We're the Gov's "Department of the Week"!

Hawaii Film Office staff, old and new: (standing:) Kevin Inouye, former film commissioner Georgette Deemer, former film industry specialist Sharon Clark, Donne Dawson, Sandi Ichihara, Brent Anbe, (seated:) Mynette Louie, and Chuckie Kwak [Not pictured: Tammy Hasegawa]

Governor Linda Lingle's office named DBEDT's Hawaii Film Office (that's us) the "Department of the Week" in her weekly E-Newsletter:

Governor Lingle joined the Hawai`i Film Office at a blessing and dedication ceremony for two newly constructed buildings at the Hawai`i Film Studio. The $7.3 million renovation project, which was completed this month, included new production offices and a technical building.

As part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration's commitment to building a viable film industry, the Governor recently signed legislation to increase economic incentives for new film productions in Hawai`i. Starting July 1, the state will offer a 15 percent refundable tax credit for production on O`ahu and 20 percent on neighbor islands - a significant increase from the current 4 percent.

The Hawai`i Film Office, led by film commissioner Donne Dawson, manages the Hawai`i Film Studio and is the central coordinator for film and photographic use of state-administered parks, beaches, highways, and facilities. The office works closely with state agencies to assist filmmakers with acquiring film permits, and if necessary, directs them to the appropriate county and federal agencies. The office also provides location and production resource information to filmmakers, promotes Hawai`i as a filming destination and develops the local film and television industry in the islands.

>> Governor's E-Newsletter, June 23-30, 2006

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"Lost" Restores Landscape It Had Trampled

Yesterday, over 30 volunteers helped to replenish the greenery around Kapena Falls in Nuuanu. The sacred area had suffered from erosion and damage due to the recent wet weather and to ABC's "Lost" filming there. "Lost" donated 425 native and Polynesian-introduced plants and a new irrigation system. Some crew members were on hand yesterday to help re-plant the barren patches of land.

The Honolulu Advertiser reported that Jim Triplett, "Lost"'s location manager and a longtime Hawaii resident said, "We give back and leave the area better than we found it," and added that it's important for the show to restore any location it uses if it wants to keep filming around town.

Kapena Falls had gained notoriety several years ago when "The Rundown" starring The Rock filmed a stunt scene there (the one in which the jeep goes flying off the falls). After that, a community group called the Friends of Kapena Falls was founded to protect the sacred area where ancient Hawaiian kings and queens would bathe, and which still boasts rocks adorning ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs.

>> Restoration of falls ensures beauty isn't lost [Hnl Advertiser, 6/30/06]
>> Helping hands [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 6/30/06]
>> 'Lost' Crew Gives Back to Landscape [KGMB, 6/29/06]

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Governor Lingle's Radio Address on Film Industry

Governor Linda Lingle's weekly radio address this week was on Hawaii's film industry. You can listen to it here, or read the transcript below:

Hawai`i has long been a favorite location for film and television. From "South Pacific" and "Jurassic Park," to "Hawaii 5-0," "Magnum P.I.," and "Lost," our Islands have captivated audiences for decades. To help Hawai`i's film industry remain competitive, I recently signed a law to increase economic incentives for new film production in Hawai`i. Starting July 1, the state will offer a 15 percent refundable tax credit for production on O`ahu and 20 percent on the neighbor islands. This is a significant increase from the current 4 percent. Last year, film projects spent $100 million in the state, creating hundreds of jobs and generating $115 million in wages, $160 million in secondary spending, and invaluable exposure. We have also completed a $7.3 million renovation of the Hawai`i Film Studio at Diamond Head. These initiatives represent Hawai`i's strong commitment to building a viable film industry, and will help keep our economic momentum moving forward.

>> Governor's E-Newsletter, June 17-23, 2006

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TV Special on 100 Years of Filipinos in Hawaii

Last night, local station KHON2 aired the first part of Emme Tomimbang's "Mabuhay with Aloha — The Hawaii Filipino Experience 1906-2006," a TV special commemorating the 100th anniversary of Filipinos in Hawaii (which is also, incidentally, the 100th anniversary of Filipinos in the U.S.). Part I included coverage of the 1924 Hanapepe Massacre, during which 16 Filipino sugar plantation workers on Kauai were shot dead by police at the end of a long strike. You can catch Part II of the special tonight at 9pm on KHON2 (sorry for posting this so late).

