Hm 2 15 web by Media Index Publishing Group

Cameron Crowe’s

A L O H A Hits Theaters

-XUDVVLF :RUOG the park is open...

Also: Spotlight On Inside Maui Film Festival

VALLEY ISLE

Big Island Production Heats Up Makani Kai Pilots The Five-0 Team hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 1

“We focus on you.” Providing award-winning talent and models for fashion and editorial print, commercial print, industrial ﬁlms, feature ﬁlms, commercials, video presentations, voice-overs and live performances. Working with top international clients, we pride ourselves on personal and professional service. Hawaii With Focus Magazine: www.hawaiiwithfocus.com Focus On Aloha Productions LLC: Now Casting New Reality Show: A journey that will lead 12 participants into a life changing transformation of their inner/outer self - ”Focus Within”

808 On Stage Productions - ”Tribal Motion” Stage & Runway ShowHighlighting Exotic Runway Models, Tribal Dancers, Cirque Performers, and Musicians from around the Islands.

Casting Highlights Include: Maui Above and Below-Emmy Award Winning TV Pilot Phone: 808-326-1108 • 808-323-3333 • swan@focushawaii.com • www.focushawaii.com

2 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 3

CONTENTS [[[ LE[EMM½PQERHZMHIS GSQ [[[ LE[EMM½PQ GSQ PUBLISHER

James Baker

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Katie Sauro ksauro@media-inc.com SALES MANAGER

Katie Higgins

SALES EXECUTIVES

Eric Iles

PRODUCTION MANAGER

John Rusnak DESIGNERS

Lisa Ball, Sonjia Kells, Sam Rockwell, Liz Weickum WEBMASTER

Jon Hines

OFFICE MANAGER/ACCOUNTING

Audra Higgins

In addition to stunning backdrops, Maui has experienced crew, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and every production service imaginable.

7 Aloha Comes to the Silver Screen 13 Trending in Hawaii: The Local Art Department

31 Maui Film Industries: Your On-Island Production Concierge 33 Maui Company Wins Pele Award

15 Makani Kai: Piloting the Five-0 Team

35 Things are Heating Up on the Big Island

17 The Film-Friendly Valley Isle

39 Jurassic World: Park Opens June 12

21 Coming Attractions: Maui Film Festival

42 A Taste Test with Sweet Marie’s

27 Local Maui Production Wins the Day in GMO Political Effort... Broadcast Outlets Win Even Bigger

4 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

CORRECTION In the last issue of Hawaii Film & Video Magazine, Angela Tillson should have been given a photo credit for her shots of a recent Sports Illustrated shoot on Kauai. The photos appeared on pages 24, 33 and 34. HF&VM regrets the error.

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER

Lois Sanborn

ON THE COVER

MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP (800) 332-1736 media@media-inc.com

Display Advertising: Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Subscriptions, call (800) 3321736 for information and rates. Copyright © 2015 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be used for solicitation or copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. PRINTED IN THE USA.

6 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

Aloha Comes to the Silver Screen Hawaii crewmembers discuss the long-awaited Cameron Crowe feature

Bradley Cooper and Alec Baldwin in a scene from Aloha.

fter several false starts over the course of the last few years, the much-anticipated Cameron Crowe ﬁlm, Aloha, is ﬁnally hitting theaters on May 29.

Formerly known as Deep Tiki—and before that Volcano Romance, and before that Untitled Cameron Crowe Project—Aloha hit several snags since the story was ﬁrst introduced in 2008, with stars dropping

out due to scheduling conflicts and several rounds of rewrites. But in 2013, the production filmed on Oahu for three months with stars Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone and Rachel McAdams, and Aloha is now sailing into theaters. Hawaii Film & Video spoke to a few of the local crewmembers who worked on the production to find out more. Randy Spangler was the Hawaii location manager on the film, working with supervising location manager John Panzarella. Spangler says that Aloha was “a unique production, and likewise my exhawaiifilmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 7

periences on the show were unique.” “Meeting and working with Cameron Crowe, writer/producer/director, was a humbling experience,” he says. “Cameron is a gentleman. He cares about his project, and he cares about how and where he films his project. He cares about the people he meets and works with, and because of this he has an experienced creative team that he likes to work with. Part of this team is Clay Griffith, production designer; Peter Bourne, art director; and John Panzarella, the supervising location manager.” He continues, “Working and being a part of these wonderful people was a true pleasure and honor. As was working with the whole crew and the cast... A special event in my career. Pleasant, hard-working people that care and want to get that special something that makes the picture worthy of seeing.” Renee Confair, who served as production supervisor, had a similarly positive experience with the cast and crew of Aloha. “Cameron Crowe is brilliant and terrific to work with,” she says, “and producer Ilona Herzberg is extraordinary and one of the nicest peo-

