WAILUA — The city of white tents and bright lights parked next to Kentaro in Kapa‘a marks home-base for Red Hour’s Production of “Tropic Thunder” — the Ben Stiller comedy that has been shooting on-island for more than a month.
With more than 200 local extras, sporadic rain showers, night shoots and explosives, a potentially chaotic experience has, thus far, been only rainbows of aloha for cast and crew.
Producer Stuart Cornfeld reports that among the many worldy locales of previous films, “never have I been able to work in such a naturally beautiful place — this island is spectacular.”
Partnered with Stiller in Red Hour, Cornfeld’s role includes developing the project and seeing it through from start to finish.
Once on-island, much of the logistical production work has been handled by producer Eric McLeod.
“I have to give all the major credit to Eric,” said Cornfeld. “He’s really the one making everything come together so smoothly.”
Shooting at night for the past week has made for sleepy days.
“I’m basically the work and sleep guy, I really haven’t had enough time to explore the island,” said Cornfeld of the busy and exhausting nature of shooting a film. Having traveled to Kaua‘i as a tourist multiple times Cornfeld plans to return whenever he can.
“We would absolutely return for a film, in a heartbeat … it’s been great, the people, the weather, the beauty of this place. The cast and crew are all saying how they’ll miss being here, everyone feels so fortunate to be on this location,” he said, which is rare since shoots outside of L.A. can range from desert to arctic conditions.
Cornfeld’s ‘ah-ha’ moment came a few days ago at the end of a long night shoot in Kapa‘a.
“We had been up all night and then dawn arrived, it was so beautiful, really spectacular … if I was spiritual, I would have said it was a spiritual experience. Watching dawn on a beach in Kaua‘i. Amazing.”
The biggest challenge for the production crew has been “making sure we haven’t disturbed the ecology of any of these environments. We’re here because it’s so beautiful, we are dedicated to keeping it that way, leaving it the way we found it,” explained Cornfeld.
The core group of eight actors expands, at times, to 20 additional roles and hundreds of local extras.
“The extras have been so amazing, really dedicated,” Cornfeld said, differentiating between eager Kaua‘i extras and their L.A. counterparts who see the job as a humble stepping stone to stardom. “Here, they all really want to be doing this and so it’s all worked out very well.”
Reports of star sightings by residents may be the buzz, but for the L.A. producer, the real stars of the island have eluded him. “No, I haven’t gotten to see any sea turtles or monk seals … yet.”
The crew will continue to shoot for another month and a half, absorbing the green beauty of the Garden Island before they return to a congested Interstate 405, achey Jimmy Choo feet, and power lunches at The Ivy.
• Keya Keita, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681 ext. 257 or kkeita@kauaipubco.com.
