Film Bill: The Final Frontier

Coming up next on "A Legislative Session in the Life of SB2570"

Last night, the House Finance committee (FIN) heard SB2570, SD2, HD1 (15-20% production tax credit), and passed it as SB2570, SD2, HD2 (draft not yet posted). The committee made a few technical amendments, including replacing the effective date with a "defective" date of 2020 to allow for further discussion of the bill in conference committee. Before it gets to conference though, the bill must be passed out by a 2/3 vote of the entire House.

Conference committee is composed of an equal number of selected senators and representatives, who have the task of discussing their respective latest drafts of the bill (SD2 vs. HD2), with the hope of arriving at a mutually agreed upon conference draft (CD). No testimony will be accepted at conference committee meetings, so if you want to let the conferees know how you feel, you must contact them individually. Conferees will be named within the next few weeks--check back for who they are.

There are only tiny technical differences between the two drafts SD2 and HD2 right now, so hopefully, the two legislative bodies can work out their differences fairly quickly. Last year, conference is where the 15-20% production tax credit bill stalled.

Will this year be different? Who will vote "aye"? Who will shout "nay"? Who will be "excused"? Tune in for the "April sweeps" episodes of the 2006 Hawaii State Legislature, coming soon to a blog (really) near you.

>> SB2570 Status

Tornadoes and Snowstorms and Hail, Oh My!

Nope, not Alaska: Snowy Mauna Kea on the Big Island (Photo: Bishop Museum)

I guess the cosmos is trying to get back at me and the other NYC transplants in Hawaii who recently pointed at CNN footage of the legendary nor'easter of '06 and just laughed and laughed. In case you haven't heard, Hawaii's March weather has been a tad cuckoo. One of the things the Hawaii Film Office tells people all the time is that the aloha state boasts 11 of the world's 13 climatic zones, but who knew that all 11 would converge in the span of a single month?

First with the incessant rain and flooding statewide, then with the tornado (yes, Dorothy, a tornado!) on Lanai, then with the hail on Maui, and now, a foot of snow may hit the Big Island. The stormy weather has affected aging man-made structures too--the deadly Kauai dam break may have been exacerbated by the rain, and the Ala Wai Canal and Oahu's south shore are now biohazards thanks to a sewer main rupture. (Anyone want to shoot the Ala Wai for the East River?) I told you we ain't all paradise and sunshine. Then again, the sun does always come out here sooner or later, so don't stop comin', k? Just stay out of the water for now.

RELATED POSTS:
>> Would These Places Give You a Headache?
>> Hawaii as San Fran, NYC, UK, Oz, etc.

"Flight 29 Down" is Selling Its Stuff

Buy the wicker chair that one or several of these kids sat in (maybe)! (Photo: Discovery Kids)

Season Two of “Flight 29 Down” is wrapping and the furnishings and goods of the condo units must be sold.

What: "Flight 29 Down" Public Sale
When: Thursday, March 30, 2006, 10AM – 4PM
Where: "Flight 29 Down" Production Office: 68-041 Waialua Beach Road, Waialua, HI 96791, 808-637-3200

CA$H ONLY

Items for sale include: Full Sized Beds (Mattress & Frame) $75 - Bedding Sets $20 - Microwaves $22 - Toasters $5 - Coffee Makers $5 - Lamps $7 - Artwork $5 - Love Seats $250 - Wicker Love Seat / Chair Sets $140 - Cookware Sets $35 - Flatware Sets $12 - Dish Sets $20 - Glassware Sets $10 - 3-PC Dining Sets $65 - Coffee Tables $25 - End Tables $15 - Dressers $50 - Night Stands $25 - Televisions $85 - DVD/VCR Combo $45 - DVD Players $25 - ESA 20” Televisions $70 - Clock Radios $6 - Cordless Phones $10

RELATED POSTS:
>> "Flight 29 Down" and Stuff
>> "Flight 29 Down" Begins Shooting Season 2
>> Hawaii Galore in Hollywood Reporter
>> Stuff To Do: The Lazy Edition

"Hawaiian Dick" Gets Director

Writer B. Clay Moore and artist Steven Griffin depict Hawaiian Night Marchers in their comics series "Hawaiian Dick," first published in 2002 (Source: Hawaiian Dick)

According to The Hollywood Reporter, New Line Cinema's feature adaptation of Image Comics' "Hawaiian Dick" just got a director. Frank Coraci, best known for directing Adam Sandler flicks "The Waterboy," "The Wedding Singer," and upcoming "Click," has signed on for "Dick," a noirish thriller about a private eye who tries to solve crimes while dealing with eerie supernatural goings-on in 1950s Hawaii. Back in 2004, Johnny Knoxville had signed on to star as said P.I.

"Dick" seems to capitalize on the kitschy retro Hawaiiana craze, and might therefore give Hawaii additional hipster cred, but because this film involves real Hawaiian legends and lore, we hope the producers will take extra care in being sensitive to cultural authenticity and keep the tiki torches, hula girls, and other cultural objectifications to a minimum.

