IATSE Local 665

Over a thousand grips, gaffers, projectionists, stage hands, production coordinators, script supervisors, art directors, and other production crew from all over the world have descended on Honolulu for the 65th Quadrennial Convention of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), July 18-22.

One of the hosts of this convention is Hawaii's own chapter of IATSE, Mixed Local 665. IATSE International has done a great job of introducing Hawaii's crew, productions, and general history in its quarterly bulletin. Here are some highlights:

• Hawaii's "Mixed" Local 665 was founded by a handful of projectionists in 1937, four years before the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
• The two most seminal events in 665 history were the construction of the Blaisdell Center in the early 1960s, which put Honolulu on the map as a destination for symphony, opera, theater, and dance, and the arrival of "Hawaii Five-O" in 1968.
• Many productions followed suit, including TV series "Magnum P.I.," "Fantasy Island," "Jake and the Fatman," "Raven," "The Byrds of Paradise," "Baywatch," "War and Remembrance," and most recently, "Hawaii," "North Shore", and "Lost," and blockbusters "Jurassic Park" (all 3), "Waterworld," "Windtalkers," "Tears of the Sun," "Pearl Harbor," "Blue Crush," and "Fifty First Dates."
• Longtime IATSE member and veteran effects expert Archie Ahuna (who was just nominated for an Emmy for "Lost") "spent weeks carefully testing different biodegradable, ecofriendly chemical blends to create black smoke for the show’s burning aircraft parts. Ahuna and his effects team have all been through rigorous fire-fighting training, which has been invaluable, given all the smoke and fire effects required for Lost’s first season."
• Current Local 665 Business Agent Donovan Ahuna worked in craft services prior to being elected to his post in January. Whenever Ahuna was working on the mainland, he would be sure to bring some aloha with him, serving tropical fruit and instituting Aloha Shirt Fridays.

The positions covered by Local 665's roster include Camera Op, Sound Mixer, Electrician, Grip, Art Director, Wardrobe, Construction, Make-Up, Script Supervisor, Production Office Coordinator, and Art Department Coordinator. Click here for a full list of positions.

Contact the IATSE Mixed Local 665 for more info:

Donovan K. Ahuna
949 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 100
Honolulu, HI 96814
iatse665dkahuna@hawaii.rr.com
Ph (808) 596-0227
Fax (808) 591-8213

Other Unions
Hawaii also has local chapters of the following film-related labor unions: SAG Hawaii Branch , Teamsters Local 996, Musician's Association of Hawaii Local 677, and IBEW Local 1260. SAG, Teamsters, and IATSE offer low-budget agreements for independent films and other low-budget projects. Learn more about these agreements by contacting the unions' national offices:

• SAG: SAG Indie
• Teamsters: (202) 624-6800
• IATSE: (818) 980-3499