This #SharkWeek, RED dove beneath the surface to spotlight the fearless cinematographers capturing sharks in their natural habitats. Throughout the week, the #SharksonRED takeover followed underwater filmmakers as they brought audiences closer to these remarkable predators
From hammerheads in the Pacific depths to lemon sharks through coastal reefs, these stories reveal not only the beauty and resilience of sharks, but also the skill, patience, and innovation required to film them. Using RED cameras in some of the ocean’s most challenging environments, these filmmakers pushed the limits of underwater cinematography, showing audiences sharks as they truly are complex, intelligent, and essential to ocean health.
Into the Depths: Patience and Perseverance
Filming sharks demands extraordinary patience, adaptability and trust in one’s tools.
Christina Karliczek Skoglund explains, “Filming scalloped hammerheads is an exercise in persistence, timing—and trust in your gear. Off the coast of a remote Pacific island, we set out to capture these elusive, critically endangered sharks in the deeper, darker layers of the ocean where their most defining life stages unfold.” Using the RED DSMC2 GEMINI 5K, Christina and her team navigated low-light zones far beyond recreational dive depths, capturing rare moments few have ever seen.
Similarly, Nays Baghai spent five years documenting Port Jackson sharks in New South Wales. “These sharks…return to the same sites year after year to breed. Their presence here is a quiet reminder that sharks and humans can, and do, coexist,” he reflects. Both PJs and their cousins, crested horn sharks, contribute to maintaining the biodiversity of the reef ecosystem—another testament to the subtle, vital rhythms of underwater life.
Overcoming the Challenges of the Ocean
The ocean is one of the toughest filmmaking environments, with technical and natural challenges at every turn.
Shawn Heinrichs shares, “Filming blacktip reef sharks in Raja Ampat was an unforgettable experience. Using the RED HELIUM 8K, we captured moments that reflect just how closely a healthy ocean depends on balance—and how quickly recovery can happen when conservation efforts are taken seriously.”
Tyler Shiffman adds, “Filming blue and mako sharks off Cabo San Lucas…their presence is a testament to the delicate balance of marine ecosystems—and why they deserve our respect and protection.”
Conservation in Focus
For many participants, storytelling goes hand in hand with advocacy.
Richard Fitzpatrick reflects on the epaulette shark: “Small in size but remarkable in design…[this species] is a master of survival in some of the harshest intertidal environments.”
Ahmed Inah, filming tiger sharks in the Maldives, adds, “I want people to see what I see: not monsters, but majestic, misunderstood animals.”
Woody Spark highlights Galapagos sharks at Lord Howe Marine Park, noting that the project supports efforts to protect these ecosystems through advocacy for marine sanctuaries: “Filming Galapagos sharks with Amber at Lord Howe Marine Park was surreal—their curiosity and elegance in the water is mesmerizing. Every frame is an opportunity to show why protecting these ecosystems matters.”
Through their work, these filmmakers challenge fear-based myths, reveal complex shark behaviors, and inspire a deeper appreciation for the intelligence, resilience of sharks, and critical role in ocean health around the world.
Thank you to the filmmakers who made this year’s #SharksonRED takeover possible: Ahmed Inah (@inah_shark), Christina Karliczek Skoglund (@christinakarliczek), David Reichert (@davidreichertdp), Jenni Collier (@jennicollierphotography), Nays Baghai (@naysbaghai), Richard Fitzpatrick (@richard_fitzpatrick_acs), Shawn Heinrichs (@shawnheinrichs), Tom Park (@tomparkfilms), Tyler Shiffman (@tyschiff), and Woody Spark (@Woodyspark).