Katrina Devastates Hollywood South

New Orleans: Cinematic no longer

Thousands are feared dead. Tens of thousands more have lost their homes, their jobs, their businesses, their cities. But as is tradition in the movie biz, the show must go on. And so, producers of films that had been in production in Louisiana--the state with the most generous tax incentives for film--when Hurricane Katrina hit are already scheming their next moves.

Among these films are Warner Bros. Pictures' "The Reaping," produced by Joel Silver and starring Hilary Swank; CBS telefilm "Vampire Bats," starring Lucy Lawless; Element Films comedy "The Last Time," starring Michael Keaton and Brendan Fraser; and two Disney pics: "Deja Vu," produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and starring Denzel Washington; and "The Guardian" starring Kevin Costner. Other productions that were slated for production in Louisiana this year include "Bug," starring Ashley Judd, and FX TV series "Thief."

Last year 27 feature and TV films were made in Louisiana. The state paid out $67 million in tax credits that year.

The L.A. times quotes Jack Kyser, chief economist with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., as saying "This is probably going to put [Louisiana] out of competition for a while." The Hollywood Reporter reports that a Warners spokesperson expects "The Reaping" to resume shooting in New Orleans on Thursday, while someone on the production admitted this would be challenging because "Flights, electricity, manpower, car rental -- there are going to be massive infrastructure problems."

>> Desperation, chaos in storm zone [Miami Herald, 8/31/05]
>> Storm Could Cut Filming in Louisiana [L.A. Times, 8/30/05]
>> Katrina derails production [Hollywood Reporter, 8/30/05]
>> Hurricane Batters New Hollywood, Old Hollywood Sighs Guilty Relief [Defamer, 8/30/05]

RELATED PREVIOUS POSTS:
>> Hurricanes & Movies
>> The Golden Age of Louisiana
>> The Truth About Louisiana
>> Domestic Competition for Productions Growing Fiercer

Tech Comm'ty: Don't Denigrate Act 221

There goes Sean Hao and the Honolulu Advertiser causin' trouble again. The business writer along with his employer inspired the ire of Hawaii's local high-tech community with a story and an editorial last week on the high cost of Act 221 (the state's high-tech business investment tax credit).

In yesterday's Letters to the Editor, the Advertiser published a portion of a long letter from local high-tech advocates and organizations, led by the Hawaii Technology Trade Association (HTTA), a private-sector membership organization that represents a variety of local tech sectors, including IT, Telecomm, Software, Biotech, Medical Tech, and Ocean/Earth/Space Sciences. The letter expressed disappointment that both Hao's article and the editorial cause "unnecessary confusion and unwarranted suspicions of Act 221/215."

The reputation of Act 221/215 has been marred by controversy and confusion (much of it film-related) throughout its short four-year lifespan. But, as they state in their letter to the editor, tech community members believe the loopholes that left the original Act 221 vulnerable to abuse have been resolved by revisions made three years later in Act 215. They further stress that the tax credit is key to growing Hawaii's high-tech economy: "Before Act 221, it was very difficult for promising companies to get start-up funding here in Hawai'i. Before Act 221, companies often had to turn to Mainland sources for their start-up funding, causing many of them to relocate closer to their investors on the Mainland. Act 221 and now its successor, Act 215, have successfully turned this situation around, allowing local start-ups to get off the ground."

We should all remember the original purpose of Act 221: to stimulate investment in local high-tech and certain performing arts companies; to create highly skilled, highly paid positions; and ultimately, to decrease the state's reliance on tourism by developing a sustainable, viable local tech/media industry (hopefully accompanied by progressive cultural and communal changes).

>> Letters to the Editor [Hnl Advertiser, 8/29/05]
>> Technology credits total more than $108 million [Hnl Advertiser, 8/23/05]
>> What's the payoff for all those tax credits? [Hnl Advertiser Editorial, 8/24/05]
>> Hawaii Revised Statutes §235-110.9: High technology business investment tax credit ["Act 221/215"]

RELATED PREVIOUS POSTS:
>> Act 221 = $108M So Far
>> Numerology: 221, 215, 235-110.9
>> Elegy for Film Bills and Mahalo

FLASHBACK:
>> Local law firm sued over movie deal [Hnl Advertiser, 10/23/02]
>> Two films to get state high-tech tax credits [Hnl Advertiser, 1/17/03]
>> Act 221 gives movie producers big financial bounce [Pacific Business News, 1/17/03]
>> Lingle seeks reformsto high-tech tax credit [AP/Hnl Star-Bulletin, 4/6/03]
>> Audits find tech-tax abuse [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 3/23/04]
>> Big funds eyeing local tech firms [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 5/29/04]

Hurricanes & Movies

OK, so the post right before this one was ill-timed. How was I supposed to know a huge hurricane was about to hit New Orleans? So much for a "golden age," unless of course Louisiana bounces back quickly, which is everyone's hope.

In any case, several New Orleans productions have been disrupted by the 145mph Hurricane Katrina, including CBS's "Vampire Bats" starring Lucy Lawless, and Hilary Swank thriller "The Reaping."

Hawaii has similarly had productions disrupted by hurricanes, the most famous case being the disruption of "Jurassic Park" by Hurricane Iniki on Kauai in September 1992.

Steven Spielberg had decided to shoot the film in Hawaii instead of Mexico or Costa Rica. According to John Baxter's Steven Spielberg: The Unauthorized Biography, "Spielberg admitted this was less an aesthetic decision than a function of his age. He wanted to eat food that didn't give him dysentery, and to sleep each evening in a comfortable hotel."

Little did he know a 160mph hurricane would hit. The production notes for "Jurassic Park" describe the tense situation:

The lush green resort-land near Lihue was an ideal setting for the Jurassic Park exteriors, but after three weeks of filming under the tropical sun, a real-life drama overshadowed the movie.

