This 288 foot, 88 metre free-dive video, created by Vertical Blue and Blue Eye FX, is more a work of art than a world record footage clip. The editors used beautiful, calming music to set the mood for the attempt, which begins with panning views from the depths of a coral reef, and then fades into the surface of the water, where the diver is preparing for his dive. Dozens of little breaths, taken less than a second apart, seemingly being stored into his slender frame. And then, as the picture changes to a bottom view of the diver, he makes his descent, calmly and smoothly into the depths of the water. As the dive continues, the water blackens, and the music sets the tone by throwing out thundering low notes, almost bass-like, yet still calming, as the diver effortlessly reaches the 288 feet, and turns around for his ascent. Now a close-up view of the diver during his rise to the top, it is clear he is struggling. Much of his air is gone, which makes him less buoyant, and the pressure at the bottom must feel like his whole body is in a vice. Nevertheless, as he gets closer to the top, the music layers in some high sounding flutes, and triumphant vibes are clear as he nears the world-record setting mark at the surface. The scene begins to brighten, the surface is in view, and at the last moment, he surfaces. Taking about 30 seconds of rest and recuperation at the top, the music switches to nervous sounds of sharps and flats, before finally... he pulls out the marker he grabbed at the 88 metre mark, and holds it proudly in the air. Success.
Without the beautiful camera angles and expertly composed music, I probably would have overlooked this video. But, because of the aesthetic and emotional appeal to watching this video, I love watching it. It seems to tell a story without words, and that is the mark of an excellent creation. DOUBLE success.
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