Below is a brief outline of some of our specialist equipment. Please get in touch and we can advise on how best to equip your project.
WE KEEP A LARGE SELECTION OF MARINE AND DIVING EQUIPMENT, FROM BASIC TO SPECIALIST AND WHAT WE DON’T HAVE, WE KNOW WHERE TO SOURCE.
Below is a brief outline of some of our specialist equipment. Please get in touch and we can advise on how best to equip your project.
VIEW MD BOATS GALLERY
MD BOATS
Marine Department have a mini flotilla at their disposal. We own a selection of boats that we’ve found to be the core of most marine projects.
The boats we keep are not standard, off the shelf craft. Most are built for the Military or RNLI, and others we have had adapted to suit filming on the water. They are meticulously maintained to ensure they’re always in perfect running order. All our trailers can be modified for off road too, meaning we can get our boats to remote and hard to reach locations.
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- MD-LC MS690 –7m aluminium cat hull landing craft. The cat hull gives far greater stability, powered by twin 115hp outboards this high payload landing craft allows us to get crew and kit from shore to shore with ease.
- MD-800 Tideman RBB800 – made to work, built from indestructible HDPE, 100% reliable in all sorts of conditions, artic to tropical, shallow water to rough seas. 10pax on full suspension seats, powered by twin 200hp the perfect boat to transfer cast and or crew quickly and safely in any conditions.
- MD-700 Tideman RBB700 – 800s smaller sister, highly versatile from open water to rivers and lakes. Designed to carry 6pax safely with plenty of space left for equipment. In addition, she has been fitted out to carry extensive medical equipment allowing us to get medical personnel and equipment where they are needed quickly and safely.
- MD-T7 – 7m Aluminium, foam sponson, deep-V hull, lock off, security, fast transfer, runner… multipurpose safe, fast sea going vessel.
- MD-600 Rhino – Built for the offshore oil and gas industry, made from HPDE with a flat open deck, she has a high payload, receivers along the deck for M10 & M12 fittings making her perfect as a camera arm / crane platform in any condition. Powered by 115hp tiller outboard the name Rhino could not be more fitting.
- MD-400 RIBA – Built to be used as a sea going rescue boat, designed to aid cast and or crew in the water. Small but extremely effective.
- MD-50 US Attack Boat – Made for our friends over the pond, this was once owned by the US Marines. After they had finished with it we took it off their hands. Actually indestructible. Made of HDPE. Another solid safety/recuse work craft.
- MD-02 Assault Boat – Built for the military, this little tub is deceptive. Not only can it carry a large payload for its size but the carbon glass fibre mix makes it lightweight and extremely stable. A perfect platform for a jib arm resulting in a great little camera boat used time over.
- SRB Arancia – Inflatable Surf Recuse Boat, used by lifeguards all over the world. Small, quick and extremely nimble. It’s a fantastic safety boat that is at home in a breaking surf.
- RWC – A specially adapted Yamaha Waverunner jetski. This craft may look like a toy but it’s far from it. With the right helm it is a highly adaptable and capable work tool. Perfect to look after cast in water.
- MIB – Military Inflatable Boat – Roll it up and throw it out of a plane. Used by special forces the world over. A 5m inflatable boat in a bag…. albeit a big one. Quick to deploy, I would choose this boat in rough seas over many hard bodied boats, its bomb proof. We use it for, safety/rescue, camera boat, transferring cast/crew and a safe platform for a director to get close to cast in water while having access to a monitor on a set of legs secured. Lakes, open water, beaches. This boat has proved itself time over.
PICTURE BOATS
We have a proven track record of sourcing all manner of picture boats to either purchase or charter for productions. From Coricles, Steam Drifters, Rivas to Container ships, we understand the need for the right aesthetic to realise a vision or be representative of a moment in time. Beyond sourcing, we can help consult on builds, charter agreements, negotiation of picture rights and organise transportation, including safe return post shoot.
VIEW PICTURE BOATS GALLERY
VIEW DIVING GALLERY
DIVING
Whether SCUBA or surface supply, we have an extensive range of diving equipment, all to film industry specification. Apexs regs, BCDs in all sizes, masks, fins, tanks from 1L – 15L, 200Bar to 300Bar.
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Our team of dive specialists have extensive film experience, meaning we can help with everything you could need underwater. During pre-shoot, we can build underwater sets, perform artist dive training and assist with props and wardrobe testing. We understand the importance of a vision being fully realised, safely and smoothly. So throughout shooting, we assist artists and underwater crew, allowing for precise management of underwater sequences.
FULL FACE MASKS
We keep a wide range of full face masks for both working and onscreen. OTS Guardians, Dräger Panorama Nova Dive and Diveways.