>> Emme focuses on Filipino centennial [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 6/27/06]
>> Remembering the massacre [Hnl Advertiser, 6/28/06]
>> 100 Years of Filipinos in Hawaii: A Chronology [Hnl Advertiser]
>> Filipino Centennial Celebration
>> Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program: The Filipino American Story

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Film Studio Renovation Blessing

Governor Linda Lingle gives special recognition to longtime Film Studio Facilities Manager Tammy Hasegawa as State Film Commissioner Donne Dawson looks on

On Friday, 6/23, government officials, legislators, and members of the local film industry came together to celebrate the completion of the Hawaii Film Studio capital improvement project. This much-needed renovation resulted in the completion of two new buildings, a production office building and technical building which houses a construction mill and set dressing storage.

We also celebrated the passage of Act 88 last month which established a 15% refundable production tax credit on Oahu and 20% on the neighbor islands. This new credit takes effect July 1, 2006--that's this Saturday!

Here are some photos from the event. And here's the program.

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"Superman"'s Hawaii Connection

Director Bryan Singer is flanked by UH interns Matt Ortiz, Chrystal Jameson, Penrod-Ronson Akina, and Nelson Quan on the set of "Superman Returns" [Photo: David James/Nelson Quan]

Most people know that "Superman Returns" will hit theaters this week, but most people don't know that the film has a strong Hawaii connection. The producer of the $200-million blockbuster is none other than local boy Chris Lee, founder of UH's Academy for Creative Media (ACM) and former production prez at Columbia/Tri-Star. Lee brought Hawaii with him to the film's Australia set in the form of four ACM interns--Penrod-Ronson Akina, Chrystal Jameson, Matt Ortiz and Nelson Quan--who got to experience what it's like to work on a huge Hollywood flick.

>> Doing a Super job [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 6/25/06]

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Wai'anae High's Searider Producions Wins Student Emmy

Congrats to Wai'anae High School's Searider Productions for nabbing the Student Emmy Award in the sports category late last month. Their winning production, “A Paddle Through Time,” looks at paddling not only as a high school sport, but as part of a cultural identity and tradition past down through generations. The documentary was one of only seven student productions that were given a National Student Award for Excellence (commonly known as a "Student Emmy") by The Foundation of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

>> "National Student Awards for Excellence" Spolight Diverse High School Productions [Press Release, National Academy of Television Arts & Science, 5/31/06]

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Starwood Hawaii Markets Through Short Films

Remember those BMW short films from like half a decade ago directed by the likes of Ang Lee, Wong Kar-Wai, Guy Ritchie, and Alejandro González Iñárritu, among other auteurs? Well, Starwood Hotels in Hawaii has decided to use a similar tactic of marketing its properties through narrative short films. Interesting, huh? Kinda... See for yourself at Starwood Hawaii Movies.

>> Starwood Hotels taking New Approach to Marketing in Hawaii [KHNL, 6/20/06]
>> Mini-films mark new marketing model for Milici Valenti [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 6/20/06]

Success for Free TV on ABC.com

Disney's little Internet distribution experiment has apparently worked very well. Last month, the company offered viewers the latest episodes of four of its hit ABC shows--including Hawaii's own "Lost"--for free on ABC.com. The only catch was having to sit through some short Flash-based commercials. The shows were viewed 11 million times collectively in the first month they were offered.

>> Disney says ABC free web TV a hit with consumers [Reuters, 6/19/06]

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Upcoming Educational Films

Charlie Chan: Just one of film's many slanted depictions of Asian American men

Here's a trio of upcoming documentary screenings that you shouldn't miss:

• "The Slanted Screen," a one-hour documentary by Jeff Adachi, weaves together rare film clips from the ‘20s to the present with interviews to show how Asian American men have been portrayed in film and television.
  >> Part of the Documentary Film Showcase at the Asian American Journalists Association Annual Convention. Free & open to the public.
  WHEN: Sat, 6/24/06, 12-3pm
  WHERE: Sheraton Waikiki's O'ahu/Walalua Rooms
• “An Untold Triumph,”an 85-minute documentary narrated by actor Lou Diamond Phillips, tells the story of the more than 7,000 Filipino immigrants and sons of immigrants who demanded for the right to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II, despite being classified as immigrant aliens during a time of strong anti-Asian sentiment.
  WHEN/WHERE: Same as above.
• "Honolulu: 100 Years in the Making," a look at the last century of Honolulu's history, with current residents sharing their viewpoints accompanied by remarkable historical footage.
  WHEN: Mon, 6/26/06, 7pm
  WHERE: On TV (KGMB-9)

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"Flight 29 Down" Spreading Globally

Discovery Kids' successful made-in-Hawaii series, "Flight 29 Down," is spreading to distant shores. Its US distributor, Showcase Entertainment, just signed a bunch of distribution deals with TV stations in Denmark, Norway, and the Baltics, adding to the foreign distribution it already had in Australia, Sweden, and Ireland. The teen-targeted show (a mini "Lost" of sorts), co-produced by local production outfit Hawaii Film Partners with Discovery Kids, recently wrapped its second season on Oahu.

