Why are the divers on "Shark Week" so sloppy/crappy?

[CuzzA]

How about 'LOB WARS'? 3-5 boats, social drama on the surface (Babes and hunks woun't hurt) diving under. You got your 'dunk and repeat' boat, your 'tech wannabe' boat, your 'experience diving' boat, your eco boat, your

I fully expect to hear about this debut next summer... on MTV... right after Pregnant Crackheads at 16?, but not before Jersey Shore reruns.... Ahh remember when MTV played music? Discovery played discovery? They wonder why we cut the cable. I'd rather go diving.

 

[lowviz]

Times change.

 

[Kayakingphotos]

Anybody see Guy Fieri's "scarry moment"? The video goes from showing him wearing a Diveways FFM to an OTS Guardian FFM or are they just trying to confuse the audience? The audio is definitely not synced up with clip wearing the OTS.

 

[rongoodman]

A few years ago, someone posted in CDF that they were looking for cave divers for a TV project. The divers had to have "big personalities." Two of the biggest personalities I knew also happened to be GUE instructors -- Ed Hayes and Bob Sherwood. I copied their resumes from the GUE site and sent in some photos of us diving together. We were contacted by a production company, did Skype screen tests, and were hired to shoot a series for H2 called "Ghost Town Divers." Both our producer and DP producer were divers. They said that watching us underwater was incredible. They'd never seen anything like it. But, watching us hold still and propel efficiently was boring for TV. They wanted us to flail around, fin a lot, and create drama. During the pilot episode, it took about 20 minutes to get Ed's manifold impaled by a tree limb and rescue him. First, we had to find the tree, then find a branch that would fit through the space between the cylinders and crossbar, then we had to find one that wouldn't break, etc. Even when they get divers who can dive well in front of the cameras, they don't want to show the public quality scuba diving. It's rare. I've seen it on the WKPP Britannic expedition documentary and here and there. But, as AJ pointed out, most divers are not that skilled. Here is a sizzle reel from our show after we tried to look bad:

I know Ed. I'd give a lot to have heard his commentary during all that.

 

[Snoweman]

Jacques Cousteau made scuba diving interesting. I don't remember all the shows, but I'm pretty sure there wasn't a lot of made of drama.

I've only watched one Shar Week show, but it was hokey as hell. They definitely made up a bunch of drama that didn't need to happen. And the narrator was just obnoxious.

 

[poolecw]

Why? Because they aren't members of scubaboard.