The Long Tail promises the creation and easy
delivery of a cornucopia of niche content products to satisfy every want and whim. If you are a Star Wars fan in search
of a Yoga DVD taught by a guy in a Obi Wan Kenobi robe, well, chances are you probably just have to google it. The
digital age promises an unfathomable blossoming of individual producers who are churning out millions of courses,
films, home movies, instructional videos, porn and so on. The problem is, most of the stuff is bad. Really bad.
For scuba divers, I think, this is especially the case. Shooting video underwater takes not only a significant amount
of skill, but also a sizeable investment in good equipment. I’ve seen a few “professionally produced” diving DVDs that
would make Jacques Cousteau turn over in his watery grave.
But I’ve also seen some good ones, produced by small outfits who understand what’s required to shoot decent UW
footage, and who have put forth the effort to produce material in a tight, well-composed package. One such DVD I saw
recently was put together by a company called ScubaCore in California.
Calling their program a Transglobal Quarterly DVD Journal, the ScubaCore folks have assembled a thoughtful,
educational series of dive videos that would make a solid addition to your DVD library. Or an ideal gift for the diver
in your family. While a bit raw at times, the DVDs take you to exotic (and some not-so-exotic) locales and not
only show you the beauty and diversity of the wildlife at these places, but also deliver a compelling dose of history,
providing the kind of useful context that all serious divers crave when they enter the water. The DVDs also provide
interviews with some of the top names in diving. One of the issues I watched
(Volume 1, Issue 2) featured an interview with one of our
favorites: Eric Cheng.
The DVDs are hosted by a perky, but passionate and well-informed young woman named Anat Grant who delivers the
voice-over for the various dives and features with a journalistic flair. Her discussion of the WWII wrecks in the Truk
Lagoon made me want to book my ticket, dust off my reg and head there with a history book under my arm. Her delivery is
especially impressive since she explained to me in an email that her background is in mechanical engineering and
physical acoustics…call her Katie Couric with a big brain.
Anyway, I was very impressed with the edition of this quarterly DVD journal that I watched and am eager to see more.
They are producing new versions all the time, with the third issue on its way to the marketplace as we speak. I urge
you to give them a look.