Diving Deep: Behind the Scenes of “The Last Breath”
A story that hits close to home. A harrowing tale of commercial diver, Chris Lemons’, quest for survival, deep into the depths of the North Sea. Back in 2012 during a saturation diving accident, Lemons, umbilical cable severed, leaving the saturation diver trapped underwater, with only his backup gas to rely on. The documentary film of the event (2019) gave first-hand accounts of the ordeal, showcasing genuine footage, and audio from the time of the incident. Based on Chris Lemons incredible story, the remake of the Last Breath documentary into a feature film was shot partly in Malta with our Underwater film Unit back in 2023. Our involvement with the upcoming picture started early in May, during the preproduction phase; this is when all the decision-making takes place, where Heads of the Departments discuss ideas, plans and protocols.
Becoming Pro Divers – Cast Training: Getting ready for the role is a regular process for actors as they embark on a new role. As part of this process our stellar protagonists, Finn Cole playing the role of ‘Chris Lemons’ and Simu Liu as Dave Yuaasa, embarked on their PADI training programs at Divemed, followed by hard-hat training to prepare them for their time in the studio wearing the commercial diving helmet. To capture the physical and mental demands of deep-sea diving, our cast underwent a rigorous training program. This included not only mastering the technical aspects of diving but also understanding the psychological toll such an experience can take. Imagine the claustrophobia, the chilling darkness, and the ever-present awareness of your lifeline hanging by a thread.
Most of the underwater shooting took place in the Deep Tank of the Malta Film Studios, in Kalkara Malta. Within the 11-meter deep tank, a set was constructed that would serve as the main shooting location of the movie- being the manifold the divers were working on. Most of the shooting days, were night shoots so our divers transformed into nocturnal species for a couple of months.
The right people for the Job – Our Crew: Our dive crew had their hands busy keeping everyone safe and making things go smoothly, we had safety divers keeping our cast and stunt double safe and well taken care off. Our team of divers were in charge of maintaining and dressing the set, underwater special effects, and also tending to the diver’s umbilical.
Leading the way: In charge of all things underwater, Abigail Borg was the Dive Supervisor of this show. Taking care of safety, known for his work on James Camerons ‘Avatar-the way of the water’, seasoned dive coordinator- John Garvin. Behind the lens, Underwater Cinematographer and 2nd Unit Director, Ian Seebrook – is in charge of all the visuals.
What to Expect: A story that highlights the extraordinary girt & will to survive, that challenges the laws of nature and defies human biology. A story of courage, teamwork, and resilience. A story set, deep underwater, in the blackness of the North Sea. A story about elite divers. Being excited for the premier of this potentially diving cult movie is an understatement.
Buckle up, and get ready for an epic underwater thriller! The movie’s release date is set for the 28th of February 2025!