Hurricane Iniki was fast approaching Kauai, and the crew was asked by the hotel to pack their suitcases and fill their bathtubs with water in case of future power and water shortages. Next, they were instructed to pack a day bag and meet in the ballroom of the hotel on the basement level.

By 9:00 a.m. the storm was headed straight for the island. Kathy Kennedy recalls, "We started pulling all our supplies into the ballroom, and the camera crew was quickly packing their things in the trucks. But if you're going to be stranded with anyone, be stranded with a movie crew," says Kennedy. "We had generators for lights, and plenty of food and water. We were self-sustaining because we moved around on location all the time."
...
Although the company had scheduled one more day of filming, the sheer force of Iniki literally struck all the sets. There was no power or working phones on the island, so at dawn the next morning, Kennedy jogged two miles to the airport to explore their options.

"The destruction in the airport was unbelievable," she recalls. "All the windows were blown out in the terminals, and the buildings were full of palms, trees, sand and water. Every single helicopter had been tipped on its side."

Thanks to her relentless efforts among airport and military personnel in Lihue, Kennedy was able to hitch a ride to Honolulu on a Salvation Army plane and began organizing from a pay phone. Over the next 24 hours, she not only coordinated the safe return of the company, but also arranged for more than 20,000 pounds of relief supplies to be transported from Honolulu and Los Angeles into Kauai.

On the plus side, Hurricane Iniki provided some dramatic footage for the film. Spielberg and a camera operator went to the beach near their hotel to capture the crashing waves of Nawiliwili Bay. And, the hurricane did not deter the two JP sequels from returning years later to shoot on Kauai.

The other famous film-related victim of Hurricane Iniki was the Coco Palms Resort, where Elvis crooned in "Blue Hawaii." The hurricane shut the place down in 1992, but plans to rebuild it are progressing, with construction starting next year, and a re-opening slated for mid-2008.

Iniki certainly left a trail of devastation, but please remember that huge hurricanes aren't a regular thing in Hawaii. In general, we have fabulous weather year-round.

>> "Jurassic Park" Production Notes
>> Hawaii Hurricane Devastates Kauai [Washington Post, 9/13/92]
>> Hawaii: Ready For Its Close-Up [Islands Magazine, 3/3/00]
>> Kauai and the silver screen [Chicago Tribune, 12/21/03]
>> Coco Palms plans move forward [AP/Hnl Star-Bulletin, 8/7/05]
>> Hurricanes rarely hit Hawaii [USA Today, 9/1/03]
>> USA Today: Hawaiian weather and travel

RELATED PREVIOUS POSTS
>> The Golden Age of Louisiana
>> Elvis Was Here

The Golden Age of Louisiana

Not since New Orleans spawned jazz in the early 1900s has Louisiana been such a cultural mecca. That's what a recent state-commissioned study on Louisiana's "cultural economy" suggests.

According to the study, the culture sector generates 144,000 jobs, representing 7.6% of the state's employment--that's more than the tourism industry's 126,000 jobs. Between 1998 and 2002, job growth in the culture sector (6.3%) has also outpaced overall growth (2.3%). Cultural jobs include those in culinary arts, design, entertainment, literary arts and humanities, preservation, and visual arts and crafts.

Gee, I wonder if Louisiana's generous film incentives had anything to do with all this.

The study also reported that the state must "do a better job of producing, distributing, marketing and supporting its culture to better realize an economic benefit from it" and "support its artists professionally and economically." The study further noted (quite aptly) that "Louisianians pride themselves on their culture. But among artists, there is a widespread belief that the affection falls short of respect, and too often fails to translate into meaningful economic remuneration." As a result, work for artists is scarce and low-waged, prompting them to give up art or leave Louisiana (brain drain).
>> La. finds 'cultural economy' flush [Times-Picayune, 8/25/05]

RELATED PREVIOUS POSTS
>> The Truth About Louisiana
>> Incentive Mania
>> Domestic Competition for Productions Growing Fiercer

Stuff To Do: The Lazy Edition

Here's the Honolulu Advertiser's undigested (by me) round-up of film/TV kine stuff to do around the islands, including screenings and reality TV auditions. (Thanks Mike.)

>> 'Flight 29 Down' previews on beach [Hnl Advertiser, 8/25/05]

Hawaii's Reel Stories

For about a year and a half now, Don Brown has been cranking out episodes of "Hawaii's Reel Stories," which is "A half-hour people-oriented program showcasing the dynamic and diverse film scene in Hawaii, and an opportunity to tell our own stories instead of letting others define us."

"Hawaii's Reel Stories" airs on local station OC16 (Oceanic Cable Channel 16) and has featured behind-the-scenes segments on numerous productions, including indie films "The Night Marchers," "The Orb," "Amasian: The Amazing Asian," and ABC's "Lost;" interviews with notable local actors and production crew; Hawaii's animation scene; and local film festivals.

The series is premiering a new season tonight at 8:30pm with episode #25, "Pacific Heritage," featuring DeSoto Brown of the Bishop Museum Film Archives, director Na'alehu Anthony who particpated in Sundance Film Institute's Native Forum, Ruth Bolan and Shane Seggar of Pacific Islanders in Communications, and my boss (Donne Dawson) and me from the Hawaii Film Office.

"Hawaii's Reel Stories" Schedule:
* Thursday at 8:30pm
Repeats:
- Friday at 2 am & 1 pm
- Sunday at 1 pm & 11:30 pm
- Monday at 5 am & 11 am
- Wednesday at 11 am & 4:30 pm

>> Hawaii's Reel Stories [Over the Rainbow Productions]
>> From silver screen to cable television [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 5/18/04]
>> New show to tell reel stories [Hnl Advertiser, 8/10/04]
>> Local kine finds on OC16 [Hnl Advertiser, 1/16/05]

Comments are on--Behave!

