Canadian Stories Canadian Crews
The CUWFN is a web of professional underwater wildlife and documentary filmmakers - telling Canadian stories in Canadian environments.
Every member of the CUWFN network is certified to Canadian SA Z275 dive regulations, is experienced in wildlife and documentary production, have dive medicals from recognised Canadian dive physicians, are all first aid certified, and highly experienced in cold water diving.
Underwater Cinematographers
Canada has multiple award-winning underwater cinematographers; rebreather certified, Arctic experienced, cave certified, born and bred to film in our challenging cold water environments.
Underwater Directors
Megaphones don't work well underwater, but a productive shoot begins and ends with a Director that is experienced in the environment and understands the limitations and challenges here in Canada.
Safety Divers
Canadian waters can be challenging, cold, current swept and very remote. Safety divers are a crucial aspect of ensuring your production is safe. The safer it is, the more productive it will be.
Underwater Researchers
Maybe you're based in Bristol, maybe the Bahamas? Canadians know Canadian waters, we have researchers that are commercially certified divers - they know what to look for, and what is achievable.
Underwater Models
Need someone on camera that isn't flailing around like a diver on their first Mexican vacation? Experienced male and female underwater models, and freedivers are available for your viewing pleasure.
Underwater Camera Assistants
A cinematographer is only as efficient as their AC, and we have some highly experienced underwater camera assistants, from lighting to grip, to dive support and rebreather ops.
Underwater Producers
If you're looking for the right story, hoping to engage with Canada's Indigenous communities, or apply for permits, our Producers can work with you - managing stories, budgets & communications.
Dive Supervisors
Supervisors can work with your crew to ensure Canadian dive regulations are met (HSE certifications are not accepted in Canada), best practices are followed, and a safety is always a priority.
Remote First Aid
Canada is huge. Like really huge. It doesn't take long to be completely off-grid and in the middle of nowhere. We have commercially certified divers that are also paramedics and emergency responders.
Dive Training
Sometimes your production needs to work with lesser experienced crew, such as presenters. We can conduct drysuit, full face mask, and even underwater modelling and underwater presenter training.
Look for the CUWFN member badge:
CUWFN crew
members have
worked with:
SILVERBACK / PLIMSOLL / WILDSTAR / WILDSPACE / OFFSPRING / OCEANIC / NETFLIX / DISNEY+ / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC / CBC / NHK / PBS / BBC / IMAX / RED BULL / HISTORY CHANNEL / DISCOVERY / SKY / APPLE / ARTÉ / ZDF / RIVER ROAD FILMS / LAS VEGAS SPHERE
Pacific
At 27,200 km in length Pacific Canada offers a smorgasbord of charismatic Canadian marine life; the giant Pacific octopus (the world's largest), the Steller sea lion (the world's largest), the lions mane jellyfish (the world's largest), humpback whales, grey whales, orca, nudibranchs, rockfish, otters, red Irish lords, fried egg jellies, moon jelly smacks, Puget Sound king crabs, cold-water coral reefs , sponges, artificial reefs, shipwrecks, sea stars, anemones, ratfish, basket stars, seals, sponge reefs, vertical walls - and that's just the obvious stuff!
Atlantic
Coming in at almost double the length of the Pacific coast - the Atlantic. Chock full of marine life flourishing in the nutrient rich waters; lobsters, sea ravens, humpback whales, North Atlantic right whales, dolphins, harbour seals, grey seals, orca, Atlantic beaked whale, blue whale, fin whale, pilot whale, belugas, and minke whale. Deep breath... moon jelly smacks, icebergs, WWII shipwrecks, some of the world's largest tidal exchanges, lumpfish, torpedo rays, American eels, eelgrass, pirate ship remains, crabs, shrimp, cod, redfish and wolffish!
Arctic
Move over Atlantic, 162,000 km of Canadian Arctic coastline is home some of the most awesome marine life on the planet; walrus, narwhals, belugas, bowhead whales, ringed seals, harbour seals, polar bears, ice algae, copepods, shrimp, Arctic cod, anemones, Arctic char, snow crabs, lumpfish. sea angels, harp seals, pollock, Arctic jellyfish, scallops, sea cucumbers, flounder, and more. Everything here revolves around sea ice, ice flow, and general all round icy goodness. Under the ice, or on the edge of it - stories be found in these 'ere waters!
