Samsung · Diving for Ghosts

The third in a series of films for Samsung x CNN, this one starring ocean conservationist Rob Wilson and his lovely team at Ghost Diving New Zealand. Was lucky to take my first trip to NZ to capture this film; a love letter to marine life and the people doing the difficult but essential work of preserving it.

Rob and his crew are uniquely dedicated to their mission. Many of them work day jobs, and dedicate their free time and weekends to planning and executing cleanup missions in their native Wellingon and beyond. They are a finely-tuned machine, complementing one another at every step and remaining ever-eager to bring new members into the fold.

It was so moving to see a group of adults building community through acts of service, and working toward a better future by committing to repetitive, cumulative acts. It can seem daunting to combat these forces — ocean pollution, climate change — but this crew reminded me that there is power in collective effort.

On that note... I was grateful to work with an incredible crew down in NZ, including the prolific DP Duncan Cole, who literally ran over and through beachrock to capture the last flashes of sunset (you don't always get a clear one in Wellington, I’ve heard). and Kina Scollay, NZ’s go-to underwater DP, who also researches and dives with sharks in his free time. Legend.

On the day of the dive, we floated on a barge through the harbor and had three cameras running simultaneously — one in the sky, one underwater and one on the boat — and I felt blessed. To travel to tell stories; to collaborate with artists I might've never otherwise met; and iterate on my practice as I come of age in this career.

Director: Dan Buyanovsky

Producer: Tim Costar

1st AD: Robin Wilson

DP: Duncan Cole

Underwater: DP Kina Scollay

1st AC: Maisy McLeod Riera

2nd AC: McKay Findlay

DIT: Rohan Satyanand

Gaffer: Rob Kerr

Best Boy: Angus Kerr

Sound: Adam Roberts

Locations: Graeme Tuckett