8 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 9

Director Cameron Crowe and stars Emma Stone and Bradley Cooper ﬁlmed on Oahu for three months.

ple walking this Earth. The cast was amazing.” Both Spangler and Confair have worked on their fair share of Hawaii-shot features and other productions over the years, but seeing their hard work pay off on screen never fails to bring about a feeling of great satisfaction. Confair says seeing the ﬁnal product gives her a “sense of accomplishment and pride.” Spangler adds, “When I see the ﬁnal product on TV or the big screen, I usually watch it as ‘Joe Public’; I let it do to me what it wants, and take me where it wants. I usually watch

10 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

the final product a second time, and then I am a little more analytical. I feel satisfaction and fulfillment when I see the product. “It’s such a conglomeration of all of our ideas, with fleeting memories of the rain, traffic problems, logistical problems, the one special person or couple or company that really went out of their way to be kind, helpful and fun. Then there’s always the amazement of how the editing, music, sound and special effects, and the director took the script and made a different movie!” Spangler explains that Hawaii has “come into its own” as a production location. “We have a world-class crew who work hard, have fun and enjoy sharing our Hawaii with visiting production people. We have all trained on a variation of productions—still shoots, commercials, TV series and features—and have worked with directors and producers who are world-renowned or just starting their careers. Our tax breaks are getting more competitive with the world market; unfortunately, it’s all about the money. Money drives the creative end of the production.”

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

He continues, “The people of Hawaii are welcoming and warm, a great number of which understand how great this industry is for Hawaii: ‘green manufacturing,’ advertising that can’t be bought, jobs, the multiplier effect of dollars spreading through the economy. I feel great satisfaction to have grown up in Hawaii and with the growth of our industry. I’m honored to be a part of our ‘local crew’ and our Hawaii ﬁlm industry.” HFV

Randy Spangler

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 11

12 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

Trending in Hawaii:The Local Art Department

hirty years ago, this would have been a very short article. Hawaii supplied carpentry, props and set dressing support to the art departments working here, but all artistic control came from the mainland that BY RICK ROMER claimed union jurisdiction over work done in Hawaii. When Guest Columnist I challenged this hold during my years as the set decorator on Magnum, P.I., we began to develop our own department heads in all of the crafts thanks to the mixed status of our Local 665 union. As our talents developed in props, special effects, set dressing, design and others, producers began to take notice—no doubt, in part, that it would save them housing and per diem by not having to bring over all department heads as they had in the past. However, there is an additional, unseen difference to our craft development here. Unlike the mainland local unions that only allow work in a speciﬁc craft area, our mixed local allows for experience in a number of departments. For example, it is possible to work in set dressing, props, wardrobe, etc. The added value of understanding how

other departments function and how we all fit together as a production team is an additional asset. While we have all tended to become specialized in just one or two crafts now, the early training and versatility in other departments while moving up is invaluable to companies filming here. The art department in Hawaii is now complete from production designer and art director to the shopper/buyer. I recently became the first Hawaii resident to become a member of the Art Directors Guild/Local 800 in Hollywood. As a result, we were able to completely staff an entire Chinese feature

with all department heads. Our knowledge of local sources and supplies is a huge cost savings over shipping everything and everyone from the mainland… or China! There is still some ground to gain with the understanding that we are a group of skilled artisans who may have worked in Hollywood but have chosen to live in Hawaii—our training, experience and standards are the same. In fact, living on this isolated landmass in the middle of the Paciﬁc, maybe we have had to be just a little bit more creative and resourceful. Now that the world is available to all via the internet, we still take pride in being able to source things locally. HFV Rick Romer came to Hawaii for his M.F.A. in Stage Lighting and Set Design and was in the right place at the right time to begin his career as a set decorator on Magnum and continuing on most shows up through LOST and the new Hawaii Five-0. He now works primarily as an independent production designer, art director, and decorator.

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 13

14 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

Makani Kai: Piloting the Five-0 Team

ichard Schuman, owner of Makani Kai Helicopters, has been the go-to guy for Hawaii Five-0’s scenic aerials and has been featured in numerous episodes in roles as varied as a member of the Yakuza to a cult leader.

Hawaii Film & Video: What’s it like to work with the Five-0 crew? Richard Schuman: It’s a terrific experience. This is a highly dedicated group of professionals who work together as a well-oiled team. It’s rewarding to work with the directors and stunt coordinators to “see” what the camera sees, and both fun and challenging to get what they want on the screen.

Richard Schuman has worked with the Five-0 team, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Here he is pictured with Alex O’Loughlin, Scott Caan and other members of the cast.