I just turned on the "Comments" function on this blog, so if you have something to say, say it. Just make sure your comments are relevant to a particular post and profanity-free. And please keep in mind the purpose of this blog:

• To educate and inform those interested in Hawaii's film & TV industry
• To promote Hawaii as a production location
• To stimulate the exchange of ideas among the local film community for the betterment of our industry and state

DO NOT post solicitations, slander, gossip, ads, marketing promotions, profanity, and other comments of that ilk.

Importing Animals to Hawaii

It's a snake...it's a plane...it's snakes on a plane!

Here's a still from Samuel L. Jackson thriller "Snakes on a Plane" (thanks, BlackFilm.com!), part of which is filming here in Hawaii. (The flick is also known by the the much more boring title, "Pacific Air Flight 121"). Jackson plays an FBI agent transporting a murder witness from Hawaii to L.A. On the way there, 500 poisonous snakes are suddenly released on the plane, leaving Jackson and his fellow passengers battling for their lives.

Excuse me while I wax pedantic for a bit.

According to the WriteCraft Writers Resource Center, a "high concept" script is one whose premise:

• is universal (Who isn't afraid of poisonous snakes?)
• has a fresh twist (The snakes...are on...a plane!)
• involves an empathetic hero who is dealing with a BIG problem (Affable hepcat Sam Jackson is fighting poisonous snakes!)
• can be summed up in a 25-word log line that gives a good picture of the entire movie (Snakes on a plane--only 4 words needed.)

OK, back to the snakes. Though the snakes scenes aren't being shot here, you should know that Hawaii is a snake-free and rabies-free state that requires the quarantine of imported animals to protect local residents and animals from potentially serious health problems. The Board of Agriculture Chair can approve short-term permits for performing animals that have health certificates from vets if productions can guarantee they will be safeguarded under professional trainers or handlers. More details through the link below.

>> Hawaii Film Office: Importation of Performing Animals

RELATED PREVIOUS POSTS:
>> Permits, Hawaiian Style
>> Forbidden Shoot
>> IATSE Local 665, Unions
>> Meet the Hawaii Film Office!
>> Meet the County Film Offices

Black Sand Beaches in Iceland

Hawaii & Iceland: One of these things is quite like the other.

Clint Eastwood is directing a feature about the Battle of Iwo Jima...in Iceland. The film, "Flags of Our Fathers," based on James Bradley's book of the same name, tells the story of the flag raisers immortalized by one of the most reproduced photographs in history.

Iwo Jima has black sand beaches and volcanic terrain, and Hawaii was Eastwood's first choice for a shooting locale. He and location manager Kokayi Ampah scouted several Hawaiian islands extensively before being tipped off by a gas station owner in Hawaii (!) that there were black sand beaches in Iceland. Which, by the way, also has a 12% production rebate.

Just another film in our growing list of losses to other locales...

>> Hollywood location manager finds black beaches in Iceland [Iceland Review, 8/24/05]
>> Film-in-Iceland

RELATED PREVIOUS POSTS:
>> Our Loss is Their Gain
>> Hawaii Five-O in Fiji?!
>> Hey, Whatever's Cheapest

Act 221 = $108M So Far

The Honolulu Advertiser's Sean Hao reported today that since the inception of Act 221 three years ago, a total of $108.8 million in 100% high-tech investment tax credits have been claimed. The amount claimed per year has grown from $24M in 2002, to $35M in 2003, to $49M in 2004. This is due in part to the nature of Act 221 (sometimes referred to as Act 215) credit disbursement--credits are doled out to taxpayer-investors over a five-year period, starting with the initial year of investment--and simply to more people finding out about Act 221.

Hao says that because the identities of Act 221 companies are kept confidential and the state has no job creation statistics, it is difficult to determine whether the tax credit is indeed generating significant economic activity. On the one hand, reports Hao, there is evidence of high-tech growth in Hawaii, with companies like Hawaii Biotech, Hoku Scientific, and Hoana Medical. On the other hand, some have griped that Act 221 is too generous, too secretive, and in some cases, creates only temporary movie industry jobs.

Though Act 221 is called the "High Technology Business Investment Tax Credit," film and television productions also qualify for the credits, much to the chagrin of truly "high-tech" companies and fiscally conservative pundits who think this opens up Act 221 to potential abuse.

The 15-20% refundable tax credit bill that didn't make it out of the Legislature earlier this year would have significantly mitigated this problem by forcing film and TV producers to choose either the former or the latter credit, but not both. Producers would almost certainly have always opted for the 15-20% credit given the cumbersome and uncertain claims process for Act 221 credits (having to hire lawyers, accountants, brokers, and in many cases, form LLCs and pound out equity/credit sharing agreements, plus hunt and peck for local investors), not to mention the credit dilution that is virtually inherent in LLC agreements between non-Hawaii producers and Hawaii investors. That is, the local investors--many of whom have nothing to do with film, like insurance companies, banks, wealthy individuals, and other such entities with large state tax liabilities--often ask for a 2:1 credit share, meaning if they invest $1M, they expect to get $2M back, thereby diluting the credit amount that goes back to the production company. Some have estimated this diluted amount to be...15-20% of production expenditures.

Well, duh, the production co's could've gotten that amount from a straight 15-20% refundable tax credit direct from the state without having to go through a maze of lawyers, accountants, investors, and LLC agreements, and without requiring the state give out the remainder of the Act 221 credits (the other 80-85%) to wealthy Hawaii taxpayer-investors that have nothing to do with film and simply want to use some way, any way, to reduce their tax burdens.

