Marc,
 
Along with running the shell business, I am a professional television
writer/producer in the Washington D.C. area, and I have dealt with
Discovery and TLC for stock film footage.  Their nature documentary stock
footage is readily available, and I can give you sources for this, but I
must warn you, it is SUPER EXPENSIVE.  They make significant money on
selling stock footage with prices as high as $500.00 per second!   National
Geographic has a fantastic library of marine organism film footage
including some great footage of the blue ringed octopus.
 
I have paid hefty amounts for the rights to use Discovery Channel and CNN
stock footage for some of my television shows.  There are also two stock
footage houses in the U.S. that specialize in underwater footage from some
of the top u.w. cinematographers like John McKinney and  others.
 
Fortunately companies like Discovery Channel and TLC market their
documentaries through the video stores.  So for $19.95 you can take home
their productions and enjoy all of the superb footage.
 
By-the-way, in the past, proposals have been submitted to these cable
channels for a series of documentaries on the molluscan realm.  The
response in all cases was that subject matter is too narrow.  One comment
was, "people want to see sharks tearing at flesh."  So, there you have it.
Let's all go watch Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.
 
Rich
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Richard L. Goldberg
Worldwide Specimen Shells
[log in to unmask]
http://www.erols.com/worldwide
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At 04:38 PM 8/14/98 -0400, you wrote:
>With the tons of footage that the discovery, TLC and animal planet go thru
>to come up with the hour or so of reef shots there must be at least an hour
>of various Molluscs cruz'n around the reef, too bad nobody has a contact
>point at any of these stations, Brainstorm , The Mollusk Channel, all snails
>(and others) all the time. Mark & Peta  Bethke
>Hollywood, Florida
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Sarah R. Watson <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Friday, August 14, 1998 4:21 PM
>Subject: Re: Octopus
>
>
>>Dear George,
>>    I have been working with octopuses since I was 16 ( and I have the
>scars
>>to prove it). I was simply making a statement, because someone had asked
>why
>>aren't there  more portions of films about mollusks, there were so many of
>>fish, sharks and octopuses.
>> I agree with that statement because I for one would love to see more films
>>about gastropoda and the other classes of mollusks besides cephlapoda.  If
>you
>>are interested in cephalopods a fantastic nature film is " Incredible
>Suckers"
>>That film has excellent footage of Nautilus macroplalus and various Sepia
>sp.
>>besides the usual octopus and squid footage.
>>       I have a great respect for octopuses because of my experience with
>>them. I will never forget the 25lb Octopus dofleini  who decided he wanted
>me
>>in his tank with him a few months ago ( email me privately if you want the
>>whole story)
>>
>>I should have some pictures of this particular octopus on my website, I
>just
>>haven't had time to scan them in ( not my biggest priority at the moment)
>but
>>when I do I will let everyone know.
>>
>>Sarah___@v
>>
>>http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/canopy/2587
>>
>