HFV: Which do you enjoy more, flying the camera ship or being part of the plot? RS: For me, the camera work is more satisfying because you’re helping create what the director has envisioned and what the world will see. And working with a skilled camera operator such as Mark Gerasimenko makes us an integral part of the process. Then again, some of the radical flying we do when the helicopter is featured in the plot can be a lot of fun, like making the aircraft look like it’s out of control. HFV: Name one of your favorite scenes over the past five years. RS: Particularly memorable was the time they asked us to chase a car down a dirt road at low level while flying through flaming cane fields on Maui. HFV: Parting thoughts? RS: Having pilots knowledgeable about the area gives the producers an advantage. Hiring local pilots can make a good product better. HFV For more information about Makani Kai, visit www.makanikai.com.

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 15

16 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

SPECIAL FOCUS

The Film-Friendly Valley Isle WHAT’S NEW IN MAUI PRODUCTION? Photos courtesy of VOLKFILMS

aui, Hawaii: The picture of paradise, the dream location for international television events. A place with friendly people, majestic mountains, lush greenery and a sky-blue ocean, all forming the perfect backdrop.

What used to be an exclusive place for highend budget Hollywood productions just a few years ago is quickly becoming a viable option for international television producers. Hawaii Film & Video Magazine met up with the international accomplished producers Sascha Bauml and Robby Seeger with their newly established Maui production company VOLKFILMS to talk about the current trends in the islands. Hawaii Film & Video: Congratulations on your new collaborative production company, VOLKFILMS. Sascha Bauml: Thank you. These are exciting times for production in the islands. HFV: Can you build on that please? SB: Yes. First of all, Maui’s local and federal government agencies want to attract a larg-

er contingent of international productions. We are currently offering a 25 percent tax incentive for the County of Maui for productions of $250,000 and up vs. 20 percent for Oahu. This is huge… if a German company decides to make the long trek over here, they get a return of 25 cents on the dollar spent. It adds up quickly and becomes a viable business choice. Robby Seeger: Maui is film-friendly and offers one of the best production climates in the world. Our daylight average in winter is 11 hours vs. 13 in summer. Our locations are breathtaking, diverse and all within a short drive. We are really seeing an influx in technical crew base on Oahu and Maui. We have direct flights and are only five hours from L.A. for easy additional technical support. We are seeing hotels and airlines offering additional incentives to off-island productions. Most of

all, we have no snakes and a Starbucks every 5 miles… How do you beat that!? SB: Also, the studio and soundstage opportunities are developing here in the near future… Big things are happening. HFV: How did you guys meet? Why VOLKFILMS? RS: Sascha and I met on a production briefing. There are people you meet and get along with super well. We both love making ﬁlms and have general shared interests of human evolution, being positive and raising consciousness… basically impressing upon a positive impact and message. Our 30-yearplus combined production experience really complements each other on so many levels. It’s great! We are both German… Sascha is ﬁrst generation American. VOLKFILMS is what stuck: Films for the People.

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 17

SB: Robby has a natural gift for visual storytelling… I am seriously impressed with his work. As VOLKFILMS, we are planning on doing at least one documentary per year on subjects that matter to us and what resonates in our hearts. HFV: As a startup company, what services do you offer on-island? SB: Our services range from social media to commercials, documentaries and full features. Our post production services can ﬁnish projects up to 6K. RS: We are super excited for the commercial sector on-island with Oceanic Time Warner

18 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

Cable expanding their advertisement offer to the major channels. Social media will be a big deal for VOLKFILMS, as well. Hawaii has a multitude of companies with online shops, athletes, brands who all have to answer to the constant demands of online presence. Sascha has a formal education in online media and marketing… He is also a world-class musician and has performed all over the globe, while I come from professional sports—we understand the importance of constant visibility in an ever-changing environment. Imagine you are selling SUP Boards…

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

Today a drone will follow you while wearing a tracking device as you paddle through the beautiful waters of Maui. Transfer the clip straight to your smartphone, then upload it to Instagram. The technological advances are beyond accelerated… We’ll offer peace of mind and excellence in that ﬁeld for anyone who needs it. HFV: What are you guys currently working on? SB: We have a multitude of projects that are on the vision board for VOLKFILMS in 2015. It’s going to be an exciting year to say the least. RS: Yes… “Think of the possibilities.” HFV

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 19

20 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

SPECIAL FOCUS

Coming Attractions: Maui Film Festival

Five of the celebrity honorees at this year’s event: (l to r) Louie Psihoyos, Laura Dern, Scott Eastwood, Teresa Palmer and Colin Farrell.

