Dive Into Your Imagination

Internationally recognized for her work, ScubaDiver Australasia, a PADI Diving Society Magazine, celebrates Annie Crawley as an Icon for the work she has created for children about the ocean.

Download the full interview by Chris Mitchell and article here

Icons: Annie Crawley (722.42 kB)

Underwater Love

SF: A jack-of-all trades, Annie Crawley is a master of underwater photography and videography. And she’s using these talents for the benefit of our oceans and seas, introducing the beauty of the underwater world to children and parents through her pioneering DVDs and books
By Chris Mitchell

“I want children everywhere to love the ocean. We protect what we love. And adults learn from their children.” So says Annie Crawley, co-author of a pioneering book and DVD that brings the underwater world to life for children. Crawley’s Ocean Life From A – Z book and DVD set has sold nearly 100,000 copies, receiving rave reviews from kids, parents, teachers, and even aquarium curators, as a model for how to spark children’s imaginations with the world of water. Crawley’s underwater video footage on the DVD explains what it’s like to be a scuba diver, a videographer, and a boat captain; while her photos illustrate the book’s alphabetical rundown of some of the most intriguing marine creatures. Crawley’s own company, the aptly named Dive Into Your Imagination (diveintoyourimagination.com), has produced three other underwater DVDs for kids: What Makes A Fish A Fish, Dive Into Diversity, and What Lives In The Sea. These DVDs are the culmination of her many years working as a dive instructor and resort manager in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Australia – all of which feature heavily in the films.

Now living in Santa Barbara, California, the 38-year-old Chicago native is currently working on several more film projects – both for adults and children – and in doing so pursuing her passion to introduce the underwater world to everyone, whatever their age.

Q: When did you first start shooting underwater video, and how long before you realised, Hey, I can do this professionally?

I graduated from college with a broadcast journalism degree, but during the course found photojournalism more rewarding. After college, I really wanted to travel and build my portfolio, so I saved my money for a year and bought a plane ticket to Australia, learned to dive and sail, became a scuba diving instructor, and found myself living and working in Australasia. At the time I couldn’t afford underwater camera housings.

After being on the road for four years I returned to the USA. I realised life was too short and wanted to pursue documentaries on the ocean and return to life on the seas. I quit my job, sold my car, and bought my underwater camera housings to become an underwater photographer and film producer. That was seven years ago, and from the time I made this commitment I knew I would do this professionally.

Q: When did you hit on the idea of educating kids using underwater DVDs?

My sister had a daughter the year after I returned to the industry, and then all my other friends and family started having children. I really wanted them to know and understand the world that I loved so much, and there wasn’t anything on the market to show them the real underwater world. Seeing how I was born and raised in the inner city of Chicago, I never took my life for granted. I wanted kids everywhere to be able to experience the real ocean, and seeing how I feel like I have this great big child living within my soul, I wanted to communicate it to them using my images and stories.

Q: What impact have your DVDs had on children and parents?

The feedback I get from children, parents, teachers, grandparents, aunts and uncles has overwhelmed me and keeps me going. Ocean Life A to Z has sold around 100,000 copies and was created with Reader's Digest Children's Books and distributed by Simon & Schuster. My new series of DVDs was created and produced 100 percent by me. I received a finishing grant for both projects from Save Our Seas (saveourseas.com), a Geneva-based company. I’m now working on the distribution of the Dive Into Your Imagination series right now.

I’ve spoken to thousands of kids the past year. One principal had the entire school learn “The Ocean Song,” which is my theme song for the Dive Into Your Imagination series. People can request and download the music from my Web site. I want kids everywhere to sing this song.

Many parents and teachers are using these as learning tools for their children. I’ve been told that kids love the narration because I never talk down to them, instead entice them to learn and watch.

Q: Have you had much contact with schools in PNG or Indonesia about trying to get the DVDs to them? Do you think they would be interested and would it help protect the local environment in these countries?

I’ve had quite a few customers and non-profit groups purchase my DVDs and give them to schools and children as presents. One group’s board of directors bought 100 books and DVDs. Then each of the board members took the DVDs to 10 different schools and gave them away. Another of my clients purchased 25 of each and delivered them to local hospitals, day cares, and various shelters. I would like to see them in every school, paediatric ward, and cancer wards, everywhere there are children.

When I worked in PNG I helped create an outreach programme for Mahonia Na Dari in Kimbe Bay. Reaching out to local children has always been important to me. I need more help in getting the word out though and need more distribution outlets. The ocean is a universal language. Every children’s DVD I produced can be played in English or Spanish, but my dream is to see them translated in EVERY language. I want children everywhere to love the real ocean, not fear it. There is a simple saying: We protect what we love. Start with the children, too, because adults learn from their kids.

Q: You've said you'd like to set up a programme to teach every kid in the world to swim. How are you progressing with that?

On the DVD Who Lives in the Sea, I give parents 10 tips and tricks to get their children to love the water. It starts with teaching a child to live without fear of water. I’ve created a new Web site for my company, where I’ll provide tips and tricks on how to swim, snorkel, and then eventually dive. I believe many times adults instil their own fears into children. So I must not only educate children but educate the adults as well.

Q: Do you think diving in Asia had a particular impact or influence on you? Are there any special memories you have from diving in this part of the world?

There are too many to count. A part of my heart and soul lives in Asia. I lived and worked in Bali and Komodo National Park for two years nearly 15 years ago. I dived there before the area was built up. I still remember the first time I discovered ornate ghost pipefish lived in couples around crinoids; and diving Tulamben’s Liberty wreck at new moon, seeing thousands of flashlight fish emerge from the wreck and then have my guests turn off their lights.
I went back to Lembeh Strait one year ago on a high definition film shoot, and the staff I worked with five years ago were there to greet me. I didn’t just take photos; I supported them and strived to leave a positive impact on the local people. I helped educate men and women to think beyond what they believed they were capable of because of the society they were born into. I taught my dive guides the importance of understanding behaviours of animals and the impact we have upon them.

Q: Do you think you will get back to living by the water full time? Do you reckon you'll remain in the USA or return to live in Asia again?

My life is a long and winding road full of twists and turns. I want to dive every day again in Asia. I was never 100 percent satisfied because I always felt there was more in me to create stories, to reach a much broader audience than the ones that just scuba dive. I want everyone to experience the ocean, from the young to the old. Children are the future of our industry.

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