>> Technology credits total more than $108 million [Hnl Advertiser, 8/23/05]
>> What's the payoff for all those tax credits? [Hnl Advertiser Editorial, 8/24/05]

RELATED PREVIOUS POSTS
>> From Your Mouth to the Legislature's Ears
>> Numerology: 221, 215, 235-110.9
>> "Widespread Support"
>> Elegy for Film Bills and Mahalo
>> R.I.P. 2005 Film Bills
>> What's the Difference?: Film Bills Demystified

"Lost" Lawsuit

ABC and "Lost" producers are being sued by writer Anthony Spinner for fraud and breach of contract. Spinner claims that he was hired in the late 70s by the producers of "Land of the Lost" to develop an ABC series called "Lost"--a show about plane crash survivors who encounter "strange creatures" and other dangers.

>> ABC, Touchstone sued over 'Lost' [Hollywood Reporter, 8/22/05]
>> Lawsuit Finds "Lost" [E!Online, 8/23/05]

Speaking of Blogs...

Those interested in Hawaii-related media & entertainment news might want to add Talk Stink to their morning-coffee reading list. Self-professed as "Hawaii's Media & Entertainment Spy," this blog offers news, notes, pics, and perspectives different from what you might find in the columns and articles by Tim Ryan (Hnl Star-Bulletin), Michael Tsai (Hnl Advertiser), and Kawehi Haug (Hnl Weekly).

Also worth checking out is Lost-TV, the unofficial fan site for the made-in-Hawaii ABC hit series. The site's "News & Updates" section, in blog format, is obsessively, compulsively, and continuously populated with new posts by an obviously rabid fan (the site launched even before the pilot script was finalized).

Know of any other Hawaii blogs related to film or TV? Please email me and lemme know. Or, start your own, and we'll have our very own little Hawaii film blogosphere. (Do you see where I'm headed here? If not, check this out.)

>> Talk Stink, Hawaii's Media & Entertainment Spy
>> Lost-TV, the Unofficial Fansite for ABC's "Lost"

About Blogging (and Muckraking):
>> Technology levels (and changes) the media playing field [USA Today, 8/11/05]
>> Journalism’s Backseat Drivers [American Journalism Review, Aug/Sep 2005]
>> Everyone's Blogging [PC World, 6/30/05]
>> Muckraker, a Definition

Looking Ahead:
>> Podcasting changing the face of politics [UPI, 7/25/05]

RELATED PREVIOUS POSTS:
>> This Blog's for You

Goin' Back to Cali

California, the biggest victim of runaway production, finally looks to be on track to pass tax incentives to keep productions from going away. The initiative, which has bipartisan support, will be heard by the state's Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday. In the bill's current incarnation, there would be $50 million--twice NY's amount--set aside to give to film, TV, and commercial productions in the form of a refundable tax credit equal to 12% of a production's California expenditure, up to a cap of $3 million per production. TV movies would get an extra 3%.

The bill is being opposed by taxpayer groups, who view the credit as an excessively generous subsidy carved out from scarce public funds.

The proposed incentives are bested by those offered by Canada and Louisiana. Still, if these incentives pass, it will be tough for any jurisdiction to beat the production infrastructure and expertise that California has developed over the last century.

>> California Considers Tax Breaks for Filming [NY Times, 8/18/05]
>> Hollywood subsidy blasted as 'corporate welfare' [Hollywood Reporter, 8/22/05]
>> Calif. losing millions as films leave state - study [Reuters, 8/22/05]

RELATED PREVIOUS POSTS:
>> FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS
>> From Your Mouth to the Legislature's Ears
>> Hawaii Five-O in Fiji?!
>> Our Loss is Their Gain
>> Incentive Mania
>> Hey, Whatever's Cheapest
>> Domestic Competition for Productions Growing Fiercer
>> Meanwhile in Gotham...
>> Why Film Tax Incentives?

"Hawaii Five-O" in Fiji?!

It could happen--Fiji has a 15% tax rebate and a lower cost of living--and may have to happen to give Hawaii's film-indifferent legislators a wake-up call. Examples of legislative action spurred by such humiliation abound. When "Chicago" filmed in Toronto, Illinois legislators passed a film incentive bill to prevent such an embarassment from happening again. When "New York Minute" and "Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story" cheaped out and headed for Canada, New York legislators got in gear and passed film incentives.

If you were producing upcoming Warner Bros. feature "Hawaii Five-O," wouldn't you just hire a good production designer and greensman, build some police station sets in Louisiana, and send your second unit to Hawaii for a week to grab some exterior shots? Or maybe build Hawaii from scratch in Fiji? Well, that's just the kind of thing producers are doing right now, as illuminated in today's L.A. Times article "Hollywood's New Backlot? The U.S." by John Horn. (Thanks for forwarding, Konrad.) Here are some excerpts from the article:

• [M]oviemaking has turned into part of the national economy. The Hollywoodization of America, according to the U.S. Census, has turned into an industry that generates $9.3 billion in American salaries each year.
• "I'm sitting here at my office at Warner Bros.," said Joel Silver, who produced the "Matrix" movies. "And I'm looking at big buildings and soundstages and all the things you need to make a movie, but what do I have to do? Get on a plane and fly thousands of miles so I can look at big buildings and soundstages and all the things you need to make a movie. And why? Because of costs. It all comes down to costs."
• The drive to lure Hollywood across state lines is tearing down ideological boundaries: Louisiana's popular incentives were drafted by a conservative Republican state legislator, and were being hawked to the industry by a liberal lieutenant governor. Even within California, a push for similar incentives is being supported by both the studios and the Hollywood labor unions, who on almost every other issue sit on opposite sides of the table.
• Steve Scalise is a tax-cutting conservative in the Louisiana House of Representatives. He does not consider show business a leftist blight. Instead, the Republican legislator sees Hollywood as part of his state's economic fabric and a spigot for job growth. "I don't know much about the film industry outside of going to the movies," Scalise said. But what he does understand is that tax policy can drive economic development...
• "We shed about 17% on our budget" by coming to Louisiana, said the producer [of the "Big Momma's House" sequel], David T. Friendly. "And that was the difference between development hell and a green light. That's amazing."
• Even factoring in travel and hotel costs, it's often cheaper to leave [California]. A June analysis conducted by the Independent Film & Television Alliance showed that a hypothetical movie that would cost $19.24 million to produce in Los Angeles would cost $17.8 million in New Mexico and $18 million in Louisiana.

