Become an underwater cameraman (or woman) on a underwater videography internship. Earn as you learn to film underwater while you are staying at the stunning Thai island Koh Tao. For 6 weeks you will be diving every day! You will work with a young dynamic team and earn your beer money shooting movies in paradise. Who does not love that!

Earn Your Money On A Tropical Island

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This is no ordinary lifestyle; this is the ultimate trip of a lifetime! Not only can you live on one of the most beautiful tropical islands in the world, soaking up the sun all day, every day, but you can also become a underwater filmmaker in the process, diving among the colourful fish and coral in the mornings, and editing your footage in the afternoons! How awesome is that?!

Working with a dynamic and youthful team, you´ll get to learn all the tricks of the trade, gain valuable industry experience, and even get paid for your work! This is not just any travel course; real customers will buy your work and you´ll help them to remember an amazing part of their travels through film.

We know what you´re probably thinking: ´what´s the catch?´ There is none! This is simply an amazing trip designed to be an unforgettable experience, to be cherished for the rest of your life.

So what will you get up to on this trip?

  • Two-week PADI pro videography course.
  • Four-week videography Paid internship, you shoot, you sell, you earn!
  • Opportunity to work and earn a living as an underwater filmmaker in Thailand
  • All of your accommodation for the duration
  • Transfers to the island
  • Services of our rep base locally
  • Unlimited diving with use of all dive equipment and camera equipment
  • You will also join our community of Xtreme Gappers based on Koh Tao.

    • Optional:

    Extra preliminary PADI Diving Divemaster course to become a qualified professional Diver.  You can join the course if you are only rescue diver level option, but then we can not offer the paid internship. Only for Qualified Divemasters we can offer the 4 week paid internship after the 2 week Professional Videography course.

Highlights

  • Learn how to shoot, edit and produce professional underwater movies.  
  • Complete a paid internship at one of Koh Tao´s top dive schools.
  • During the internship part of the course you will make 40% per sold video
  • Learn how to make money filming divers, tourists and open water students in action underwater, by selling them their own personal souvenir movies.
  • Rise bright and early every morning to spend the day diving underwater out on the open water.
  • Meet fellow Xtreme Gappers and make lifelong friends through our awesome Buddy List online chat system.

Take home amazing and unique new skills, which look awesome on your CV, or use your new qualifications to travel the world as an underwater videographer! Pretty sweet, eh?

 

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Paid Under Water Film Maker Internship

Spend 6 weeks in Koh Tao learning how to shoot, edit and produce awesome underwater movies. One of the most exciting aspects of our underwater filmmaker course is that for 2 weeks you will be trained as a professional Underwater Videographer followed by a 4 week paid internship, where you really have to go out there and put your skills to work.

Meanwhile, you will be living in one of the most beautiful places on earth! We know, we know, we spoil you!

Live at our awesome resort, 5 min walk from to the best beach, gain access to top facilities and equipment. To join the paid internship, you will need a minimum scuba diving qualification of Divemaster. If you do not already have this qualification no worries we can include that for you by adding the additional Dive Courses.

No diving experience at all yet. Have look at the 8 week Divemaster course. This course is run on the same island. It includes 8 weeks of accommodation, diving and all professional qualifications.

 

The Videography Course.

The course includes:

  • Introduction to u/w Filming + Editing
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Editing Adobe Premiere Pro SD / HD lite
  • Advanced Editing Adobe Premiere Pro HD
  • Standard / High Definition / Web Formats
  • Paid commission for video sales

This course includes 2 weeks (14 dives included) and is teaching you:

  • Selecting, using and caring for underwater video equipment
  • Self-servicing and maintenance of underwater video equipment
  • Videography fundamentals, such as; white balance · correct zoom use · shot types · moves·
  • Advanced videography techniques, such as; storyboard development · high definition formats · cinematic effects
  • Film, Edit and show a customer dive movie for a group of Open Water training graduates
  • In-depth post-dive editing including; advanced transitions · audio mixing · time effects · colour correction · advanced titling and animated effects · multitrack video · multi-format final rendering SD/HDV/FLV/MPEG4 as well as other web video standards

Graduates from this course are certified as PADI Professional UW Videographers.

