Ross Isaacs has worked as a underwater cinematographer, D.P. on countless major international feature films, documentaries as well as television commercials in locations including Australia, Hawaii, Bahamas, China, Myanmar, Peru, Chile, Alaska and throughout the South Pacific. He is also a film Producer/Director. Following are some of the major works.
“I had the great honour of working with Sir David Attenborough at the Bristol studios in the UK where he kindly performed a wonderful narration for the award winning film I produced and directed entitled- Humpbacks- From Fire to Ice.”
AWARD- Best Documentary & Editing at the 2011 TELLY AWARDS for “HUMPBACKS-From Fire to Ice”
AWARD- Best Director 2009 Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival, Paris- “HUMPBACKS-From Fire to Ice”
AWARD- EMMY NOMINATION- in 2003 for best cinematography for “Above and Below Maui”
2017-Present
- Currently in the development phase of a self conceived and produced Omni media marine project shot in native 3D and 8K including- 3D IMAX, giant screen, 6 part television series and VR/360 project.
- Advisor on multiple international projects.
2016
- ‘SONY PCL’, Underwater 3x8K camera panoramic rig for specialised ultrahigh resolution SONY theatre. Florida & New Caledonia locations. (Japan).
- ‘VISION 3 EXPERIENTIAL’, 3D Dome theatre and theme park project world wide. Supplied underwater 3D 5K footage and background plates (USA).
2015
- ‘MIGALOO WHITE WHALE’ TV- Asahipro, television documentary (Japan) Underwater DP, supplied stock footage.
- ‘MALAMA HONUA WORLDWIDE VOYAGE’ Oceanic Digital 326 / Polynesian Voyaging Society, television documentary (USA) Underwater DP, supplied stock footage.
2014
- ‘GALAXY 5’ SAMSUNG, 3D commercial, (Japan).
2013
- ‘EARTH WATCH’ Tribal Films, television documentary, DOP.
- ‘DEEP SEA CHALLENGE’ James Cameron, 3D Big screen feature, (USA) Underwater 3D Footage.
2012
- ‘YOUNG DETECTIVE DEE- Rise of the Sea Dragon’ Film Workshop Co. Ltd. (Director- Tsui Hark) 3D Big screen feature, (China) Underwater 3D Director of photography.
- ‘CORAL SEA 3D EXPEDITION’ Rapture of the Deep 3D- Ocean Planet 3D Pty Ltd 3D Big screen feature Underwater 3D Director of photography/Producer/Director.
- ‘REEF DOCTORS Series 1’ Jonathan M Shiff Productions PTY LTD Television Drama UNDERWATER CINEMATOGRAPHER.
2011
- “WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE WORLD” “In Pursuit of Great Migration in the Pacific” Ross Isaacs features as world expert of underwater cinematography for a 90 minute special for NHK Japan.
2010
- ‘MERMAIDS’ Darlow Smithson Productions, (UK) for Discovery Animal Planet UW CGI Plate FX / CINEMATOGRAPHER.
- Finalist in the 2010 Blue Ocean Film Festival out of 300 entries for “Humpbacks- From Fire to Ice”.
2009
- ‘ONE OCEAN- Episode#1 Birth of an Ocean’ CANADIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION- HDTV documentary. Narrator- David Suziki UW DOP / CINEMATOGRAPHER.
- ‘LOGGERHEADS- THE LOST YEARS’ GULLIVER MEDIA AUSTRALIA- HDTV documentary for National Geographic Television / ABC UW DOP / CINEMATOGRAPHER.
2008
- ‘HUMPBACKS- FROM FIRE TO ICE’ KOHOLA Pty Ltd / HDTV documentary. Maui & Alaska. Narrator- David Attenborough PRODUCER / DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHER.
2007
- BUBBLES- ON THE REEF HDTV documentary . Great Barrier Reef. PRODUCER / DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHER.
2006
- ‘LOGGERHEAD TURTLES’ GENESIS PRODUCTIONS (AUS) HDTV documentary. Filmed topside & underwater sequences at Lady Elliot Island & Mon Repos. DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHER.
- ‘SECRETS OF THE GREAT BARRIER REEF’ OPI / YNR MARKETING (AUS/USA) HDTV documentary. Filmed topside & underwater sequences on the Great Barrier Reef & Maui. PRODUCER / DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHER.
2005
- ‘EXPERIENCE AUSTRALIA IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT’ Tourism Australia Television & Print Commercials Filmed underwater sequences & stills. DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHER.
- ‘CARNETS DE PLONGEE’ Gedeon Programmes (France) Television series. Filmed underwater sequences in Kangaroo Island & Great Barrier Reef. UNDERWATER DP.
2004
- ‘SEAWORLD TELEVISION COMMERCIAL’ SHARK LAGOON HDTV Underwater DP
2003
- Nominated for an EMMY in 2003 for best cinematography. for ‘Above & Below Maui”
2002
- ‘ABOVE & BELOW -MAUI’ YNR MARKETING (USA) HDTV documentary Bo Derek presenter. Filmed underwater sequences of whales etc around Maui, Hawaii. UNDERWATER D.P.
2000- 2001
- ‘GREAT BARRIER REEF’ Mort Bay Films (Germany) Documentary- Digital Betacam Filmed underwater sequences Great Barrier Reef. UNDERWATER D.P.
- ‘SUPER CROC’ National Geographic Television (USA) Documentary- DVCAM Filmed Saltwater crocodiles sequences. UNDERWATER D.P.
2000
- ‘SONY HDW-F900 TEST SHOOT’ OCEAN PLANET IMAGES Material of nautilus for HDTV documentary. Filmed underwater sequences Northern Great Barrier Reef. UNDERWATER D.P.
