Professional Underwater Videography Koh Tao Thailand

 

Alan Tansey ( Senior Professional Videographer & Video Trainer )

Liquid Media’s Irish co-owner and Head of Training after spending some time in Africa arrived on Koh Tao 2001 to find the island Paradise he had always dreamed of.  After spending a short time, fell head over heals in love with the Turtle Island and had no hesitation in setting up one of the first Legal Underwater video companies on Koh Tao and in the Gulf of Thailand.  Since then, he has gained a reputation for quality footage available on the Island, has personally trained many Professional Videographers, a self confessed Workaholic and yet retains a very down to earth, easy to approach attitude. Theses days the Mac daddy is happily married with two children and still loving the Tao way of life.  Passionate about his diving, refuses to dive without a camera in his hands and is happiest with his head buried in the sand looking for critters.

 

 

 

 

 

Andi Johnen ( Professional Videographer & Video Trainer )

Andi is a Co-owner of Liquid Media, with lots of experience as a PADI & SSI Dive Instructor at different locations around the world.  With a very easy going nature, you find he's very helpful and happy to give any advice and tips on both Underwater Videography and his knowledge of diving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fanny Rotsaert ( Professional Videographer )

She has returned to the rock, originally our bubbly Belgium lady who always has a beaming smile, to melt the toughest of customers trained and worked with Liquid back in 2006.  Passionate about her diving and Underwater Videograpahy, she also spent some time filming the Thresher Shark Research program in Malapascua in the Philippines.  After returning to Belgium she began a career working as an Air Hostess and decided it was time to return to the water, if you buy her a beer she will still do the inflight safety demonstration on how to blow up a life jacket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previous Staff

 

Sandra Wahrenberger ( Professional Videographer )

 

After completing her Dive Master Course with Coral Grand Divers one of our affiliated resorts, Sandra trained with Liquid Media to become a Professional Underwater Videographer with plans to start her own business in Fiji.  Equipped with a Canon 7D DSLR Camera and Aquatica housing we are happy for her to join our team until she leaves for her new job in Fiji.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brad Watts ( Ex Trainee and member of staff 2008 & 2011 )

Originally from New Zealand, Brad was traveling around Thailand when he came to Koh Tao with some friends who were taking their Openwater Course which was filmed by Liquid Media.  After seeing the Quality of their Openwater Video and already having his Divemaster, plus having a keen interest in Surfing, Brad decided to scrap his travel plans and start the course straight away.  On his very first training dives had the pleasure of diving with two Whale Sharks at Chumpon Pinnacles and that was Brad hooked on Underwater Video.  He's very popular with both customers and dive staff who ask for him all the time.

 

 

 

 

Paul Roweland ( member of Staff 2008-11 )

Towering above the rest, it’s easy to know why he gets the nickname “Tall Paul”.  A Long term resident on Koh Tao, originally from England.  He met his girlfriend (now wife) shortly after arriving and purchased land on which to build a house. “One of the best things about this job is that there is a certain amount of flexibility regarding the time you put in.  Most dive shops keep dive-master's and instructors “on site” whether there is work or not. There are obviously other benefits as well in that you get to dive a lot and meet new people every day. Koh Tao for me is a perfect place to be with a great work – life balance and surroundings never to be forgotten.”

 

 

 

 

 

Max Engel  (Videographer and Apple Final Cut Pro Trainer 2011)

With a background working for Apple in Paris training post production professionals in the latest version of Final Cut Studio, Max came to Liquid Media. He traveled throughout south-east Asia while working as a professional diver. He left Bali as a PADI Instructor and returned to his roots : Koh Tao where it all began when he took the SSI Open Water course in January 2010 with Carabao diving center. The Rock is the perfect place to practice and get experience with underwater videography with all the experienced professionals here. It is also a famous place for diving with the biggest fish in the world : the whale shark.

 

Using a Canon 5D MkII DSLR Max brings new energy to the Liquid Team, he can be seen in the morning zipping around the dive sites of Koh Tao (chasing whale sharks) or, in the afternoon,  glued in front of the Mac willing to give you tips on Final Cut Studio.