So how does the paid part work?

For successful graduates of the 2 week professional Videography course we include a working internship where you get more practice, experience, and paid to make your movies. We are still on hand to offer assistance and advice at any stage of the process but you now get the chance to work as a professional underwater videographer. During this internship, you will polish your filming, editing and selling skills to become a successful commercial videographer with a skill set that you can take worldwide and continue doing the job you love.

During this 4 week experience you will:

  • Accompany instructors taking Open Water Students for their 2 final training dives in the morning
  • Capture, Edit and Compile a professional final movie in the afternoon
  • Show and sell your completed movie to the students in the evening
  • Work on secondary video projects such as special trips or promotional films
  • Learn the business and personal skills to get the best video and commercial results from your customers
  • Get paid for every movie you sell!
  • We often have full time positions available for successful interns who would like to stay longer on Koh Tao as well as a wide network of diving contacts on Koh Tao, the rest of Thailand, and also worldwide to help take your talents to new and exciting destinations!

So what do you do during your Internship?

Thailand Filmmaker en stage (7)

After the videography course comes the exciting part of the trip; the paid internship! Four weeks of blissful diving on the gorgeous island of Koh Tao, with some of the best professional divers in Thailand!

Bright and early, you´ll start your day by diving and filming out in the ocean with fellow students and a professional team of divers. Filming the beauty of the underwater world, you´ll take your footage back to the editing suites and begin an afternoon of editing, experimenting and collaborating to create epic diving movies.

Get up close to an array of beautiful and exotic marine life, learn fun new underwater filming techniques and make the most of the beautiful Thai light to create visually stunning and captivating films for both the customers and yourself.

The best part? You can even sell your creations for cash to other dive students and tourists getting their open water certifications. The dive schools we work with are one of the most popular and top-rated schools on the island, so there are always plenty of students looking for personal souvenir films as a memento of their trip! You´ll make a commission on each sale, so you can spend it on a nice cold beer after a hard days diving, or put it towards the extended travel fund!

 

 

Trip Frequently Asked Questions

Why on Koh Tao...The Xtreme Gap Year Koh Tao Experience.

One of the benefits of booking your trip on Koh Tao with Xtreme Gap Year is not only do you get to do this awesome activity, but you will become part of the Xtreme gap family on Koh Tao. We will pick you up from the pier and give you a warm welcome at our stunning resort. On your first night our resident representative will take you out for a gorgeous Thai meal annual get to know all of the other members of the group. When you are booking a trip with us it is not just about the activity so please bear this in mind if you are comparing prices to other companies. No other company has such a big presence in Koh Tao, runs groups of like-minded travellers so booking a trip with us is as much about the friends you make as well as the experiences you will have.

What prior experience do I need before joining?

You need to have diving experience because you will be taking a camera underwater. You need a minimum of Divemaster qualification. The minimum training level for this course is Divemaster qualification.
Our reasons for this are you will often be working as a full-time diving professional and the knowledge and skills acquired in the divemaster programme will make you a valued member of any dive operation you work with. Another reason is that you will often be filming customers with various levels of experience from new students to lapsed divers re-entering the world of scuba. Your professional training and experience at this level will help you get the best footage of the groups without having a negative effect on their experience.

When do I start earning and how much money do I get per video?

 During the internship part of the course you will make 40% per sold video.” This is because we allow the videographers to discount the prices depending on the group size, so the final amount they can earn will vary from job to job.

You will be filming for example open water students in the morning, edit the movie in the afternoon and show the movies in the evening and hopefully, when they are good enough you sell them. The group you film can consist of 1 to 5 persons, so there is a big change you sell more than one video per group.

How much spending money do I need per month?