Our masks have been used for ’47 Meters Down – Uncaged’ and ‘Deep Fear’, both feature films were shot almost entirely underwater.
We have also sent our masks to some amazing locations across the world, supporting Natural History presenters Steve Backshall and Bertie Gregory, most recently to Antarctica to film sea leopards!
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Marine department are one of the only UK suppliers of Diveways full face masks, with 10 white silicone masks in stock. These masks are perfect for film and television as they allow a full face view. They also have side windows, allowing different and interesting angles to be found. This makes these masks ideal for pieces to camera in documentary style programs or in features/drama to fully capture the actor’s facial expressions.
Our masks have a specialist sound system developed by Production Sound Mixer, Ivor Talbot, using DPA mics. This was developed to make the mics as discreet as possible so as not to obstruct the actors faces, and also to get the best underwater sound possible.
We have specialist technicians that are sent with the masks, they not only there to train anyone using the masks, train in-water safety divers on how to assist actors with the masks, and for equipment maintenance to ensure smooth running throughout your shoot but they understand the difference between a working mask and a mask onscreen, with a rigorous cleaning regime they make sure every mask is picture ready for every take, taking into mind continuity and a crystal clear lens.
VIEW DIVEWAYS MASK GALLERY
LIFEJACKETS
Marine Department teamed up with a leading UK lifejacket manufacture to design a lifejacket suited for the media industry. The jackets are low profile and slimline with all light reflective coatings removed from the cover to avoid camera glare.
Our lifejackets can be configured to inflate by either water immersion (automatic) or manual operation, differentiated clearly by colour coding. This allows crew to wear lifejackets to suit the area and nature of operations, and allows us to easily identify if a member of crew is wearing the correct PPE. For the younger members of the crew we have children’s lifejackets.
All of our lifejackets are fully approved and carry the relevant CE or ISO mark. Rated at 150N for the ISO12402 standard with an actual tested buoyancy of 170N.
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We carry a comprehensive servicing kit and have trained technicians on our team who can re-arm and service lifejackets on site. This enables us to keep marine operations running when on location, minimising the risk of disruption to filming. This surpasses HSE requirements to fall in line with the Maritime Coastguard Agency’s recommended standard. We hire lifejackets on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
A question we should be asked more often ‘what is a lifejacket?’…. Lifejackets are worn by people who have no intention of going into the water; if they find themselves in the water, it is likely an accident. The lifejacket will inflate automatically and will float them onto their back. It will support their head in a way that will allow them to breathe even if they have been knocked unconscious. The inflatable bladder is hi-vis with light reflective tape. All of our lifejackets also have water activated lights so even at night someone in the water can be easily identified.
All of our lifejackets are fully approved and carry the relevant CE or ISO mark. Rated at 150N for the ISO12402 standard with an actual tested buoyancy of 170N.
DRYSUITS & WADERS
We boast an impressive selection of drysuits and waders, custom made for us and specified for the film industry. Available in a diverse range of sizes to cater to the unique needs of every member of the film crew. This ensures that the crew can carry out their tasks with the utmost safety and comfort while working. Whether wading through shallow waters or operating in mid-water scenarios, our well-stocked supply of specialised gear provides the necessary protection and flexibility required for a seamless filming experience.
VIEW PONTOONS & MUD GALLERY
MODULAR PONTOONS
The lego bricks of the sea! We own modular pontoons, a highly versatile and adaptable form of platform.
We can optimise our pontoons for use in any marine environment, scaling them to be small enough for use in a swimming pool, or as large platforms in the sea capable of taking great payloads. They are incredibly versatile both on camera and off – for building walkways, vehicle ramps, moon pools, to camera platforms and for bathing.
MUD RESCUE
With a comprehensive suite of mud rescue equipment including lances, mats and sleds, we can mitigate risks of entrapment in mud and can advise on necessary safety precautions for filming where mud poses a risk.
WATER SAFETY & RESCUE
At the core of everything we do, our aim is to keep the production as safe possible. Not only do we keep extensive safety and rescue equipment, amongst our team are critical care paramedics, Search & Rescue helmsman, Lifeguards, London Ambulance Service personnel, Dive Medical technicians and instructors. We hold ourselves to the highest standard when it comes to safety, and we always bring our equipment, experience and training to set.
Unfortunately, sometimes even with the best possible planning, accidents and incidents do occur. We always plan to cover the worst case scenario imaginable so that whatever happens on the day, we can respond quickly and efficiently.
TAILORED MARINE MEDICAL COVER
Although we do not provide official medical cover, we carry a full suite of waterproofed medical equipment as well as stretchers, immobilisation, trauma and AED.
Not every location permits easy road access for land ambulances – we have experience in planning and effecting extrication of casualties by land, air and sea, and work closely with the Coastguard, RNLI and other agencies.