 

 

Zac Van Der Merwe - ( Ex Trainee and member of Staff 2010)

Ambitious, strong willed and hardworking would be the best way to describe this South African, with a taste for winding people up.  A real people person and great at bonding with the customers which is really important. An accomplished Thai boxer, into running and training, Zac is always fresh and ready for action.  After his time with Liquid Media worked as a Videographer for Buddha View and is currently back in South Africa.

On Thursday, December 29 2011, something went horribly wrong after Zac launched the last of two free dives off Norman Island BVI, attempting to recover a customers camera that had fallen overboard the previous day. RIP Zac Attack gone but never forgotten.

 

 

 

 

Alice Pennefarther ( Ex Trainee and member of Staff 2008-10 )

Born and raised in England and learnt to dive in Cornwall whilst studying photography at University. After graduating pursued her photographic career for some time, mostly making stills exhibitions based on travel work and portrait pieces. Then, after 2 years of traveling decided to come to Koh Tao in January 2008 in order to do her divemaster training. She quickly settled into Island life and decided to stay and work as a DM to gain some more diving experience. She was always keen to get back into photography in some way and keep her creative interests going. So in September 2008 undertook the underwater videography course offered at Liquid Media.  She had seen Alan’s work and the work of his employees and it looked really exciting and a real challenge for her to get stuck into. “Working as an underwater videographer is such a great job. I am able to combine my 2 passions of diving and photography in the beautiful setting of a tropical Island. Koh Tao is a fantastic place to live and work, warm weather, clear blue waters and a relaxed Island atmosphere, I would recommend it to anyone.”  Alice is now back in the UK taking photos of the Royal Ballet and has also been certified as a HSE Full Face Mask commercial diver.

 

 

 

Tony Lowe - (Ex Trainee and member of staff 2007)

 

One of the most witty of staff, never a dull moment with Tony, South African with a keen interest in Rugby and beer.  A natural with the customers, fun to be around and popular with many dive instructors.  After training and working with Liquid Media, Tony has opened his own videography company based in Phuket filming Liveaboard trips to the Similan Islands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alister Walters -  (Ex Trainee 2006 and member of Staff)

 

Originally from the UK, Alister’s first encounter with Liquid Media was being filmed whilst finishing his PADI Openwater Course.  Next it was his Advanced and not long before he was a Divemaster Trainee with his mind firmly set on becoming a Professional Underwater Videographer.  With a background in Marketing contributing many creative ideas, spending hours searching for new Music tracks, he was a valued member of the team. Easy going attitude, but his own toughest critic and not the type to sit still doing nothing for long.  Also with a keen interest in Free diving, completed his free Diver Divemaster, currently back in the UK and for sure will be making his way back to Koh Tao very soon.

 

 

 

 

Jessie Kolsten - ( Ex Trainee and member of staff 2005)

 

While working as a Dive Master with Dive Point became good friends with Liquid Media and the following season trained and became staff.  Jessie coming from Holland was an accomplished diver and a natural with the camera, friendly with customers and now has opened his own Dive Shop on Koh Kood we wish him luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Back - (Ex Trainee and member of staff 2003-6)

 

While on his Dive Master training at Scuba Shack, John became infatuated with our videos and made his mind up he would be a Underwater Videographer. A likable person, easy to get a long with, the customers and Dive shop staff were fond of him, after his time with Liquid became an Instructor, then Photographer on the Lomprayah  taking photos of tourists snorkeling and now Works as a Videographer for another Videography company on the island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christopher Cruz - (Ex Trainee and member of staff 2002)

 

A very experienced Scuba, Yoga Instructor and Singer, a very fun person to be around coming from the Philippines with lots of stories about his time diving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christopher Rought - (Ex Trainee and member of staff 2002)

 

Was Liquid's first Trainee and good friend from Denmark, with a nickname the "Machine" Chris was into Muay Thai and fitness and kayaked around Koh Tao in 3 hours.  A very down to earth person, with a talent for the camera and popular with the female customers even if he didn't know it.