WAM Passes SB2570, SD2

Where SB2570, SD2 is right now (click for larger image)

A few minutes ago, the Senate Ways & Means committee (WAM) passed SB2570, SD2 (SD2 due to some small technical edits from SD1). This is the Senate version of the 15-20% production tax credit. I'll post SD2 when it comes out. Now the bill awaits a floor vote by the entire Senate body before it can cross over to the House to go through the same rigamarole of committee hearings.

Hilo's Palace Theater Goes Sundance

Palace Theater, 1933

At the 25th Annual Sundance Film Festival last month, the Sundance Institute announced a new initiative in which it partners with 14 art house theaters nationwide to help them curate screenings of Sundance films. Among the theaters chosen to participate in the Sundance Institute Art House Project is the historic Palace Theater in Hilo on the Big Island.

John Cooper, Programming Director of the Sundance Film Festival, called theaters like the Palace, "the unsung heroes of independent film" that "carry on [the Sundance Institute's] work throughout the year and at the local level." Each theater's program may include recent Sundance films as well as independent classics that have been supported by the Institute in the past.

Right now, documentary "One: The Movie" is playing at the Palace, and coming soon are "Wings," a silent classic starring original "It" girl Clara Bow; "Capote," current Oscar contender; and "The White Countess," James Ivory's latest and written by Kazuo Ishiguro. The theater also offers classes and live concerts and plays.

>> Sundance Institute Pairs With Art House Cinemas for Independent Film Series Nationwide [Press Release, 1/19/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Hawaii's Market for Movies
>> The Meaning of "Independent"
>> IFP Hawaii?
>> U.S. Indies at LVHIFF

FIN Decisionmaking on HB3080

The House Finance committee (FIN) has announced its rescheduled date of decisionmaking on HB3080 (15-20% production tax credit):

Date: Wed, March 1, 2006
Time: 5:00 pm
Place: State Capitol, Room 308

This is a decisionmaking hearing only, so no testimony will be accepted.

See the full hearing notice.

FIN Defers HB3080

The House Finance committee (FIN) just deferred HB3080, the House version of the 15-20% production tax credit bill. Representative Glenn Wakai would like to further explore the possibility of including a provision that would require public disclosure of the Hawaii expenditures of each production that is granted tax credits. A follow-up decisionmaking hearing has not yet been announced.

On the other hand, HB2421, HD1 (20% investment tax credit buy-back bill), was passed with a defective date of 2020 (meaning a dummy date that allows for futher discussion).

"Jurassic Park 4" To Shoot Next Year?

Manawaiopuna Falls, also known as "Jurassic Park Falls" in Hanapepe Valley, Kauai

According to the London Free Press, "Jurassic Park" producer Frank Marshall said that the script for JP4 has been finalized and should start production next year for a 2008 release.

Moviehole.net reported the rumor that Lexie, Sir Richard Attenborough's granddaughter from JP1, will be one of the main characters in the 4th go 'round. Apparently, Steven Spielberg approached Keira Knightley a few years ago about playing the role, but no new info has surfaced about casting.

All three JPs were filmed in Hawaii--largely on Kauai, but also on Oahu and Molokai. Wonder if we can be so lucky as to get the dinosaurs back next year...wonder what their appetite for tax incentives is... For that matter, wonder if Spielberg would want to bring his other hit franchise (Indiana Jones, also in development) back to Kauai for filming.

Steven, did you really mean it when you said (according to John Baxter's Steven Spielberg: The Unauthorized Biography) that you decided to shoot JP in Hawaii instead of Mexico or Costa Rica because you wanted to eat food that didn't give you dysentery and sleep in a comfortable hotel? Well, as you well know, we have clean, ono (delicious) food, and luxurious hotels down here. So, if you're reading, call us, k? That's 808-586-2570. I'll be waiting by the phone.

>> Director enjoys animal challenges [London Free Press, 2/17/06]
>> Park to re-open in 2008 [Moviehole.net, 2/21/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Hurricanes & Movies
>> Would These Places Give You a Headache?
>> Europe on the Cheap
>> "Hawaii Five-O" in Fiji?!
>> Famous Hawaii Locations

Maui / Hawaii International Film Festival News

• The Maui Film Festival (June 14-18, 2006) is making a call for film submissions by March 1 (regular deadline) or April 1 (late deadline). Regular/late entry fees are $75/$100 for features, $40/$15 for shorts. The entry fee will be waived if over 50% of your film's footage was shot in Hawaii. (more info)
• The Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) (Oct 19-29, 2006) is also seeking submissions. The fest has several deadlines between May 26-June 30 and entry fees ranging from $15-65. Fee waivers will be granted to Hawaii residents and students under 18. (more info)
• HIFF is also announcing its "Oscar Night America Party," the only Hawaii venue sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to show an advanced telecast of the Oscars. No more cursing at the Internet or CNN for revealing a winner before you can watch the delayed Oscar telecast here! For $150 (or $100 if you're a HIFF member), you also get dinner and a silent auction. Event takes places Sunday, March 5, 3pm at the Pacific Club. Contact Andrea by e-mail or at 528 3456 x11. (more info)
  

RELATED POSTS:
>> Hawaii's Market for Movies
>> LVHIFF 2005: A Retrospective
>> Hawaii Film Panorama at LVHIFF
>> Asian American Film Festivals

Local Labor Union Chapters

Several people have asked me recently about union presence in Hawaii. The following is a list of our local chapters of film-related labor unions:

1. Screen Actors Guild (SAG) - Represents more than 700 local actors.
Contact: Brenda Ching, (808) 596-0388, bching@sag.org
Site: sag.org

2. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) - Hawaii's Local 665 is a mixed local chapter with approximately 300 members representing a wide variety of stage and film-related crafts.
Contact: Donovan Ahuna, (808) 596-0227, businessagent@iatselocal665.org
Site: iatselocal665.org

3. Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers - Hawaii's Local 996 represents Hawaii's movie and television industry drivers.
Contact: Jeanne Ishikawa, (808) 847-6633, loc996@hawaii.rr.com

4. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) - Hawaii's Local 1260 represents various production members.
Contact: Randall A.C. Young, (808) 941-9445, ibewlocal002@hawaii.rr.com
Site: ibewninthdistrict.org

5. Musicians Association of Hawaii - Local 677 is Hawaii's branch of the American Federation of Musicians.
Contact: Michael Largarticha, (808) 596-2121, AFM677@aol.com
Site: http://www.livemusicbiz.com/

RELATED POST:
>> IATSE Local 665, Unions

Free Public Talks About Film & Digital Media

Some interesting public talks coming up about film and digital media...FREE!

New Arts Lecture Series at Kapi'olani Community College

What Does the John Madden Football Game Have in Common with Film, Rembrandt, and Cinematography? Bob Nicoll, from Electronic Arts delivers New Arts Lectures:

• “Convergence: Games & Film” - Thurs, Feb 23, 7–9pm
• “Lighting for Games: Not so different from Rembrandt” - Fri, Feb 24, 10am–12pm
• “Cinematography in Game Design” - Fri, Feb 24, 1–3pm
  

Bob Nicoll is Sr. Director for World Wide Graphics Training for EA. He worked at Sony Pictures ImageWorks on such films as: Godzilla, Contact, and Stuart Little. He is currently working at Electronic Arts on games like: Harry Potter, James Bond 007, Madden football, Lord of the Rings, and the Sims.

New Arts Lectures take place in Kopiko 202 at Kapi’olani Community College and are free and open to the public. More info: contact Sharon Sussman, at 735-3879, ssussman@hawaii.edu.

*****************

New Arts Lecture Series at Kapi'olani Community College

How do animators make those characters come alive? Kevin Johnson, from IDT/Fox Entertainment, will give an animation workshop, "Character Animation (plain and simple)" on Fri, Mar 3, 12:30–3:30pm in Kopiko 202 at Kapi'olani Community College.

Kevin Johnson is currently at IDT/Fox Entertainment. Previously he was at Sony Pictures ImageWorks where he served as head storyboard artist for the Academy Award winning animated short, "The ChubbChubbs!" and helmed the short "Early Bloomer". Prior to Sony, Kevin worked at Warner Bros., Disney, and Don Bluth Studios. He is the assistant director of the Character Animation Program in the School of Film and Video at CalArts. His feature film credits include: The Iron Giant, Cats Don't Dance, and The Pagemaster.

New Arts Lectures take place in Kopiko 202 at Kapi’olani Community College and are free and open to the public. More info: contact Sharon Sussman, at 735-3879, ssussman@hawaii.edu.

*****************

University of Hawaii at Manoa: Outreach College
Pacific New Media Program

Free Public Talks:

Short Films from Down Under with Merata Mita
Thursday, March 16 at 7:00pm
Krauss 012 (Yukiyoshi Room)

Filmmaker and Academy for Creative Media faculty member Mita hosts an evening of award-winning shorts by emerging Maori and Aboriginal filmmakers.

Merata Mita is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. Her works include Mauri, the first feature film directed by a Maori woman, and numerous feature documentaries about the political struggles of the Maori people.

(more info)

------

"Cheerleader" with filmmaker Kimberly Bassford
Thursday, March 30 at 7:00pm
Krauss 012 (Yukiyoshi Room)

This award-winning documentary follows a squad of California cheerleaders on its quest for the national cheerleading championship. Festival screenings have included Kodak`s emerging Filmmaker Showcase at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.

Kimberlee Bassford received her Masters in Journalism from the University of California Berkeley, where she produced "Cheerleader" as her thesis film. The film went on to win the Gold Medal in documentary at the 2004 Student Academy Awards. Bassford has worked on social and cultural documentaries in Seattle, San Francisco, and Hawai`i, including the PBS documentary series "The Meaning of Food," which explores the intersections between food and culture. She is currently developing a feature-length documentary profiling the life of late U.S. Congresswoman Patsy Takemoto Mink.

(more info)

Tax Credits Bring Gigantic Film Studio to Queens

Long Island City: Site of film's next golden age?

There's a whole lot happening film-wise in NYC right now, thanks to the tax credits passed in 2004. Not since before those handful of Eastern European immigrants packed their bags and headed West to build Hollywood has NYC been such a showbiz town. There are so many productions clamoring for a piece of the Big Apple that there aren't enough soundstages.

Enter Silvercup Studios, a fixture in the Queens landscape since 1983, and home to productions like "The Sopranos," "Hope & Faith," and five new pilots including "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams's new show, "Six Degrees." Silvercup plans to spend about $1.5 billion to build an extension of its existing film studio in Long Island City, a Queens neighborhood that's part industrial eyesore, part Williamsburg wannabe, and part art crowd-and-immigrant enclave. Silvercup West, as this new complex would be called, would include 8 soundstages, production offices, studio support space, stores, high-rise apartment complexes, a catering hall and some kind of cultural institution. It would be the largest film studio complex on the East Coast (though Brooklyn's Steiner Studios would still claim the largest single soundstage). The complex is expected to generate about 3,900 permanent jobs, 2,200 construction jobs and 2,500 additional related jobs.