Around £20 per day should be enough for a great gap year. If you are not the drinking type and you like more quiet nights you could do it for £15. During the day you will only spend some money on food and water, and trust me, that is cheap!

When is the best time to go?

Thailand is great for a gap year, because the weather is always nice. Maybe except October and November when it is rainy season. But for the rest of the year it is hot and sunny! And even in the rainy season you will have lots of sunshine and hot weather.

Will there be other Xtreme Gappers on Koh Tao?

Yes, there we will be other Xtreme Gappers on the island. We do never know exactly how many, but there is always an average of 5 to 12 travellers from Xtreme Gap. Not all gap year travellers will be doing the Thailand Divemaster programme. There are also options to do Mixed Martial Arts, Yoga, Free diving and people on Thailand round trips. For more gap year Thailand ideas please check our site. Everyone will stay in the same resort.

What are the rooms like at the resort on Koh Tao?

The rooms are spacious and clean and have a nice balcony. Every fan room has two single beds, a TV and  ensuite bathroom. If you wish your own room during your gap year diving, there is an option to get your own private room, for just £75 extra a month.

What facilities does the dive resort have?

The resort is part of the dive school. There is a reception, bar, restaurant with Thai and Western food, a big pool with sun beds pool, friendly reception, spacious rooms, and internet. The resort is a 2 minute walk from the beach, the bars and the restaurants.

Is there a support network on Koh Tao?

Yes, there is support for you on Koh Tao. Xtreme Gap has a rep on the island that will be there for all gap year travellers. The rep will meet you on arrival at 4 pm at the resort, show you around, take you out for dinner, introduce you to other gap year takers and will be there for you 24/7. Furthermore, you will also be working with your instructor closely every day. We will also have an emergency number.

What do I need to bring? Are there shops nearby the resort?

You can buy anything you need on Koh Tao, and it is much cheaper than back home, so pack light! The shops are all close to the resort. You can buy souvenirs, sun lotion, mosquito repellent, swim shorts, flip flops and everything else you might need just on the island.

What kind of insurance do I need for this course?

You would need a backpacker insurance with an upgrade since you will be diving up to 30 meters deep. We recommend InsuredandGo since they offer good value and cover the necessary diving and sports travel activities we offer.

How do I get from Bangkok to Koh Tao?

We have arranged that your transfer tickets are ready at the desk of the hotel in Bangkok. The night after arriving you will get on an overnight bus and then in the morning a few hours on the boat. Also the pick up from the pier on Koh Tao on your day of arrival is included. Be sure to check our you tube channel which has detailed video instructions and a walkthrough. One you are on Koh Tao everything is very easy as the island is 21 square km, and the resort is a 2 minute walk from the beach and all restaurants.

Duration Option Price  
5 (Days)Padi Specialty /4 nights acc/ no BKKGBP 529Book Now
2 (Week)2 week pro course NO internshipGBP 1559Book Now
6 (Week)2 week pro course plus 4 weeks paid internshipGBP 1989Book Now

Included

  • Travel advice prior to departure
  • Hotel in Bangkok on the night before leaving for paradise
  • Transfer from Bangkok to Koh Tao before the start of the underwater videography course
  • In Country Representative to meet you off the boat
  • Comfortable and clean: 6 weeks accommodation with pool and restaurant
  • Island introduction and dinner party on arrival
  • Dedicated instructors for diving and during the underwater videography course.
  • Use of all specialist underwater videography equipment and custom editing studio
  • Use of dive equipment: Regulators, BCD, Weights, Tanks, Wetsuit, Masks and Fins
  • Qualification certificate for the Filmmaker course
  • Substantial discounts off retail prices for all diving equipment (inquire)

Excluded

  • Flights
  • Visas
  • Meals
  • Return boat transfer to Bangkok (can be organised locally)
  • Travel and dive insurance
  • PADI Dive Medical if required
  • Extra dives and dive certificates needed for training up to the min. level if not at minimum experience level
  • Dive computer

Dates

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