he 16th annual Maui Film Festival is set to kick off Wednesday, June 3, with a beachfront opening night party at the Grand Wailea and run through Sunday, June 7, with an array of indie films, filmmaker panels, celebrity honorees, parties and much more. “The Maui Film Festival is one of only seven signature events, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority—and the only one on Maui,” says Barry Rivers, the festival’s director. Described by Indiewire as a “jewel-box festival,” Maui Film Festival (MFF) has been lauded for its impressive curation of films, notable celebrity guests, and breathtaking ambiance, with many films screened under the stars at venues like the Celestial Cinema and Toes-in-the-Sand Cinema. Although there are fewer screenings than last year due in part to a scheduling conflict Love & Mercy

at one of the festival’s venues on Saturday night, Rivers is particularly proud of this year’s slate of films. “This year’s selection is very clean; there’s not a lot of fluff,” he says. “It’s streamlined and smart and features gems of indie films, from hard-hitting docs to comedies.” Film highlights this year include an opening night screening of Love & Mercy, a cinematic portrait of the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson; Live From New York!, a Saturday Night Live documentary; Racing Extinction, a doc that aims to change the way we understand Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet

issues of endangered species and mass extinction; Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, in which nine animation filmmakers masterfully bring Gibran’s poetry to life; and a Short Film Showcase that runs Friday through Sunday. Rivers likens the process of selecting films to that of solving a Rubik’s cube—the right combination of moving pieces has to be determined in order to have a successful festival. “It’s challenging to find the right mix of films,” he says. In addition to the film screenings, MFF will honor six guests with special award tributes, “more than we’ve had since 2007 or 2008,” according to Rivers. “But they are really worthy honorees and we’re honored to have them.” The Rising Star Award will be presented to actors Scott Eastwood and Teresa Palmer on opening night of the festival. The following night, Colin Farrell will receive the Navigator Award, which honors a film artist for carving a path of distinction through the turbulent waters of the entertainment industry without sacrificing their fundamental commitment to excellence. Louie Psihoyos will receive the Lights! Camera! Passion! Award, honoring a director for their heartfelt personal and professional

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 21

Live From New York!

SPECIAL EVENTS TASTE OF SUMMER OPENING PARTY Wed, Jun 3rd 5:00pm Grand Wailea Resort A new festival tradition! Summer-inspired dishes including a make-your-own island poke bar, a towering raw bar of crab, oysters, sea vegetables and a foodies daydream of assorted tray passed delicacies from the creative minds, passionate palettes and world class skills of the chefs of the Grand Wailea.

Racing Extinction

TASTE OF CHOCOLATE Fri, Jun 5th 8:00pm Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea commitment to make movies that both matter and celebrate the triumph of the human spirit over seemingly insurmountable challenges. Finally, the Rain Maker Award will be presented to Laura Dern on Sunday as one of the closing night events. The sixth and final honoree has yet to be announced. With an exemplary lineup of films, tributes and other festivities, this year’s event is sure to be another gem in Maui Film Festival’s crown. For details, visit www.mauifilmfestival.com. HFV

22 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

Maui Film Festival’s over-the-top event for lovers of chocolate! Dress up and experience the extraordinary ﬂavors and sensual experience known as the Taste of Chocolate.

TASTE OF WAILEA Sat, Jun 6th 4:30pm Leadbetter Private Golf Academy This is the ‘crown jewel’ of the festival’s Culinary Arts Celebrations, featuring the best of the best of Wailea’s chefs. For tickets, menus and more, visit www.mauiﬁlmfestival.com/mffw_ﬁlms_events.php.

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

Television Sports

Features

Live Events

Conventions Grip Props

Commercials

Industrials

Lighting

Audio Locations

A/V Photo

Camera

Production Supplies Studio Space

..worth a thousand words...

24 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

OVER 30 YEARS OF PRODUCTION in Hawaii • Serving all iSlandS • Hawaii’s Newest Grip & Lighting Packages • 3-Ton, 5-Ton, 10-Ton & Van Packages • Mobile/Live Video Production • Expendables & Supplies • HMIS • Incandescents • LED’s • Kino Flo • Light Kits • Chimeras • Generators • Distributions • Fog • Fans • Props & Effects • Location Scouting & Management • Production Coordinator/Management • Permits & Exclusive Locations • Marine & aerial Coordinators

EHMAN PRODUCTIONS, INC.

Maui, Hawaii Tel: (808) 870-4732 • Fax: (720) 596-7882 • Email: ehman@maui.net

Warehouse space, camera prep complete Wood & Metal Shop

Photos: Mark Moquin

26 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

SPECIAL FOCUS

Local Maui Production Wins the Day in GMO Political Effort... Broadcast Outlets Win Even Bigger