>> Hollywood's New Backlot? The U.S. [L.A. Times, 8/17/05]

RELATED PREVIOUS POSTS:
>> FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS
>> From Your Mouth to the Legislature's Ears
>> Our Loss is Their Gain
>> Incentive Mania
>> Hey, Whatever's Cheapest
>> Domestic Competition for Productions Growing Fiercer
>> Meanwhile in Gotham...
>> Why Film Tax Incentives?

"Lost" Media Circus (DVD Release Party)

Some "ambiance" pics from last night's "Lost" Season 1 DVD release party in a dusty jungle on Oahu's North Shore...



>> It's a thriller of a launch party [Hnl Advertiser, 8/17/05]
>> Guests get lost in ambiance at ‘Lost’ DVD release party [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 8/17/05]

RELATED PREVIOUS POSTS:
>> How "Lost" Was Found
>> "Lost" Gets 12 Emmy Noms
>> Hawaii Responds to "Lost" Noms
>> Archie Ahuna, SFX Emmy Nominee
>> "Lost" Hires Local VFX Firm
>> Hawaii as San Fran, NYC, UK, Oz, etc.
>> Hawaii Galore in Hollywood Reporter

Meet the Film Office: Sandi

Congrats to Sandi, who was just promoted to fill the position Sharon Clark vacated when she retired earlier this year. Sandi now occupies the film office's senior permanent specialist position, and is the primary steward for the state's film permit system, film studio, film office budget, film industry statistics, and contract administration. Learn more about this superwoman below:

Sandra Ichihara
Film Industry Development Specialist / Studio Coordinator
Email Sandi

What I Do: On busy days, I convince my state counterparts that film permit applications do not need to be submitted 30 days in advance, and that they really do need to drop everything they're doing to respond to them. On slow days, I think of ingenious ways to torture rude location managers and pissy producers.

But seriously, I respond to inquiries related to film permits and guide productions on location issues such as jurisdiction (state, county, federal or private), insurance required, and fees involved. I process film permit applications by reviewing them to ensure that all the necessary information is provided and to advise location managers of any possible conflicts or red flags. I then submit each application to the appropriate state agencies under whose jurisdiction the requested locations fall. During this approval process, I act as a liaison between these agencies and the location manager, helping to iron out any outstanding issues and problems. Once approved, I forward the permit to the location manager.

As part of my new responsibilities, I coordinate Hawaii Film Studio-related matters including responding to inquiries, conducting studio tours, drafting tenant leases, and discussing daily operations and maintenance issues with Tammy, the studio manager. I also often badger production coordinators and location managers for statistical information, and I review our office expenses to ensure that we deliver the best public service possible within our allocated budget.

Strangest Request: They're all strange, but I seem to remember the animal-related ones the best. Like for "George of the Jungle," the production asked that we keep and feed their elephant at the Hawaii Film Studio. This was right after Tyke, a circus elephant, went on an angry rampage through the streets of Honolulu, so I was pretty freaked out. But luckily, things went off without a hitch, just like they did when chimpanzees were flown in to create "atmosphere" for a commercial with a Tarzan-Jane theme. The production built a treehouse at a state park, and I was able to watch the chimps swinging from the vines and to interact with them...totally amazing experience. On a side note, the producer told me after the shoot that they would not have been able to get permission to build this tree house in a California state park.

Favorite Films: Top Gun, Harry Potter movies

Favorite Hawaii Film: 50 First Dates

Favorite TV Shows: CSI, Law and Order, ER, NCIS, West Wing

Favorite Hawaii TV Shows: Magnum P.I., Lost

Years at Film Office: Long enough that I remember when Jim Triplett was being trained by Randy Spangler. Since 1992 (started as Student Help).

Life Before the Film Office: Worked summers at Continental Air Micronesia Cargo and worked at Ocean Resources Branch prior to transferring to the Film Office. Received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Masters in Business Administration from Hawaii Pacific University.

Hobbies, Interests & Activities (besides film): Reading, Cardmaking, Hiking, Teaching religious education to pre-schoolers

Film Crew Position that Best Fits My Personality: Production Accountant

>> Meet the rest of the Hawaii Film Office

Indies in Hollywood's Wake

During the last legislative session, there was a perception that production tax credits only benefited big Hollywood studios. That perception was not only false on its face--smaller budget productions were equally eligible for the revised credits proposed (in fact, spending minimums were lowered to account for smaller productions)--it also presumed that Hollywood productions operate in a vacuum. The truth of the matter is that Hollywood projects and independent films have a symbiotic relationship. The former employ local crew members, who can then use their jobs to earn income, gain experience, and network while they write their own scripts and prepare to direct or produce their own films.

An article last June in The Georgia Straight, "Hollywood slaves are free at last," aptly explained the Hollywood-indie symbiosis. The article quotes Vancouver actor Chris Robson: “There’s an enormously talented pool of Canadian writers, actors, directors, and technicians who’ve all cut their teeth working on American dreck. It’s an opportunity for this talent pool to start making their back-burner projects, develop those ideas and start guerrilla filmmaking.” Among Vancouver's recent indie hits are "The Corporation," an award-winning documentary about the psychopathology of the corporation, Oscar-nominated short doc "Hardwood," and Michael Keaton thriller "White Noise."

