Charles Maxwell is an underwater cinematographer living in Cape Town, South Africa. He has been diving for over 40 years and therefore has an excellent knowledge of the South African marine environment as well as contacts in the documentary and scientific communities.
Charles began his career in underwater filming in 1987 while assisting Swiss filmmaker, Gerald Favre with his production Le Souffle du Dragon,a story about the discovery and exploration of the world's largest underground lake in Namibia. Since then he has worked with many production companies worldwide.
"South Africa is one of the sharkiest coasts on earth" Sir David Attenborough in his narration for the BBC's "Shark Coast"
Working with the sea can be frustrating and sometimes dangerous but mostly rewarding. It is not all about tropical islands and warm water and sometimes involves spending many cold hours underwater often on your own. While Charles specializes in documentary films about sharks, whales, dolphins and the Cape fur seals that are abundant in the cold water near Cape Town where he lives, he spends a lot of time along the coast between Cape Town and Mozambique.
Charles was a 2002 Primetime Emmy Award winner in the category Outstanding Cinematography for work done for The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, produced by the BBC / Discovery Channel. In 2006 Charles filmed rays feeding on squid for the BBC's Planet Earth: Shallow Seas.
Some of the productions with which Charles has been involved:
The Blue Planet: Seas of Life - BBC / Discovery Channel - Emmy Award winner
Planet Earth: Shallow Seas - BBC / Discovery Channel
Supernatural: Time Warp - BBC Wildlife on One
White Shark, Deep Trouble - National Geographic Television
Sensitive Sharks - BBC Wildlife on One
Air Jaws - Discovery Channel
Smart Sharks: Roboshark - BBC / Discovery Channel
African Penguin: Cool Bird in a Hot Spot - BBC Wildlife on One
Das Grosse Fressen (Natal Sardine Run) - German Television
Sardine Festival - Discovery Channel - Award at the 29th Festival Mondial de Image Sous Marine, Antibes, France, 2002
Be the Creature - National Geographic Television
L'Oceanografic Aquarium - French Television
Shark Coast aka Oceans Apart - BBC Natural World
Massive Nature: The Deep - BBC Natural World - Winner of the Jules Verne Award de la meilleure realisation, 2005
John Lydon (Johnny Rotten): Shark Attack - Channel Five, UK.
Planet Carnivore: Oceans - National Geographic Television