olitical history was made recently on Maui and Small Wonder Video Services was on the front lines. Sam Small served as the principal creative director and Small Wonder Video Services as the principal production company for the SHAKA Movement (Sustainable Hawaiian Agriculture for the Keiki and the ‘Aina). SHAKA made history collecting over 19,000 petition signatures to get the first ever Citizen’s Initiative on a Maui County ballot. The “GMO Moratorium” temporarily suspends genetically modified crop production and associated open-field chemical testing until an Environmental Public Health Impact Statement shows no harm is being done to the people or any of the Public Trust natural resources. History was also made when Monsanto and Dow, the only chemical companies impacted by the moratorium, contributed nearly $8 million for local advertising, the most spent on any campaign ever in Hawaii. In all, only 46,005 votes were cast, 22,005 against the moratorium, so Big Ag spent around $360 for each “No” vote. “They couldn’t have spent more if they tried,” says Small. “They had TV spots on every channel, on every show, half-hour infomercials multiple times daily on multiple channels, and as much radio as a political campaign can legally buy. Every few days everybody’s mailbox was stuffed with another color, glossy, oversized mailing, too.” Furthermore, 23,082 people voted “Yes,” so

SHAKA spent all of $3.70 for each of its votes. “Monsanto and Dow outspent us nearly

100-to-1 and still they lost,” says Small. “Our total budget, for production and placement

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 27

across all media, was just $86,000.” Small Wonder Video Services functioned as a full-service agency, generating and placing four TV and a dozen radio spots, as well as press releases, bumper stickers, yard signs, brand logos, websites, web banner ads and print ads. They covered a slew of live events with multi-camera setups and Small hosted 13 weekly, hour-long interview shows on Akaku, Maui’s Public Access TV. “I’ve three favorite moments from the campaign,” says Small. “When KITV ran a news piece about a staged PR event where Monsanto paid employees to show up at the county building to wave signs, the reporter opened with, ‘The big dogs in public relations are out in Maui County over the GMO voter initiative.’ I just sat back and gave a one-word response: ‘Woof.’” He continues, “The second was the day after we actually got our voter initiative on the ballot. A big PR ﬁrm called from L.A. asking to shoot interviews on Maui and Oahu. We got pretty far into the planning when they added Molokai to the list. That got me suspicious, as there’s not a lot of reasons to shoot interviews on Molokai.

28 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

“When I asked, he paused and said, ‘I probably should have asked up front where you stand on the whole GMO thing; our client is the Groceries Manufacturers Association.’ The GMA is the lobbying group that Monsanto and the other Agro-Chemical companies fund to fight GMO labeling. “I laughed and told him I was the chair of SHAKA’s Media Content and Production Committee and since I hosted a weekly TV show that consistently pounded Monsanto for the environmental and health risks they create, if I showed up on his shoot we’d both be fired on the spot. It was nice to be asked for such a high-profile gig, but not one I could take.” Small adds, “My most favorite moment, though, was when it was announced that we had won the election. I was so focused on everything leading up to Election Day that I really didn’t have it on my mind what to do if we won or lost. I was in shock. And I was filming the proceedings, so I basically worked during the ensuing celebration. It didn’t really hit me till later, then I cried. “What an extraordinary community effort to go up against these corporate giants on such an important and controversial issue,

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

and win. The dedication and love of life and the land shown here, especially by those who reached into Maui’s diverse communities to talk story, was humbling. Media helped, but people created Maui’s GMO Miracle.” Small Wonder also produced 30-second TV spots for Mayoral Candidate Tamara Paltin and a 60-second spot for State Senatorial Candidate Terez Amato. Predictably, lawsuits were ﬁled two days after the election. The ripple effects of Maui’s Miracle Victory will continue to spread, perhaps all the way to the Supreme Court. Fueled by Maui’s community activism, Small created a new local initiative called Maui Causes. Maui Causes is a crowd-funded media group providing production services to not-for-proﬁt, environmental and progressive causes on Maui. The Maui Causes weekly TV show airs on Akaku’s Channel 55 with new episodes every Monday at 7pm and replays on Sunday at 7pm. View it too at www.MauiCauses.org. Maui Causes is currently seeking underwriters, so it’s a great opportunity to get your company name in front of this community and support Maui’s causes that make a difference. HFV

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 29

■ Urban and

remote location access on all islands ■ Cargo + crew transportation ■ Location scouting, aerial coordination and logistical support for the photogrpahy and film industries ■ Long-line external load experts ■ Hughes 500 four-passenger helicopters

MAUIFILMINDUSTRIES

• Support Crew • Equipment Rental • Mobile Editing Suite Hawaii (MESH Van) • Accommodations • Transport & Party Bus

Ed “Casey” Ledoux • 808-280-0546 • info@mauiﬁlmindustries.com

30 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

SPECIAL FOCUS

Maui Film Industries: Your On-Island Production Concierge

aui Film Industries, a versatile, multi-faceted production company, provides audio/visual services to productions on the Valley Isle.

