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Reel News

Tim Ryan


Neighbor isles
could use show


The WB's midseason drama "Rocky Point," already in pre-production in Los Angeles, begins filming in Hawaii Aug. 31 -- but on which island? Producers John Stockwell ("Blue Crush" and "The Break" pilot) and Rick Dallago are considering Maui, Kauai and Oahu. Stockwell likes filming seldom-seen locations and Fox's current "North Shore" series has been doing "a lot of devirginizing," Stockwell said.

His unit production manager Howard Grigsby was in Hawaii last month checking locations. He returns this week with Stockwell, co-creator Lizzy Weiss and Dallago for a final scout and decision by July 15.

The neighbor islands desperately need production work and getting a TV series would be the proverbial pot of gold. Producers will seek financial assistance to pay for the additional expense of neighbor island filming. The crucial questions for state, county and visitor industry officials are: How serious is Hawaii about getting productions to a neighbor island? Or is Hawaii production a one-island pony? ...

Chyler Leigh will star opposite Billy Campbell in "Rocky Point." Leigh has worked on "That '70s Show," "Girls Club" and "The Practice" and the feature "Not Another Teen Movie."

In related news, local Anna Fishburn will do casting for the drama ...

Chris McDonald ("Happy Gilmore" and "Family Law") joins the "North Shore" cast in at least seven episodes as a Donald Trump-like hotel magnate who is the father of the character played by series star Brooke Burns.

Fox Entertainment president Gail Berman is saying that despite poor early ratings for "North Shore," she's sticking to her plan to keep the show on the air through September. Berman acknowledged that early ratings and criticism from some TV reviewers are disappointing.

Berman's decision on whether to pick up "North Shore" in November for another nine episodes will not be made exclusively on ratings but also on whether the show is "growing creatively." The Oahu-shot drama premiered with a 3.9 household rating and a 7 share, with a 2.3 rating among adults in the crucial 18-to-49 demographic.

To attract more viewers, Fox is airing a repeat episode weekly, which is drawing decent numbers. Berman hopes those unduplicated, cumulative numbers come together when the show begins airing once a week in September . . .

"Cowboy U.", a Country Music Channel series, films at Molokai Ranch starting this Friday through July 25 ...




See the Columnists section for some past articles.

Reel News unspools every Wednesday.
Contact Tim Ryan at tryan@starbulletin.com.

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