All this thanks to a simple little thing called tax incentives--which, by the way, have been so successful in NYC, that Governor Pataki's 2006-07 executive budget seeks to increase them and make them permanent.

>> Silvercup Studios Sets $1 Billion Complex [NY Times, 2/22/06]
>> Silvercup West 'studio city' comes into focus [Hollywood Reporter/Reuters, 2/22/06]
>> Governor Pataki Announces Budget to Include Permanent Film Tax Incentive [NYS Press Release 1/13/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> New York Rings Up the Old Year
>> Hawaii Film & TV Productions Goin' Down
>> Doom & Gloom for L.A. Film Industry
>> Meanwhile in Gotham...

WAM Defers SB2570, SD1

WAM Chair Brian Taniguchi deferred SB2570, SD1 today, but said that he plans to pass it once a technicality gets fixed. The current title of the bill, "Relating to Digital Media" may not be broad enough to cover its contents, so the official decisionmaking is deferred until that all gets sorted out--which will hopefully be by the time WAM's supposed to reconvene on the matter (Tuesday, February 28 at 10am, Capitol Room 211).

>> WAM Deferred Decisionmaking Hearing, 2/28 at 10am

Press Massacres Hawaii's Film Tax Credits Again

Eeek, yuck, blech, humbug! The press never fails to misunderstand and butcher the facts of Hawaii's film tax incentives. The Associated Press's Tara Godvin is the latest offender in her story, "Hawaii offers array of tax credits to families and businesses," which was picked up by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin yesterday.

Godvin describes our Motion Picture and Film Production Income Tax Credit, which refunds 4% of a production company's Hawaii expenditures plus 7.25% of hotel costs, as a credit that "fell out of favor after 2001 brought into being the state's credit to encourage high-tech business investment in the state, which allows companies to claim 100 percent of qualifying costs, with a cap of $2 million. That credit caused a bit of a scandal when it was revealed that the surfing movie 'Blue Crush,' which had a budget of $41 million, managed to claim at least $18 million in tax rebates."

How is this wrong? Let me count the ways:

• The 4% Motion Picture and Film Production Income Tax Credit did not fall out of favor at all. Current law allows production companies to claim this credit, plus allows their investors to claim the Act 221 High Technology Business Investment Tax Credit. In other words, provided that production companies fulfill the respective eligiblity criteria set forth by each of the credits, they are allowed to "double dip" and claim both credits. Note that the 4% credit gets to be claimed directly by the production company, but the Act 221 investment tax credit can only be claimed by the company's investors. And believe me, companies and their investors that can claim both, do claim both. So no fallin' out of favor here.
• The Act 221 high-tech business investment tax credit does not allow companies to claim 100% of qualifying costs. As I mentioned above, the tax credit allows a company's investors (which may be individuals, partnerships, companies, or corporations) who have Hawaii state income tax liability to claim credits equal to 100% of their investment in the company.
• The $2 million cap on Act 221 credits does not apply to the company. This cap applies to each of the company's investors per year of investment. A company may have 100 investors, investing $2 million each per year, with a total investment of $200 million per year. Each of these investors is entitled to Act 221 credits of $2 million each year (distributed to them over 5 years), with total aggregate credits due equal to $200 million to all 100 investors.
• Yes, "Blue Crush" did cause controversy over Act 221, but not for the reasons stated. Let's talk hypothetical here, because I can't be sure those figures Godvin quoted are correct. So, assuming the production spent $41 million in Hawaii, it would be perfectly legitimate for its investors to claim $18 million in tax credits under Act 221. After all, the credit equals 100% of the investment. So, technically, if "Blue Crush" were able to find 20 local investors to contribute $2 million each, and one investor to put up $1 million, these investors could claim back their individual investments, at an aggregate of $41 million. What was controversial about "Blue Crush" (one of several things, actually, which y'all can do your own research to dig up) was that certain local investors were allegedly getting back more than 100% of their own personal investment. How did this happen? Well, these certain local investors were making deals with "Blue Crush" in which they asked for more credits allocated back to them in exchange for their investment in the film. For example, an investor may have said to "Blue Crush": "I will put up $1 million of my own money in your film if you allocate back $5 million in credits to me." This is known as the "multiple effect," which gives investors back more than what they invested out of their own pockets--in this example, the investor got back a multiple of 5x. Because "Blue Crush"'s parent company is a California-based studio with no Hawaii income tax liability, it earned more credits than it could actually use, so it was free to allocate them to people who did have Hawaii income tax liability. This "multiple" effect was corrected in 2004 and is now policed much more vigorously by the Tax Department.

So reporters, please do your research before confusing the public even more about Hawaii's film tax incentives--thanks!

>> Hawaii offers array of tax credits to families and businesses [AP/Star-Bulletin, 2/21/06]
>> Hawaii Film Office's Guide to Tax Incentives for Film & TV (.pdf)

RELATED POSTS:
>> Act 221 Fees & Comfort Rulings Demystified
>> Tech Comm'ty: Don't Denigrate Act 221
>> Act 221 = $108M So Far
>> Numerology: 221, 215, 235-110.9

FIN To Hear House Film Bills On Friday, 2/24

The House Finance Committee (FIN) will hear HB3080 (15-20% production tax credit) and HB2421, HD1 (20% investment tax credit buy-back bill) this Friday, 2/24. Hearing and testimony submission details below:

Date: Friday, February 24, 2006
Time: 2pm
Place: Conference Room 308, State Capitol

See the full hearing notice.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR TESTIMONY:
By Thurs, 2/23 at 2pm, submit your testimony using only one of the following methods:

1. Hand deliver 45 copies (one-sided sheets only) to the FIN committee chair in Room 306 at the State Capitol, or in the House Sergeant-at-Arms drop-off box in the turnaround area of the Capitol basement parking lot.

