LIHU‘E — As Kaua‘i approaches its 90th year as a movie-making destination, the film industry is making its post-COVID return to the island.
Kaua‘i’s extensive ties with Hollywood began with the filming of White Heat,” a 1934 “talkie” set against the backdrop of plantation-era Hawai‘i.
It continued through the decades with classics like Elvis Presley’s “Blue Hawai‘i,” John Wayne’s “Donovan’s Reef” and Harrison Ford’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
More recently, it has been featured in modern hits, from Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” to James Cameron’s “Avatar.” With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the industry went on pause.
“We had just gotten some movement with ‘Hobbs and Shaw’ and the ‘Jungle Cruise,’ said County of Kaua‘i Film Commissioner and Economic Development Specialist Sandy Ka‘auwai. “When the pandemic hit, it just stopped.”
Now, Ka‘auwai reports, filming is steadily returning, with several commercials, a major documentary and a TV series shooting on island this year.
“I’m optimistic,” said Ka‘auwai. “I’m hoping that now that it’s loosening up a bit, that we can get back to pre-pandemic levels as soon as possible.”
The first major post-COVID Kaua‘i film project to hit the screens might not make the rounds with many residents, but it will give the island international attention.
“Hawai‘i’s Hidden Paradise” is a German documentary airing on the Public German Network this December as part of the Terra X department programming.
It is the most-successful nature and science channel in Europe, reaching more than 5 million viewers on the first broadcast.
The film portrays scientists and environmentalists working on the island, with an emphasis on Hawaiian culture.
The first large-scale scripted production to shoot on the island since the pandemic will be the Jason Momoa-led Apple-TV series “Chief of War” — set to film on Kaua‘i this year.
Ka‘auwai also reported that several local filmmakers are working on documentaries that are currently in pre-production.
One element that has become more common on Kaua‘i, Ka‘auwai says, is the use of virtual-reality productions. Films will often come over to shoot footage of Kaua‘i landscapes, which they meld with Hollywood technology to create films with images of Kaua‘i without requiring an entire production team to travel to location.
The productions shooting are still subject to strict COVID-19 protocols, including masking and other safety measures, as well as sick pay for the crew. These protocols, agreed to by Hollywood’s major unions and studios, are set to last until Sept. 30 this year.
The county Office of Economic Development Film Office is preparing for the return of film with a revamped website, which will serve as a hub for the growing industry. The site, which went live last week, features a new logo and a directory where those interested in getting involved in film can list their resumes. Productions looking for talent may pull from that site.
“With production pipelines reopening just as Kaua‘i approaches 90 years of being a filmmaker’s paradise, it’s a particularly vibrant time to build on the collective momentum and reimagine the Film Kaua‘i website,” said Mayor Derek Kawakami.
Ka‘auwai kept the lid on other projects in the pipeline, but said that several productions were eying Kaua‘i as a shooting destination.
“I’m hoping we can catch one or two of those at least and really get our film industry going again,” she said.
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Guthrie Scrimgeour, reporter, can be reached at 808-647-0329 or gscrimgeour@thegardenisland.com.
Any reason why you didn’t share the name of the county Office of Economic Development Film Office website mentioned in your article? It would be nice to be able to see what you referred to regarding the newly revamped site.