Serpents of the Sea

Project: Broadcast TV | Client: TVNZ / National Geographic | Year: 1997

Serpents of the Sea was the first comprehensive natural history of sea snakes making extensive use of field vision and studio sequences. This feeding sequence is set at Ashmore Reef, 900 km west of Darwin, Australia.  However, by necessity, the "down-the-burrow" images were filmed in a swimming pool in Townsville, Australia. Over six months we shot feeding, mating and skin shedding behaviours and made several "new-to-science" observations about their biology in the process. Director - Russell Kelley; aquarist/wrangler/camera assist Tom Bowling, DOP Steve Gardner, producer John Hyde, scientific consultant Dr. Mick Guinea.

The Olive

Mesmeric Python

Serpents of the Sea tells the evolutionary story of elapid snakes invading the sea and how being live bearing was an advantage. It provided us with an excuse to spend three months up close with a a beautiful maternal egg laying python to make the point. DOP - Steve Gardner.