>> New Line, Coraci go 'Hawaiian' [THR, 3/27/06]
>> Frank Gets Some "Dick" In Hawaii [Dark Horizons, 3/27/06]
>> NL sleuths comic 'Hawaiian Dick' [THR, 4/21/04]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Cultural Insensitivity
>> Honolulu: Hipster Haven
>> Films Set in Hawaii Make Big Bucks
>> Hawaii vs. Hawaiian
>> A Pictorial History of Hawaii
>> "Magnum PI" Film Gets Writer-Director

"Snakes on a Plane" Buzz Reaches Fever Pitch

I'm sure the folks over at New Line are salivating over the cult status already achieved by their as yet unreleased Sam Jackson starrer "Snakes on a Plane." Why am I blogging about this? Because Hawaii is where the titular plane originates, and the production shot here for a week last year.

The Hollywood Reporter reported last week that there was a recent reshoot for the film, just for fun--that is, to add more gore, more death, more nudity, and of course, more snakes! Also, a line mouthed by Jackson was added by popular demand. A fan had created an online audio trailer that had a Jackson sound-alike exclaiming, "I want these motherf*cking snakes off the motherf*cking plane!" The line caught on, and soon, legions of fans were demanding that it be added to the film.

What's more, New Line has partnered with social networking site TagWorld.com to announce a song contest in which the winner's song will be featured in the film.

Finally, Entertainment Weekly got a first look last week at the "Snakes on a Plane" logo (above). We can look forward to New Line merchandising the hell out of it.

Haven't had enough "Snakes on a Plane"? Check out the official site, a blog dedicated solely to the film, and Defamer's link to a quasi-trailer and full coverage on all things "SoaP."

>> Fan frenzy for 'Snakes' is on a different plane [THR, 3/23/06]
>> Hissssstory Lesson [EW, 3/31/06 issue]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Importing Animals to Hawaii
>> Fun With Titles
>> Samuel L. Jackson Gets LVHIFF Acting Award
>> 2005 Hawaii Film and TV Reverie

Last FIN Hearing on Film Bill on Thursday, 3/30

The House Finance Committee (FIN) will hear SB2570, SD2, HD1 (15-20% production tax credit) this Thursday, 3/30. This is the only remaining production tax credit bill this session. The companion bill, HB3080, was not scheduled to be heard, probably because this Senate bill is nearly identical to it. This will be the last committee hearing on this bill before it goes into conference committee, which means members from both legislative bodies will vet the bill together (that is, if it makes it out of this FIN hearing first).

Hearing and testimony submission details below:

Date: Thursday, March 30, 2006
Time: 5:45pm
Place: Conference Room 308, State Capitol
See the full hearing notice.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR TESTIMONY:
By Wed, 3/29 at 5:45pm, 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: SB2570, SD2, HD1
* Hearing Date/Time: Thurs, 3/30 @ 5:45pm
* Required Copies for Submission: 45

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

HB2421, SD1 (Buy-Back Bill) Passed by MAT

This afternoon, the Senate MAT committee passed HB2421, HD2 (20% investment tax credit buy-back) as HB2421, SD1, with the following amendments: (1) Revert defective date of 2020 back to July 1, 2006, and (2) Replace provision calling for .5% contrib. to Hawaii Television & Film Development Fund with a requirement for the Tax Dept. to report the cost savings generated by the buy-back bill, and a blank dollar amount to be appropriated annually from this pot of cost savings into the Fund.

At the hearing, the Dept. of Taxation and the Dept. of Business, Economic Development, & Tourism noted their strong preference for the 15-20% production tax credit bill (SB2570, HD1) over this buy-back bill because of its relative administrative simplicity, its greater effectiveness in stimulating production, and its strong support from the local film industry (the leaders of the local industry gathered over 360 signatures of support from local crew members, producers, actors, and other production supporters).

The buy-back bill will now be punted over to the Senate WAM committee. The Senate version of the 15-20% production tax credit bill (SB2570, HD1) is awaiting a hearing by FIN. The House version (HB3080, HD1) has not been scheduled to be heard, but it's nearly identical to the Senate version.

Free Lecture by "Curious George" Production Designer

New Arts Lecture:
"Curious George": Taking the Monkey from Page to Screen

Who: Yarrow Cheney, Production Designer
What: Lecture
When: Wednesday, April 5
Time: 6:30pm-8pm
Where: Kapi'olani Community College - OHIA 118

Yarrow Cheney, Production Designer for Universal and Imagine Entertainment's "Curious George" will discuss the process of adapting the illustrative design style of the beloved children's books to the big screen. With H.A. Rey's design vocabulary and color palette always in mind, the film's production designer set out to bring complexity to George's world through the use of lighting in three dimensional space. New Arts Lectures are free and open to the public. Contact: Sharon Sussman; 734-9382; ssussman@hawaii.edu.

Senate MAT Hearing on HB2421, HD2

Senate MAT Hearing on...

HB2421, HD2 (20% investment tax credit buy-back)

Date: Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Time: 3:00pm
Place: Conference Room 414, State Capitol, 415 S. Beretania St.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR TESTIMONY:
By today, Tues, 3/21, at 3pm, submit your testimony using only one of the following methods:

1. Hand deliver 20 3-hole punched copies to the MAT committee clerk, Room 216, State Capitol

2. Fax (if less than 5 pages) 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: Senate MAT committee clerk, Rm 216
* Hearing Date/Time: Wed, 3/22, 3pm
* Required Copies for Submission: 20

See the full hearing notice. For more information, please call the MAT committee clerk at 586-6673.

