Blue Water Hunters

Written by Robert Barrington

Treatment

Safari. We open with a fade up onto the grasslands and savannahs of the Serengeti and experience a soul-stirring feeling of space. A jeep tears across the countryside chasing game; the hunters are standing and urging the drivers to push the vehicle to its limits. The jeep cuts through a stream, water splashes over the camera and a 30-foot fishing boat picks up where it left off, bounding over waves. The hunters stand at the bow urging the slip captain to push the vehicle past its limit. A boat named the “Thrill Savvy” is pulling away from shore, the coastline shrinks & disappears. The boat far from land is alone on the water.

MONTAGE – A group of men begin suiting up for a dive. We see wetsuits, SCUBA tanks and their weapons 67in spear-guns being loaded and foot-long diving knives being slid into ankle sheaths. Each diver is given four second Picture Credit introduction and we meet Chad Mayweather, Francisco Ferreras, Manny Puig, Jeff Wyatt, “Jewfish” Joe Felicione, Al Schneppershoff, Torn Hanson, and Terry Maas.

During this segment we learn about the basics, the origins of and the attraction to the sport from the divers. In near unison the divers enter the water. Interview with Chad Mayweather, a diver seated on the boat’s portside rail. Francisco Ferreras and Manny Puig take deep breaths and dive.

MONTAGE of Manny Puig in action while a picture in picture interview plays.

From the boat’s aft, the dive shop and the pier, we learn about the risks of Blue Water Hunting. A series of quick clips showing spear hits and misses. Assorted video clips and photos of injuries. Jeff Wyatt shows off his battle scar.