Given the availability of relatively affordable equipment, making films in this day and age is easier now than ever before but making a good film is as difficult as it has always been. The major stumbling block that still exists and cannot be fixed with film-making equipment, regardless how expensive, is the ability to tell a compelling and engaging story which keeps you, the viewer, hooked from the first moment to last.
In recent years I have seen independent film-makers attempt feature documentaries with varying degrees of success, from turgid, uninspired and amateurish ninety minute snoozefests to innovative, fresh and fascinating films which captivate and inform in equal measure.
I'm pleased to say that Black Coral definitely falls into the latter category.
Black Coral tells the story of a small and fearless group of Hawaiins who forged a career diving the depths of the South Pacific to harvest Black Coral, a perilous way to earn a living, at constant risk of decompression sickness and shark attack. It's safe to say being a Black Coral Diver is not for the faint hearted.
As a Film-Maker and Commercial Diver myself, this was a fascinating insight into one of the last true tales of adventure diving, where the stakes are high and the rewards seem to be less about money and more about feeding the addiction of a life on the edge.
The film's principal subjects are fantastic, compelling, charismatic and articulate, they tell the story from their own experiences, sometimes funny, occasionally tragic but always with a charm and manner which is captured beautifully by the Film-Makers.
The Brothers Winn have managed to perfectly balance talking head interviews with real life footage and reconstructions, the film is paced exceptionally well, with an energy which ensured I was constantly invested in the stories I was being told.
The execution of the underwater sequences is excellent and it is clear from the offset that the team are not only skilled Film-Makers but also, excellent watermen. They also clearly have a deep understanding of the subject itself and this is important as that understanding and their obvious passion shines throughout.
Technically the film is well shot, the sound is great, the soundtrack very well chosen and, as previously mentioned, the edit is spot on, perfectly paced and does what so many indies often fail to do, stay one step ahead of the viewer, meaning you always get what you want at just the right time.
Would I recommend seeing Black Coral? Absolutely. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was a fascinating and entertaining look into the lives of people who don't tread the normal path and enlightened me on a subject I knew very little about.
Very much looking forward to the next film by this talented group of Film-Makers!