<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $120,000 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $54.7 million </Td> </Tr> <P> Open Water is a 2003 American survival horror - thriller film . The story concerns an American couple who go scuba diving while on vacation in the Caribbean, only to find themselves stranded miles from shore in shark - infested waters when the crew of their boat accidentally leaves them behind . The film is loosely based on the true story of Tom and Eileen Lonergan, who in 1998 went out with a scuba diving group, Outer Edge Dive Company, on the Great Barrier Reef, and were accidentally left behind because the dive - boat crew failed to take an accurate headcount . The film was financed by the husband and wife team of writer / director Chris Kentis and producer Laura Lau, both avid scuba divers . It cost $120,000 to make and was bought by Lions Gate Entertainment for $2.5 million after its screening at the Sundance Film Festival . Lions Gate spent a further $8 million on distribution and marketing . The film ultimately grossed $55 million worldwide (including $30 million from the North American box office alone). </P> <P> Before filming began, the Lonergans' experience was re-created for an episode of ABC's 20 / 20, and the segment was repeated after the release of Open Water . Clips from the film were also featured on NBC in "Troubled Waters", a Dateline episode (July 7, 2008) with Matt Lauer interviewing two professional divers, Richard Neely and Ally Dalton, who were left adrift at the Great Barrier Reef by a dive boat on May 21, 2008 . </P>

Where did the movie open water take place