2. Fax (if less than 5 pages) just once (not 45 times) to the House Sergeant-At-Arms Office at 586-6501 or 1-800-535-3859 (toll free for neighbor islands). When faxing, please include the following information:
* Submitting to: FIN committee chair, Rm 306
* Bill: HB3080 -OR- HB2421, HD1
* Hearing Date/Time: Fri, 2/24 @ 2pm
* Required Copies for Submission: 45

For more information, please call the FIN committee staff at 586-6200.

WAM Hearing on SB2570, SD1

SB2570, SD1 (15-20% production tax credit), will be heard and voted on in a decisionmaking hearing this Thurs, 2/23 at 9am by WAM. Please submit your written testimonies via one of the methods listed below.

Date: Thursday, February 23, 2006
Time: 9am
Place: Conference Room 211, State Capitol

See the full hearing notice.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR TESTIMONY:
By Wed, 2/22 at 9am, submit your testimony using only one of the following methods:

1. Hand deliver 35 copies to the WAM committee clerk in Room 210 at the State Capitol during regular business hours, or outside the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Office in Room 015 at the Capitol during other times.

2. Fax (if less than 5 pages) just once (not 35 times) to the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Office at 586-6659 or 1-800-586-6659 (toll free for neighbor islands). When faxing, please include the following information:
* Submitting to: WAM committee clerk, Rm 210
* Bill: SB2570, SD1
* Hearing Date/Time: Thurs, 2/23 @ 9am
* Required Copies for Submission: 35

For more information, please call the WAM committee clerk at 586-6800. This is a decisionmaking hearing, and only written testimony will be accepted via one of the methods above.

Shot-in-Hawaii Films Coming Soon

Here are the trailers for two upcoming features that were partially shot last year in Hawaii. The first is Disney's "The Shaggy Dog" starring Tim Allen and Kristin Davis, and the second is Universal's "You, Me, and Dupree" starring Kate Hudson, Matt Dillon, and Owen Wilson. Check out the opening scenes of the "Dupree" trailer--they were (clearly) shot in Hawaii.

>> "The Shaggy Dog" Trailer (In Theaters 3/10)
>> "You, Me, and Dupree" Trailer (In Theaters Summer 2006)

RELATED POSTS:
>> 2005 Hawaii Film and TV Reverie
>> Films Set in Hawaii Make Big Bucks
>> "You’ve Seen the Films, Now Visit the Set"
>> Famous Hawaii Locations

Right of Publicity Bill Dies

SB2740, the "right of publicity" bill that sought further protections on the commercial use of an individual's likeness whether that individual was living or dead, is dead (killed by MAT today). The impetus for the legislation was an instance of misuse of the late Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's likeness for commercial gain. Several states have a "right of publicity" statute in place, in addition to standard privacy and defamation laws. Opponents including the MPAA argue that the law promotes an unnecessarily litigious atmosphere and potentially impinges on the First Amendment rights of artists who depict public figures in their works, and even news and documentary programs that feature celebrities.

OK, so that leaves us with 5 bills left to monitor (see right nav bar). Although the two I posted about yesterday seem like longshots at this point. The other ones (two 15-20% production rebate bills and the Act 221 buy-back bill) will be heard by the money committees (FIN, WAM) probably next week.

RELATED POSTS:
>> Two More Film-Related Bills
>> MAT Passes SB2570
>> Rep. Karamatsu Issues News Release Supporting HB3080
>> MAT Kills SB2384, Defers SB2570, SB2740

Two More Film-Related Bills

A drunken riot at the Kaneohe Sandbar last Labor Day is one of many reasons some legislators are looking to ban various activities--including filming--at the site. (Photo: Honolulu Star-Bulletin)







From the record-setting mounds and mounds of bills before the state legislature this year, two more film-related bills have been brought to my attention. One aims to expose the identities of companies that apply for various business tax credits (including Act 221) and the other hopes to ban partying, filming, and other activities at the popular Kaneohe Sandbar. Here are the details:

HB3022

• Title: Relating to Taxation
• Description: Requires businesses who apply for tax credits that are related to their commercial activities [including the high-tech business investment tax credit] to sign a release statement allowing the Department of Taxation to publicly disclose their names and the names and amounts of such tax credits claimed. Requires the Department of Taxation to publicly disclose businesses that receive such tax credits.
• Introducers: WAKAI, BERG, CABANILLA, HALE, KAHIKINA, LUKE, MORITA, NISHIMOTO, SHIMABUKURO, TAKAI, Abinsay, Arakaki, Caldwell, Chong, Ito, Kanoho, Karamatsu, Magaoay, Souki, Takumi, Tanaka, Tsuji, Yamane
• Current Status: Had been scheduled to be heard by EDB today, but got deleted from the schedule. What's next is EDB.

SB2004

• Title: Relating to Historic Preservation
• Description: Establishes Ahu o Laka State Monument [a.k.a. Kaneohe Sandbar] ; restricts activities [including filming activities] at the Ahu o Laka State Monument.
• Introducer: HEE
• Current Status: Awaiting hearing by WLA (Water, Land, and Agriculture Committee).

