Water stage
The harbour tank
An open water tank built for drama: a 1.2 metre shelf, a 6 metre well, wave paddles, rain bars, a horizon wall and a working quay. Night or day, our marine team runs every wet hour.
The shape of the water
The tank has a wide shelf on three sides, so actors can wade and stand safely in shot, and a deep well under the horizon wall for sinking, diving and underwater cameras. A slope joins the two, so boats can be floated in from the quay.
- Shelf depth
- 1.2 m
- Well
- 12 m by 10 m, 6 m deep
- Horizon wall
- 64 m by 15 m, sky or blue
- Wave paddles
- Four, up to 0.8 m swell
- Rain bars
- 40 m of bars on two cranes
- Wind
- Four 2 m fans on dollies
What we have shot in it
A ferry going down at night
For The Last Ferry: a 24 m hull on a tilting base, 60 extras in the water and rain bars at full flow.
Fishermen in a storm
Canoes on the shelf with the wave paddles at full swell and the horizon wall painted for dusk.
An underwater kidnapping scene
Divers and an underwater camera housing in the well, lit from the quay.
A music video on the water
A floating stage with LED rigs and a crowd on the quay.
Safety comes first, every wet hour
Our marine coordinator, Ibrahim Sule, leads a team of four divers and two boat handlers on every wet day. Every performer who goes in the water does a short swim check the day before. A nurse is on the quay while the tank is in use.
Swim checks and briefings
Every performer, every day. Non-swimmers work on the shelf with a safety diver at arm’s length.
Warm water, warm rooms
The water sits at 27 to 29°C. Tank-side rooms have hot showers, heaters and drying racks.
Underwater camera support
Housings, an underwater monitor and a dive camera operator can be hired with the tank.
Rates for the tank
Example rates, excluding VAT.
| Day type | What it covers | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Wet day | Tank, marine team, divers, paddles, 12 h power | ₦2,400,000 |
| Dry day | Tank empty or not in use, quay and wall only | ₦700,000 |
| Fill or drain | Nine days, once per booking | Included |
| Horizon wall repaint | Sky, dusk, night or blue | ₦1,200,000 |
| Underwater camera kit | Housing, monitor, dive operator | ₦380,000 |
Questions about the tank
Can you shoot at night?
Yes. The quay has fixed lamp posts, and lighting towers can be placed on the slope. Night wet days carry no extra charge, only power after 12 hours.
How long does it take to fill?
Nine days from empty, so plan with us. We keep it full from October to May unless a booking asks for it dry.
Is the water clean?
Yes. It is filtered and tested every morning, and the results are posted on the quay board and sent to your production office.
Can a real boat go in?
Boats up to 12 m can be craned in from the quay. Larger hulls, like the ferry set, are built on a floating base by our construction team.
Next step
Plan a water day
Tell us the scene. Our marine coordinator will call you back with a plan, a safety outline and a quote.