Our star 'Bob’, a full scale model of a great white. The wide shots in the commercial were to feature a computer animated shark, Bob was to be the close-up stand in. Being up close and personal with a great white we needed realism rather than sensationalism, with gaping jaw, dead eyes and convincing colouration Bob was perfect except for the fact he was deficient in one area, he stopped just below the gills, we had to find an alternative for his tail and fins.

 

The tailless great white was modified, using marine grade ply and leaving enough overhang for the free flow of water I mounted an underwater scooter to the inside of Bob. Anders Kalfors was to be the man at the helm, after test piloting Bob we decided to ad a small amount of buoyancy to the nose, now Anders and Bob were gliding through the water like a kind of mythic, half man, half fish, beast.

 

Not to be out shone, being in nearly every shot, was  the shark cage. An apparently simpler project than Bob, it was constructed in Tenerife, saving on transportation costs from the UK. The cage, built in hollow folded low grade steel tube and box section, was designed for lightness rather than practical safety. We weren’t expecting Ivan to be mauled by a plastic shark! To make the cage neutrally buoyant the displacement of the cage had to be worked out, using the highly sophisticated system of shop display stand, cable ties, and weight belts the calculated weight of the cage was 82 kilos.

 

A location was found for the first slate of the shoot, the beautiful hidden cove of Bellista. I set about rigging the cage as our helpful local fisherman prepared the crane, with a deathly slow drop into the sea we held our breaths. As the cable went slack the cage sat with perfection, waves lapping over the top of the luminescent flotation cylinders.

 

Day two found us at the second and main location, the wreck of La Condisita, an old steam coaster, which went a ground carrying tones of bags of cement. The rigged cage was rolled over the side of Kens rib and the first dive of the day progressed with myself and Andy positioning and tying off the cage. Floating perfectly in the position we wanted, I hovered at a distance to admire the cage. I noticed Andy pointing excitedly to somewhere over my right shoulder, turning to see what it was I almost exploded out of my wet suit to see the nose of a very big shark, mouth agape, appearing from behind my tank. Having got to know plastic Bob pretty well I was still caught unaware by the shark being expertly wrangled by Anders. I now knew everything was in place, a very convincing shark, a realistic cage, an heroic photographer and a great crew.

 

The Tirpitz was the Third Reich’s ultimate weapon. Sister ship to the Bismarck, she was the most successful German battleship of WWII. She alone had the power to destroy an entire convoy, and from 1939-44 she terrified Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin and Allied Naval Forces throughout the Atlantic and Arctic seaways. It took 36 attempts over five years to finally sink her.

 

 

The making of a 90 minute docu-drama about the sinking of the German WW2 warship The Tirpitz. The film is a mix of interviews and actuality with WW2 veterans and drama reconstructions of their memorable experiences and raids.  Underwater filming was done at Fairlie Docks, North Ayreshire. Working closely with Jim White an ex navy diver who runs a diving school and provided vessels and health and safety divers.

(left) frame from finished commercial.