RELATED POSTS:
>> Act 221 = $108M So Far
>> Tech Comm'ty: Don't Denigrate Act 221
>> Numerology: 221, 215, 235-110.9
>> Permits, Hawaiian Style
>> 10 Things I Learned From Our First FilmHawaii Seminar
>> Forbidden Shoot

"Flight 29 Down" and Stuff

Because those obsessive 'tweens love their TV shows and Tiger Beat cover boys, "Corbin Bleu" of Discovery Kids' "Flight 29 Down" is just about the most popular search term for this blog (that and "film tax incentives"). Capitalizing on this 'tween mania is the Honolulu Advertiser's Mike Tsai, who apparently was busy this weekend writing articles about "Flight 29 Down" and other random Hawaii film/TV goings-on. Here's a list of those articles, including the first two "Flight 29 Down" actor profiles in a series of profiles, with a new one appearing each day this week.

>> 'Flight 29 down' takes off [Advertiser, 2/12/06]
>> Youngest castaway upbeat about 'Down' role [Advertiser, 2/12/06]
>> Destination theater for 'Flight 29' actress [Advertiser, 2/13/06]
>> Filmmaker Jordan Alan likes it here [Advertiser, 2/12/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> "Flight 29 Down" Begins Shooting Season 2
>> Hawaii Galore in Hollywood Reporter
>> Surf-Horror, Anyone?

Dog the Bounty Hunter Cries Foul at Legislature

Duane "Dog" Chapman of the popular A&E reality series "Dog the Bounty Hunter" was at the state legislature yesterday to oppose HB3014, a bill that puts restrictions on who can become a bounty hunter in Hawaii. Among the bill's requirements for bounty hunter wannabes are:

• Age 21+
• Pass a written state exam
• No felony or aggravated misdemeanor arrest record
• No conviction involving the use of a dangerous weapon
• Get fingerprint and background checks

Unfortunately, Dog had a misspent youth and served time as a convicted felon (as an accessory to murder) in a Texas prison, which means that he'd lose his job (and his TV series) if the bill passed as is. Dog does advocate having some stricter regulations for bounty hunters, but feels the current draft of the bill--which he suspects was introduced by his bounty hunter competitors--is too restrictive.

>> 'Dog' at Capitol to fight bill restricting bounty hunters [Hnl Advertiser, 2/10/06]
>> HB3014 Status (real time)

RELATED POSTS:
>> Notorious H.N.L.
>> The Transplantification of Hawaii
>> Public Testimonies Have Clout

MAT Passes SB2570

MAT ran out of time at yesterday's official public decisionmaking hearing on SB2570 (15-20% production tax credit), but we've learned that the measure passed out anyway with some slight technical amendments. So, the bill current incarnation is SB2570, SD1 (Senate draft 1), though this draft has not yet been posted on the legislature's site. I'll link to it when it is, of course.

Next stop for SB2570, SD1: Hearing by Senate FIN committee next week or the week after. Stay tuned as usual.

>> SB2570 Status (real time)

RELATED POSTS:
>> MAT Kills SB2384, Defers SB2570, SB2740
>> Rep. Karamatsu Issues News Release Supporting HB3080
>> Brush Up Your Legislature!

"Baywatch" Film: Pam or No Pam?

Brooke Burns and Michael Bergin "saving lives" in Hawaii

A British tabloid reported that upcoming "Baywatch" feature film co-producer Eli Roth said Pamela Anderson was going to have a cameo role in the movie. However, some sleuthing by Ain't It Cool News's Harry Knowles revealed that Roth's quotes were completely fabricated.

Meanwhile, the same source quoted David Hasselhoff as saying, "The film will be set in different locations around the world. There will be lifeguards who are also sent on crime-busting sprees." Sounds more like "Baywatch Nights" ('member that?) to me...

Whatever, as long as these jet-setting lifeguard-detectives make a pit stop in Hawaii, where the hugely popular syndicated TV show sang its swan song. "Baywatch: Hawaii" shot on Oahu for two years and even left us a 94,000-gallon water tank at the Hawaii Film Studio that the producers had custom built for underwater shots.

>> UPDATE: Thespian Pamela Anderson To Bouyantly Bounce About in BAYWATCH THE MOVIE??? [Ain't It Cool News, 2/9/06]
>> Anderson to Make Cameo in ‘Baywatch’ Movie [WENN via Hollywood.com, 2/9/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Films Set in Hawaii Make Big Bucks
>> Would These Places Give You a Headache?
>> Famous Hawaii Locations

How Da Haoles Wen Stole Hawaii: The Film(s)

Queen Lili'uokalani, Hawaii's last queen

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin's John Heckathorn reported Sunday that filming on a feature-length documentary on the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom will begin this Friday on Molokai. "Ku'u A'ina Aloha: My Beloved Country" is being produced and directed by well-known local documentary filmmaker Stephanie Castillo and Meleanna Aluli Meyer. Alice Walker, author of "The Color Purple," who contributed $50,000 to the film, is an executive producer.

This won't be the first time the overthrow is depicted on film. Past documentaries that feature the subject include Puhipau and Joan Lander's "Act of War: The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Nation," Kristin Zambucka's "A Cry of Peacocks," Edgy Lee's "The Hawaiians: Reflecting Spirit," and "Hawaii's Last Queen," part of PBS's "American Experience" series. There was also a made-for-TV narrative feature about the overthrow called "Betrayal," starring Marlene Sai as Queen Lili'uokalani.

