Three Ways We Work on the Water

Tell us what you are filming, and we map the permits and crew from there. We handle all three:

Want the permit process explained first? See underwater and marine filming permits.

Marine Filming Services in Mauritius & the Indian Ocean

Identical Media has been delivering marine filming across the Indian Ocean since 2009. From underwater cinematography and boat-to-boat tracking to deep-water wildlife shoots and drone-to-sea work, our marine department handles the full scope of production on and below the water.

In 2016, the Hollywood feature Serenity, three weeks of over-water and underwater filming with Matthew McConaughey off the coast of Mauritius, became the breakthrough that opened the door to larger marine commissions. Since then, our marine credits have grown to include Paramount Pictures, Disney+, BBC, National Geographic, and Underdog Films.

We are based in Mauritius and operate across Seychelles, Madagascar, Réunion, and the Maldives, with certified marine crew, specialist filming vessels, and over 17 years of operational knowledge in Indian Ocean waters.

Sperm Whale Filming in Mauritius

Identical Media has been filming sperm whales in Mauritius since 2016. What began during Serenity has become a decade of deep-water fieldwork, broadcast commissions, and an understanding of these animals that comes only from years in the water with them.

Our sperm whale credits include Paramount Pictures, Disney+, BBC, National Geographic, and Underdog Films. We are a leading production company for sperm whale filming in the Indian Ocean.

How It Started: Serenity (2016)

In 2016, Identical Media was service producing Serenity, the Hollywood feature starring Matthew McConaughey. The shoot included three weeks of over-water and underwater filming off the coast of Mauritius. During that production, our marine team spent extended time in the waters where Mauritius’ resident sperm whale pods live. That was the beginning, the first sustained contact between our crew and the whales, and the start of the operational knowledge we have built over the years since.

Freediver: Paramount Pictures & Greenway Pictures

The first dedicated sperm whale commission came from Paramount Pictures and Greenway Pictures with Freediver, a documentary about the world’s greatest freedivers directed by Michael John Warren. Identical Media provided comprehensive service production in Mauritius: marine coordination, safety logistics, underwater and topside equipment (supplied through MediaVision), crew, and location management across the island’s coastlines, lagoons, and open ocean.

The success of Freediver opened the door to everything that followed. It proved that Mauritius could deliver broadcast-quality sperm whale content, and that Identical Media had the marine infrastructure and whale knowledge to make it happen repeatedly. View the Freediver production

Broadcast Credits

Since Freediver, sperm whale commissions have come in steadily:

  • Paramount Pictures / Greenway Pictures, Freediver. Comprehensive service production in Mauritius.
  • Disney+, Currently in production. The repeat commissioning reflects the reliability of our whale access and marine operations.
  • BBC, Natural history content filmed in Mauritius with our marine team and underwater operators.
  • National Geographic, Wildlife content produced through our marine department.
  • Underdog Films, Owned by James Reed, the Oscar-winning director of My Octopus Teacher.
  • Two further productions in development, scheduled to begin filming in the coming months.

Each production has added to what we know, about the whales, the conditions, the safety requirements, and how to deliver footage that meets broadcast and theatrical standards.

What We Know About These Whales

Resident pods of sperm whales live off the west coast of Mauritius year-round. While they can dive to great depths to feed, they spend much of their time resting and socialising at the surface, which is where the filming happens. The Mauritius pods are known for being unusually curious and comfortable around people in the water. They regularly stay at the surface in close proximity to divers rather than diving away, giving camera teams extended filming time that is difficult to find in other sperm whale locations. Over the past decade, our team has logged hundreds of hours in the water with them.

What that means in practice:

  • Surface behaviour, we know when and where the whales surface, how long they rest between dives, and how to position for leading filming conditions
  • Seasonal patterns, calf sightings, pod movements, and how behaviour changes through the year
  • Approach protocols, how to position divers and cameras without disrupting the animals, which matters for both the footage and for repeat access
  • Weather and current, which swell directions and wind patterns affect visibility and safety at the key sites
  • Safety, protocols for putting camera teams in the water alongside sperm whales. Safety divers, emergency procedures, and vessel positioning are standard on every shoot.

This knowledge was built over years of fieldwork, and it is the reason clients return.

