About Us
Grumpy Turtle Films is an experienced Shooter/Producer duo - Harriet and Richard ‘Woody’ Spark - who craft awe-inspiring vision for natural history and factual programmes.
Woody is a Cinematographer, while Harriet is a narrative-driven slashie - working as a Producer, Photographer, Second Camera and Safety Diver. Their combined skillsets make them a versatile and dynamic duo in the field. Harriet and Woody thrive on executing complicated underwater and international shoots and have a keen knack for storytelling.
Woody and Harriet are comfortable working in remote locations and can independently field-produce and shoot high-quality sequences. Harriet and Woody are extremely competent underwater, and are experienced on both closed-circuit and open-circuit dive units. Both Harriet and Woody are JJ-CCR divers and own two JJ-CCR units.
Whether it’s a one-off project or a long-standing relationship, Grumpy Turtle Films pride themselves on making meaningful connections with the people they work with.
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Cinematographer
Richard ‘Woody’ Spark is a dedicated underwater cinematographer and documentary filmmaker with 10 years’ experience shooting many of Australia’s magnificent underwater habitats. Woody has been working in diving since 2011, is a certified JJ-CCR diver and has a CASA drone licence.
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Producer and PhotographerHarriet Spark is a content producer and born storyteller. Passionate about sharing the beauty and vibrancy of life both above and below the ocean’s surface, Harriet loves working with people that give a damn to shape and share their stories with her signature integrity, honesty and authenticity. Harriet has been diving professionally for over a decade and is a JJ CCR diver.
Services
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Harriet and Woody bring their experience in Production and Project Management to assist setting up complex shoots anywhere in the world. With over a decade in the dive industry, they understand the limitations and possibilities when it comes to working on and under the water.
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As a Shooter/Producer duo, Grumpy Turtle Films can manage your shoot in the field - ensuring your footage is delivered on time and on brief.
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Woody and Harriet can work with a variety of gear and are experienced shooting with Red, Sony, Arri and Canon cinema systems both topside and underwater, using Gates and Nauticam housings. We have an extensive list of gear available for hire.
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Harriet is a documentary-style photographer specialising in underwater, portrait, editorial, nature and travel photography. Harriet loves to snap good people doing good things, completely in their element, capturing the beauty and complexity of the natural world.
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Harriet and Woody have worked in the dive industry for more than a decade, and have dived in temperate and tropical environments all over the world. Harriet and Woody have high-levels of experience with both CCR and open-circuit diving, making them ready for a variety of underwater shoots.
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We have an extensive list of gear available for hire. View our kit here.
Meet the team
Led by Harriet and Woody, Grumpy Turtle Films is a dynamic team of experienced and adventurous storytellers, delivering the highest quality visual content for some of the world’s leading production houses and purpose-driven and environmental organisations.
MEET HARRIET
Harriet Spark is a content producer and born storyteller with a background in filmmaking, photography, graphic design, and journalism. Passionate about sharing the beauty and vibrancy of life both above and below the ocean’s surface, Harriet loves working with people that give a damn to shape and share their stories with her signature integrity, honesty and authenticity.
MEET WOODY
Richard ‘Woody’ Spark is a dedicated underwater cinematographer and documentary filmmaker with 10 years’ experience shooting many of Australia’s magnificent underwater habitats. Woody loves to work with organisations dedicated to protecting the world’s wild places and doing their amazing work justice.
Harriet and Woody’s combined skillsets make them a versatile and dynamic duo in the field, who are dedicated to capturing unparalleled vision, both underwater and topside.
Selected clients
Why grumpy turtles?
If you’ve ever come across a turtle underwater, you’d know they have resting grumpy face. And we don’t blame them. Plastic pollution, climate change, overfishing - they have a lot to be grumpy about.
We are on a mission to turn those turtle frowns upside down through powerful visual storytelling that makes a lasting impact.
As underwater photographers and cinematographers, we have had the privilege of getting up close and personal with all manner of sea creatures. That’s when we realised sea turtles have a kind of resting grumpy face.
And we don’t blame them! With everything, humans are doing to this beautiful planet ~ turtles (and all sea creatures) have a whole lot to be grumpy about.
So, when we say turtles are grumpy, what we actually mean is that they are facing an ocean-load of problems.
We are trying to turn those turtle frowns upside down through powerful visual storytelling. Right now, the world is facing monumental challenges. And we are ready ~ cameras in hand ~ to meet them with integrity and heart to share the stories the world needs to see.