Comment on Sloths, sharks and spoofs sate appetite for online DIY films

Vlogs where 'Jackass meets Foreign Correspondent' are internet success storyThe film begins in bright sunshine above a patch of ocean, before the camera dips into the underwater world below. A few seconds later a shark cuts through the green gloom, its underbelly and dorsal fin identifying it as a Great White.What takes your breath away, is not just the proximity to one of humankind's potential predators, but that the clip was shot by a California surfer who had spotted two of the creatures the previous day and then opted to go back with his camera."Great White cojones!" is just one comment by fans of the video, made by Chuck Patterson, which was posted on Vimeo, one of the alternative self-publishing websites that have sprung up since YouTube became the undisputed online power in video.Last month, a 90-second video showing baby sloths in Costa Rica, posted on the same high-definition site, was watched by a million people; then it was copied to YouTube, doubling the number of viewers.