Crew for Deep-Water Wildlife

Our sperm whale shoots are crewed by specialists:

  • Underwater cinematographers with broadcast credits (Paramount, Disney+, BBC, NatGeo)
  • Safety divers and underwater safety supervisors
  • Marine coordinators experienced in deep-water wildlife operations
  • Experienced skippers who know how to approach whales safely, managing engine shutdowns, silent drift positioning, and boat handling when whales are nearby
  • Whale spotter and acoustician, uses a hydrophone to listen for sperm whale clicks underwater and visual spotting on the surface to locate the pods quickly each shooting day, reducing search time and maximising time in the water
  • DOP-level camera operators for topside and aerial coverage
  • Drone operators for aerial whale tracking

The crew has worked together across multiple sperm whale productions. That continuity matters, they know each other’s communication systems, safety protocols, and working patterns in the water.

Why Mauritius for Sperm Whale Filming

  • Resident pods, sperm whales live off the west coast year-round, not seasonally
  • Habituated and curious whales, the Mauritius pods are accustomed to human presence in the water. They are known for being unusually approachable and curious, often staying at the surface rather than diving away. This makes for extended filming windows that are rare in other sperm whale locations worldwide.
  • Warm water year-round, sea temperatures range from 23-29°C throughout the year. Camera teams and divers can work comfortably for extended periods without drysuits or heavy exposure gear. Most other sperm whale locations, the Azores (14-24°C), Norway (6-14°C), require thick wetsuits or drysuits, which limit mobility, increase fatigue, and shorten working time in the water.
  • Proximity, whale sites are a short boat ride from shore. No multi-day offshore expeditions required.
  • Established operation, certified crew, experienced vessels, and a decade of whale-specific fieldwork are already in place
  • Broadcast-proven, Paramount, Disney+, BBC, National Geographic, and Underdog Films have all filmed here
  • Film rebate, 30% cash rebate for documentaries (up to 40% for features and high-end TV drama) through the Mauritius Film Rebate Scheme
  • Integrated production, sperm whale shoots can combine with land-based filming, post production, VFX, and other services through Identical Media
  • Regional access, from Mauritius we also operate marine shoots in Seychelles, Madagascar, Réunion, and the Maldives

If you are developing a natural history series, blue-chip documentary, or feature that needs sperm whale footage, we have the access, the credits, and the years in the water to deliver it.

Underwater Filming for Commercials, Features & TV Series

Beyond wildlife, Identical Media delivers underwater filming for scripted and commercial productions, actors performing underwater, action sequences, diving and snorkelling scenes, and product shoots in the lagoon and open ocean.

Since the Serenity shoot in 2016, where our team managed three weeks of underwater and over-water filming with a Hollywood cast, we have built a track record in non-wildlife underwater production that spans TV commercials, feature films, and branded content.

What we shoot underwater

  • Underwater action and performance, actors performing submerged, fight sequences, swimming and diving scenes, and choreographed underwater movement for narrative productions
  • TV commercials, product placement, lifestyle shoots, fashion and beauty campaigns, and automotive or lifestyle brands using the lagoon and open ocean as backdrops
  • Diving and snorkelling sequences, adventure, travel, and resort content filmed in Mauritius’ coral reefs, lagoons, and drop-offs

Equipment for underwater commercial and narrative work

Our underwater rigs are adapted to the shoot. For TV commercials and controlled underwater setups, we use splash boxes, gatehouses, and waterproof housings with ARRI, Sony, and RED camera systems, including the Sony FX6 for lightweight, versatile underwater work. Camera and lighting equipment is supplied through MediaVision Ltd, our ARRI-certified rental house based in Mauritius.

Recent underwater production examples

  • Serenity (2016), three weeks of underwater and over-water filming for the Hollywood feature. Underwater action with cast, boat sequences, and open-ocean work.
  • TV commercials for international brands, underwater lifestyle, product, and beauty shoots in Mauritius’ lagoons and reef systems.
  • Branded content and resort campaigns, underwater filming for tourism, hospitality, and luxury lifestyle brands across Mauritius and the Indian Ocean.

Marine Scouting & Location Services

We identify underwater, coastal, and offshore filming locations across Mauritius and the wider Indian Ocean. Since 2009, we have scouted and filmed at hundreds of marine locations, lagoons, reef walls, drop-offs, wrecks, open ocean, and offshore sites.

We know where the light works at which time of year, where the currents run, where the reef drops off, where the whales surface, and which sites are accessible for equipment and crew. Scouting includes water visibility reports, tide and current assessments, access logistics, and permit requirements.

