Live Every Week Like Shark Week’s Andy Casagrande
It’s that time of year again where sharks and seals are flooding our television screens. For over 50 years, Shark Week has aimed to educate viewers on conservation efforts and correcting misconceptions about sharks.
Back for another swim this year, Shark Week returns to Discovery Channel, bringing legends like Mike Tyson, Will Smith, and Shaquille O’Neil back onto the screen to help tell this year’s latest stories surrounding sharks.
Discovery has also teamed up with Oceana, an organization that seeks to protect the world’s oceans, to protect sharks that are threatened by the global shark fin trade that takes fins from as many as 73 million sharks per year, the network said. It also vowed to continue to educate viewers about why healthy oceans need sharks and to continue to raise money for Oceana’s campaigns, which include the passing of the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2019.
Last Year’s Dive With Andy Casagrande
Last year, I spoke with Discovery Channel’s Andy Casagrande, to which you will find a reprinted interview with Casagrande below, which originally appeared on Grit Daily News.
Meet Andy Casagrande, an Emmy-Award winning cinematographer, field producer, and television producer, specializing in blue-chip wildlife and natural history documentaries around the world. Most know Casagrande and his work from Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, which just aired for its 30th year this year, growing Casagrande’s media portfolio to 85 Shark Week specials.
From King Cobras and Killer Whales, to Great White Sharks and Polar Bears, Casagrande’s innovative cinematography and unorthodox camera techniques are helping revolutionize the way the world sees and perceived wildlife. From super-slow-motion-high-speed and thermal-infrared to night-vision and remote-controlled spy-cams and drones, Casagrande shoots with the most advanced camera technologies on the planet and continues to push the boundaries of wildlife filmmaking to shed new light and perspective into the hidden lives of the planet’s most feared and most understood predators.
With more than 100 wildlife film credits to his name, Casagrande has shot and produced films for the world’s top television networks, including National Geographic, BBC, Discovery Channel, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and Animal Planet.
I spoke with Casagrande immediately after the shark frenzy of Shark Week 2019 came to a biting close.
I went behind the camera with Casagrande, whose jaw-dropping photos of sharks has brought his subjects up-close-and-personal with viewers for over 13 years on Discovery Channel’s Shark Week.
Casagrande, whose wife, Emma, is also an underwater photographer and whose two young children have already been learning the ways of the shark and oceanic conversation, provided viewers this year with immaculate cinematography and tracking technology of what an average day in the life of a shark is.
How Following Your Passion Can Land You In Mysterious Waters
For over twenty years, Casagrande has been able to work with apex predators across the globe. But what viewers probably didn’t know, is how he got started, and that he loves sour candy and bubble gum.
“I became a wildlife filmmaker purely by mistake,” Casagrande told us. “It all happened because of my extreme fascination and passion for learning as much as possible about Great White Sharks.”
Andrew Rossow: How did your interest with cinematography help push you into the world of blue-chip wildlife and natural history documentaries?
Andy Casagrande: I initially wanted to become a marine biologist and I began my career with sharks in Cape Town as a Great White Shark field research assistant. However serendipity ensued and it just so happened that National Geographic came to make a documentary about our research and offered me a job as a filmmaker. It was unplanned and unexpected.
A Global Responsibility to Share Earth’s Mightiest Creatures
For Casagrande, he feels that his duty to share his stories and experiences with the world in efforts to empower us all to coexist with Earth’s mightiest creatures.
AR: As technology has changed and advanced over the years, how has your experience and drive adjusted to this change?
AC: Nothing has changed for me—I still work as hard as I possibly can. More importantly, I still have as much passion as I did when I started—I still believe in karma, as kindness and passion are the two greatest assets you can have.
AR: What has been your favorite part about filming, capturing, tracking, and following marine life?
AC: I have been extremely privileged to work intensely and intimately with apex predators globally for the past 20 years. My favorite part about working as a wildlife filmmaker, is the honor of spending one-on-one time with the Earth’s most feared & misunderstood creatures. I feel that it is my responsibility to share my stories and images with the world, such that humans can be inspired & empowered to coexist, respect and protect this fragile planet.
Each Year, a New Wave
2018 marked the 30th year for Discovery’s Shark Week, making it the longest-running cable-program in TV history. With over eight special segments this year, Casagrande’s portfolio grew to 85 Shark Week specials.
“I have been lucky to travel all over the world filming the greatest sharks on Earth,” he professed.
AR: What can you tell us about your travels and experience filming and capturing different shark species?
AC: Having worked on 8+ Shark Week specials this year, I have now brought my total number of Shark Week specials to 85. What I can tell you about my travels and filming experiences, hmmm….simply un-fucking-believable.
AR: What would you consider to be the scariest aspects of your journeys?
AC: All of the airplanes, cars, buses, boats, jet-skis, snow mobiles, micro-lites, and all the crazy fucking humans, these are my scariest experiences during my journeys.
How You Can Swim In Casagrande’s Path
For those keen to get into sharks, conservation, or wildlife film-making in general, Casagrande encourages folks to get out into the ocean and start scuba-diving and/or free-diving as much as possible.
“If you don’t have access to the ocean, then try hard to actively learn as much as you can about sharks by doing your own research via the internet,” he followed up with. “You can utilize the power of Google to find everything you need to know regarding the latest shark intel around the world!”
In terms of research facilities, Casagrande recommends speaking with various shark research teams like Bimini Shark Lab in the Bahamas, Oceans Research in South Africa, One Ocean Research in Hawaii, and scientists to see how you can help contribute to their work or beginning your own research project.
“Ask why/when/where/who/how/what is going on in shark research and science. There is no set path, you just need to work hard, be super passionate, and genuinely interested in this, and just go for it!”
Discovery Channel
This year’s Shark Week runs from August 9 to August 16 on Discovery Channel.
Sunday night’s premiere of Tyson vs. Jaws: Rumble on the Reef is one you don’t want to miss and can watch re-runs of throughout the week, where the legendary boxer goes head-to-head with one of the ocean’s top predators, including the black-tip reef shark. Famed ring announcer, Michael Buffer will be calling the shots.