Meanwhile, independent films as a whole are evolving and flourishing, becoming big business themselves. Recognizing the profit potential of indies, big studios and distributors have carved out specialty "independent" units. Together, these units comprise "Indiewood," which has been churning out critical and commercial hits like "Sideways" and "Lost in Translation." There are also more distribution avenues for films these days with cable TV, DVD, and the Internet.

So, it behooves any state or country to welcome and encourage independent and Hollywood productions (and everything in between) equally.

>> Hollywood slaves are free at last [The Georgia Straight, 6/2/05]
>> Independent films move into spotlight [CNN.com, 8/16/05]

Hawaii's "Digital Revolution" Continues

Another feel-good round-up of the digital film happenings and educational opportunities in Hawaii: The Honolulu Advertiser's Michael Tsai tells of classes, cameras, computers, and kids who want to direct Hawaii stories (as well as Hollywood "moneymakers").

P.S. Can we still call it a "revolution" when mainstream blockbusters like "Star Wars" and "Superman" are being shot digitally? It's more like an artistic or budgetary choice at this point, wouldn't ya say?

>> Hawaii's media arts embrace the digital revolution [Hnl Advertiser, 8/14/05]

RELATED PREVIOUS POSTS:
>> "Lost" Hires Local VFX Firm
>> "Final Fantasy" Not So Final

How "Lost" Was Found

"Lost" premiered in the UK last week, attracting 6.4 million viewers (a 28% share of all TV viewing). It was Channel 4's most successful U.S. series launch, breaking the 4.6 million record set by "Desperate Housewives" this past January.

In anticipation of the premiere, muckraking British journalists reported on how "Lost" came to be, and how the man who had discovered it, Lloyd Braun, was unceremoniously fired for greenlighting the most expensive pilot in the history of American television.

Despite the skepticism of his Disney superiors (Michael Eisner said that "Lost" was "A crazy project that's never going to work," while Bob Iger decried, "This is a waste of time."), Braun pressed on, and "Lost," as we all know now, became a bona fide critical and commercial hit, and a media darling to boot. But not before Braun, the chair of the ABC Television Group, was summarily dismissed. Now he can spout his "I told ya so's" from his new post as Yahoo's head honcho of media and entertainment.

>> 6.4 mil viewers find 'Lost' U.K. premiere [Hollywood Reporter, 8/12/05]
>> The man who discovered 'Lost' - and found himself out of a job [telegraph.co.uk, 8/14/05]
>> Will you survive Lost? [Daily Mail, 8/11/05]

Musings on "Best of Honolulu 2005"

The Honolulu Weekly (our Village Voice) just came out with its annual list of the best Honolulu has to offer. Here are the film/TV-related liskmakers:

Editor's Picks:

• Best Open-Air Theater: Varsity Theater
  One of the last remaining art houses in the city, it's old, so it leaks (hence the "open-air" qualifier). But it's still worth going to. Now showing: "March of the Penguins" & "Me and You and Everyone We Know." FYI, other Honolulu theaters that show art and classic films are the Movie Museum in Kaimuki and the Doris Duke Theater at the Academy of Arts. And the other day, I was looking at Yahoo! movie times for Kahala Theaters, and noticed that "All About Eve" opens Aug. 19, "Season of the Witch" opens Aug. 26, and "Raging Bull" opens Sep. 2. When I called the theater's general manager to ask about whether this new classic films program was here to stay, she had no clue what I was talking about and hadn't heard that any of these films were going to play. So, I guess we'll have to wait till Aug. 19 to see whether Yahoo! or the GM is right.
• Best Survivor: "Lost"
  ABC's critical and commercial hit has outlasted NBC's "Hawaii" and Fox's "North Shore," and is on track to be as successful as "Hawaii Five-O" was. But the question now, according to the Weekly, is: "Can Hawaii itself survive--constant rumors that the series will move to Los Angeles persist. Due to our legislators' lack of media savvy, they're making it difficult for any series to shoot here. (Lost could film in California for 10 percent less.)"
• Best Breakthrough in Special Effects: Kai Bovaird
  Kai's Cause and f(x) Pictures was just hired by "Lost" to do visual effects. So, to all those who didn't believe companies like this in Hawaii existed: believe it.
• Best Comedy Torch Bearer: Andy Bumatai
  This sometime film and TV actor has roots in stand-up comedy, and is generously passing down his local comic wisdom to a new generation.
• Best Alien: Jason Mamoa
  The part Hawaiian local born, Iowa-raised star of "Baywatch: Hawaii" and "North Shore" is now an alien on the Sci-Fi channel's "Stargate: Atlantis."

Reader's Picks:

• Best Local Commercial You Love to Hate: Bank of Hawaii's "I Bankohana you"
  Runners Up: Bank of Hawaii's "That's my bank!" & AIG's "We settle claims quickly."
• Best Local News Broadcast: KHON
  Runners Up: KITV, Channel 6
• Best Comedian: Frank DeLima
  Runners Up: Augie Tulba, Paul Ogata
• Best Local Blog: MySpace.com
  OK now, this is a sensitive point for me for obvious reasons. But the thing is, MySpace is neither local nor a blog! It's a social networking/community site that's based in L.A.! What's more, its parent company just got acquired by News Corp. for $580 million! You all know what the real winner shoulda been... Seriously though, I would've picked 'onokinegrindz.com, an awesome food/dining site that offers local recipes and candid reviews of local restaurants, complete with big colorful pictures of dishes and restaurant interiors.

