Underwater Lighting

Our underwater gaffers run dive-rated LED and HMI packages across the full Japanese coastal range.

That range spans warm clear coral water in Okinawa and Iriomote, manta paths in the Yaeyama Islands, the mild Izu Peninsula south of Tokyo, the volcanic seascapes of the Sanriku Coast, and the colder meeting waters of the Sea of Japan. We match the kit to each site by depth, daylight, and sight, with fixtures rated to 100 metres or deeper, daylight-balanced HMIs for large-scene throws, and compact LED units that run cool for close actor work.

Our crews are skilled divers first and lighting techs second. Battery systems, surface power runs, and communication rigs route through our Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido, and Okinawa bases. For open-water shoots, we handle Japan Coast Guard liaison and harbour authority permits.

Pool-stage and water-tank work at Toho, Toei, and Nikkatsu covers set fashion, music video, commercial, and feature shoots. We fix red-light loss with filters on the fixture, rather than leave the colour fix to post. What your DP sees on the monitor is what the grade carries through.

Power planning sits at the heart of every open-water rig. Sealed batteries feed the LED and HMI heads, while surface generators back the long throws on tank days. Dive gaffers set each fixture by hand, then trim output once the subject is in frame. Coastal calls run on the dive table, with rest built in under the Japanese Labor Standards Act. We coordinate in English and quote in JPY, with the 10 per cent consumption tax shown per line.

Light placement is the first step in the grade, so we shape it on set. Daylight-balanced output gives the colorist clean tone to build from. We finish in DaVinci Resolve, then deliver to Rec.709, HDR, or Dolby Vision, as the platform asks. Imagica and Sony PCL conform and master longer pieces. Camera reports and lighting notes travel with the footage, so NHK, Fuji TV, and Netflix Japan deliverables match what the DP saw underwater.