Run by partners Casey LeDoux and Chantal Lonergan, Maui Film Industries (MFI) produces 4k videos for a wide variety of clients, from corporate to commercial to feature films and events. “Filming of safety, care and use, and instructional videos are our most requested projects,” said LeDoux and Lonergan. “ENG (Electronic News Gathering), field recording, as well as studio audio recording has helped many clients reach their audience. From recording an audio track to filming a series of video advertisements for social media, MFI has the team to make it happen.” MFI truly is a one-stop shop, also providing 4k cameras, cranes, aerials, color correction services, sound and crew packages, as well as hair, makeup and lighting packages. But their specialty is on-location services with their Mobile Editing Suite Hawaii (MESH). “With our MESH Van on site, we can download, review and edit in Ultra High Definition video. Projects can be completed on site for immediate streaming to internet. Mobile productions are simplified and high tech.” The MESH Van features: • A/C, 12 hour power on batteries running all the equipment, roof solar panels, dimmable LED lighting, sound insulated, lockable external storage for gear. • Multiple adjustable pull-down 4k monitors and UHD TVs to review or edit footage. 12 core MacPro computers for rendering final cuts and 6 core rough cut and review, NMP are pushing 60hz 4k video. • 24TB (Terrabytes) of storage for downloading and editing multiple versions of the largest projects. • MESH Van can be used as a production office too; supports copiers, laptops, colorists, audio engineers, communications, handheld preview capability with streaming. • Second unit ready crane with Red camera will give you the highest quality shots for your commercial, event or film. One recent project was for the Made In Maui County Festival, where MFI created television news releases that were streamed to Oahu affiliates, multiple commercials, highlight reels, and aerial footage compilations all on site with the MESH Van. “We edited, reviewed and uploaded the stream during the festival and provided access to the client for immediate use for social media and distribution,” explained LeDoux and Lonergan. “We filmed several days at the MACC, covering set-up, PSAs, and streamed action as it happened on stage to the food court area. All our airings on the nightly news were time-sensitive. “We give much mahalos to all whom made it a success: Made In Maui County Festival;

Tracy Bennett, Maui Film Commissioner, and the Maui County Film Office; Mayor Alan Arakawa and the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development Maui County; Maui Chamber of Commerce; and our staff and crews.” Most recently, MFI has lent their services to an independent film, several airline corporate videos and voiceovers for an airline instructional project, and commercials for local food manufacturers. “(We) completed preliminary talks and are currently in pre-production for a new web series,” said LeDoux and Lonergan. “It is to be filmed and edited completely on Maui by

“No other island in the world has the diverse mix we have on Maui.” locals—we are looking forward to that.” They added, “No other island in the world has the diverse mix we have on Maui. Aside from stunning beauty, Maui has a pool of industry professionals that can support a project with union and non-union cast, union and non-union trained crew, professional state-of-the-art equipment and services. We keep it local. Working on an island is logistically challenging; let us simplify it for you. Don’t forget, TV, feature ﬁlm or even a digital media project receives Maui County’s 25-percent tax credit.” HFV For more information, contact info@mauiﬁlmindustries.com.

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 31

RICK ROMER

Member: Art Directors Guild / Local 800 (Hollywood) Local 44 (L.A.), Local 665 (Hawaii), SDSA

PRODUCTION DESIGNER • ART DIRECTOR • SET DECORATOR Hawaii Five-0, LOST, The River, North Shore Pilot, E.R., Princess Ka’iulani, Baywatch Hawaii, Fantasy Island, One West Waikiki, Diagnosis Murder Pilot, Jake and the Fatman, Magnum, P.I., Features & Commercials. (808) 258-3848 richardromer@yahoo.com ﬂickr.com/photos/rick_romer/sets

BUGS & BEASTS PLANTS & PLACES Beautiful, ugly, terrifying, or disgusting Critter wrangling & location help on all islands since 1980

Steven Lee Montgomery, Ph.D. Anita Manning Contact us about your needs 808-676-4974 manninga001@hawaii.rr.com 94-610 Palai St, Waipahu, HI 96797

32 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

SPECIAL FOCUS

Maui Company Wins Pele Award

awaiiONTV.com & Jazz Alley TV Productions was recently awarded an American Advertising Federation Gold Pele Award for the film The Pimp & the Rose. They were nominated in the Cinema Advertising - Movie Trailers Category. This is the second year in a row that Kenneth K. Martinez Burgmaier won Pele Awards for his production work on the films The Pimp & the Rose (2015 Winner) and Aunty Nona Beamer – Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love) (2014 Winner). The Pele Awards is a District 13 American Advertising Awards Competition (formerly known as “The ADDY Awards”). The Pele Awards competition is open to any individual, company or organization engaged in the business of advertising or design work in Hawaii. The annual competition recognizes the best advertising and design work created in Hawaii. All work entered must have been conceived and created within the Hawaiian Islands, although production services may be used outside of Hawaii, and must have first appeared in the media from the previous calendar year. HFV For more information, visit www.hawaiiontv.com. Kenneth K. Martinez Burgmaier

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 33

• Complete Camera, Lighting, Grip + Electrical, Trucks, Profoto, Underwater Housings and Audio-Visual Departments. • Pickup on Oahu or deliver to all Hawaiian islands next-ﬂight out. • Our professional team is here to serve your every need 7 days a week. • Our crew referrals can ﬁll every role in your Production.

