SCENE 01 / UNDERWATER FILMING
Underwater Filming
Professional marine cinematography with certified dive teams across Spain.
Underwater filming captures imagery beneath the water's surface using specialized waterproof camera housings, lighting systems, and safety protocols. Spain offers an extraordinary range of underwater locations: the Canary Islands' clear Atlantic waters and volcanic seascapes, the Costa Brava's protected Medes Islands marine reserve, the Costa del Sol, the Basque Coast, and the Ebro Delta — ideal for documentaries, features, and commercials.
We coordinate underwater operations with certified Spanish dive teams, source cinema-grade waterproof equipment, and manage permits through Salvamento Marítimo, port authorities, and regional film commissions. Our team handles logistics for Mediterranean and Atlantic coastal shoots, Canarian island work, and controlled tank filming at Ciudad de la Luz in Alicante — which operates a dedicated underwater tank alongside its 2,700 m² stages.
Capabilities
Complete Underwater Services
From controlled pool environments to open ocean cinematography, we provide professional underwater filming with safety and quality as priorities.
01
Dive Cinematography
- Open water filming
- Reef & marine life
- Shipwreck exploration
- Deep water operations
- Night diving
Ocean Depths
02
Pool & Tank
- Controlled environments
- Actor water work
- Product photography
- Split-level shots
- Underwater sets
Controlled Shoots
03
Equipment
- Cinema camera housings
- Underwater lighting
- Communication systems
- Monitors & playback
- Specialty rigs
Pro Gear
04
Safety & Coordination
- Certified dive teams
- Safety divers
- Medical standby
- Actor training
- Risk assessment
Safety First
On Location
Ciudad de la Luz Alicante 4-million-litre water tank, Mediterranean, Atlantic and Canary Islands volcanic underwater capture with SeaCam + Gates housings
Here is how this works in practice. Spain's underwater filming bench covers three distinct marine environments plus the largest dedicated water-tank site in Europe. Ciudad de la Luz Alicante operates a 4-million-litre underwater filming tank with controlled-lighting fixed grids and clear-visibility tank sequences for narrative features. Commercial spots and the precision underwater-stunt work where natural-water conditions can't deliver repeatable takes. The site hosted Pirates of the Caribbean Cádiz subsidiary plates and the broader Hollywood inbound surge.
Here is the short of it. Mediterranean natural-water work (Costa Brava, Costa del Sol, Costa Daurada, Balearic Islands of Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera, Cabrera Archipelago Marine Reserve) gives clear-water visibility and stable thermoclines for narrative and tourism work. Atlantic Galicia + Asturias + Cantabrian Sea + Cíes Islands provide the dramatic-conditions tier used on In the Heart of the Sea, Black Crab and Spanish maritime documentary. Canary Islands volcanic underwater terrain (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Palma, El Hierro) under the 50% production rebate anchored Solo Star Wars Story Fuerteventura. Wonder Woman 1984. In the Heart of the Sea Lanzarote and Fast & Furious 6.
Here is the breakdown. Dive crews flow through the Spanish Diving Federation (Federación Española de Actividades Subacuáticas). Mediterranean Dive on Costa Brava and Atlantic Dive Galicia for the cooler northwest. Housings are SeaCam for ARRI Alexa Mini LF and Alexa 35, Gates housings for RED V-Raptor and Sony Venice 2 builds. And GoPro Hero 12 Black for witness and stunt-double coverage. Engagements begin with a dive plan, a risk assessment, and surface-support staffing built around the specific water-column conditions.
Here is what that looks like on the ground. Currents off Cíes Islands and the Cantabrian Sea differ sharply from the calm Balearic protected bays. Lighting runs Keldan Video 24X RGBW and Light & Motion Sola 9600 underwater LEDs with HMI surface lights for shallow-water and tank work. Full-depth productions rated for 40m carry Nitrox training and decompression-stop protocols. Permit coordination flows through Capitanía Marítima for coastal-water filming permits. The regional Junta de Andalucía + Generalitat de Catalunya + Gobierno de Canarias site-level authorities for protected zones. And SeaWatch protocols for marine-protected species. Bilingual ES/EN dive briefings are standard, Catalan + Galician ease ready, and NAV-equivalent ATA carnet through AEAT clears imported gear cleanly.
FAQ
Underwater Expertise
What cameras can you use underwater?
We operate professional underwater housings for cinema cameras including RED, ARRI, and Sony systems. We match camera and housing combinations to your resolution, frame rate, and image quality requirements.
Do you provide certified dive teams?
Yes, all our underwater crews are certified commercial divers with film production experience in Spanish waters. Teams include underwater cinematographers, focus pullers, safety divers, and dive supervisors as required, familiar with both Mediterranean and Atlantic conditions.
Can you film in pools and tanks?
Yes — Ciudad de la Luz in Alicante operates a dedicated underwater tank used by international productions, alongside its 2,700 m² stages. We also work in studio pools and Estudios Picasso facilities. These controlled settings are ideal for actor work, product shots, and sequences requiring precise control.
What about actor safety underwater?
Actor safety is paramount. We provide safety divers, breathing apparatus for extended takes, pre-shoot training, and clear communication systems. Non-diving actors can achieve impressive underwater shots with proper support.
Where can you film in Spain?
We film throughout Spain—the Canary Islands offer year-round warm Atlantic conditions and volcanic underwater landscapes, the Medes Islands marine reserve off the Costa Brava is a protected dive paradise, Cabo de Gata and the Costa del Sol provide accessible Mediterranean sites, the Cíes Islands off Galicia deliver dramatic Atlantic environments, and Ciudad de la Luz handles controlled tank work. Permits run through regional port authorities and film commissions.
How do you handle underwater communication?
We use professional underwater communication systems including through-water comms for diver coordination and surface-to-diver links. Directors can communicate with underwater crews and monitor shots in real-time.
Related Services
Productions in Spain that need this often pair it with Underwater Lighting, Multi-Camera Setups, and Marine & Wildlife Filming for full coverage. Most projects also draw on Underwater Camera Operators and Camera & Cinematography.
On Set
Need Underwater Filming?
Tell us about your underwater requirements and we'll provide experienced dive teams.