A passionately curious person by nature, Adam spends his time exploring remote destinations around the world with like-minded adventurers and sharing his extensive knowledge about the local flora and fauna. He specializes in the sexual reproduction of marine organisms making his lectures not only educational and eye opening, but extremely entertaining!
Adam grew up in Port Douglas, Australia and from his earliest days, he was surrounded by the things he loves the most: the myriad of marine creatures inhabiting the Great Barrier Reef and the tranquil tropical rainforests of the Daintree National Park.
During Adam’s formative years, he was dragged tirelessly around the world by his documentary producing parents instilling a passion for capturing images of remote locations and exotic creatures. By his 25th birthday he had contributed to over thirty documentaries, many of which were award winning international successes.
Since finishing his studies, Adam has worked in a wide range of vocations other than the film and television industry, including dive supervisor on the Great Barrier Reef; educational officer at Gold Coast’s Seaworld, in charge of animal husbandry for a wide range of marine species; captain and engineer aboard a variety of ships and expedition leader from the remote jungles of Papua New Guinea to the frosty frontiers of Antarctica and everywhere in between.
Dean Cropp is an ACS award-winning DOP and Associate Producer of eight international nature and adventure/observational documentaries with his father Ben Cropp. He also has 15 years experience filming for news organisations, Home And Away, Great Outdoors, Sydney Weekender, TVCs, short films.
His work as a Water DOP for the 3D feature documentary Storm Surfers 3D (2012) earned him a nomination for an AACTA award. He was also the DOP for the accompanying 3D 4-hour Storm Surfers television series. In 2008, he was part of the Seven camera team dispatched to China to cover the Olympics.
An avid inventor and backyard engineer, Dean has developed and designed many custom camera systems and underwater housings. He has been commissioned by shows such as Bondi Rescue, Storm Surfers 3D, Channel Seven Sunrise, Sydney Weekender and numerous TVC productions to design and build specialist camera mountings and housings to suit many adventure situations.
Most recently, he has been working as the DOP, co-creator, and producer of children’s factual television series, Blue Zoo.
Ben Cropp swapped spear gun for a camera in 1962, after winning six Australian spear fishing titles and represented Australia at the world titles. His first films were on shark hunting, highly successful, and sold worldwide.
In 1964 Ben won the coveted World Underwater Photographer of the Year, following in the footsteps of Hans Hass and Cousteau, and it was this year that launched him into the US market. He became the first Australian producer to sell to the giant US networks.
Ben has now produced some 150 marine and wildlife adventure documentaries, televised throughout the world, especially in Australia, Germany, Japan, Canada and the USA.
Ben’s home is at Port Douglas, Queensland, close to the Great Barrier Reef. He has discovered over a hundred shipwrecks. In 1977 Ben discovered the Pandora, Australia’s most important shipwreck.
Ben’s two sons Dean and Adam are seen growing up on his numerous older films and today they are also professional cameramen.
In 1999, Ben was awarded an Order of Australia AM for his marine and coastal conservation work and promotion and awareness of the Australian marine environment as a documentary filmmaker.
In 2000, Ben was inducted into the International Scuba Divers Hall of Fame along with other diving legends Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Hans Hass.
