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© Copyright reserved BY AQUATEC - INNERSPACE OPERATIONS LTD. No
authorisation for use of photo images or text in any form unless
GIVEN permission FROM AQUATEC
- INNERSPACE OPERATIONS LTD. |
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DAY 1
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beginning of may 2003, FAMOUS underwater photographer and filmer Mrs. Zena Holloway AND PRODUCER MR. PARSONS OF ZAP PRODUCTION SERVICES came to LIMASSOL FOR UNDERWATER FILM TRIALS. THE SHOTS were OF FEMALE FREEDIVING MODELS ON MONOFIN FOR A COMMERCIAL. AQUATEC - innerspace operations LTD. WAS APPOINTED TO PROVIDE UNDERWATER LOGISTICS TOGETHER WITH DIVE-IN. ON THE TRIALS IT WAS UPON AQUATEC - INNERSPACE OPERATIONS LTD. to find female models in Cyprus with good freediving capabilities AND who can do the underwater posing under present water conditions. THIS WAS THE Hardest part, However AQUATEC - INNERSPACE OPERATIONS LTD. motto "Impossible is Impossible" was put to success finding and providing the "Good Looking / Good Diver" after an intensive 2 day search. THE FILM TRIALS WERE CHALLENGED BY UNUSUAL CYPRIOT WEATHER CONDITIONS WITH HEAVY SEAS, OVERCAST SKIES, POOR UNDERWATER VISIBILITY AND COLD WATER TEMPERATURES BUT PUT TO A SUCCESSFUL END. |
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DAY 2
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middle of may 2003, underwater filmer and photographer ZENA Holloway and zap production services RETURNED WITH A FULL TEAM AND EQUIPMENT TO SHOOT FOOTAGE OF FREEDIVING MODELS ON MONOFINS. THE 1ST DAY WAS SPENT TO REHEARSE THE ACTION FOR THE "REAL FILMING" OVER THE FOLLOWING DAYS. LAST WEEKS LIMASSOL'S BOILING SEAS CHANGED COMPLETELY TO FLAT CALM WITH SUPER UNDERWATER VISIBILITY OF OVER 30 METERS. SURFACE WATER TEMPERATURE WAS 20C AND THE MODELS HAD TO WORK WITH SILVER 2MM SWIMSUITS. THE cold WORKING CONDITIONS OVER MANY HOURS IN THE WATER WERE VERY DEMANDING ON THE MODELS. INCLUDED IN THE MODEL TEAM is MS. EMMA FARELL (who is also a film director). SHE COMMENCED ALSO FREEDIVE TRAINING IN CYPRUS FOR HER COMPETITIVE PART IN THE SONY FREEDIVER OPEN CLASSIC 2003 - CYPRUS (SEE HER ON the ACTIVITY AND LINKS page). THE LOCATION OF THE FILMING IS ABOUT 2NM OFFSHORE WHERE WATER DEPTHS reach ABOUT -100 METERS. THE REHEARSAL WENT VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH EXCELLENT FILM RESULTS DONE ON A DIGITAL UNDERWATER CAMERA. FOR THE ACTUAL SHOOTING A LARGE 35MM CAMERA WITH UW HOUSING IS USED. |
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DAY 3
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UNDER PERFECT WEATHER CONDITIONS A FULL BOAT WITH UNDERWATER FILM CREW, MODELS, BOAT CREW, SUPPORT AND SAFETY DIVERS, COMPANY REPRESENTATIVES, UNDERWATER STAGE EQUIPMENT, CAMERA- AND DIVE EQUIPMENT, PROVISIONS, ETC... LEFT TO THE DEEPWATER SITE FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE REAL SHOOTING. MAKE UP TECHNICIANS GOT BUSY ON THE MODELS. RIGGERS SET UP AN UNDERWATER STAGE. THE FILM CREW PREPARED THE 60KG 35MM CAMERA AND SURFACE CONNECTED SCREEN WITH RECORDING DEVICES. SUPPORT AND SAFETY DIVERS WERE BRIEFED OF FILM DETAILS AND MODELS DIVE PLAN. THE MODELS DID NOT WEAR MASKS OR BREATHING DEVICES AND ONLY THIN SILVER SWIMSUITS TOGETHER WITH HUGE MONOFINS. EITHER POSING IN STATIC OR IN SWIMMING THEY WERE FOLLOWED UNDERWATER BY THE BIG CAMERA WITH CAMERA WOMAN ZENA AND THE FILM DIRECTOR. SUPPORT DIVERS STABILISED MODELS ON THE SURFACE OR LET THEM BUDDY BREATH WHEN KEPT UNDERWATER. OTHER DIVERS FOUGHT WITH MASSIVE GOLDEN REFLECTORS UNDERWATER TO PROPERLY LIGHT THE MODELS. ADDITIONAL DEEPER DIVERS WERE ON STAND BY IF CASE ANYTHING GOES WRONG ON THE DESCEND PART OF THE DIVERS OR FOR EQUIPMENT FAILURES. THE DAY FINISHED WITH VERY GOOD FILM RESULTS. |
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DAY 4
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AGAIN CYPRUS SHOWED BEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE WHOLE TEAM SET OUT FOR ANOTHER BUT DIFFERENT UNDERWATER SHOTS. ALL EQUIPMENT WORKED FINE. A SPECIAL RIGGING WITH BUOYS, WEIGHTS AND FINGER LOOPS WAS ADDED TO THE UNDERWATER STAGE TO EASE POSING FOR THE MODELS. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THEM A THERMOCLINE WITH A SHARP WATER TEMPERATURE DROP ROSE TO ONLY -4 METERS. THE COLD WAS BESIDE THE BREATH HOLDING POSING THE HARDEST FACTOR FOR THE MODELS. THE FILM LENGTH IN THE HEAVY CAMERA LASTED ONLY FOR 2 MINUTES PER ROLL AND THEN HAD TO BE CHANGED. THIS GAVE THE MODELS A WELCOMED BREAK TO WARM UP. BESIDES SOME DRIFTING CARPETS OF ALGAE AND PLANKTON WHICH STOPPED OPERATION FOR SHORT PERIODS AT ABOUT 1400HRS THE WEATHER CHANGED WITH A STRONG SW WIND OF 4 BFT AND HIGH WAVES. NEVERTHELESS ALL THE SHOT MATERIAL TURNED OUT TO BE GOOD. |
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DAY 5
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THE LAST DAY STARTED AGAIN WITH EXCELLENT WEATHER CONDITIONS AND ALL PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT WAS READY ON SITE 2 HOURS EARLIER AS USUAL AS STRONG WINDS WERE ANTICIPATED IN THE AFTERNOON. THE UNDERWATER STAGE WAS SET UP AND FILMING STARTED. ALTHOUGH WATER CONDITIONS WERE GOOD AS IN THE LAST DAYS A STRONGER CURRENT CAME UP MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR MODELS AND CAMERA CREW TO HOLD POSITION UNDERWATER, ESPECIALLY HANDLING THE LARGE GOLDEN REFLECTORS OR TO CONSIDER THAT THE CAMERA WAS LINKED WITH A SURFACE CABLE TO TOPSIDE MONITORS. THE PREVIOUS THERMOCLINE SUNK TO -6 METER WHICH IMPROVED WORKING CONDITIONS FOR THE MODELS. SEVERAL HOURS LATER THE SHOOTING CAME TO AN END. EVERYONE WAS SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS AND HAPPY TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A GOOD JOB. |
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