The Ocean Footage Mastery Program
Master Underwater Cinematography with the D.O.P. Behind the Oscar-winning My Octopus Teacher
Ocean Footage Mastery is a self-paced online mentorship program run by Roger Horrocks for underwater cinematographers looking to accelerate their development to world-class.
It's specifically designed to help you bridge the “apprenticeship gap” with field-proven systems, expert feedback, and direct mentorship, to empower you to craft world-class footage that delights your director, your editor, and your audience.
Is This Program For You?
Do you care deeply about the ocean and want your cinematography to reflect that and make a difference?
Are you largely self-taught and feel you've hit a ceiling in your development?
Do you recognize the gap between what you produce and the standard of high-end productions, but don't know exactly how big that gap is, or which decisions are creating it?
Are you serious about being the best underwater cinematographer you possibly can be?
What Is The “Apprenticeship Gap”
Formal apprenticeships in natural history cinematography are rare and hard to secure. Roger Horrocks did his six-year apprenticeship under Didier Noirot, one of Jacques Cousteau's cameramen, and Doug Anderson, who in turn was mentored by Peter Scoones and Doug Alan.
The Ocean Footage Mastery Program is Roger's way of continuing that tradition, giving aspiring underwater cinematographers access to the knowledge, systems, and critical feedback needed to consistently craft world-class imagery.
The OFM Promise
If you apply yourself to this Program and embody the theory, principles, and techniques taught through your own rigorous practice and self-critique in the field, you will be able to significantly improve the quality of your cinematography in six months and be in a position to deliver quality rushes that delight your director, your editor and your audience.
The Path
OFM is built on three overlapping operating systems that together guide each dimension of your development.
The Decisive Cine Framework (DCF)
Cinematography is a decision-making process—designing visual messages that evoke emotions, guide audience perception, and enhance storytelling.
The DCF distils that process into four pillars:
Composition
Direct the viewer's eye with intentional framing.
Coverage
Capture the essential building blocks for every scene.
Movement
Use motion to enhance storytelling and emotion.
Lighting
Shape mood, depth, and visual impact.
The DCF is a practical decision-making tool for unpredictable, high-pressure filming environments. It eliminates hesitation and gives you a repeatable framework to help you decide where to place the camera and consistently improve your shot execution.
SequenceCraftOS
A structured, recursive playbook and workflow you run on any shoot, from one day to six weeks - so your decision-making compounds over time. The goal of every cycle is the same: maximise the odds of returning with rushes that delight your producer, your editor, and your audience.
01 Frame.
Set clear objectives and plan your gear, logistics, and shot lists.
02 Explore
Test your assumptions in the field and adapt based on real conditions.
03 Craft.
Execute the shoot with deliberate, controlled techniques.
04 Leverage
Review, refine, and integrate feedback to improve future shoots.
SequenceCraftOS is taught across four ocean modalities, each with its own approach based on the amount of time spent on the subject.
BlueWaterOS
Open ocean cinematography: clarity, adaptability, and execution under pressure.
FluidBenthicOS
Dynamic seabed environments: positioning, pattern recognition, and story-driven execution..
StaticBenthicOS
Controlled seabed environments: precision framing, behavioural observation, and stability.
TopSideOS
Aerial and surface cinematography: world-building, stabilised motion, and integration.
OceanLeverageOS
Technical skill isn't enough. OceanLeverageOS is a strategic framework for transforming your creative expertise into long-term professional value—helping you build a resilient career in the digital age.
01 Frame.
Clarify your vision, values, and personal brand.
02 Explore
Test your positioning in public and build signal-feedback loops
03 Craft.
Build scalable assets—stock footage, IP, or training products..
04 Leverage
Systematise and distribute your value so it compounds over time
OceanLeverageOS provides a practical framework for building a long-term creative career—helping you turn cinematic skill into a sustainable system of assets, visibility, and value creation.
What You Get With The OFM
Ocean Footage Mastery gives you two years of intimate access to Roger’s twenty years of experience as a wildlife cinematographer, delivered through three primary channels:
Self Paced Curriculum
Eight modules built from real professional experience, not theory. Each one distils the decisions, protocols, and lessons Roger has developed across two decades of high-end production work—organised into a step-by-step structure you work through at your own pace.
Live Coaching
Live group sessions run by Roger himself. These are where the curriculum meets real questions—your footage, your unique experiences, your challenges. You get direct guidance on what's actually limiting your work and what to do about it.
Global Community
A private network of serious underwater cinematographers from around the world. You learn from their questions, their footage, and their experience—not just from Roger. The community stays active long after you finish the modules.
Meet Your Mentor: Roger Horrocks
Wildlife Cinematographer, Director of Photography
"After years of filming for top productions, I saw how few aspiring cinematographers had access to real techniques. OFM is my way of changing that—giving you the frameworks and guidance I wish I had starting out."
With decades of experience capturing some of the world's most breathtaking underwater sequences, Roger is one of the most sought-after wildlife cinematographers. His work has been featured in productions for Netflix, BBC, Apple TV, National Geographic, and Discovery—including My Octopus Teacher, Our Planet II, and Blue Planet II.
Roger learned his craft through a rare apprenticeship under Didier Noirot, one of Jacques Cousteau's legendary cameramen. True apprenticeships may no longer exist—but through OFM, Roger continues that tradition, offering structured guidance, mentorship, and real-world insights to the next generation of underwater filmmakers.