- ‘DREAM BOAT’ POLYPHON FILM PRODUCTIONS (Germany) Television drama series 16mm/ Digital Betacam Filmed underwater sequences Whitsunday Islands. UNDERWATER D.P.
- ‘SAMSUNG’ XM2 Productions (South Korea) Commercial/promo- HDTV (HDW700 Digital betacam) Filmed underwater high definition on Great Barrier Reef. UNDERWATER D.P.
- ‘ACTION ASIA’ BANG PRODUCTIONS Ltd (Hong Kong) Documentary- Mini DV/SP Betacam Filmed underwater documentary in the Andaman Sea off Myanmar (Burma). TOPSIDE / UNDERWATER D.P.
1999
- ‘TIGER SHARK’ NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TELEVISION(USA) Documentary- Digital Betacam 16:9 Filmed Tiger sharks natural history. UNDERWATER D.P.
1998
- ‘WILD & DANGEROUS’ BBC NATURAL HISTORY UNIT Documentary- Digital Video Filmed coral spawning, saltwater crocodiles, sharks. UNDERWATER D.P.
- ‘UNTAMED AUSTRALIA’ TELEIMAGES (FRANCE) Documentary- DIGITAL BETACAM Filmed Saltwater crocodiles sequences. UNDERWATER D.P.
1997
- ‘HIDDEN WORLDS #2’ PARTRIDGE FILMS (ENGLAND) Documentary- DIGITAL BETACAM (Wide Screen) Filmed humpback whales & dugong sequences. UNDERWATER D.P.
- ‘I AM THE EARTH’ VRP SERVICES/ RIGHT VISION CORP. (JAPAN) Docu- Drama Feature Film in 35mm VISTAVISION UNDERWATER D.P.
- ‘OCEAN GIRL Series 4’ WESTBRIDGE PRODUCTIONS PTY LTD 26 Episode Childrens Television Drama Second Unit Underwater Director of Photography. Filmed underwater drama sequences on Great Barrier Reef. UNDERWATER D.P.
1996
- ‘WORLD HERITAGE DOCUMENTARY SERIES’ FOR WALK CO. LTD / NHK JAPAN 10 day shoot on Far Northern Great Barrier Reef. Shot for HDTV on 35mm film UNDERWATER D.P.
- ‘20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA’ AMERICAN TELEVISON SERIES ABC TELEVISION (USA) (35mm) Second unit underwater operator Second unit underwater special FXs. FIELD UNIT UNDERWATER D.P.
- ‘ACRI’ JAPANESE FEATURE FILM – CAPPADOCIA (SUPER 35mm) Second unit underwater special FXs Green screen. Second unit underwater special FXs dolphins & whales. Filmed in 35mm Anamorphic 2ND UNIT UW D.P.
- ‘FIRST STRIKE’ JACKIE CHAN FEATURE FILM (CINEMASCOPE) GOLDEN HARVEST PRODUCTIONS Pty Ltd 4 week shoot, filmed in 35mm Anamorphic (Technovision) Drama sequences in shark tank etc. UNDERWATER D.P.
1995
- ‘OCEAN GIRL Series 3 WESTBRIDGE PRODUCTIONS PTY LTD 26 Episode Childrens Television Drama Second Unit Underwater Director of Photography. Filmed underwater drama sequences on Great Barrier Reef. UNDERWATER D.P.
1994
- ‘KRATT’S CREATURES’ KREATURE PRODUCTIONS INC (CANADA) PBS Children’s Natural History Documentary Television series. Filmed and Directed underwater sequences at Heron Island. UNDERWATER D.P.
- ‘OCEAN GIRL Series 2’ WESTBRIDGE PRODUCTIONS PTY LTD 13 Episode Childrens Television Drama Second Unit Underwater Director of Photography. Filmed underwater drama sequences Great Barrier Reef. UNDERWATER D.P. & LOGISTICAL ADVISER
1993
- ‘OCEAN GIRL Series 1’ WESTBRIDGE PRODUCTIONS PTY LTD 13 Episode Childrens Television Drama Filmed underwater drama sequences on Great Barrier Reef. UNDERWATER D.P./ LOGISTICAL ADVISER
- ’60 MINUTES’ CHANNEL NINE SYDNEY Filmed whale sharks, Exmouth Western Australia. UNDERWATER D.P.
1992
- ‘BREATHING SPACE’ ‘THE HUMPBACKS OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA’ QUEENSLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT & HERITAGE A short interpretive film for marine parks management. CO-PRODUCER / UNDERWATER D.P.
- ‘ENCOUNTERS WITH WHALES’ THE WHALES OF PLATYPUS BAY PTY LTD A one hour documentary for television Shot on 16mm colour negative. Sold to the Nine Network Australia and over 50 countries. PRODUCER/ UNDERWATER D.P.
1991
- ‘SEA TREK’ BBC NATURAL HISTORY UNIT, ENGLAND. Six part series for BBC 1. Series Part: ‘The Great Barrier Reef’ UNDERWATER CAMERA OPERATOR / ASSISTANT
1988-89
- ‘THE SEXUAL IMPERATIVE’ (A NATURAL HISTORY OF SEX)’ GENESIS FILM PRODUCTIONS, ENGLAND. A twelve part documentary series for television. PRODUCER (One part- Humpback whales)UNDERWATER D.P.
1985-86
- ‘RETURN OF THE LEVIATHAN’ DREAMTIME IMAGES PRODUCTIONS PTY Ltd. A one hour documentary film for television covering the natural history of the humpback whales. PRODUCER/ SECOND UNIT DIRECTOR UNDERWATER D.P.
PHOTO CREDITS- Images kindly supplied by Tyrone Canning, Dave Miller, Chris Hamilton, Lance Robb, Steve Juarez & Peggy West Stap.