LAKES & RIVERS
9% of Canada is freshwater, that's 891,163 square kilometres - an incredible 18% of the world's freshwater. There are more than 8500 named rivers in Canada, and over 879,800 lakes, the most in the world. So what are you waiting for?! We have five species of salmon on the west coast, and one on the Atlantic coast. But that's not all, we have; tadpoles, crayfish, turtles, lamprey, American eels, western toads, mussels, newts, pike, trout, perch, beavers, historical shipwrecks, WWII planes, limestone karst cave systems, industrial archaeology, and Ogopogo!
About Canada's
Underwater Film Network
Canada has the longest coastline in the world, the highest number of lakes, and the most islands. Canada offers some of the most compelling and breathtaking underwater natural history and wildlife story opportunities in the world. CUWFN links production companies with professionally certified and experienced crew, from the Pacific to the Arctic to the Atlantic, and from lakes to rivers. No one brings Canadian marine life stories to life better than Canadian crews!
The custodian of this little enterprise is Russell Clark, a natural history and documentary Producer & Director based in British Columbia. He was the Editor of DIVER magazine for close to a decade, is a CSA Z275 certified commercial diver, Jackson Wild award winner, and an Emmy Award winner for his work on Netflix Island of the Sea Wolves. He wants to see more opportunities for certified Canadian underwater filmmakers - by connecting your production to our crews.
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I’d like to bring an underwater crew over from another country, will our commercial dive certs be recognized in Canada?Most likely not. Canada has the highest commercial diving standards in the world, so other countries - such as the UK, Australia and even the USA, who have less complete standards, do not automatically fulfil Canadian standards and requirements. But our network of divers do.
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I only need a couple of quick shots for a documentary, can I just use any diver with a camera?Nope. Commercial diving standards are there to protect the diver, and the employer. You wouldn't hire a vehicle driver without a license, or a drone operator without a certification... Diving is similar. It is a high risk activity and you need to ensure you are hiring the correctly qualified people for the job, signed waivers from crew, and “not knowing” doesn’t hold up in court or avoid potential fines from provincial authorities.
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I’ve heard there can be fines and other consequences?That’s correct, if a provincial health and safety agency, or RCMP Marine Unit arrives on site and your divers don’t hold Canadian certifications and adhere to other regulations, you will may be fined and have your production shut down.
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Why does a Researcher, Director or Producer need to be a commercially certified diver?They don’t. But all our members (even our paramedics) are commercially certified divers. Having that education and experience helps us understand limitations, environments and shoot logistics with more accuracy and efficiency. It also builds in back up options in case someone on location is taken ill.
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Can you help with permits and build Indigenous relationships?Possibly. Depending on your goals, approach and time frame, we can link you with a researcher or producer. If they’re available, they can help guide your production through Canadian Indigenous Screen-Based Production Protocols. And yes, we can help with permits.
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This seems complicated?!If you hire CUWFN members, it doesn't have to be. We have the knowledge, we have the certifications, and we know how productions work - we’re all filmmakers. All you need to do is budget for it, and make the call to us. We’ll connect you with the right crew. Oh, and we love this stuff!
The CUWFN acknowledges that we are on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island, also known as North America. This land has been home to many diverse First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, who have lived here for thousands of years. We are grateful for the opportunity to live, work, and play on this land, and we commit to respecting the land and the Indigenous peoples, to listening to their voices and stories, and to supporting their struggles and aspirations for justice, healing, and reconciliation.
Underwater Equipment Rentals
Avoid carnets, baggage fees, porters, rental vans and customs fun; hire in-country and make it easy for your crew! CUWFN can link you with the right underwater rental provider for your production.
Underwater Cinema Cameras and Housings
RED V-Raptors and RED Gemini's with underwater housings, with a selection of lenses, probes, ports and domes. Available with monitors, lights, accessories, and hard cases. Canon and Sony systems with underwater housings, deep GoPro systems, remote cams, drop cams, pole cams, and ROV mounted cameras!