“Behind the Scenes” – Filming with the IMAX Team

 by Michele Hall

Howard Hall and Peter Kragh film in IMAX for “MFF Journey to the South Pacific”

I spent 4 weeks during January and February 2013 in Raja Ampat, the “Crown Jewel” of Bird’s Head Seascape. This wasn’t an ordinary sport diving trip, however. Rather, I had been hired by MacGillivray Freeman Films to be Location Manager and underwater still photographer for their 40-minute IMAX feature documentary film “Journey to the South Pacific”. My husband Howard Hall was there as well, as Director of Underwater Photography. My still images documented the behind-the-scenes activities of Howard and his underwater team, as well as some of the marine life we saw.

I hope you enjoy these “Behind the Scenes” images.

Howard Hall and Peter Kragh film with IMAX camera on coral reef for “MFF Journey to the South Pacific”

Manta Ray (Manta birostris), Howard Hall and IMAX camera for “MFF Journey to the South Pacific”

Howard Hall filming with IMAX camera Catlin Seaview Survey team for “MFF Journey to the South Pacific”

Howard Hall and IMAX camera on coral reef for “MFF Journey to the South Pacific”

Manta Ray (Manta birostris), Howard Hall, Peter Kragh and IMAX camera for “MFF Journey to the South Pacific”

Sweetlips; Howard Hall and IMAX camera for “MFF Journey to the South Pacific”

Michele Hall

After nearly 2 decades as a pediatric nurse, Michele entered the field of documentary filmmaking in 1991. While her underwater still photos have been published internationally, the focus of her work has been producing marine wildlife documentary films for television and theatrical release, including the IMAX features Island of the Sharks, Deep Sea 3D and Under the Sea 3D. She was also featured on-camera in the IMAX film Coral Reef Adventure and Shark Mountain, an episode of the PBS series Nature. More recently she has lent her expertise as a Producer to several IMAX features as Location Manager, including MacGillivray Freeman Films Journey to the South Pacific and Humpback Whales, and National Geographic’s Ocean Giants.

Michele has strived to make family-friendly films that raise awareness of and increase appreciation for the marine environment. During the past 25 years, the films she has produced have been seen by thousands of children and adults. She has received positive feedback in letters, emails and in person from many who have said that not only have her films increased their knowledge of the marine environment, but they have also been the inspiration to turn their career choices toward marine sciences and / or environmental issues.

She is a member of the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Women Divers Hall of Fame, is a recipient of the NOGI, has been inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, and has received the International Wildlife Film Festival’s Outstanding Achievement Award for Marine Conservation & Media.       4\15\16