CANCELLED!: FilmHawaii Seminar on Tax Incentives

***Update, 3/21: This seminar has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date. Check back for the latest info.***

HAWAII'S TAX INCENTIVES FOR FILM, TELEVISION & DIGITAL MEDIA

This roundtable discussion will provide an informal overview of Hawaii's tax incentives for film, television, and digital media productions, including the High Technology Business Investment Tax Credit, commonly known as "Act 221" or "Act 215;" the 4% refundable Motion Picture and Film Production Income Tax Credit; and the tax exemption on royalties for performing arts products. Local filmmakers can expect to learn how to utilize the these tax credits, how Act 221 applies to production companies, the differences in eligibility requirements between Act 221 and the 4% refundable production tax credit, and what new incentives are being proposed in the current legislative session.

[NEW DATE / TIME TBD]

Speakers:
* Ricardo Galindez, Attorney, Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel
* Dana Hankins, Local Independent Film Producer incl. Line Producer, "Picture Bride" & Producer, "Moonglow"
* Kurt Kawafuchi, Director, Hawaii Department of Taxation
* Jason Lau, TalkStory Productions
* Bill Meyer, Attorney, Dwyer Schraff Meyer Grant & Green

Moderator: Donne Dawson, Hawaii State Film Commissioner

Location: Hawaii State Art Museum Multi-Purpose Room, 1st Floor, 250 S. Hotel Street (@ Richards St.)

Parking: Metered parking on Iolani Palace Grounds (enter on King St.) and at the Alii Place garage, 1099 Alakea St.

>> FREE <<
Members of the local film industry and the general public are invited to attend.

Presented by: Hawaii Film Office, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, State of Hawaii

The FilmHawaii Seminar Series is presented by the Hawaii Film Office periodically throughout the year to inform and educate the members of the local film industry and the film-interested public on practical topics related to the business of film and television production.

RELATED POSTS:
>> FilmHawaii Seminar: Protecting Hawaii's Locations
>> 10 Things I Learned From Our First FilmHawaii Seminar
>> Hawaii Film & TV Productions Goin' Down
>> Press Massacres Hawaii's Film Tax Credits Again
>> Act 221 Fees & Comfort Rulings Demystified
>> Numerology: 221, 215, 235-110.9
>> Why Film Tax Incentives?

Respecting Host Cultures While Filming

Over the weekend, news came out that a Mescalero Apache family in New Mexico is suing the makers of Steven Spielberg's TNT miniseries, "Into the West," for $325,000 because a set stylist cut their 8-year-old daughter's hair without their permission. In their culture, it is not customary to cut a girl's hair until her Coming of Age ceremony.

New Mexico is experiencing a flurry of filmmaking activity thanks to some very generous tax incentives, and while the girl's father welcomes this activity, he asks that visiting filmmakers be more culturally sensitive when filming in the state.

Filmmakers who shoot in states like New Mexico and Hawaii, which have significant indigenous populations that still observe their own cultural practices and customs, must take extra care to respect these host cultures. In Hawaii, there are many environmental and cultural sensitivities that must be heeded, such as inviting a kahu (Hawaiian priest) to bless the set before filming, and not disturbing heiau, which are historic places of worship dotted throughout the state in rainforests, near beaches, off dirt paths, on a hill, etc. If you are a visiting filmmaker who wants to make sure you aren't offending any Hawaiian customs, please call the Hawaii Film Office for advice at 808-586-2570.

>> Spielberg Production Sued Over Haircut [AP, 3/17/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Hawaii Newbies, Read This
>> Hawaii vs. Hawaiian
>> Culture Clash
>> 10 Things I Learned From Our First FilmHawaii Seminar
>> Lawyers Rake It In On Runaway Productions

Hawaii at SFIAAFF

Lane Nishikawa's "Only the Brave" starring Hawaii kama'aina Jason Scott Lee and Mark Dacascos

The 24th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF), the largest annual showcase of Asian and Asian American cinema in North America, began yesterday with "Americanese," the new film directed by part-Hawaii-raised Eric Byler. Earlier this week, the film picked up the audience award for best narrative feature and the jury award for outstanding ensemble cast at the SXSW Film Festival.

That's not the only Hawaii connection at SFIAAFF this year. Pearl City High School grad Jason Scott Lee will be participating on a panel called "Is Charlie Chan Dead? Asian American Men on Stage," about the "the politics of representing Asian American men, the experiences of actors themselves, the complicated history governing media portrayals, working in Hollywood versus independent productions, and the future of Asian American cinema."

Lee will also be around for the screening of "Only the Brave," a film directed by Lane Nishikawa in which he and fellow kama'aina Mark Dacascos star. "Only the Brave" is about WWII’s 100th Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team, which was the most decorated unit in U.S. military history and was made up entirely of Japanese Americans, many of whom were from Hawaii.

Finally, there will be a tribute screening of "Picture Bride" to posthumously honor director Kayo Hatta. "Picture Bride" remains the only independently produced film from Hawaii that got national distribution from a major studio (Miramax). The screening will be preceded by a memorial reception hosted by Hatta's friends and family, and there will be a special screening of some of her recent personal works.