Service Inventory Low Prices All-new Gear

YOU WIN! 808-735-3838 • hawaiicamera.com 3457 Waialae Avenue Honolulu Hawaii 96816

34 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

Things Are Heating Up on the

Big Island Shooting scenes from Hearts of Men on the Big Island. Photos by Jason Pamer

BY DAVID BRUCE Guest Columnist

n Hawaii, the Big Island has typically been the quieter island when it comes to TV and ﬁlm production; however, 2015 has been anything but on the explosive volcano isle.

The year kicked off with filmmakers Jason Pamer and Eric Esau electing to shoot their docudrama Hearts of Men in various locations around the island, highlighting the stunning beauty and diversity of Hawaii. Director Jason Pamer said, “We will find ways to re-work our locations in future scripts just to partner with Big Island Gigs again and take advantage of all the island has to offer.” The duo previously partnered with Jada Pinkett Smith, who earned an executive producer credit, on the award-winning documentary Rape for Profit, and appear to be headed for similar success with Hearts of Men. Currently in Kona, MTV is shooting a new season of the reality television series, Are You the One? The show, which requires a crew 24/7 for 6 weeks, gives 20 singles a chance to win $1 million. Another large cable network, Nickelodeon, is hosting a kids competition game show up the Kohala Coast at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. That shoot is also scheduled to run for six weeks. Playing an active role in all three productions, Honua Studios

continues to set the bar high with state-of-the-art facilities, tools and a growing team. One of the state’s largest studio facilities, Honua Studios (located in Kona just below Costco - see www.honuastudios. com) is a 14,000-square-foot space that has a green screen, staging area, production offices for media production, gear rentals, co-work space, and is home to resident media companies Big Island Gigs, New Sky Perspective, Five Stones Media, Twenty 20 Sound, Global Virtual Studio and the GVS Accelerator. The filmmaking community continues to grow as more and more productions are showing up on Hawaii Island. Another Hawaii-based media startup, GVS Connect, is about to launch one of the fastest private broadband hubs. This new startup will be in partnership with Sohonet, which provides services including secure high-speed networking, Internet connectivity, storage, hosting, data management and digital negative management for file-based productions. Sohonet is the preferred supplier to some of the largest studios worldwide. Offering both productions and tenants with flexible connectivity to suit their production size and budget, Sohonet provides its studio customers with a wide variety of networking solutions, from simple ADSL through to 10Gbit/s fibre connections. An office will be opened in Oahu, allowing for greater connectivity between the islands and the industry. Sohonet has some 400plus clients and partners including Lionsgate, Technicolor, Warner Bros. and Pinewood Studios. Hawaii content creators will be able to hawaiifilmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 35

Oahu ﬁlmmakers Tim and Mardi Savage received the Golden Honu award for Leo Sears with Maui ﬁlmmaker Brian Kohne, actors Will Estes (Blue Bloods) and Best Family Feature, Under the Blood Red Sun. Photo by Kirk Aeder for BIFF Arielle Kebbel (The Vampire Diaries). Photo by Kirk Aeder for BIFF

collaborate and deliver content globally in nearly real-time with major industry players from all over the globe. Additionally, Hawaii continues to provide a backdrop for companies seeking to market an active lifestyle with Nike, Adidas and Saucony all shooting commercials on island in the ﬁrst half of 2015. The Big Island Film Festival is in its 10th year. The “talk story” ﬁlm festival has become a Memorial Day tradition at the

36 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

Fairmont Orchid and Mauna Lani Shops. Founder Leo Sears stated, “It was a fantastic festival; this year we had an increase of 200 attendees and had 4 Cannes film selections as part of the slate.” Known for its relaxed and informal atmosphere, BIFF allows participants to screen dozens of feature films and shorts at minimal cost or for free for audiences, who are often sitting on beach chairs under Hawaii’s starry skies. Oahu filmmakers Tim and Mardi Savage

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

received the Golden Honu award for Best Family Feature, Under the Blood Red Sun. Of the 49 ﬁlms that were screened this year, 13 were shot and produced in Hawaii and 7 are from the Big Island. HFV David Bruce is Director of Marketing | Strategic Partnerships at Global Virtual Studio and the GVS Accelerator. Contact him at d.bruce@ globalvirtualstudio.com or 808-938-7227. Visit www.honuastudios.com for more information.

