Marine filming CornwallShark Bay Films
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Documentary production in Cornwall – Remains of War

Documentary production in Cornwall for the international television market. That’s our niche. Trading as Crow Creative we concentrate on video production in Cornwall  – as a skim through our blog shows. However as Shark bay Films, over the past three decades we have produced over 30 specialist underwater documentaries that have sold to broadcasters worldwide.

Plus our films have won over 60 international awards. Plus one – Castro’s Secret Reef – was put forward by an EMMY by the Smithsonian. That film was one of our most successful. Smithsonian bought it for broadcast in North America and National Geographic licensed it for the rest of the world.

International distribution deal

However Remains of War has been our most ambitious project to date. Over the past five years we have told the story of the Pacific War by tracing the debris of WW2 both on land and under the ocean throughout the South Pacific. We completed filming in 2024 and have spent the last year editing the series. And now we have reached the final hurdle. Because we have completed the online edit at Films at 59 in Bristol. And have today delivered the completed series to our agents Orange Smarty to sell worldwide Here’s River celebrating in the studio!

Documentary film production Cornwall

Remains of War being sold alongside Michael Palin’s latest series

We have chosen Orange Smarty to distribute the series because they are highly respected in the UK television industry. Because they represent many leading producers. We were delighted that at the most recent MIPCOM – the annual  world television market – our films were marketed alongside Michael Palin’s new series. We are in good company!

Cornwall documentary film production

On screen military history expert

Military historian Saul David as our on-screen expert brought a further dimension to the series. Plus as our historical consultant he was able to guide our script. Saul has written several historical books. In particular, his book Devil Dogs actually traced the same Pacific campaign as our series.

Cornwall documentary film production

Documentary production in Cornwall

Documentary production in Cornwall for the international television market is not the easiest task. However it is our passion, and so we have overcome all obstacles to bring this series to market around the world.

Underwater filmingShark Bay Films
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Update on nautical filming series “Remains of War”

This time last year we posted about our latest nautical filming project “Remains of War”.  So it seemed time to post an update. Being a 3 x 1 hour series, there’s a lot more work to be done than on our usual one hour stand alone films. Actually three times as much!

Marine filming

Bottles deep inside a wreck

Edit progressing well

The edit is progressing well. River – who left us a while back to pursue his own projects and travels – has come back to work on the edits. River actually filmed many of the locations with me including the Palau and Papua New Guinea sections. So he is very familiar with the footage. And there have been other developments.

Nautical filming

WW2 tank now a kids playground!

On screen expert WW2 historian

We have decided to have an on-screen expert interspersed at relevant times in the episodes. So who better than Saul David? Saul has been described as our finest living military historian. Plus he is the author of Devil Dogs – which traces the actual Pacific campaign that is the subject of our series. And we have worked with Saul before on our Truk Lagoon film.

Underwater documentary filming

Biplane deep below the waves

Well Known narrator

Chris Packham – of Springwatch fame among others – has agreed to narrate the series. Chris is a well known wildlife TV presenter and dedicated conservationist. However he also has a deep interest in wartime history. So he is an ideal choice.

Filming Underwater

Deep in a shipwreck

Final online edit now scheduled

So we are now pressing ahead towards the final online edit and delivery of the finished films to our agents – who will hopefully achieve some good sales to the international TV markets. However there is still so much to do. We need to source maps and graphics. Additionally we will be making decisions on music tracks. We will be finalising our selection of archive material from both American and Japanese archives. Plus we will be finalising the script. And after all this, we will be heading to    Films at 59 in Bristol to do the online edit. Tis project is historical nautical filming at its best and most exciting!

Documentary filming

But not a bad place to be working…