How Act 88 Will Help Maui

Maui's breathtaking Haleakala Crater

In Monday's Maui News, Maui Film Commissioner Benita Brazier wrote an editorial about the value of Act 88, Hawaii's new 15-20% refundable production tax credit, to Maui County, which includes the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai.

She talks about how Maui specializes in being a boutique location for commercials and smaller projects that "may not offer the media attention, recognizable names and megabudgets of major features" but "have made a difference for Maui County’s economy...generate a continuous stream of employment for local workers in the area of film and, by and large, have a minimal impact on the community." Maui County has hosted over 200 productions in the past four years, including HGTV, Discovery, and Travel Channel shows; MTV reality pilots; Bravo and BBC documentaries; and numerous still photography projects.

Maui's status as a premier location for commercials has dwindled in recent years due to competition from cheaper locales elsewhere. However, with the passage of Act 88, commercials (and other TV and film projects) will qualify for a 20% refundable tax credit on Maui and the other neighbor islands. The challenges now, Brazier says, will be to train more Maui County residents to work on productions, and to provide affordable accommodations and adequate soundstage space to prolong a production's stay on Maui.

>> VIEWPOINT: Act 88 allows county to compete more effectively for film business [Maui News, 7/17/06]

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