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Become an underwater cameraman in one of Thailand’s leading dive spots. Living on the beautiful island of Koh Tao, you’ll be trained to capture people’s diving experiences and be equipped with all of the media skills to produce a professional underwater video. Once you have completed your training, you will get paid work opportunities at the scuba centre, to help fund your active social life on this laid-back party island!
The location is the perfect place for you to stay and enjoy your scuba diving programme. With palm tree lined beaches and a comfortable mix of Thai culture and backpacker atmosphere, Koh Tao has everything to attract you as a scuba diver and underwater adventurer. So, choose Thailand as the place to gain valuable media skills and have fun scuba diving during your gap or career break!
Project Age Limit
Minimum age 18, maximum decided on potential participant’s health Skills Requirement: You should be an experienced PADI Advanced Open Water diver with additional dive experience as a minimum. It is possible to add on the scuba training courses before the start of this programme if you have no prior dive experience.
Diving Videography Internship Programme
The programme is designed to equip you with all of the necessary skills to do this fun and rewarding job. However, the work will require you to show both technical ability and good people skills, so you must be prepared to work hard! Although the focus of the programme is the paid working internship, one of the major benefits of this programme is that you will complete many logged dives, adding to your personal diving experience.
Media Skills and Training
This programme is a fantastic way to develop, improve or advance your own media skills, making it the perfect platform if you’re looking to go into a media-related course or employment. You’ll get all of the necessary training for you to record, edit and produce your own movies, which will require you to become IT literate and familiar with a number of video and sound editing software programs. By the end of your programme, you are likely to be able to make a high quality documentary.
The internship includes all the equipment and materials that you need. This includes access to underwater camera equipment, a custom built video editing facility, and experienced videographers who have been doing this for a long time!
Paid Work
The last 8 weeks will be the paid working element of your programme. Your main role will be to record, edit and produce a DVD video of the scuba centre’s customers completing their Open Water Dives. This will be these customers’ first dive experience, making the video a great souvenir of their stay in Koh Tao. You will be paid on a commission basis, receiving 500 baht for each video you sell – this equates to about £7 or £8, depending upon the exchange rate.
Because some groups are quite large and living costs are low on Koh Tao, you could earn a good income.
Please Note: A good videographer can expect to sell 3-4 videos each working day during busy periods. However, there are no pay guarantees on this programme, so you need to budget your finances accordingly.
Health Requirements and PADI Indemnity Forms
All students looking to participate on this programme need to ensure that they are reasonably fit and free from any conditions that may prevent or be a danger to you when diving. Before departing on your travels, it is best to consult your doctor.
In addition to the medical requirements, it is also necessary for you to complete several PADI indemnity forms. This stipulates that you will follow all of the necessary codes of conduct and that you accept the inherent risks of partaking in a scuba diving programme. Failure to complete these forms will prevent you from joining the course.
Accommodation and Meals
All accommodation is included. You will stay in a comfortable guesthouse for the duration of your stay, with your own private room. Most rooms have a double bed, fan, fridge and a hot shower. During busier periods, you may be required to share a twin room.
The guesthouse is located 2-3 minutes walk from the dive centre. It has a small convenience shop on-site and there are a number of bars and restaurants a short walk away.
Sairee beach, a popular place to sunbathe and swim is just over 200 metres from the guesthouse.
All meals are also included during your stay. You will eat at the guesthouse restaurant where you will have a daily budget to spend on a wide choice of foods, including a number of western dishes. The menu has a good variety and caters to a number of different diets.
Programme Support
Throughout your programme, you will have the support and supervision of our qualified Instructors and Dive Masters, as well as the videography mentors. All are fully qualified and experienced, and are able to provide you with all the instructional and safety support necessary on a programme like this. They will also provide you with competent assistance and help you with any questions or advice you may need during your stay. The accommodation staff will be on hand throughout the day and the dive centre director will be available to you 24 hours a day if you have any serious problems or emergencies.
In addition, we will provide you with a 24 hour emergency contact number before you depart, so that you can contact one of our UK staff at any time should you need to.
Orientation
At the start of your programme you will receive a local orientation, to go alongside your predeparture handbook. This orientation will be conducted by our programme coordinator and will cover the following areas:
- Course Outline and Criteria: You will be briefed on what the course requirements are and what is expected of you in terms of commitment to your role at the dive centre.
- Koh Tao: An outline of the local amenities, places of interest and what to do in your free time.
- Safety: How to keep safe in the local area and how to ensure everyone’s safety whilst on the programme.
- Questions/Answers Session: An opportunity for you to ask any further questions.
Visas
Because the pay is commission based and only incidental, you do not need to apply for a work/business visa. You need a 90-day tourist visa, available upon application at a Thai Embassy or High Commission worldwide. Please contact a REAL Travel Adviser for more information.
Bangkok Stopover and Transfer to Koh Tao
On arrival into Bangkok, you have a 2-night stopover before transferring to Koh Tao. This is a great opportunity for you to relax after your long journey and to see the sights of Bangkok during your time in Thailand.
You will stay at the Royal Hotel, however, meals are not included during this part of the programme. On day 3, you will be collected from your hotel and be taken to the bus station, where you catch an overnight bus to Chumporn. From Chumporn, you will catch a ferry to Koh Tao, where a representative will meet you at the ferry dock.
Please Note: The transfer is one-way. You will need to arrange and pay for your return to Bangkok locally.
Dates
The best time of year for a chance to see whale sharks is outside the monsoon period, so April/May and September are the best months. Nothing is guaranteed, however.
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