>> 24th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival

RELATED POSTS:
>> Asian American Film Festivals
>> Cultural Insensitivity
>> Vote Daniel Dae Kim for Sexiest Man Alive
>> Morita Was Best Supporting Asian
>> Charlie Chan's "Number One" Granddaughter
>> Actors Get Reality Check
>> Jason Scott Lee Doesn't Flush
>> Hollywood Studio System is "Inherently Racist"

Diamond Head Crater Closure on 4/1

Diamond Head Crater will be closed to the public (that means closed to filming too) on Saturday, April 1, for the Diamond Head Crater Celebration. Did you know that the old WWII bunkers inside Diamond Head stand in for Iraqi military headquarters on ABC's "Lost"? Anyway, here's the official notice of the DH closure:

For Immediate Release: March 13, 2006

DIAMOND HEAD CRATER TO CLOSE FOR CONCERT ON APRIL 1, 2006

HONOLULU— The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) will close Diamond Head State Monument all day on Saturday, April 1, 2006, to the general public due to the Diamond Head Crater Celebration planned for that day.

Diamond Head State Monument will resume its regular hours, opening at 6 a.m., on Sunday, April 2, 2006.

For more information about the Diamond Head Crater Celebration please visit www.CraterCelebration.com.

For more information, contact:
Clifford Inn
DLNR Education and Outreach Coordinator
Phone: (808) 587-0407
Clifford.G.Inn@hawaii.gov

RELATED POSTS:
>> Hawaii as San Fran, NYC, UK, Oz, etc.
>> Hawaii Galore in Hollywood Reporter
>> Forbidden Shoot

Hawaii's Reel Stories: Hawaiian History on Film

Watch this:

Hawaii's Reel Stories: Hawaiian History on Film
Premieres Thursday, March 16 on OC16 at 8:30 PM

Also playing this week on:
Friday at 2 AM & 1 PM
Saturday at Noon
Sunday at 1 PM & 11:30 PM
Monday at 5 AM, 11 AM & 6 PM
Wednesday at 11AM & 4:30 PM

• "Then There Were None" - Actress Elizabeth Lindsey talks about going behind the camera for her film "Then There Were None," a personal history depicting how Western contact has impacted the Hawaiian people, newly released on DVD by Pacific Islanders in Communications.
• "First Shot"- The students of Hawaii Pacific University explore the secret submarine attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II.
• "Ku'u 'Aina Aloha: My Beloved Country" - Meleanna Aluli Meyer and Stephanie Castillo talk about producing their new documentary on the 1893 overthrow of Queen Lili'uokalani, filmed on all islands and co-produced by author Alice Walker and New Zealand director Merata Mita.
• "Kamehameha" - Nathan Kurosawa recalls the experience of shooting "Kamehameha" on the Big Island, where the great unifier of the Hawaiian Islands was born.

>> UPDATE: ‘Emotional wallop’ on film [Hnl Star Bulletin, 3/17/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> How Da Haoles Wen Stole Hawaii: The Film(s)
>> Documentary on Little Known Pearl Harbor Story
>> Hawaii's Reel Stories
>> Indigenous Pacific Storytelling
>> Hawaii Looks to New Zealand
>> Hawaii Film Panorama at LVHIFF
>> A Pictorial History of Hawaii
>> Hawaii vs. Hawaiian
>> Culture Clash

Dallas, Florida?

Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing on "Dallas," the popular CBS nighttime soap that put the Texas city on the map

"Shoot J.R. in Dallas" is what Dallas city officials are chanting in a bid to get the feature film version of the hit TV series to shoot in the city for which it's named. These officials argue that the film could generate $30 million for Dallas. But alas, there are no film incentives in Texas. So, while "Dallas" co-producer Michael Costigan said he'd prefer to shoot the whole film in Dallas, "It's now going to come down to really making the numbers work with our studio."

Louisiana, Florida, and Canada--places that do have film incentives--are trying to lure "Dallas" to their shores. Dallas Mayor Laura Miller said, "The thought of Dallas being made in Toronto is not a good idea." Maybe shooting "Dallas" in Canada will prompt Texas legislators to reconsider passing film incentives. That's exactly what happened in Illinois when "Chicago" shot in Canada, and in New York when "New York Minute" and "Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story" also shot in Canada. Now Illinois and New York boast healthy, revived local film industries.

>> 'Shoot J.R. in Dallas," city tells filmmakers [CBC, 3/14/06]
>> As Dallas stand-in, T.O. wears black hat [Globe & Mail, 3/14/06]
>> J.Lo Does "Dallas" (Maybe) [E!Online, 3/15/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Black Sand Beaches in Iceland
>> "Hawaii Five-O" in Fiji?!
>> Hey, Whatever's Cheapest
>> Our Loss is Their Gain
>> Beantown as Tinseltown

NYC: Victim of Its Own Success (Again)?

Anne Hathaway on the midtown Manhattan set of "The Devil Wears Prada" (Source: mediabistro)

There is no disputing that the state and city tax incentives for film that took effect in New York in 2004 did gangbusters for the city. According to an article in the New York Times today, the film and TV industry spurred 10,000 jobs last year and became the fastest-growing source of employment in NYC. NYC experienced overall job growth of 2% over last year, and that growth was led by a 6.7% jump in film and video production jobs and a 9.2% jump in radio and TV broadcasting jobs. The city estimates that of the 3 million private-sector jobs in NYC, 100,000 are in the city's $5 billion-per-year film and TV industry. Furthermore, since 2002, NYC production shooting days have more than doubled and 14 TV pilots were shot in 2005 versus one pilot in 2004.

