release' to any and all shark sportfishing organisations that you talk to upon your travels. That way people who want to can still carry on with their hobby, but have a positive effect rather than dragging their dead catch back to port to rot.

It's the long liners who will eventually wipe out sharks, but every little bit helps and it's just so wrong to make things worse, (no matter if it's on a small scale), for the sake of 'sport'.

Cheers, Simon

Just think in 20 years time we will have all this beautifull footage and we will just have to say to the kids of the time, well that's what it was like in the olden days.

It will only stop when it's all gone or maybe when a big rock slams into the earth and slows up all up abit.

I'm very interested in how art and our perception of the ocean and marine life inter-relate. And so I am always on the lookout for what others are doing with their imaging/filmmaking/videography in this respect. We all won't always agree on the particulars, and there usually aren't simple answers. (I get better at accepting this as I get older, but I digress....) But I'm interested in seeing what others are doing, why and how.

A couple of websites of videographers that I find interesting because of the approach and application of their imaging-making include Bob Talbot's LegaSea Project Website, and the BlueVoice.org website.

Just think in 20 years time we will have all this beautifull footage and we will just have to say to the kids of the time, well that's what it was like in the olden days.

 

It will only stop when it's all gone or maybe when a big rock slams into the earth and slows up all up abit.

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There are times when I really agree with this, as I already say that about what it was like diving in the '70s.

However, the difference I see in people every day is such a change to those days, it has brought hope that we still have a chance. A small one maybe, but a chance!