Need Advice for Film, Please...

[diversteve]

Entanglements work well..

How does the bad guy get the heroine to entangle herself when she's solo diiving?

 

[drbill]

Of course back in the daze when we didn't use SPGs (and there was no topside PG to check tanks), one would occasionally pick a tank off the rack that was near empty and not know it (been there, done that back in the 60s). Today with divers using SPGs that is not likely although the SPG itself could be tampered with to show a tank as full when it wasn't. Many good suggestions above on depleting air from a full tank though.

Just make sure your heroine is not diving an "oxygen tank!"

 

[Indiana12]

I'll add my opinion and an option not mentioned which has led to deaths...

Loosening a regulator hose is iffy in terms of being practical. I'm sure it has happened, but as soon as a diver turns their gas on, the o ring would likely extrude and there would be an unmistakable release of gas. For a script for the masses, it would probably work, and of course you could build suspense as that hose continues to unscrew during the dive. Think tight close up shots.

I like the pressure gauge tampering as that is practical and has also led to real life incidents. Not necessarily the tampering, but an SPG can fail indicating to a diver they have more gas than they do, which would lead to an out of gas emergency.

Cutting the hose would work, but obviously doesn't play well for a suspicious plot. Rather I'd view that as an outright attack.

Another option that hasn't been mentioned would be to have the villain cut off the simple cable tie that holds the regulator mouthpiece to the reg.

Here's an example and an article about a woman dying from that type of incident. Of course the simple solution is to switch to your octo. But if you panic, all bets are off.

So far I think tampering with the SPG is your best bet in terms of practicality, but loosening a regulator hose would play better for an audience. That hose coming off or cut would be dramatic, as you've already seen.


Mouthpiece of drowned S'pore diver was missing

 

[Indiana12]

I'll add my opinion and an option not mentioned which has led to deaths...

Loosening a regulator hose is iffy in terms of being practical. I'm sure it has happened, but as soon as a diver turns their gas on, the o ring would likely extrude and there would be an unmistakable release of gas. For a script for the masses, it would probably work, and of course you could build suspense as that hose continues to unscrew during the dive. Think tight close up shots.

I like the pressure gauge tampering as that is practical and has also led to real life incidents. Not necessarily the tampering, but an SPG can fail indicating to a diver they have more gas than they do, which would lead to an out of gas emergency.

Cutting the hose would work, but obviously doesn't play well for a suspicious plot. Rather I'd view that as an outright attack.

Another option that hasn't been mentioned would be to have the villain cut off the simple cable tie that holds the regulator mouthpiece to the reg.

Here's an example and an article about a woman dying from that type of incident. Of course the simple solution is to switch to your octo. But if you panic, all bets are off.

So far I think tampering with the SPG is your best bet in terms of practicality, but loosening a regulator hose would play better for an audience. That hose coming off or cut would be dramatic, as you've already seen.


Mouthpiece of drowned S'pore diver was missing

Ugh, scary! Thank you for the ideas!! : )

 

[Indiana12]

Entanglements would work well, ghost nets are areal hazard on ship wrecks. And something as simply hooking a line can be a real problem, especially whe the diver tries initially to turn around to find the problem only to get further entangled. This would probably be a great plot devise because it is much more visual than a tampered gauge. Out of air situations would be pretty dull to watch. Check out the movie The Deep from the 1970s. It might give you some ideas

Thanks!! I read quite a few things about divers getting tangled in nets when shipwreck diving and think I'm going to add that to another scene for sure...

 

[Indiana12]

My friend can tell you about the drama of his 2nd stage coming loose at 60' after diving for about 20 minutes. After the hose pulled out of his reg, it flailed around behind him the entire time emptying his tank rapidly.

SPG's are sealed so tampering with one would have to be done when the gear was not in her control - like overnight. I'd notice if mine was not moving during the dive - generally you watch things your life depends on.

The monoxide idea - might make her very sick but I didn't think the idea was to kill her.

I wrote it up and used what happened to your friend-- I'm tweaking it, but think it works really well!! Thank you again!!

 

[Indiana12]

Of course back in the daze when we didn't use SPGs (and there was no topside PG to check tanks), one would occasionally pick a tank off the rack that was near empty and not know it (been there, done that back in the 60s). Today with divers using SPGs that is not likely although the SPG itself could be tampered with to show a tank as full when it wasn't. Many good suggestions above on depleting air from a full tank though.

Just make sure your heroine is not diving an "oxygen tank!"

Good to know-- thank you!!

 

[Indiana12]

Seriously, pass the scene by some knowledgeable divers after you write it and get some feedback then.

I definitely will-- great idea!