But this runaway success (pun intended) is not without its caveat. The city had set aside $50 million and the state had set aside $125 million to dole out as tax credits for film. The city and state had planned to give out these credits over four and five years, respectively. But the tidal wave of productions that hit the city immediately after the incentives were passed has tapped all of the city's allotted $50M and most of the state's $125M--in just 13 months. We must remember, however, that while these are huge chunks of change, the increase in productions did create a slew of jobs and brought in new business and more money into NYC's economy--exactly how much is still being researched.

But the article offers one telling example of just how much that might be. Martin Scorsese's "The Departed," a set-in-Boston but shot-in-NYC remake of Hong Kong crime drama "Infernal Affairs," would have gone to Toronto if NY's tax incentives didn't exist. That production alone spent more than $23 million over 75 days in NYC, including $647,372 on hotels, $218,635 on car rentals and $11.8 million on wages to local workers.

State officials still very strongly support the incentives, and in fact are seeking to increase them, but some city officials are concerned about the city's treasury being tapped out. Critics complain that many of the credits are being paid out to productions that would continue to shoot in NYC anyway, with or without credits. These include long-running TV shows like "Law & Order" and "The Sopranos." To this, CEO of NBC Uni's TV group Jeff Zucker said, "First of all, the 'Law and Order' franchise single-handedly supported production in New York City when there was virtually no one else here. To penalize them because they were holding up their end of the bargain long before anyone else seems patently unfair. In addition, there is another state next door that is begging for the 'Law and Order' productions." Zucker is referring to the garden state (New Jersey), which has some new film incentives of its own to offer.

>> Bid to Lure Films Works So Well, It's Nearly Broke [NY Times, 3/14/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Tax Credits Bring Gigantic Film Studio to Queens
>> New York Rings Up the Old Year
>> States Cannibalizing States
>> Beantown as Tinseltown
>> Meanwhile in Gotham...

TAC Passes SB2570, HD1

The House Tourism & Culture Committee passed out SB2570 today as SB2570, HD1 (House Draft 1), with just a small technical amendment made. The bill now awaits a hearing by the House Finance Committee.

'Ohina Short Film Showcase

After a brief hiatus, the 'Ohina Short Film Showcase is coming back this year. The showcase presents a series of locally produced (or locally connected) short films at the Honolulu Academy of Arts' Doris Duke Theater. This year, it will take place on August 4-5.

The Showcase has just put out a call for entries for films under 30 minutes (preferably under 10 minutes). Entry fee is $10 and entry forms can be picked up at Blockbuster Video stores statewide. Deadline is Friday, June 2nd. For more info, call (808) 428-0100.

Are You Part of Hawaii's Creative Economy? Take This!

Hawaii's Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism's (DBEDT's) Arts, Film & Entertainment Division (AFED), of which the Hawaii Film Office is a part, is conducting a survey of local artisans, businesses, and organizations that fall within the industries that comprise Hawaii's Creative Economy. And what, pray tell, you ask, is the "Creative Economy"? Here's the definition DBEDT's PR guy Dave Young wrote on the official press release:

"The Creative Economy is defined as the economic activity of a broad spectrum of commercial businesses, individuals, cultural enterprises, nonprofit institutions and government agencies that directly or indirectly produce goods and/or provide services that are based on intellectual property rooted in, or generated by, artistry, design, aesthetic value or cultural enterprise. "

OK, so what does that mean?

• Film & Digital Media (television, film production, digital media, interactive media, game production, radio)
• Applied Arts (graphic design, architecture, industrial design, crafts, advertising, interior design, photography, culinary arts, Web design)
• Performing Arts (music, theater, dance)
• Visual Arts (painting, sculpture, galleries, auction houses)
• Literary Arts (writing, publishing)
• Heritage and preservation (museums, historic sites, heritage districts)
• Advocacy and Support (cultural councils, funders)
• Ethnic Cultural Activities (festivals, parades, cultural exchange)
• Arts Education

Why is this being done? DBEDT hopes to use the info to help develop Hawaii's Creative Economy by creating a network of arts-related businesses, organizations and people; identifying their needs and creating programs based on those needs; promoting public awareness of arts products and services; and gathering reliable data on the arts industry sectors.

Survey participants have been pre-determined and will received surveys in the mail soon, but if you work in one of the areas above and do not receive a survey, contact Jenine Dankovchik of SMS Research at (808) 440-0737 or toll free at 1-877-535-5767, or by email at jdankovchik@smshawaii.com.

>> DBEDT Surveys Hawaii's Creative Economy [DBEDT Press Release, 3/9/06]
>> DBEDT to survey 'creative economy' [Pacific Business News, 3/10/06]
>> How big is the creative industry? [Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 3/10/06]

"Lost" Officially Honored by State Legislature

"Lost" cast and crew flanked by Hawaii state senators

ABC's "Lost" was issued proclamations by Hawaii's House and Senate today in honor of their recent critical achievements and contributions to Hawaii. Each of the legislative bodies presented the proclamations to cast and crew in attendance at their respective floor presentations. "Lost" attendees included producer Jean Higgins, her assistant Kaleen Yamase, local publicist Kristin Jackson, and actors Harold and Brittany Perrineau. Below is the official press release on the event. And here is the House Resolution, HR62, that officially recognizes "Lost"'s accomplishments.