>> Filming nears on overthrow documentary [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 2/5/06]
>> The Annexation Of Hawaii: A Collection Of Documents [UH Library]
>> UPDATE: International film crew begins documentary on Molokai [Molokai Island Times, 2/11/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Indigenous Pacific Storytelling
>> Culture Clash
>> Desperately Seeking Kaiulani
>> A Pictorial History of Hawaii
>> Hawaii vs. Hawaiian
>> Office of Hawaiian Affairs Ups Media Spending

Rep. Karamatsu Issues News Release Supporting HB3080

TAC passed HB3080 unamended and TAC/EDB passed HB2421 with slight technical amendments last week. Both bills are now awaiting a hearing by FIN.

Representative Jon Riki Karamatsu, chair of the House EDB committee, member of the TAC committee, and the second guy in the picture above, issued a news release announcing that HB3080, the 15-20% production tax credit, was passed out of TAC unamended last week. It is now awaiting a hearing by FIN. The bill was introduced by Karamatsu, along with fellow representatives Jerry Chang (TAC chair and first guy in pic above), Abinsay, Chong, Magaoay, Tsuji, and Yamashita. Below is the full news release:

###

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
State of Hawaii

News Release
For Immediate Release
February 6, 2005

Contact: Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu
T. 808-586-8490
Media Assistance: Georgette Deemer
T. 808-586-6133; C. 808-341-5043

FILM TAX CREDIT BILL ADVANCES

Honolulu. Representative Jon Riki Karamatsu announced today that House Bill 3080 relating to tax credits for the digital media industry passed the House Tourism and Culture committee. Karamatsu, who serves as the chair of the House Economic Development and Business Concerns committee, introduced the bill.

"This bill is a collaborative refinement by state and county film offices, industry and union representatives of a similar bill that stalled in conference during the 2005 session, " said Karamatsu. "We wanted to offer significant, but reasonable incentives to stimulate the film and television industry, which experienced a $64 million drop in expenditures between 2004 and 2005."

The bill provides a tax credit amounting to 15 percent of qualified production costs incurred on Oahu, and 20 percent on Neighbor Islands, with a cap of $8 million per production. According to film industry officials, this would make Hawaii competitive with other jurisdictions.

"Hawaii has been called the world's premiere tropical location, " said Representative Jerry Chang, chair of the Tourism and Culture Committee. "If we want to maintain that position, the industry has told us that we must be more than just a pretty face. These tax incentives will help to grow the industry and provide well-paying, creative jobs for the next generation of Hawaii filmmakers."

The Department of Taxation submitted testimony in strong support of the measure, stating that the tax credit allows Hawaii to compete in the worldwide marketplace of filming locations and that it is budget neutral, meaning that the tax credit would not impact the state's current expenditures.

"The success of LOST in winning the Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards has brought positive attention to the film industry in Hawaii. If we can seize the moment and compete with other localities around the world, we will generate revenue and create jobs for our community," added Karamatsu.

###

RELATED POSTS:
>> House Film Bills Make It Through Round 1
>> Summaries of Film Bills
>> Hawaii Film & TV Productions Goin' Down

MAT Kills SB2384, Defers SB2570, SB2740

Click on this visual aid to learn the long and winding path that SB2570 must go through to become a law. The yellow highlighted box is where the bill is right now.

The Senate MAT committee killed SB2384, the investment tax credit 20% buy-back bill, today. It also deferred decisionmaking on SB2570, the 15-20% production tax credit, to Thurs, 2/9, 1:30pm, Capitol Rm 225, so that MAT committee chair Senator Fukunaga (the first lady in the picture above) has time to amend it. Finally, MAT deferred decisionmaking on SB2740, the right of publicity bill, till Tues, 2/14.

SB2570 will then become SB2570, SD1 (Senate Bill 2570, Senate Draft 1) and be punted over to the WAM committee, chaired by Senator Taniguchi (guy with the mustache above).

>> Decisionmaking hearing notice on SB2570, 2/9/06
>> Decisionmaking hearing notice on SB2740, 2/14/06

Indigenous Pacific Storytelling

Indigenous Hawaiian and Pacific Islander writers, filmmakers, and other storytellers (and their friends and sympathizers) may want to check out the free public talks at UH this week featuring Maori novelist Patricia Grace, author of "Dogside Story" and "Tu: A Novel."

According to an article in today's Honolulu Advertiser, Grace's work is part of a growing body of indigenous Pacific literature characterized by another Maori writer, Albert Wendt, as possessing common traits such as portraying the community rather than the individual as protagonist, and exhibiting love for the sea and the land, the "sociological scars of colonization," and "a distinct sense of loss that is ingrained in indigenous cultures across the Pacific, because of their shared experiences with Western domination."

While it is important in the socio-cultural evolution of post-colonial peoples to write their own stories that share these common themes, Grace notes that new indigenous writers must continually emerge to voice their own individual experiences and concerns: "unless you have a whole range of people writing, the culture isn't shown in its fullness....Writing can break down stereotypes, but there's always a danger of new stereotypes emerging."

Learn more about this important topic at the following two FREE public talks:

Wed, Feb 8, 2006, 7pm
An evening reading with Patricia Grace
UH Mānoa Campus
Art Auditorium

Thurs, Feb 9, 2006, 3-4:30pm
"Indigenizing the Novel in Aotearoa: the Role of Culture and Identity" - Panel featuring Patricia Grace
UH Mānoa Campus
Kuykendall Auditorium

>> Creating a new Pacific literature [Hnl Advertiser, 2/7/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Hawaii Looks to New Zealand
>> Hawaii Film Panorama at LVHIFF
>> Hawaii vs. Hawaiian
>> Culture Clash
>> "I Have a Dream..."

