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By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin
"BAYWATCH Hawai'i" is gone and a May 1 actor's strike looms that would shut down all film and most TV production work being done in the islands.Stepping into the fire is Donne Dawson, who became interim Hawaii Film Office manager last month. The obvious question for Dawson, 40, who replaces Georgette Deemer, is, just how bad will Hawaii's film and television production revenues be this year after year 2000's record revenues of $125 million?
"It will not be a record low year, but (Hawaii) will be hard pressed to beat $125 million again," she said.
In this year's first quarter, the film office received about $14 million worth of location permits for commercials, documentaries, sports specials, and still photography.
Commercials have always been the state's bread and butter for production revenues, amounting to about one-third of the state's total annual production revenues. Half of the income comes from Japanese productions.
Last year, Hawaii also drew $75 million from the filming of "Baywatch Hawai'i," "Final Fantasy," "Pearl Harbor," "Windtalkers" and "Jurassic Park III."
Just one motion picture has filmed in Hawaii so far this year -- Universal's "Dragonfly," starring Kevin Costner -- and one television show, UPN's "Manhunt." Both were filmed on Kauai.
Dawson said another major film and TV series is considering Hawaii, although she declined naming them.
The staff of the Hawaii Film Studio at Diamond Head has received inquiries about using the studio for filming writer-director Patrick Shane Duncan's HBO series "Lessons Learned" after "Baywatch" leaves. The production company behind "Lessons Learned" continues to lease land in Maunawili where a Vietnam War set was built last year for taping of a pilot.
The on-again, off-again filming in Hawaii of director Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes" sequel is a go with a confirmed week of principal photography set for the Big Island this month, production sources said. (See related story on D-1.)
A decision to film in Hawaii -- or anywhere -- depends largely on whether the actors' strike, sources said. In Hawaii's favor is the state's film-friendly reputation and diligent county film commissioners.
Before Disney committed to the $135 million "Pearl Harbor," Bruce Hendricks, president of Motion Pictures Production, said he relied heavily on commissioners to arrange meetings with the governor and mayor to discuss the "immensity" of the project.
Laura Sode-Matteson, "Jurassic Park III's location manager, credited Kauai and Oahu film commissioners for saving production time in obtaining permits for location filming.
Producers also agreed that the quality of Hawaii's film crews is no longer in question. Alison Rosenzweig, "Windtalkers' " co-producer, said Hawaii crews are "very savvy" about the business. "They know how to do the job, they understand long hours, last minute schedule changes," she said.
Dawson, who worked for DBEDT in 1994, agreed to take the manager's position until a full-time commissioner is selected, which is expected to happen by September.
During her tenure, Dawson hopes to plug any holes detrimental to attracting productions to Hawaii, including lobbying to broaden a tax-reduction incentive package for film productions.
As a member of the year-old Hawaii Television and Film Development Board, Dawson and the group is also considering asking the Legislature for $500,000 to support "local, legitimate projects." The board also would seek additional monies and in-kind donations from the private sector.
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