Vantropolis: ROBERTA CENEDESE

Roberta Cenedese is a self-proclaimed 'oceanoid' - a human that is drawn to spend much of their time and energy in the water. Born and raised in Vancouver and surrounded by water, Roberta started as a scuba diver and then became a Dive Master where she discovered freediving and pursued it both competitively and recreationally. On the film side of things, she racked up over 20 years of experience as a Production Coordinator, but soon found herself leaping out of the production office and into water tanks on set, where she works as an underwater Stunt Performer and Water Training & Safety Diver. Roberta works alongside stunt coordinators and stunt performers to guide technical water shots on set. She also trains actors to safely extend their breath hold for work in front of the camera - with safety always being paramount. Unsurprisingly, Roberta’s qualifications and experience are as expansive as they are impressive. She’s worked on shows such as Altered Carbon, the TV series Siren and most recently, the Haunting of Bly Manor. We talk about what it's like to work underwater on set, how much the mind plays a role and why everyone should explore their own waters, wherever they live.