>> Sales take off for Flight 29 Down [C21 Media, 6/14/06]

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Affleck as Selleck?

Rumor has it Ben Affleck's name is now being tossed around to play the lead in the "Magnum P.I." feature film that's been in development for a while. Previous rumor and innuendo re: Magnum casting included George Clooney (who was also linked to "Hawaii Five-O," another Hawaii-related feature film that's been in development hell) and even Tom Selleck himself. OK, so this is hardly newsworthy, so sue me.

>> Daredevil gets a Magnum? [Moviehole.net, 6/14/06]

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Roger Corman Filming on Kauai

Sorry for the old news bit, but this story came out when I was on vacation. Anyhoo, king of the B-horrors Roger Corman is shooting a SciFi channel film on Kauai right now. The film stars Kelly McGillis and is about a failed genetic experiment.

>> Sci-fi movie to film on Kaua'i [Hnl Advertiser, 5/17/06]

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Film Makes Bush an Environmentalist!

The colorful Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (Source: Tom Ordway, Ocean Futures Society)

President George W. Bush got Gore-ish yesterday when he announced his decision to confer national monument status on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. This remote group of islands and reefs hosts precious natural resources, including 7,000 species of marine and terrestrial life.

It was apparent from Bush's speech that a documentary film, "Voyage to Kure" by Jean-Michel Cousteau (and shot by Hawaii's own Paul Atkins), had greatly influenced his decision: "I want to thank Jean-Michel Cousteau for joining us....He's made a really important movie that I hope people will watch about the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. I think the American people will understand better about why I made the decision I made when they see the movie that Jean-Michel has produced."

See, film is not all frivolity and flightiness!

>> Text of President's monument statement [Hnl Advertiser, 6/15/06]
>> Bush to create huge isle monument [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 6/15/06]
>> Bush establishes Northwestern Islands monument [Hnl Advertiser, 6/15/06]
>> President Bush Announces World’s Largest Marine Sanctuary [Outside Online, 6/15/06]
>> Ocean adventure [Hnl Advertiser, 4/3/06]

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Our Own Miss Universe Promotes Asian Network

Former Miss Universe and local girl Brook Lee has been named Director of Development at ImaginAsian TV, the NYC-based all-Asian/Asian American, all-the-time cable network. She was in town recently promoting the network as well as a new book to which she contributed, "Universal Beauty: The Miss Universe Guide to Beauty."

>> Busy Brook Lee helps build new Asian TV network [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 6/13/06]

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Another Article About Film Studio

Here's the Advertiser's article on the renovation of the Hawaii Film Studio (which my office manages). Nothing new to report...$7.3 million renovation just pau...two new buildings...studio has a long history starting with "Hawaii Five-O," etc.

>> $7.3 million film studio renovation complete [Hnl Advertiser, 6/14/06]

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Oscar-Nominated Shorts Screening Locally

John Canemaker and Peggy Stern's "The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation."

The Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Academy of Arts is hosting several screenings of the 5 live action and 5 animated short films nominated for an Oscar this year, including winners "Six Shooter" and "The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation." Remaining showtimes are:

Wed, 6/14 @ 7:30pm
Thurs, 6/15 @ 1 and 7:30pm
Fri, 6/16 @ 1 and 7:30pm
Sat, 6/17 @ 1 and 7:30pm

>> Feel like an Oscar buff [Hnl Advertiser, 6/13/06]

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Services for Neil Waikiki, IATSE Electrician

Hawaii's film community mourns the recent passing of IATSE Local 665 electrician, Neil Waikiki, 66, who worked on made-in-Hawaii films such as "Six Days, Seven Nights," and "Tears of the Sun."

Visitation is on Friday, 6-9pm at Borthwick Mortuary, with service at 7 pm. There will also be visitation on Satuday, 9am-1pm, with service at 11 am and cremation to follow.

