Freediving guru and PADI IDC Staff Instructor Liz Parkinson is rapidly becoming the go-to person for Hollywood and TV companies when it comes to teaching talent to scuba dive or freedive, or when they need a stunt performer who can excel whether they are on a set of scuba gear or diving breath-hold.
Liz was born in the UK but spent her childhood and young adult years growing up in South Africa while pursuing a competitive swimming career. Liz’s swimming achievements provided her with the opportunity to attend Florida State University in the United States. Upon completing her degree, she began traveling and quickly became immersed in the world of scuba diving and freediving.
For many years, Liz embarked on global adventures as a dive instructor until her journey led her to the Bahamas, where she began working at Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas. It was during her tenure there that she gained invaluable experience and the initial exposure to the film and television industries, as well as the world of ocean conservation.
Over the past several years, Liz has been involved with leading water-themed films, including James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water, Marvel's Wakanda Forever, Netflix's mini-series Thai Cave Rescue, and Blumhouse thriller Night Swim, among others.
Her work has allowed her to also work on a variety of different production mediums, including television and documentaries. This work allows her to travel the world, working with actors, explorers, conservationists and fellow stunt performers.
Liz will be on the Main Stage talking about this topic:
Scuba and freediving skills in the film industry
Liz will be discussing the application of her scuba and freediving skills in the film industry. How she has utilized her diving experience and background in swimming, as a stunt performer, trainer and safety diver in prominent productions. Water has consistently held a significant role in her life, opening doors to countless adventures and introducing her to extraordinary individuals.
Presently, Liz resides and works in Los Angeles, California.
The GO Diving Show ANZ
This annual event, taking place this year on 28-29 September at the Sydney Showground at the Olympic Park, is aimed at showcasing the very best of our underwater world to everyone from raw novices who are either contemplating getting into diving, or have completed their entry-level courses, to advanced divers, right through to technical divers and veteran CCR divers.
There are an array of stages – the Main Stage, the Photo Stage, the Australia/New Zealand Stage, the Inspiration Stage and the Tech Stage – that will play host to dozens of speakers from around the world, as well as a host of interactive features to suit young and old, from VR diving experiences, trydives, a demonstration pool, mermaids, and much more.
Surrounding the stages and features will be a broad range of exhibitors, from tourist boards and tour operators to resorts, liveaboards, training agencies, retailers, manufacturers, and conservation organisations.
The 2024 GO Diving Show UK, now in its fifth year, attracted more than 10,000 attendees over the weekend, and spanned an area of 10,000 sq m of exhibition space, and the Australia and New Zealand variant aspires to reaching this level in coming years.
Entry to the inaugural GO Diving Show ANZ is completely free – register here to get your tickets for what is undoubtedly the diving event of 2024 in Australia. There is plenty of parking on-site and the venue is easy to get to with plenty of transport options, so get the dates in your diary now and prepare for an epic weekend celebrating all forms of diving.