"Lost" was not the only locally based performing arts-related organization honored by the legislature today. Through HR61, the House also recognized the Castle Performing Arts Center, which was recently named one of the top after-school arts programs in the country, receiving the annual Coming Up Taller Award from the President's Committee on Arts and Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. That award--a plaque plus $10,000--was given by Laura Bush and choreographer Debbie Allen to acknowledge the stellar training the program provides in singing, dancing, and acting.

* * * * * * * * *
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
State of Hawaii

News Release
For Immediate Release
March 10, 2006

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

LEGISLATURE HONORS "LOST" TV SERIES

Honolulu. State lawmakers today honored the cast and crew of ABC Television's hit drama series, "LOST" on the floor of the House and Senate Chambers. Led by Representative Jon Riki Karamatsu, chair of the House Economic Development and Business Concerns committee, and Senator Carol Fukunaga, chair of the Senate Media, Arts, Science and Technology committee, the legislature congratulated the cast and crew of "LOST" for winning the Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards for outstanding drama series on television.

"LOST" tells the interpersonal stories of plane crash survivors deserted on a tropical island and has established a huge worldwide following. The production has been able to film in Hawaii by utilizing tax credits for digital media production established by the legislature in Act 221 and Act 215.

"In addition to the talented actors on the series, the producers have taken great care and sensitivity to showcase the island of Oahu as a principal 'player,' giving Hawaii and our people a gracious acknowledgement whenever they have won an award for their series," said Rep. Karamatsu in his floor remarks.

Productions like "LOST" would also benefit from two bills advancing at the legislature regarding tax breaks for the digital media industry: House Bill 3080, House Draft 1, and Senate Bill 2570, Senate Draft 2. The bills provide 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 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.

Film and digital media has been a significant factor in the growth of tourism and Hawaii's overall economy. This industry brought in an estimated $100 million in gross revenues in 2005, and an estimated $13 million in direct and indirect taxes. More than 600 productions per year film in Hawaii, including major motion pictures, television series such as the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning "LOST", documentaries and commercials. Companies from all over the world have brought their productions to Hawaii, and each time their projects are shown or exhibited, Hawaii is prominently showcased to audiences.

###

RELATED POSTS:
>> "Lost" Wins Best Drama Golden Globe
>> "Lost" Cast Nabs SAG Award for Best Ensemble
>> AZN TV's "2006 Asian Excellence Awards"
>> Naveen & DDK: Best Male Entertainers of 2005
>> Big Emmy Wins for "Lost"

TAC Hearing on SB2570, SD2 on Tuesday

Announcing the House TAC hearing on SB2570, SD2 (15-20% refundable production tax credit):

Date: Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Time: 9:30am
Place: Conference Room 325, State Capitol, 415 S. Beretania St.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR TESTIMONY:
By Monday, 3 /13 at 9:30 am, submit your testimony using only one of the following methods:

1. Hand deliver 35 copies to the TAC committee vice chair's office in Room 442, State Capitol or to the House Sergeant-at-Arms Testimony Drop-Off Box in the Turnaround Ares of the Capitol Basement Parking Lot.

2. Fax (if less than 5 pages) 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: TAC committee clerk, Rm 442
* Hearing Date/Time: Friday, 2/3, 8:45am
* Required Copies for Submission: 35

See the full hearing notice. For more information, please call the TAC committee clerk at 586-6120.

State Tax Credits on Trial in Supreme Court

Last Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for and against state-sponsored corporate tax incentives in DaimlerChrysler v. Cuno and companion case Wilkins v. Cuno, in which the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled that Ohio's $280-million tax credit (including an investment tax credit from the state and a 10-year local property tax exemption) to DaimlerChrysler for building a Jeep plant in Toledo was unconstitutional. Specifically, the federal appeals court said that the credit violates the Constitution's Commerce Clause which allows Congress to regulate interstate commerce to ensure free trade.

The case began when longtime consumer activist and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader teamed up with Northeastern law professor Peter Enrich to recruit Toledo taxpayers to challenge Ohio's DaimlerChrysler credit on the grounds that suchs tax credits breed interstate bidding wars to capture corporate investment.

After the 6th Circuit ruling, DaimlerChrysler appealed the case to the Supreme Court. The company's lawyer, Theodore Olson, argued to the high court last week that tax incentives are key in developing depressed areas and are crucial in competing with foreign countries.

Reporters who covered the oral arguments got the sense that the Supreme Court was skeptical of the lawsuits against the tax credit, particularly harping on the question of whether the Ohio taxpayers had grounds to sue. Typically, to file suit agains the government, citizens have to show that specific harm is being done to them, and while the Ohio taxpayers argued that the lost tax revenue has been detrimental to public schools and services in Toledo, comments by several of the justices indicated that this was not a sufficient argument to prove specific harm.

