Kurr took some time to talk to me about shooting "Ultimate Air Jaws," how to help conserve shark populations, ways to avoid being attacked by the often-misunderstood creatures, and living every week like it's Shark Week.
What makes Shark Week such a success every summer?
I can't believe Shark Week is in its 23rd year! It's become a ritual of summer, like a Fourth of July barbecue or a family vacation. Typically, there's not a lot on TV in August, so Shark Week has probably filled a void with viewers who probably watch for all kinds of reasons. Some like to be scared, some are shark fanatics who can't get enough of these animals, some are probably fascinated by the science, and others are wowed by the visuals.
How did you get involved with filming sharks?
My background was in television news, but I always dreamed of doing nature documentaries, having grown up watching the [Jacques] Cousteau specials on TV. In 1991 I edited "Shark Shooters," a Discovery Channel Shark Week special, and it just grew from there as I became a diver, shark fanatic, and lover of all things sharky. Now, 20 years later, I've just completed my 25th — actually can't remember how many! — Shark Week documentary, "Ultimate Air Jaws," which I consider to be the pinnacle of my shark career so far
Where does your fascination with sharks stem from?
Sharks are always fascinating to me because of their mystique. We only get brief glimpses of their lives, but thanks to technology, we are starting to understand what makes them tick. In my work, I like to try and document previously unknown shark behavior by using innovative cameras, angles, and various contraptions. I've filmed sharks from subs, helicopters, remote operated vehicles, "seal cameras," pole cameras, and "bite cameras." It's the challenge and thrill of getting amazing footage that keeps me coming back year after year.
What's the most valuable thing you've learned from working so closely with sharks?
As a filmmaker who specializes in sharks, the most valuable thing I've learned is patience. In 20 years we've dealt with hurricanes, no sharks for weeks at a time on location, broken cameras, flooded cameras, stolen cameras — while we slept. We've been shot at, had numerous boat breakdowns, lost luggage, confiscated gear … When it comes to sharks, you plan for the worst, hope for the best, and, despite the frustrations, stay positive.
[Learn the five biggest misconceptions about sharks, according to Jeff Kurr.]
What can you tell us about "Ultimate Air Jaws"?
In some ways, "Ultimate Air Jaws" is the "Avatar" of shark documentaries — apologies to James Cameron — in that we used groundbreaking new cameras that just weren't around when we shot the original "Air Jaws" 10 years ago. These cameras allow us to slow down the breach of a shark from one second, over in the blink of an eye, to over a minute with incredible detail. You can literally count every tooth in the shark's mouth as it's flying 15 feet in the air. But "Ultimate Air Jaws" is more than just stunning visuals. To learn more about how seals escape shark attacks, our host, Chris Fallows, uses a craft called the Seal Sled, which puts him in the water just a few feet from a 2,000-pound, 15-foot shark launching upwards at 25 miles per hour. Chris also tracks the great white shark into shallow water and discovers that these sharks spend much of the year swimming off popular beaches right among bathers. Incidents with humans are actually extremely rare, and Chris proves the sharks are not in attack mode off the beach by kayaking with them.
How has HD technology changed the way you shoot, and how much do you think it contributes to the success of the Shark Week programs?
For "Ultimate Air Jaws," my cinematographer, Tony Sacco, used a camera called the Phantom HD, which allowed us to capture breaching sharks like never before. These cameras were used in the Academy Award-winning feature "The Hurt Locker" to film the slow-motion explosion scenes. Tony modified the camera to shoot from the back of a rocking boat, and the result is spectacular. I am biased of course, but I think what Tony was able to capture using the Phantom HD ranks among the most spectacular nature footage ever seen. It's beautiful and chilling at the same time to see a 15-foot shark blasting up from the deep with its mouth open, its jaws and teeth glistening in mind-blowing slow motion and in full HD clarity. Sharks were made for HDTV, and I think that's part of the reason Shark Week has been so successful.
Why is it important to keep sharks in our waters?
In any ecosystem, land or sea, if you remove the top predators, like sharks, you create an imbalance that could be catastrophic. Imagine if there were no great white sharks to control the seal population. Seals eat fish, so if seal numbers exploded, fish stocks would likely plummet. Plus, sharks are beautiful and fascinating creatures that deserve a place on this planet; after all, they've been around since before the dinosaurs.
What are some simple things people can do to help save sharks?
Thanks in part to Shark Week, awareness of the shark's plight is at an all-time high worldwide. But simple awareness is not enough. Now is the time to act. The biggest threat to sharks is commercial fishing operations that have seriously depleted these animals worldwide. A lot of our leaders give this issue lip service, but Senator [John] Kerry's Shark Conservation Act of 2009 is definitely a step in the right direction. One thing people can do is to support conservation groups that are trying to ban shark fin soup. This Asian delicacy has resulted in the cruel deaths of millions of sharks, and it needs to be banned.
How should one avoid getting attacked by a shark?
The only sure way to avoid a shark attack is to never go in the ocean! But if you do, educate yourself about sharks and use common sense. I would never swim alone in murky water where people are fishing, for example. I believe if you see a shark in the ocean and it clearly sees you, it will not attack you. We are not on the shark's menu, and generally they want nothing to do with people.
[Check out a boatload of Shark Week photos.]
"30 Rock's" Tracy Jordan once advised us to live every week like it's Shark Week. Do you?
That line describes me to a tee, because that's exactly what I do, and thankfully I've been blessed to make a living from documenting sharks for the past 20 years. Considering that it takes about a year of researching, planning, traveling, shooting, editing, and writing to deliver just one Shark Week episode, I'd say yes, every week is Shark Week for me!