>> Honolulu Weekly
The pub has a one-week Web posting delay, so check back next week for "Best of Honolulu 2005."

IFP Hawaii: C'mon, Take the Poll!

I know there are more than 51 members in Hawaii's film community, so c'mon people, take the IFP Hawaii poll! So far, only 33 have said they would fork over $75-100 per year to get Filmmaker Magazine, Independent Spirit Award voting rights, special film screenings, equipment discounts, educational seminars, and other locally-based programs (click here for more info). 7 have said maybe, and 11 have said they'd rather spend their $ elsewhere.

Take the POLL now--it doesn't take but 3 clicks of your mouse!

The Truth About Louisiana

No wonder why Louisiana's film industry went from $20 million in 2002 to $210 million in 2003, then $335 million in 2004: the state's 10-15% investor tax credit was on a production's TOTAL budget--whether or not the dollars were spent in Louisiana--as long as at least part of the project was shot in the state. Gee, I wonder if that was a typo on the bill.

In any case, Louisiana has just fixed that boo-boo by limiting the credit to Louisiana expenditures only, and upping the credit amount to 25% for productions spending over $300K in the state. Additional film credits include a 10% resident payroll credit for aformentioned productions, and a 15% credit for $300K+ production infrastructure projects like soundstages and studios (Act 456). The state has also added credits for digital media/video game productions (Act 346) and sound recordings (Act 485).

The revised incentives are still very attractive to productions, and Louisiana expects Hollywood to keep calling. However, with the huge volume of activity, the state is experiencing a shortage of skilled labor. To combat this problem, the state is working with local educational institutions to develop technical training programs for crew positions such as set designers, grips, and gaffers, and also encouraging experienced workers from other states to move to Louisiana.

>> Louisiana State Legislature [See Acts 456, 346, 485 from 2005 Session]
>> Good response to movie credit [2theAdvocate.com, 8/10/05]
>> Film industry booming, but where do you find the workers? [AP/Modesto Bee, 8/7/05]

Casting Call: Indie Feature

Casting the following roles for low-budget independent feature film:

1. 30 year old Asian American female
2. 50-60 year old Caucasian female - southern belle, plump, pretty
3. 40-50 year old Asian Pacific Islander male - humor
4. 40s local Asian/Hapa male - doctor, serious, direct
5. 38-45 year old local Asian Pacific Islander male - salesman-type
6. 20s-30s male - clean-cut, serious
7. 10-year old Caucasian boy - crew cut

Tenative Oahu shoot dates are Aug 24-Sep 6.

Send headshots and resumes to: Hula Girl Productions, PO Box 11884, Honolulu, HI 96828, or email passport-sized JPEGs to info@HulaGirlProductions.com. Serious inquiries only please.

Our Loss is Their Gain

Miramax's upcoming war flick, "The Great Raid," depicts the WWII mission of American and Filipino soldiers to rescue 500 prisoners of war being held by the Japanese in the Philippines. The Benjamin Bratt, Joseph Fiennes, James Franco, and Connie Nielsen starrer would have been shot here in Hawaii were it not for the prohibitive expense. That's what director John Dahl told The Virginian-Pilot:

“No major film has been shot [in the Philippines] since 'The Year of Living Dangerously’ in 1980. The reason is political unrest. We considered Thailand, but it was the rainy season. We wanted Hawaii, but that would have added $10 million to the budget. To double as the Philippines, we chose Queensland, Australia.”

Considering the number of Asian people involved in the historic event, and considering that Hawaii is home to a large number of people of Asian descent, it doesn't take a great leap of the imagination to realize that many local actors would've been cast in this film--including some of the 700 local Screen Actors Guild members who had to seek work elsewhere to log the required number of work hours to keep their SAG health insurance. Plus the epic scope and war action of the film would have required the employment of lots and lots of crew members (SFX, Construction, Greens, Grips, Gaffers, Camera, Medics, Hair & Make-Up, PAs, etc.). But alas, Hawaii was just too darn expensive, and we were foiled (again!) by a cheaper locale.

"The Great Raid" isn't the only production Hawaii has recently lost to cheaper locales. The film now shares that dubious distinction with "The Longest Yard," which Adam Sandler, an avid fan of our islands, wanted to shoot here, but brought to incentive-heavy New Mexico instead; "Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3"; Clint Eastwood's Iwo Jima drama "Flags of Our Fathers;" Swiss Family Robinson; and two NBC pilots that went instead to New York and North Carolina, for no other reason than that both states have 15% refundable production tax credits. And those are just the lost productions we happen to know about...

>> Movie recalls WWII's ''Great Raid'' in the Philippines [Virginian-Pilot, 8/10/05]

Film as Nourishment

Need another reason to take the film industry seriously? Well...not only does the film industry employ lots of people in skilled positions, stimulate tourism, and generate an economic ripple effect to other related industries, but the products that the film industry creates--that is, films--can also be considered nourishment and medicine for the mind and heart.

Still sound too fluffy for you? Then check out FilmAid International, which brings the power of film to war-torn and poverty-stricken countries to help "heal mental scars, improve self-esteem, and provide critical information, inspiring refugees to imagine and to create a better future." The non-profit organization's programs reach nearly 900,000 people a year in the refugee camps of Kenya and Tanzania, serving those that had fled persecution, genocide, and other violent conflagrations in Sudan, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Rwanda. FilmAid has also reached out to Kosovo, Macedonia, and Afghanistan. Among the films that have been screened by FilmAid are "Children of Heaven" (Iran), "Mandela" (South Africa), Charlie Chaplin films, silent films, cartoons, and "The Wizard of Oz."