The final judgment on these cases are expected in June. If the Supreme Court upholds the 6th Circuit ruling deeming Ohio's DaimlerChrysler tax credit unconstitutional, the decision would have serious implications for all of the states that offer some kind of corporate tax credit--that would be all fifty states, including Hawaii.

>> Ohio tax incentives on trial [Scripps Howard via Cincinnati Post, 2/25/06]
>> Court considers Ohio tax credit for Jeep plant [Reuters, 3/1/06]
>> Top court skeptical of tax credit lawsuits [Gannett via USA Today, 3/1/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Read His Lips: No New Tax Credits!
>> Everyone Else Is Doing It...
>> States Cannibalizing States
>> Film Incentives That Aren't Tax Credits
>> Hawaii's Tax Incentives for Film & TV

Hawaii Music in Movies and Media

Between Jack Johnson being commissioned to compose the score for recently released kid flick "Curious George," the Hawaiian Music Grammy category being added last year, and Iz's "Over the Rainbow" becoming ever more ubiquitous, there is ample evidence that music from Hawaii is infiltrating mass media.

The Mountain Apple Company, the label that distributes Iz's sweet lilting version of the song written for 1939's "The Wizard of Oz," has been overwhelmed with requests from TV commercials, TV shows, educational videos, and other forms of media to license the song. Mountain Apple's VP of Marketing told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, "If you read Billboard magazine, it will tell you that TV is the new radio for music. That's where people are breaking records. As the (radio) play lists get shorter and shorter, a lot of records are breaking on TV." Early iconic uses of the song include eToys commercials and the "ER" episode in which Dr. Greene dies after making one last trip to Hawaii.

Jack Johnson uses less traditional Hawaiian instrumentation, but infuses his music with a folksy surfer vibe that connotes Oahu's North Shore, where he grew up. Some of his "Curious George" music was done with the help of pals including Hawaiian musician Kawika Kahiapo. The album also includes a kids' song--"reduce, reuse, recycle"--with a theme near and dear to Hawaii.

>> Nine years after Israel Kamakawiwoole's death, advertisers across the globe are lining up for his song "Over the Rainbow" [Star-Bulletin, 3/5/06]
>> Positive Jack suits 'Curious George' [Star-Bulletin, 2/7/06]
>> 'Masters' of the Grammy [Star-Bulletin, 2/9/06]

RELATED POST:
>> Kokua for Katrina Concert

Read His Lips: No New Tax Credits!

Tax incentive opponent No. 1 Lowell Kalapa published a commentary in the Hawaii Reporter today that argues against the proposed 15-20% film/TV production tax credit currently before the legislature. Kalapa, president of the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, a private, non-profit educational organization, has been the only person over the past few years (yes, several iterations of this proposed credit have been before the legislature before) who has come out publicly and on record against the proposed credit.

In his commentary, Kalapa questions the give-back Hawaii residents will get from producers who take advantage of the credit. I should note that there is a provision in the current proposed bills (HB3080, HD1 and SB2570, SD2) before the legislature that requires production companies wanting to claim the credit to contribute (monetarily or in kind) towards education and workforce development in Hawaii. Also, Kalapa says that "["Lost"] has been successful without any state subsidy." Although I disagree with his word choice (the word "subsidy" is loaded), it has been reported in the press that "Lost" actually has partaken of Hawaii's tax incentives--namely, our investment tax credit or "Act 221." You can read more about that here and here.

>> Entertainment Industry Big Winner With Proposed Hawaii Legislation [Hawaii Reporter, 3/6/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Tax Incentives Suck...Who Said That?
>> Act 221 = $108M So Far
>> Why Film Tax Incentives?
>> Everyone Else Is Doing It...
>> Film Incentives That Aren't Tax Credits

Independent Spirit Award Winners

Enough about the "Crash" upset at the Oscars already! Here's who won the "indie" (not "Indiewood") Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday:

John Cassavetes Award (for best feature made for under $500K)
* Conventioneers, directed by Mora Stephens and produced by Joel Viertel
>> I can't recall them ever showing this award in the rebroadcast before this year, but Mora and Joel got to go up on stage and accept their award in front of viewers at home. My favorite line in Mora's speech: "Making independent films is pretty f*ckin' hard."

The emerging filmmaker awards with $25K grants attached to each were unfortunately not shown in the AMC rebroacast, so here are the winners:

Someone to Watch Award
* Ian Gamazon and Neill Dela Llana, director of Cavite
>> Prior to winning this award, these guys won a few film fest awards including the Golden Maile award for best feature film at the Hawaii Int'l Film Fest.

Truer Than Fiction Award
* Garrett Scott & Ian Olds for Occupation: Dreamland
>> Winning was bittersweet for co-director Ian Olds, whose directing partner Garrett Scott died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 37 on March 2, just two days before they won this award.

Producers Award
* Caroline Baron, producer of Capote and Monsoon Wedding
>> Baron followed up 2001's Indian wedding romance dramedy Monsoon Wedding directed by Mira Nair with critically acclaimed biopic Capote.

