Uploaded May 2018 | Updated September 2026, 6 minutes ago
Global News report on Hannah Mermaid's daring exploits to save the sharks!
In a performance protest against the Australian shark cull and the global slaughter of sharks, Hannah Fraser risked it all to dance on the sea floor with swarms of tiger sharks up to 17 feet long without any dive or protective gear.
Note: The interactions between Hannah and the sharks depicted in the video and imagery in this story are 100% REAL.
In the quest to inspire mainstream audiences across the globe to protect our ocean’s vulnerable marine creatures, Hannah Fraser and Shawn Heinrichs have tackled some of the most complex and challenging shoots ever attempted.
Sharks are being devastated to the tune of over 100 million animals every year.
To pull this shoot off, Hannah & Shawn teamed up with Jim Abernethy, the world’s leading authority on interactions with large “predatory” sharks, and together they embarked on a dangerous mission, the likes of which has never before been attempted. The objective – to present these magnificent creatures in a true and positive light by capturing iconic imagery of Hannah face-to-face with a massive 15 foot tiger shark, her hand resting gently on it’s massive head.
What made this shoot entirely unique was that Hannah was devoid of any scuba or free-dive gear, dressed only in a tiny costume and airbrush body paint to create the perfect artistic vision. Without mask, fins or any sort of protective gear, she had to rely solely on her skills, training and experience, along with the diligent support of her expert team, to ensure the shoot went off without a hitch. Above all, safety was our top priority! They knew that tiger sharks are not senseless man-eaters (mermaid eaters in this case) but also recognizing that they are formidable predators with very powerful jaws and razor sharp teeth.There was no room for error, as one mistake could have resulted in severe injury or worse. For the sake of Hannah and for the shark conservation cause, they were compelled to reduce that risk to a minimum. Every facet of the shoot, including pre-dive preparation and training, underwater communications, dive safety team, choice of costume, visibility, and much more, centered on creating the safest and most creative shoot possible. And to their credit, they exceeded their safety expectations throughout the shoot.
Despite the risks, the team was resolute in their mission to create the most groundbreaking imagery to oppose not only the Australia shark cull, but also the global slaughter of sharks. And the message, “End the War on Sharks” resonates throughout this piece.
Featuring Hannah Fraser and Shawn Heinrichs
With Jim Abernethy
Director: Eric D. Alan
Executive Producer: Eric Donaldson
Executive Producer (Mctrax): Andy Fraser
Underwater Cinematography: Shawn Heinrich
Underwater Cinematography: Jim Abernethy
Additional Camera Operators: Taro Smith and Hunter Nolan
Body Paint Artist: Julia Chavez
Safety Diver: George Hughes
Shark Dive Team: Jim Abernethy, George Hughes, Sean Gillespie, Jason Harvey
Underwater Lighting: Light & Motion Inc
Underwater Equipment: Backscatter, Adelmo Rocchi
Nauticam, Ocean Technology Systems
Additional Cameras: Peralta Design and Photography
Additional Audio Support: Kim Bird Productions
HannahMermaid.com
Global News report on Hannah Mermaid's daring exploits to save the sharks!
In a performance protest against the Australian shark cull and the global slaughter of sharks, Hannah Fraser risked it all to dance on the sea floor with swarms of tiger sharks up to 17 feet long without any dive or protective gear.
Note: The interactions between Hannah and the sharks depicted in the video and imagery in this story are 100% REAL.
In the quest to inspire mainstream audiences across the globe to protect our ocean’s vulnerable marine creatures, Hannah Fraser and Shawn Heinrichs have tackled some of the most complex and challenging shoots ever attempted.
Sharks are being devastated to the tune of over 100 million animals every year.
To pull this shoot off, Hannah & Shawn teamed up with Jim Abernethy, the world’s leading authority on interactions with large “predatory” sharks, and together they embarked on a dangerous mission, the likes of which has never before been attempted. The objective – to present these magnificent creatures in a true and positive light by capturing iconic imagery of Hannah face-to-face with a massive 15 foot tiger shark, her hand resting gently on it’s massive head.
What made this shoot entirely unique was that Hannah was devoid of any scuba or free-dive gear, dressed only in a tiny costume and airbrush body paint to create the perfect artistic vision. Without mask, fins or any sort of protective gear, she had to rely solely on her skills, training and experience, along with the diligent support of her expert team, to ensure the shoot went off without a hitch. Above all, safety was our top priority! They knew that tiger sharks are not senseless man-eaters (mermaid eaters in this case) but also recognizing that they are formidable predators with very powerful jaws and razor sharp teeth.There was no room for error, as one mistake could have resulted in severe injury or worse. For the sake of Hannah and for the shark conservation cause, they were compelled to reduce that risk to a minimum. Every facet of the shoot, including pre-dive preparation and training, underwater communications, dive safety team, choice of costume, visibility, and much more, centered on creating the safest and most creative shoot possible. And to their credit, they exceeded their safety expectations throughout the shoot.
Despite the risks, the team was resolute in their mission to create the most groundbreaking imagery to oppose not only the Australia shark cull, but also the global slaughter of sharks. And the message, “End the War on Sharks” resonates throughout this piece.
Featuring Hannah Fraser and Shawn Heinrichs
With Jim Abernethy
Director: Eric D. Alan
Executive Producer: Eric Donaldson
Executive Producer (Mctrax): Andy Fraser
Underwater Cinematography: Shawn Heinrich
Underwater Cinematography: Jim Abernethy
Additional Camera Operators: Taro Smith and Hunter Nolan
Body Paint Artist: Julia Chavez
Safety Diver: George Hughes
Shark Dive Team: Jim Abernethy, George Hughes, Sean Gillespie, Jason Harvey
Underwater Lighting: Light & Motion Inc
Underwater Equipment: Backscatter, Adelmo Rocchi
Nauticam, Ocean Technology Systems
Additional Cameras: Peralta Design and Photography
Additional Audio Support: Kim Bird Productions
HannahMermaid.com