Locations/Production Management Production Coordinator Features • Commercials • T.V. Music Videos

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 37

38 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

Chris Pratt stars in Universal Pictures’ Jurassic World.

he blockbuster Jurassic Park film franchise continues with the release of Jurassic World in June. The film takes place 22 years after the events of Jurassic Park. Isla Nublar, an island located off Central America’s Pacific Coast, now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. The park’s geneticists are asked to create a hybrid dinosaur known as Indominus rex to boost visitor attendance, and when the hybrid escapes, it’s up to Jurassic World employee Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) to save the day. Shot partially in Hawaii, Jurassic World was in the islands in the spring of 2014

for 33 days of filming—23 on Oahu and 10 on Kauai—as well as 4 weeks of prep. Filming locations included Honolulu Zoo and Hawaii Convention Center on Oahu, and JK Ranch on Kauai, among others. In an interview with Honolulu Film Commissioner Walea Constantinau, producer Patrick Crowley said that the recent increase of Hawaii’s tax rebate helped lure the production to the state. “You have a really good rebate and the increase in the credit made a lot of difference,” he said. For instance, it allowed the production to increase the length of the shoot schedule in Hawaii. Scenes that were originally scheduled for Louisiana were moved to Hawaii, which would not have been as ﬁnancially viable prior to the increase in

the credit. Crowley also lauded Hawaii’s experienced ﬁlm crews and variety of locations.

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 39

Jurassic World, featuring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, ﬁlmed on Oahu and Kauai.

“Jungle conditions are different and require a certain kind of know-how,” he explained. “You have to know how to deal with the delicacy of the location. For example, the local greensmen know how to make the jungle look bigger and more dramatic if I need that. The transportation, grip and electric departments know how to move equipment in the jungle without damaging it for the shot. The locations are accustomed to working with us and were easy to work with, very cooperative.” Jurassic World will be released 14 years after the third installment. A fourth film was initially intended to begin production in 2004 for a summer 2005 release, but endured over a decade of “development hell,” as scheduled release dates were pushed back several times while the script went through revisions. Directed by Colin Trevorrow and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, director of the first two Jurassic Park films, Jurassic World will be released in 3D by Universal Pictures on June 12, 2015. HFV

40 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

Bryce Dallas Howard in a scene from Jurassic World.

JURASSIC WORLD BY THE NUMBERS: Number of shoot days:

33 (23 Oahu, 10 Kauai)

Number of full prep days:

4 weeks

Number of local crew hires (approximately): 400 Number of hotel room nights:

14,860 (10,500 Oahu, 4,360 Kauai)

Number of local vendors:

220 (190 Oahu, 30 Kauai)

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

THERE’S NO BIZ LIKE

PROFFE

SSIONA

L ANIMA

808.315.1326

RANGLE

NCED W

EXPERIE

L TALEN

AnimalBizHi@yahoo.com

www.AnimalBizHawaii.com

International Productions Locations & Production Management Print • Video • Film

P.O. Box 10799 • Honolulu, HI 96816 Ph: (808) 737-6320 • Em: locations@hawaii.rr.com www.hawaiilocations.com

Tools Equipment Trucks

3061 Aukele St., Lihue, HI 96766 p: 808-246-1000 Fax 808-246-1155 www.toolmasterhawaii.com Hrs: 6:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Mon - Fri • 8 a.m. to 12 noon Sat hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 41

A Taste Test with Sweet Marie’s

weet Marie’s Hawaii Inc. has been catering to the ﬁlm industry since 1984.

Owner and chef Marie Cassel managed to fulfill her passion for food and wine through 30 years of experience in full-service special event planning and coordinating. Along with that, she has developed a signature line of gluten-free culinary delectables. Establishing the first and currently only gluten-free bakery in the State of Hawaii was a “dream come true” for Marie. Motivated by her search for tasty foods to meet her own dietary needs, she spent years developing and testing many recipes and sampling the finished products. Tapping into her creative skill as a chef, Sweet Marie’s Hawaii has developed a repu-

42 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

tation for delicious food, baked goods, pastries and custom cakes. In fact, she has now expanded into a larger “allergen-friendly” facility in Lihue, Kauai. At Sweet Marie’s, their mission is to tantalize your sense of taste with healthy nutritious meals and desserts by using the ﬁnest local, fresh, organic ingredients. In addition to her bakery, Marie continues to provide support to nutrition and celiac health education by putting on workshops and cooking classes at the restaurant. HFV For more information, visit www.sweetmarieskauai.com.

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com

hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com • ISSUE TWO 2015

HAWAII FILM & VIDEO 43

44 HAWAII FILM & VIDEO

ISSUE TWO 2015 • hawaiiﬁlmandvideo.com