I’M LOOKING FOR A DIVE PRO WHO LOVES TO FILM THINGS TO HELP ME LAUNCH A NEW MARINE LIFE YOUTUBE CHANNEL IN THE INDO-PACIFIC 

• Closing Date: 9^th June 11:59pm GMT
• Location: Indonesia (primarily Bali)
• Open To Candidates From: Anywhere in the world (I will help sort visas)
• Remuneration: Around £500/m (accommodation + transport + food/necessities stipend)
• Ideal For: Early career videographer and dive pro looking to spend lots of time underwater!
• Role Type: Freelance

? Hey here’s a bit about me…

Hi, I’m Barny, a conservationist, diver, and wildlife filmmaker from the UK. After spending my early career working across conservation, tech, and startups, I’m now based in Indonesia pursuing wildlife film making full time.

? … and a bit about this project!

I’ve recently started a new channel on YouTube.

I believe there is significant opportunity to carve out a new category of wildlife film making on YouTube and beyond, one that mixes conventional wildlife content (cinematic clips, inspirational music, great storytelling, slow-mo) with more modern YouTube editing techniques (organic, fast-paced, authentic, transparent). Think Blue Planet Behind the Scenes meets Mr Beast…

The flagship series on my channel sees me dropping baited cameras on remote areas of reef in the Indo-Pacific in search of sharks, rays and other crazy creatures on my hit list. So far, we’ve recorded a variety of sharks (white tips, black tips, snaggletooth, bamboo), rays (pink whipray, mangrove whipray) and other crazy fish (massive groupers, napoleons, huge morays), but there are still hundreds of other creatures to find, and my main goal is to record a tiger shark in Indonesia! I’m also getting started with a new series, that sees me going in search of rare critters, and depending on when you read this, you might be able to find a recent two-parter on my channel that sees me searching for the ‘Holy Grail’ of diving - the Rhinopia.

? So, what am I looking for?

I’m looking for someone who is as passionate about wildlife, conservation, and filmmaking as I am, and who is free over the next 12 months (and beyond, hopefully) to join me in Indonesia and help me take this channel to the next level!

Ideally, I think the perfect candidate is a young professional that’s looking to break into wildlife filmmaking and wants the opportunity to be able to spend hundreds of hours underwater over the next year or so to improve their camera skills and become a better diver.

If this is you, and you’re also an experienced diver, please read on… 

? What you’ll be doing:

Whilst this role will likely involve you doing lots of different things and being flexible and adaptable, key roles include:

• Diving and filming (around 40% of the week)
  • Being a great dive buddy(!!), helping me drop baited cameras and find cool things!
  • Operating a variety of cameras underwater, whether it be getting B-roll of the dive, deploying 360 cameras on the baited camera set ups, or using the macro camera for filming small critters (a significant challenge if you’ve not done this before). When you arrive, you’ll have access to professional underwater cameras, GoPros, 360 camera, drone, and underwater audio equipment;
  • Filming everything! One of the significant limitations now is the inability for me to be able to film everything - you’ll be responsible for making sure there’s always a red light flashing on one of our cameras (both on land and underwater).
• Editing (around 40% of the week)
  • Helping with storyboarding, as well as title and thumbnail creation;
  • Helping with editing videos on Premiere Pro, including ordering clips, colour correcting and grading, audio balancing, adding music and sound effects, testing etc;
  • Creating short form content.
• Clipping and video management (around 10% of the week)
  • Reviewing footage from the baited camera drops and noting key finds;
  • Reviewing footage of different species from dives and sorting and labelling clips;
  • Organising footage on hard drives and ensuring footage is backed up.
• Camera maintenance and organisation (a small and easy part of the role, don’t worry, and around 10% of the week)
  • Ensuring all equipment is maintained in good condition;
  • Charging batteries and formatting SD cards.

?? I really need someone who is:

• A strong diver: Divemaster and/or 100+ logged dives including experience diving in currents and diving with cameras. Deep Spec also required. Some of the locations we are diving are famous for their currents - whilst none of the diving we do will be unsafe, it is important that you are comfortable in strong currents (and capable of holding a camera in them). You MUST also have your own gear;
• Creative, adventurous, and innovative. Succeeding with this type of content requires constant innovation and a willingness to think outside the box. You’ll need to constantly be thinking about how we can improve the videos we are creating together (whether it be better editing, better storytelling, better equipment etc) and how we can push the boundaries of wildlife content and carve out a new niche within this space. You must be willing to constantly make suggestions and tell me when you think we can do things better/differently;
• Very interested in wildlife filmmaking or wildlife content creation, and a passion for things that swim (or crawl, float, drift…). 

?? Ideally, you also have:

• Experience in video editing, including using Adobe Premiere Pro;
• A basic understanding of video storyboarding and design, including hooks, payoffs, transitions, audio balancing, colour correcting and grading, sound effects, and music;
• A good understanding of the basics of videography/photography (shutter speeds, ISO, frame rates, white balance etc);
• Experience in content creation for YouTube, or Instagram/TikTok;
• A good understanding of marine life and ability to identify marine creatures and/or significant willingness to learn.

 ? So, what does a typical week look like?

I’m looking for someone that isn’t too bothered about this. The nature of this work means some weeks are busy and filled with early mornings and late nights, and others less so. I’m looking for someone that wants to spend as much time in the water as possible (and in the local coffee shop editing), and is passionate about finding stuff, innovating, and creating world class wildlife content.

Rest and recovery will always be prioritised and most weeks it should be possible to have 1-2 days off. There may be the odd day where we’re burning the candle at both ends, but this will not be the norm. Regardless, my aim is for this role to not feel like work.

NOTE: This is a freelance position. You will not be employed, and I will not sponsor your stay (more info on this later) 

? What’s in it for you?

Remuneration

(NOTE: for full transparency, remuneration listed below will allow you to live here comfortably and remain cash neutral, but if you’re looking for a role that allows you to save money and become rich, this isn’t for you).

• Accommodation and transport will all be paid for, and you will also receive a small stipend for food and necessities.
• You will also receive a bonus in line with any revenue that the channel receives. I want you to be invested in the success of this venture - if videos you help create generate revenue, you will get your cut. For full transparency, the channel is not generating revenue at this stage;
• All your diving and travel within Indonesia (not flights to or from Indonesia) will be paid for.

The Experience

• 15-20 dives per month at some of the best dive sites in Indonesia/the world, including getting to explore sites that perhaps nobody has ever dived before;
• Travel in the local area (we may venture further afield if the opportunity is right);
• Plenty of time to become a highly competent underwater camera operator, and opportunity to use a wide variety of equipment.

? If you’ve read this far, and you’re still interested…

Please send a quick video to barnydillarstone@gmail.com just introducing yourself and telling me a bit about how your skills/interests align with those listed above. Please don’t over-engineer this; a recording on your phone sat in your car/on the sofa is fine. Please make sure you speak about:

1. Your diving level and experience
2. Your photography/videography/editing experience
3. Your availability

Also, if you have any examples of photographs or videos you’ve taken underwater or on dry land, or videos you’ve created/edited, feel free to send these over as well.