>> FilmAid International

Jason Scott Lee Doesn't Flush

That's because there is no flush toilet, water heater, or electricity at his house in the Big Island town of Volcano. Moreover, local boy Lee farms the land and fishes for sustenance. Why would one of the most visible Asian American (readers/journalists take note: there's no hyphen in "Asian American") actors retreat from Hollywood to live the life of an ascetic? In Lee's words to the Star-Bulletin: "I want to work when I want to, on films that I want to, and not have to pay for a lifestyle that doesn't do anything except obligate me to the machine."

These days, with most "Hollywood" projects fulfilling what that word has come to mean, Lee has found another outlet for his artistic expression. Last week, with the help of a small grant from New York-based Asian American theater group Second Generation, Lee opened the Ulua Theater with "Burn This," an intense two-act drama by Lanford Wilson. The actors in the play all live, work, and hone their craft on the Volcano compound, an artists' commune of sorts which Lee calls "Pu Mu," meaning "simplicity" and "nothingness."

And while we're talking about a Hawaii actor who made it big, here are a few more, FYI:

• Born & Raised, Raised, or Lives in Hawaii: Tia Carrere, Mark Dacascos, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Kelly Hu, Bette Midler, Kelly Preston
• Born in Hawaii, Raised Elsewhere: Nicole Kidman, Jason Momoa, Timothy Olyphant

>> Hollywood Drop Out [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 8/7/05]
>> Black-box theater is up close, personal [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 8/7/05]

IFP Hawaii?

There has been talk 'round the islands of starting a local filmmakers' association to better support, organize, and advocate for the local independent film community. Some of this talk has centered around starting a local chapter of IFP here.

What is IFP, you ask? Independent Feature Project (IFP) is a 25-year old New York-based non-profit organization whose mission is "to foster a more sustainable infrastructure that supports independent filmmaking and ensures that the public has the opportunity to see films that more accurately reflect the full diversity of the American culture." IFP has chapters in New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Seattle, and will soon have chapters in Santa Fe and Austin. In exchange for a $75 to $100 chapter-based membership fee, IFP memberships include a subscription to Filmmaker Magazine and voting privileges for the Independent Spirit Awards, and can include access to local programs, seminars, and resources related to independent film, and discounts at various local production facilities and equipment houses.

IFP is best known for publishing Filmmaker Magazine, running New York-based IFP Gotham Awards and IFP Market, and running L.A.-based Independent Spirit Awards and L.A. Film Festival. Recently, IFP/L.A. broke off from the IFP organization to become L.A.-focused FIND, or "Film Independent." Prior to the split, both the NY and L.A. chapters played a big part in fighting a successful legal battle against the Oscar screener ban proposed by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). The screener ban was an attempt to curb the potential for DVD piracy by banning the mailing of film screeners to Academy voters, but would have had the effect of restricting the voters' access to watching and therefore nominating specialized and independent films, most of which never get wide theatrical distribution.

While there seems to be a general consensus among the members of the local indie film community to have some kind of unifying organization to represent their interests, are folks willing to put their money where their mouth is?

Would you pay $75 to $100 to join IFP Hawaii? Please take this POLL.
(Please take the poll only if you're a Hawaii resident with an affinity for film, or willing to pay as a non-resident member.)
View Poll Results

>> Independent Feature Project (IFP)
>> IFP/Los Angeles Finds A New Name: Film Independent [IndieWire, 5/4/05]
>> MPAA and Indies Settle Pending Screener Ban Case; Terms of Deal Remain Secret [IndieWire, 3/30/04]
>> Raiders of the Art House; Is Piracy a Threat to Indie Film? [IndieWire, 3/11/04]

To Do: 'Tweens & Skaters

• Audition for The N network's "Boarding School," a 'tween series about young women surfers that will begin shooting in Hawaii soon. Casting directors are seeking women ages 18+ to play local surfer "Kai," and actors of all types to fill supporting, guest, and extra roles. Bring your headshot & resume (if you have 'em) to Anna Fishburn Casting, 1121 Nuuanu Ave, Ste. 200, this Sat-Sun, 8/6-7, from 10am-3pm.
• See Chuck Mitsui's skater documentary, "It's 8:08" at the Hawaii Theater on Mon, 8/8, 8pm. Tickets for $8 available at the Hawaii Theater box office (808.528.0506). The short film was shot on 8mm (!) and follows Kailua native Sean Reilly and five other skaters with Hawaii ties.

Sorry, Ellen

With visitor arrivals at a record high this year, Hawaii has become "a victim of its own success," according to what state Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin today. Unable to find 50 vacant airplane seats this month for show staff, the state lost the opportunity to host the season premiere of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." Hawaii logged a record 3.6 million visitors during the first half of 2005 (up 7% from last year), the majority of which came this summer. So, a word to you producers thinking about shooting here: try to avoid June, July, and August, our busiest months for tourism.

>> Chance to host ‘Ellen’ missed [Hnl Star Bulletin, 8/3/05]

"Final Fantasy" Not So Final

This week, Hawaii-based company Pipelinefx will be hocking its wares in L.A. at SIGGRAPH, the 32nd International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques. The company's flagship product is render farm management software Qube! Renderfarms are composed of rows and rows of computers that sit there and render 3D animation, special effects, and other computer graphics for films and interactive games.

Pipelinefx was founded in 2002 in the wake of the demise of Square USA, a company that spent over $2.5 million developing software to produce $150 million megaflop "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within."

Pipelinefx's customers include Electronic Arts, the world's largest game company, and Lucas Arts, the interactive game development and publishing company founded by George Lucas.

>> Pipelinefx seeks its next clients in L.A. [Pacific Business News, 7/31/05]
>> FLASHBACK: Final Fantasy movie studio to close [Death Fall, 2/4/02]
>> FLASHBACK: Tech firm Square USA closes Honolulu studio [Hnl Advertiser, 4/2/02]