A film about sharks and the scientists working to save them.

In 2019 Steve Peletz and Mikael Gustafson conceived of a documentary film project following biologists on research expeditions to better understand shark migration. Biologists and conservations face huge challenges trying to protect marine ecosystems and endangered species from decimation.

A story with teeth.

Watch biologists from Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile as they conduct critial research and fight to save migratory marine life from overfishing. Challenging ocean conditions and powerful legal, political , and economic interests make conservation difficult and costly.

  • Steve Peletz

    PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/CINEMATOGRAPHER

    Our oceans are beautiful, fragile and under assault. As a diver, photojournalist and filmmaker, I try to shed light on the dire need to protect our oceans immediately.

    At Deep Blue Monthly, I share news and stories about diving, citizen science and ocean conservation. I love exploring underwater and filming sharks, whales, dolphins, rays, sea lions, shipwrecks and California’s kelp forests.

    At UC Berkeley, as an undergrad, I taught research diving under the supervision of local diving pioneer Lloyd Austin.

    With 40 years of diving experience, I’ve watched with sadness as our local kelp forests have dwindled. Recently, I have filmed urchins and bull kelp underwater on California’s North Coast for Natasha Benjamin and Ana Blanco for their documentary “Sequoias of trhe Sea,” about California’s disappearing kelp forests.

    In 2015, after logging thousands of dives in Caliornia and beyond, I began assisting researchers on shark tagging trips to Costa Rica’s Cocos Island and Mexico’s Archipelago de Revillagigedo. Since then, I ‘ve tagged sharks at Cocos and filmed underwater at Colombia’s Malpelo Island, in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, and in Mexico’s Sea or Cortez.

  • Mikael Gustafson

    PRODUCER/CINEMATOGRAPHER

    The ocean is the last frontier on earth that we have the opportunity to save. As a cinematographer for primarily documentary-style media, I strive to tell stories worth telling. As a diver I share my love to the ocean with those around me. Through this project I hope to meld the two.

    As an underwater cinematographer with credentials from three certifying agencies I have operated underwater camera systems for film, television, music videos, and documentaries. I joined Steve on a dive expedition to Revillagigedo in 2019 where we began this project.

    When I’m not diving, I am the creative director and producer for Sea Stand Productions, a small video production company specializing in web content for the tech, agriculture, and non-profit spaces.