Our scouting covers Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Réunion, and the Maldives. More on our locations

Boat-to-Boat & Air-to-Boat Filming

Tracking shots for commercials, features, and action sequences. High-speed pursuit filming, parallel tracking, and stabilised platform work from support vessels.

We coordinate multi-vessel operations, camera boats running alongside hero vessels, safety boats on standby, and drone teams working in sync with the marine unit. This applies to everything from car-commercial-style boat tracking to feature-film chase sequences and sailing content.

Drone-to-Boat Cinematography

Aerial-to-sea sequences in up to 6K. Coordinated drone and vessel operations for aerial reveals, chase sequences, establishing shots, and wildlife tracking from above. Drone operators work in close communication with the marine unit for synchronised air-to-water coverage.

See our drone filming services

Marine Logistics, Safety & Base Camps

Logistics: Support vessels, moorings, cranes, barges, floating platforms, and water base camps. We handle vessel sourcing, mooring permits, marine transport, and crew transfers for productions of any scale.

Safety: Safety divers, underwater safety supervisors, emergency protocols, weather monitoring, and vessel safety briefings are standard on every production. For deep-water wildlife shoots, we add specialist protocols for working around large marine animals.

Certified Marine Crew

Our marine crew roster includes:

  • Boat captains and licensed skippers, experienced in film vessel operations, whale approach protocols, and high-speed tracking
  • Safety divers and underwater safety supervisors
  • Marine coordinators and unit managers
  • Whale spotter and acoustician, hydrophone-based whale location and visual surface spotting
  • Crane and rigging operators (marine-rated)
  • Shipwrights and vessel engineers
  • Marine electricians
  • High-speed vessel operators

The crew has the certifications and the hours on the water to handle large-scale marine rigging, underwater safety for talent, high-speed vessel operations, and deep-water wildlife filming.

Mauritius Film Rebate for Marine Productions

Marine filming in Mauritius qualifies for the Film Rebate Scheme administered by the EDB, commercials, features, TV series, documentaries, and music videos.

  • 30% cash rebate on qualifying production expenditure (QPE) for documentaries (min QPE USD 20,000)
  • Up to 40% cash rebate for feature films (minimum USD 1 million QPE) and high-end TV drama (minimum USD 150,000 per episode)
  • Direct cash payment, not a tax credit. The stated percentage is what you receive.
  • QPE covers: vessel charter, marine crew, diving equipment, underwater camera rental, boat fuel, safety equipment, catering, logistics, filming equipment (including land-based), local and foreign cast and crew salaries, international flight tickets, hotel accommodation, and transport costs for foreign cast and crew

We have managed 27 approved rebate applications since the scheme launched, from EDB application and QPE tracking through to audit and collection.

Full guide to the Mauritius Film Rebate

Why Mauritius for Marine Filming?

The island is almost entirely surrounded by coral reef. That creates two filming environments within minutes of each other: calm, clear lagoons for controlled underwater work, and open ocean for larger-scale marine sequences.

  • Year-round conditions, consistent light, water temperatures between 23-29°C, and sheltered lagoons that keep most seasons workable. Warm water means camera teams and divers can work extended periods without drysuits or heavy exposure gear, a significant advantage over colder sperm whale and marine locations worldwide.
  • Short distances, turquoise lagoons, volcanic coastline, white sand, cliff faces, and deep ocean are all within a 30-minute boat ride of each other
  • Film rebate, 30% cash rebate for documentaries, up to 40% for features and high-end TV drama. Direct cash payment, not a tax credit. Details on the film rebate
  • No VAT on most production services
  • English and French speaking crew base
  • Regional access, from Mauritius we also run marine shoots in Seychelles, Madagascar, Réunion, and the Maldives

Integrated Production Support

Marine filming is usually part of a larger production. We integrate marine operations with our comprehensive service offering:

Work With Identical Media

  • Marine filming across the Indian Ocean since 2009
  • Sperm whale filming credits: Paramount, Disney+, BBC, National Geographic, Underdog Films
  • Certified marine crew, deep-water wildlife, reef, and open-ocean
  • Underwater filming for commercials, features, and TV series with ARRI, Sony, and RED camera systems
  • Integrated with our land-based production, VFX, and post services
  • 27 approved film rebate applications

We operate in Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Réunion, and the Maldives.

Contact Us

Contact us to discuss your project, whale access windows, crewing, vessel requirements, and rebate eligibility.

Contact Identical Media
ah@identicalpictures.com