Random Hawaii-Related Film News

• NBC's "The Office" and ABC's "Lost" are continually vying for the title of #1 most downloaded show on iTunes. The iTunes/iPod alternative distribution experiment has apparently performed splendidly for the various TV networks. Disney-ABC's exec veep of digital media Albert Cheng said, "Overall, we've seen our ratings increase for the shows we have on iTunes, and it continues to pick up momentum," adding that "Lost" was doing "extraordinarily well."
  >> Networks' iTunes gamble paying off [Reuters, 2/6/06]
  
• "Americanese," the third feature directed by Eric Byler, who grew up partly in Hawaii, is premiering at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin in March. The film, based on Shawn Wong's novel, "American Knees," examines Asian American identity politics through the relationship mini-dramas of a second generation Chinese American man. "Americanese" stars Hawaii kama'aina Kelly Hu, along with Joan Chen, Chris Tashima, and Sab Shimono.
  
• Hawaii is maxed out--physically, that is. Having just come off a record year for tourism, state tourism officials are rethinking their marketing strategies to try to attract higher-spending visitors. The occupancy rate for Hawaii hotels was 81.2% last year, second only to New York City at 82.6%. Hawaii Tourism Authority chief Rex Johnson said, "If you try to stuff too many visitors into this space we have, you begin to be a detriment to your product. If we lose this thing called 'aloha,' we're just like any sand-and-surf destination. I don't believe we can afford to go there." What does this mean for visiting film & TV productions? Plan early!
  >> Hawaii nearing capacity with record number of visitors [AP via AZCentral, 2/6/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Distribution, Distribution, Distribution
>> Sorry, Ellen

Hollywood Returns to Big, Easy Incentives

"Deja Vu," a big flick starring Denzel Washington and Val Kilmer as time-traveling FBI agents, returned to New Orleans this week to begin shooting. The film was supposed to have started shooting back in October, but had to be postponed because of the extreme hurricane damage.

Instead of seeking an alternate (more expensive) location, the production put itself on hold until New Orleans was ready for it to come back. Even if that meant losing some crew members who may have gotten other jobs since October, the 25% Louisiana film tax credit made it all worth it.

In fact, the "Deja Vu" script was revised to include the Hurricane Katrina disaster! Director Tony Scott said, "For me it's the third character in the movie." Goes to show that scripts will get rewritten just so productions can take advantage of shooting in cheap, incentive-rich locations.

On a related note, plans were announced this week to build a massive film studio complex in the town of Robert, Louisiana, which is about 50 miles from either New Orleans or Baton Rouge. According to the Associated Press, the planners of this project, called "Louisiana Cinema City Studios," said that the complex would include "a film laboratory, production offices and a five-star suite hotel, a day-care center and health club. It will also include eight Hollywood-style sound stages and four broadcast stages that will cover a combined 250,000 square feet." Ho, da buggah!

>> Hollywood goes back to the Big Easy [Reuters, 2/2/06]
>> La. Town to Get Film Industry Complex [AP, 1/31/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> LA vs. L.A.
>> The Golden Age of Louisiana
>> The Truth About Louisiana
>> Hurricanes & Movies

House Film Bills Make It Through Round 1

This morning, HB2421 (investment tax credit 20% buy-back bill) passed out of the House EDB-TAC hearing with some slight technical and stylistic amendments, and HB3080 (15-20% production tax credit) passed out of TAC as is this morning. Supporters of the former were DBEDT and DoTax. Supporters of the latter were DBEDT, DoTax, Labor Unions (SAG, IATSE, Teamsters), Hawaii Film & Entertainment Board, Honolulu Film Office, Big Island Film Office, Maui Film Office, Pae'Aina Communications, Estate of James Campbell, Ko'lina Resort & Marina, William Meyer, Hawaii Movie Studios, Dana Hankins of Redhead Productions, James Sereno of Kinetic Films, Kata Maduli, and Guy Belegaud. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii opposed both bills.

The next stop for these bills? The House Finance committee (FIN) chaired by Rep. Dwight Takamine. Expect a hearing within the next 2-3 weeks. Polish off those testimonies now.

>> HB3080 TAC Committee Report

RELATED POSTS:
>> Summaries of Film Bills
>> Film Bill Hearings Thursday & Friday
>> Brush Up Your Legislature!
>> Public Testimonies Have Clout
>> Hear, Hear on Hearings
>> So That's How Bills Get Passed!

Hawaii Film & TV Productions Goin' Down

The ups and downs of film & TV production in Hawaii, 1992-2005

It may seem like Hawaii's film and TV industry is doing smashingly thanks to ABC's megahit "Lost," but 2005 production expenditures actually dropped about 40% to an estimated $100 million versus 2004's $164 million. Granted, 2004 was our banner year with 3 network TV series, 2 of which got cancelled. But the primary reason for the steep drop? Competition from other jurisdictions with better film incentives.

The Honolulu Advertiser's Sean Hao interviewed my boss, Hawaii Film Commissioner Donne Dawson, about this subject at yesterday's Senate MAT hearing on this year's film bills. Hao quoted her testimony to the Senate MAT committee: "Hawai'i has experienced first-hand what it's like to lose productions to other jurisdictions with better, more effective incentives....Our local workers have suffered a drop in employment opportunities and many are collecting unemployment compensation between jobs, which are becoming fewer and farther between."

