• Community first • Simply obvious Community first As an independent film producer and writer residing primarily on Kaua‘i for the past five years, I’ve been following all the recent interest and press about the major studio movies being filmed
• Community first • Simply obvious
Community first
As an independent film producer and writer residing primarily on Kaua‘i for the past five years, I’ve been following all the recent interest and press about the major studio movies being filmed here this year.
I notice that the overall tone of most of the film press tends towards the self-congratulory, and at the risk of being a “moanin’ Minnie,” I believe this is an overblown bit of fallacy those of us residing here should perhaps all wake up from ASAP.
I recently had an unpleasant exchange with the editor of the online “Lightline” over a workshop being advertised by them, which was Film Commission Office-endorsed, simply because I “dared” to point out that the workshop — particularly due to its endorsement — clearly inferred that people who paid the $88 fee for it could take advantage of upcoming job opportunities for “Pirates.” This is something which is simply untrue, since I know from experience that only a personal connection gets one a job on the set of a major studio movie being filmed here, other than if one is cast as an “extra” in the background.
Therefore, it’s my perspective that the person who held that workshop was capitalizing on interest in film jobs of unemployed locals who, however, have little to no chance of obtaining any such a job — even though they should, even without such a workshop. And here’s why: Although most people are aware that Kaua‘i provides a very generous tax incentive to attract filming here, few are aware of a substantial cash rebate also offered in addition to that, on very specific terms and conditions, which must be approved by the Film Commission Office to ensure that the movie-maker qualifies to receive it.
These terms and conditions stipulate that “During production: Make reasonable efforts to hire local Hawai‘i talent and crew” and “Make a financial or in-kind contribution to the arts program of a Hawai‘i public school or work with a local labor union chapter toward developing the workforce in Hawai‘i’s film, television, and digital media industries.”
So since I noticed there hasn’t been a single call for crew/local talent and offers of employment opportunities other than calls for casting extras, and that in the wake of the now-departed “The Descendants” and “Just go with it,” there’s a dearth/drought of contributions of any kind towards developing the workforce here, I strongly suspect we can expect more of the same now “Pirates” is here.
Why, instead of endorsing privately run workshops for a fee which don’t result in getting the participants a job, isn’t the Film Commission Office ensuring locals are being educated and hired as per the conditions of the rebates, for free, paid for by the movie companies, as per the tax rebate and incentive we all pay for? I know from experience that there are numerous easily learned assisting as well as simple hauling jobs on the set of any major movie which don’t require years of training to do, and which a little forethought and planning for the community could have trained local people for, in time for all of these three major movies being filmed here, instead of shipping people from thousands of miles away to do, and which would have genuinely benefited the wallets, as well as a longer-term local infrastructure for film-making on this island, looking to the future.
As is, won’t this much-hyped “Pirates” filming — now inexplicably cut from its original 10 weeks to less than three — just be yet another sweep-of-celebrities swiftly coming and going from our shores, for the third time this year? Without so much as offering us a single workshop, far less a few celebrity appearances to boost some of our local fundraisers, or — radical thought! — maybe a wrap party post-filming which invites/includes people living here on-island, who would welcome a few photo-ops with the stars, and perhaps an autograph or two for their kids… ergo, all is for the benefit of just a few?
As if the above wasn’t already insufficient and at the risk of being labeled “negative,” I would also like to point out that all the many millions of dollars being quoted as being spent here on Kaua‘i as a result of major studio films filming here don’t actually go further or affect the well-being or livelihood of beyond just a few lucky local businesses (mostly restaurants) and the few hundred folks who, for a few months, are cast as extras; the vast majority of money spent on Kaua‘i is spent at/on the best hotels… which, though local, are not locally owned, but part of hotel chains owned by off-island corporations.
That is not island-revenue; it keeps the hotels in business which is of community benefit overall, but otherwise there is no trickle-down to us “local yokels”! The profits go to the off-island corporations. So it’s just Plantation Mentality in a different form; i.e. we’re good enough for use for filming, for enjoying as a work/vacation kind of situation, but hardly any of us living here actually benefit, bottom-line, by this filming here.
I strongly feel that, with these incentives expiring at the end of this current calendar year, none of them should be renewed unless some serious and significant commitment to changes being made, which will benefit the community more significantly, are made first.
Eve Hands, Paradise Production Studios, Kapa‘a
Simply obvious
There are politicians who are telling us the federal budget deficit is too large. Perhaps. Remember the three items that caused the deficit to balloon: 1) the Bush tax cuts; 2) the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; 3) corporate export of good jobs to other countries.
The solution to the deficit problem is as obvious as it is simple.
Increasing the retirement age to 70 is not one of them. Cutting police services is not one of them. Cutting teacher salaries is not one of them. Breaking up unions is not one of them. Building another 100 F-22s is not one of them. Cutting welfare is not one of them. Preventing abortions is not one of them. Putting up statues of the 10 commandments is not one of them. Preventing gay marriage is not one of them. Giving everyone a gun is not one of them. … and so it goes.
John Zwiebel, Kalaheo