>> Obituary: Neil Waikiki [Hnl Advertiser, 6/12/06]

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Come on Down! (You Know You Want To)

Where are we? The possibilities are endless at Maui's Haleakala National Park.

The Hollywood Reporter gave Hawaii some nice coverage yesterday, focusing primarily on our new 15-20% refundable production tax credit for films, television and digital media projects, and commercials. Read more about it below. Or better yet, stop reading and come here and shoot already!

>> Production: Hawaii [The Hollywood Reporter, 6/6/06]

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Maui Film Fest Starts Next Week

The Maui Film Festival, Hawaii's most glam film fest, starts next week on June 14th, and runs through June 18th. This year's honorees (/celebs to gawk at) include Patricia Clarkson, Jessica Biel, and Joan Allen. More info after the jump.

>> Maui Film Festival [The Hollywood Reporter, 6/6/06]
>> UPDATE: Awards, films begin today [Hnl Advertiser, 6/14/06]

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Microbudget Film About Ice on Molokai

There's been a wee bit of buzz about a potential microbudget feature film set in Molokai about the ice epidemic. Daniel Zirilli, a veteran director of music videos, would be at the helm.

>> Glass [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 6/7/06]

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More Naysaying About Tax Credits

I don't really know why I'm bothering, but in the interest of being "fair and impartial," here's a commentary by none other than Lowell Kalapa about why he doesn't like the new 15-20% production tax credit, or any other tax credit for that matter.

>> Hawaii's Motion Picture Industry Should Not Be Subsidized by Taxpayers [Hawaii Reporter, 6/5/06]

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Escape from L.A.: The Pilot Edition

Erika Christensen and Hope Davis star in J.J. Abrams' new TV pilot, "Six Degrees," which was shot in NYC

Yes, yes, television may be for hacks, but the good shows do often stick around for years and provide a modicum of job and economic stability in an unstable industry. That's why L.A. is hurtin' from the recent flight of TV pilots away from its smoggy shores. Thanks to a lack of tax incentives, TV pilot production in Los Angeles dropped 23% from 2005, eliminating 1,000 jobs and $70 million from the local economy.

During pilot season 2006 (Feb-May), 81 pilots were shot in L.A., representing 68% of all pilots shot. This is a drastic fall from last year, during which 105 pilots--85% of all pilots--were shot in L.A.

Where did all the pilots go? To the 25 other states (not to mention other countries) with tax incentives, the most popular breing New York--NYC to be exact--which hosted 11 pilots. Canada tied with NY on 11 pilots, and Washington, DC came in second with 3 pilots.

>> TV pilot flight hits job market [L.A. Daily News, 6/2/06]

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Local Talent on "Beyond the Break"

Check out this Honolulu Advertiser article on "Beyond the Break," which premieres today on The N network. The article highlights two new homegrown acting talents, Sonya Balmores and Jason Tam. If you don't subscribe to The N, you can watch the show here: the-n.com

>> 'Beyond the Break' splashes in on TV [Hnl Advertiser, 6/2/06]

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Amateur Documentarian Highlights Homeless Problem

The beautiful Wai'anae coast

Concerned with the homeless shanties riddling the beaches of Wai'anae on Oahu's West coast, first-time filmmaker Denise Saylors picked up a camera and interviewed Wai'anae residents about the growing problem of homelessness in their neck of the woods.

Saylor says of her film, "This documentary is not meant to be a condemnation of homelessness nor of the Wai'anae Coast. But it is meant to illuminate some of the harsh realities of homelessness, the consequences that communities, cities, counties, states, all of us suffer by trying to turn our backs on homelessness, by trying to pretend it doesn't exist."

You can catch her film, "This is Paradise?" on public access station 'Olelo Channel 54 this month:
Tues, June 20: 10pm
Fri, June 23: 6pm
Sat, June 24: 3pm
Mon, June 26: 9am

>> Hope, fear and honesty in Wai'anae [Hnl Advertiser, 5/28/06]
>> Filmmaker Captures Frustration Over Homeless on Beaches [KHON, 5/31/06]
UPDATE: Filmmaker turns lens on homeless in Wai'anae [Hnl Advertiser, 6/23/06]

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It's a Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff World

Here's one for the 4 million people who watch A&E's "Dog: The Bounty Hunter" each week: check out David K. Choo's cover story in this month's Hawaii Business Magazine, "Dog, Inc." And see what the mag's editor has to say about "Dog," and its place in Hawaii's film industry: "Best in Show."

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