Among the recent productions we have lost are Adam Sandler's "The Longest Yard" to New Mexico, Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers" to Iceland, NBC series "Surface" to North Carolina, "Pirates of the Caribbean 2 & 3" to the Caribbean, and "Swiss Family Robinson" and "The Great Raid" to Australia.

>> TV, film projects in Islands down last year [Hnl Advertiser, 2/3/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> MAT Decisionmaking on Film Bills Deferred
>> Everyone Else Is Doing It...
>> Summaries of Film Bills
>> 2005 Hawaii Film and TV Reverie
>> Our Loss is Their Gain

Not a Priest, But He Plays One on TV

"Lost"'s Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje was invited by Senator Fred Hemmings to deliver a prayer yesterday to open the Senate floor at the Hawaii state legislature. Hemmings invited the devout Buddhist actor after watching a "Lost" episode featuring his character's story. Akinnuoye-Agbaje plays Mr. Eko, a drug lord posing as a Catholic priest.

According to an interview by AP, Akinnuoye-Agbaje called his participation in yesterday's prayer "the pinnacle" of his career, and said that lawmakers should try to mesh secular and mystical law, and be one with the hearts of the people.

>> Legislators hear 'Lost' actor read Psalm 23 [AP via Hnl Star-Bulletin, 2/2/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> "Lost" Cast Nabs SAG Award for Best Ensemble
>> "Lost" Wins Best Drama Golden Globe
>> "Lost" Series Finale Will Suck
>> "Lost" is Fab, But Will It Last?

MAT Decisionmaking on Film Bills Deferred

The Senate MAT Committee heard testimony on the film incentive bills SB2570 and SB2384 today, but didn't have time to vote on the measures. Decisionmaking was deferred till Tuesday, 2/7 at 1:15pm in Rm. 225 at the Capitol.

The following people/organizations submitted testimony in support of SB2570, the 15-20% refundable production tax credit bill:

• Dept. of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; State of Hawaii (Hawaii Film Office falls within this dept.)
• Dept. of Taxation; State of Hawaii
• Honolulu Film Office
• Big Island Film Office
• Maui Film Office
• Labor Unions: SAG, IATSE, and Musician's Union
• Hawaii Film & Entertainment Board
• William Meyer, Entertainment Attorney
• Hawaii Movie Studios
• Ko'Olina Resort & Marina
• Pae'aina Communications
• Estate of James Campbell
• Kinetic Films
• Kata Mauli, Talent Rep
• and John Radcliffe, on behalf of Motion Picture Association of America, noted in testimony on another bill (SB2740, right of publicity) that the "MPAA is convinced that the pending production incentive legislation is on the right track to enhancing [the relationship between Hawaii and Hollywood] which will lead to more jobs and economic activity in the state]."

SB2384, the investment tax credit 20% buy-back bill, had support from:

• Dept. of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; State of Hawaii
• Dept. of Taxation; State of Hawaii
• William Meyer, Entertainment Attorney
• Maui Film Office
• and the Big Island Film Office noted its support but preference for SB2570.

Lowell Kalapa of the Tax Foundation of Hawaii opposed both bills. I'll link to the official committee report as soon as it is posted (which should be soon).

The companion bills to the above incentive measures will be heard early tomorrow morning by the House TAC and EDB committees at 8:30am in Rm. 325 at the Capitol.

>> MAT Decisionmaking Hearing Notice for 2/7/06

RELATED POSTS:
>> Film Bill Hearings Thursday & Friday
>> Summaries of Film Bills

Everyone Else Is Doing It...

Every state in the union wants to be in the popular film incentives clique! In addition to our very own beloved Aloha state, Idaho, Tennessee, Maine, Wisconsin, and California (and others, I'm sure) are looking to pass tax credits and other incentives to lure film and TV productions.

Everyone's jealous of what's happening in Louisiana, New Mexico, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Missouri, Florida, Oregon, and now Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Arizona, South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi, and of course, Canada, which remains a strong competitor with its extensive menu of federal, provincial, and regional tax incentives.

Check out some of what's being proposed this year in incentive-less states:

• Tennessee: 25% rebate for productions over $500K plus bonuses for hiring TN residents
• Maine: Refund equal to 2x income taxes paid by productions over $250K
• Wisconsin: 25% investment tax credit, sales and use tax exemption, 15% income tax credit to resident WS artists, free state locations
• Idaho: sales and use tax exemption for productios over $200K
• California: 12% rebate up to $3 million per production, 15% break for some TV shows, 10% for qualified commercial production companies could get a 10% credit

California is really hurtin' from the competition. Film L.A., which issues filming permits for the L.A. area, recently reported that while there was slight growth (about 4%) in production between 2004 and 2005, the level of production overall is still trending downward. Feature film production, for instance, saw 9,518 production days in 2005, way below the 1996 peak of 13,980. TV production, which had been rising steadily since 1999, saw severely slowed growth last year--just 2.6% versus 2004. And about 30% of the TV production is attributable to smaller-budget, smaller-crew reality shows.

RELATED POSTS:
>> States Cannibalizing States
>> $75 Million in Tax Credits for Calif. Productions?
>> New York Rings Up the Old Year
>> Doom & Gloom for L.A. Film Industry
>> Beantown as Tinseltown
>> North Carolina So Far
>> LA vs. L.A.