As you are all aware International Shipping faces a significant shortage of seafarers by 2026. The recent ICS/BIMCO Seafarer Workforce Report estimates that there will be a need for an additional 90,000 officers by 2026. To help encourage people from across the globe to become seafarers the International Chamber is Shipping is making a 7-minute film to highlight what a fruitful, diverse and interesting a career at sea is. The intention is that the film will be available to the ICS board in time for the next AGM in February 2023. It will be produced so that it can be a resource for member associations to engage with their own communities to help highlight the rewarding careers that are available in our industry.
The film: Using testimony from seafarers from around the world, both men and women, will showcase the opportunities that the profession offers from deckhands to engineers to ship masters, to communicate the message that this career can be an exciting way to travel the globe, with plenty of opportunities to develop professionally, and to be trained in highly transferable skills. Shipping is a dynamic industry full of opportunity that is growing and now is an exciting time for shipping as it moves to be more sustainable and continues to adapt to the twenty-first century. The film will be honest in addressing the challenges of a life at sea – hearing from men and women, from across the world who overcome those challenges. Through shooting onboard and using existing footage, the Film hopes to convey realistically what life is like on a ship.
The ICS kindly asks for your help with gaining access to seafarers – at work and onshore – both to film them, and to ask them to film themselves. There are three asks where the ICS is seeking your help:-
Self-shot footage by seafarers: The ICS would like to approach seafarers on all kinds of ships, men and women, from across the globe and ask them to self-shoot interviews with each other (or themselves, if preferred) with cameras on their phones. They would each answer simple questions including about why they became a seafarer, what they enjoy about their job, and what they find challenging about their job. This testimony would be edited to show the rich diversity of people working at sea, and the opportunities available. The ICS would like your help with contacting potential contributors of all ranks either directly or through shipowners and would be able to credit everyone whose footage is used. If you’re able to help, the ICS could help with more specific filming suggestions/guidelines, and a list of questions. All footage needs be sent to the ICS by 10 February 2023.
Filming access to crew on a ship at sea: The ICS would also like to send a small filming crew onto a working ship to film for 1-2 days. (The filming crew could remain on board for 3-4 days if the ship was not docking before then.) On board, the filming crew would interview members of the shipping crew from different ranks, and film life on board a working ship. Again, contributors would be interviewed about why they had chosen this job and why they would recommend it to others. The filming team would be flexible and work around everyone’s existing schedule. This would generate broadcast quality footage to edit in with the self-shot footage. The film crew would aim to film this in January 2023 or very early February 2023. If you are able to offer a suitable ship please contact the ICS, see details below.
Approaching YouTube vloggers: Finally, the ICS is hoping to include content from seafarers with existing YouTube channels and footage. We have previously worked with JeffHK and will approaching him again, hoping that he will give an interview, and will share his footage. If you have any contacts with other successful YouTube vloggers, the ICS would be most grateful if you could pass on their contact details or introduce us. The ICS we would like to be receive footage in January 2023, and would need it by 10 February 2023 at the latest.
Production team: The film is being produced by Matilda Mitchell at Pelican Pictures in the UK. Earlier this year, Matilda produced the ICS Centenary Film. Pelican Pictures works with local crews worldwide. She can be contacted at matilda@pelicanpictures.co.uk
This is a good opportunity for HKSOA members to assist the ICS in the creation of an important video, promoting seafaring as an attractive professional industry, which would benefit all.