>> "Brokeback," "Capote," "Crash," "Transamerica" Honored With Spirit Awards [IndieWIRE, 3/4/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Don't Forget the Independent Spirit Awards
>> LVHIFF Report: Politics, Identity and Otherwise
>> LVHIFF Report: Film Good, Video Bad
>> The Meaning of "Independent"
>> U.S. Indies at LVHIFF

Canada Back in Business

"Brokeback Mountain" is in Alberta, Canada, not Wyoming (Photo: Focus Features)

After a multi-year slump, the Canadian film industry is booming again thanks to improved provincial tax incentives and the desire of American productions to go back to using tried-and-true professional crews and resources. Canada had been saying buh-bye to film productions because of the strong Canadian dollar and growing competition from other jurisdictions including newly incentive-rich U.S. states like Louisiana, New York, and New Mexico. But the industry is now on a major rebound thanks to productions like "Brokeback Mountain," "Capote," and "X-Men 3." More after the jumps.

>> Movie makers rolling back into Canada [Globe & Mail, 3/3/06]
>> Canuck investors join film actors and crews in benefiting from Oscar hopefuls [Brandon Sun, 3/2/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Hey, Whatever's Cheapest
>> Indies in Hollywood's Wake
>> "Hawaii Five-O" in Fiji?!
>> Europe on the Cheap
>> Romania: Hollywood (Way) East
>> Doom & Gloom for L.A. Film Industry

Filming OK at Ahu O Laka (With Permission)

SB2004, a bill that seeks to establish Ahu O Laka (also known as the Kaneohe Sandbar) as a state monument, had originally included a provision to bar commercial activities (including filming) there. However, the latest version of the bill--SB2004, SD1, passed out by the Senate Water, Land & Agriculture committee yesterday--does not mention filming specifically as a forbidden activity. Those seeking to film at Ahu O Laka would have to go through the standard film permit application process with the Hawaii Film Office. Our office helps ensure that regulations will be followed and Hawaii's delicate natural resources will be protected. Because of the particular sacredness and sensitivity of Ahu O Laka, the Film Office will apply an extra measure of scrutiny to productions seeking to film there.

FIN Passes HB3080, HD1

Almost at the half-way mark...

The House Finance committee (FIN) passed the House version of the 15-20% production tax credit bill last night. FIN made some amendments to HB3080, so it will now be known as HB3080, HD1. Will link to that latest draft on the right nav bar as soon as it's posted.

House floor votes on HB3080, HD1 and HB2421, HD2 (20% investment tax credit buy-back bill) will happen early next week, and then cross over to the Senate.

Don't Forget the Independent Spirit Awards

The brothers Duplass of "The Puffy Chair": Mark wrote and acted, Jay wrote and directed, both produced

The Oscars are right around the corner. That means so are the Independent Spirit Awards, which always takes place the Saturday before the Oscars. In addition to the usual acting, directing, writing, and cinematography awards, the Spirit Awards has 5 "best film" categories:

Best Feature Film
* Brokeback Mountain (now playing at various local theaters)
* Capote
* Good Night and Good Luck
* The Squid and the Whale (screened at HIFF in October)
* The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

Best First Feature
* Crash
* Lackawanna Blues
* Me and You and Everyone We Know
* Thumbsucker
* Transamerica (now playing at the Varsity Theater)

John Cassavetes Award
(for best feature made for under $500K)
* Brick
* Conventioneers (screened at HIFF in October) [Hooray Mora and Joel!]
* Jellysmoke
* The Puffy Chair [Go Duplasses!]
* Room

Best Documentary
* Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
* Grizzly Man
* La Sierra
* Romantico (screened at HIFF in October)
* Sir! No Sir!

Best Foreign Film
* The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
* Duck Season
* Head-On
* Paradise Now (screened at HIFF in October)
* Tony Takitani (Haruki Murakami was inspired to write this story by an old campaign t-shirt of Tony Takitani, a former state lawmaker.)

The Spirit Awards also has the following awards for emerging filmmakers, each attached to a $25,000 unrestricted grant:

Someone to Watch Award
* Ian Gamazon and Neill Dela Llana, director of Cavite (screened at HIFF in October)
* Robinson Devor, director of Police Beat
* Jay Duplass, director of The Puffy Chair

Truer Than Fiction Award
* Rachel Boynton for Our Brand is Crisis
* Garrett Scott & Ian Olds for Occupation: Dreamland
* Mark Becker for Romántico (screened at HIFF in October)
* Thomas Allen Harris for Twelve Disciples of Nelson Mandela

Producers Award
* Caroline Baron, producer of Capote and Monsoon Wedding
* Ram Bergman, producer of Brick and Conversations with Other Women
* Mike S. Ryan, producer of Junebug and Palindromes

The ceremony takes place this Saturday, March 4 at 2pm EST (5pm EST), and will air live on the Independent Film Channel (IFC), which is usually only available on pricey digital cable (how ironic considering that it's poor indie filmmakers who are most interested in watching it!). An edited version will be rebroadcast on AMC that same night at 10pm EST/PST. Unfortunately, the rebroadcast often favors the beautiful famous folks and edits out the awards given to unknowns that truly embody the independent spirit--the John Cassavetes Award and the 3 emerging filmmaker / cash grant awards.

>> Independent Spirit Awards (official site)

RELATED POSTS:
>> The Meaning of "Independent"
>> U.S. Indies at LVHIFF
>> Indies in Hollywood's Wake
>> IFP Hawaii?
>> Filmmaker Magazine: "25 New Faces of Indie Film"