How Underwater Scenes Are Shot For Movies And TV Shows | Movies Insider | Insider

Underwater scenes are incredibly difficult to shoot, as the conditions mean the cast and crew have to rethink nearly every aspect of making a movie. While shooting in the open ocean provides the most realism, productions have very little control over water conditions and safety, which is why “The Shallows“ (2016) shot some of its underwater stunts with Blake Lively in a more controllable tank. But with today’s sleek cameras and advanced scuba gear, “The Meg“ (2018) was still able to film with trained stunt divers in rough waters. When it came to “Thirteen Lives“ (2022), shooting in water tanks was much safer than in real underwater caves. But when building the cave sets, the film’s production designer had to forgo foam and wood for steel and concrete, while the cinematographer had to balance getting compelling footage with portraying the distinct choppiness and murkiness of water. To avoid those intricacies, other films like “The Shape of Water“