At the tender age of 5 years old I developed my first crush – on a neighbourhood boy named Ben.
Wise as I was, at such a young age, I knew that the way to a man’s heart, was to develop an interest in their own interests. And it just so happened that Ben’s passion in life was sharks. Yes, sharks. The grey, razor toothed animals that inhabit the sea.
So knowing this is what held Ben’s interest, I thought it would be best if I too, developed a love for sharks.
So I threw myself in with utter abandon, to learning as much as I could about these fascinating creatures, and it soon developed that my love for sharks grew much stronger than my love for Ben.
I was utterly obsessed – I had all the shark books I could find. And even as a little kid in pig-tails, I could recite the scientific names of many of the shark species – Carcharodon carcharias was my favourite – The White Pointer.
At the age of 6, I watched the first Jaws film. I only had a couple of nightmares – but even more-so, my passion and obsession for sharks grew and grew. It wasn’t long before I’d seen the whole series…. over 50 times!
I also had a great love for writing and storytelling, so I decided that every opportunity I got in primary school I would write stories about sharks. And I would draw amazing, lifelike pictures of sharks.
I even tried to use that old perforated 80’s computer paper to make Great White Sharks to life size scale across my living room floor, much to my mother’s amusement… and concern.
Well as the years went by, my love and passion for shark stories grew and grew and I saw it as my mission to share them with as many people as possible.
Grrrr....
The teachers at school used to call me an “enigma”, but I think that was their polite way of saying “your daughter is a little weird.”
My classmates would often be scared of me, especially when I forced them to watch Jaws films at my kiddies birthday parties. It was even more disturbing when Mum would bring out my shark birthday cake complete with blue-grey icing, and jelly baby corpses floating amidst the blue jelly waters.
In all my writing classes I would write and illustrate stories of ferocious shark attacks. I would dream of someday making shark documentaries and films like my all time heroes, shark experts Ron and Valerie Taylor.
I began writing movie scripts of JAWS sequels – Jaws 5, 6, 7, 8, 9….. all the way up to Jaws 20. I included all my classmates and teachers as characters in my stories and used to have them read out in class. I was always the hero of course…
Yes I was smitten, or perhaps bitten, by my love for sharks.
Even as I headed into secondary school, my passion was still ever-present. Where most other girls at school had posters of the 90210 hunks Luke Perry & Jason Priestley on their walls, I still had my pin-ups of Great White Sharks in various ferocious and menacing poses.
But in year 7, I met my match, in my English teacher, Mrs D. We had an interesting relationship – I was definitely the pain in her ass.
Every exam, or creative writing assignment we had, I would write stories about sharks and shark attacks. I felt like I had perfected the art – I always knew how to get good marks for drama.
Though I hate to admit it, Mrs D was in fact a smart cookie, and she soon cottoned on to the fact that I only ever wrote stories about sharks.
I still remember the day when she came up to me and threw one of my stories onto the wooden desk in front of me.
She hovered above me, staring me in the eye – almost as menacing as my Great White Shark posters. In that moment I certainly felt I was paddling in hot waters.
Cue Jaws theme...
“ Kimberley Anne Ramsay – no more shark stories!!! Do you hear me??? If I see one more shark story out of you, you’re out of this class!! Do you hear me????” she screeched.
I heard her all right. But I wasn’t put off.
Instead I was just even more determined to find another way to express my passion. To use my creativity to think more outside of the box.
When it was time for our next writing assignment, I stayed up late at night, racking my brains for inspiration.
And then it hit me – with all the force of a 2 tonne shark into my ribcage – I could write Baywatch stories! I’d always loved Baywatch – after all it was set on the beach, was filled with hunky lifeguards, and of course featured the occasional shark attack, which was totally in context….
So I burned the midnight oil that night, as I sat down and wrote my first Baywatch story. For added fun, I thought it would be best to include all my classmates as different characters in the story so I could involve them more in class.
I was pretty happy with the story that emerged.
The next day as I sat in English class, I felt slightly nervous about revealing my new story.
It wasn’t long before Mrs D called on me, and it was my turn to stand up and read the story aloud.
I still remember to this day, getting to my feet, pausing and looking around at my classmates. And then looking at Mrs D. We held the gaze for a moment that was so long, even more shark species could have become extinct within it.
And then I heard it – in the back of my head – the Baywatch theme tune!
With my newfound inspiration I launched into reading my story to the class, and to my delight everyone was captivated, including dear Mrs D.
In fact, the story was such a hit that from that day forth, every week I was asked to step up and read another episode. And much to my gratification, as Baywatch is set on a beach, I could slip in the occasional shark attack and it would be totally in context.
So really, looking back on it now, if it wasn’t for Mrs D challenging me that year, I don’t know if I ever would have gone on to write about anything other than sharks.
And ultimately it’s those funny old Baywatch scripts from all those years ago, that led me to becoming a screenwriter, a storyteller and ultimately a filmmaker today.
But somewhere, somehow, deep down inside me, the child within hopes that maybe one day, she’ll be able to make a shark film…
Shine on…
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