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It may be the most significant scene never filmed in Hawaii, though it played before a spellbound cast of crew, cast, extras, security and major studio executives. Movie producer sorry
for slamming Hawaii crewBy Tim Ryan
tryan@starbulletin.comProducer Louis Friedman, with more than 60 films and TV shows to his credit, apologized to the "Surf Girls'" production company for disparaging comments he made last month in the Star-Bulletin about local crew, primarily members of Local 665 known as International Alliance of Theatrical & Stage Employees.
In the taped interview, Friedman said, in part, "The difference in work ethic (in Hawaii), even with (production crew members) who left L.A. 20 years ago, and I don't mean that negatively ... Why did they leave the fast-paced Diamond Lane environment of L.A. for Diamond Head? They wanted a more laid-back life. It makes it hard to get back up to speed when you only have one gear."
Friedman apologized the day after the interview was published Jan. 28, reportedly saying that some of the remarks were taken out of context. He declined a follow-up interview.
The published comments angered Universal and Imagine executives, including producer Brian Grazer, Universal's vice president of production Brett Johnson and Imagine's vice president Suzy Barbieri. Johnson and Barbieri asked Friedman to rescind the comments following a meeting with IATSE business manager Scott Wong, who received more than a dozen phone calls from "angry and shocked" crew members worried that Friedman's comments would scare other productions from filming in Hawaii.
Senior IATSE and Teamster members in Hawaii told the Star-Bulletin that in more than three decades of working on film and television productions, it was the first time any studio executive had apologized to local employees. Friedman's five-minute recanting came on a drizzly morning near the North Shore's Banzai Pipeline where the Universal-Imagine Entertainment $30 million production was filming.
"The remarks were not representative of how either studio felt local crew members were performing," Johnson said.
"It was one man's opinion, not mine," added director John Stockwell.
Friedman earlier had called the production manager for the Bruce Willis film "Man of War" -- which begins filming here next month -- to alert them about the local crew's work habits, Wong and other sources said.
Johnson, who recommended in writing to "Man of War" executives that they hire as many Hawaii crew as possible, said, "I consider the crew here polished and professional and the Hawaii water crew, particularly, the best in the world," he said.
Johnson worked in Hawaii last year on "Dragonfly," starring Kevin Costner, and "Jurassic Park III."
"Surf Girls" will have spent as much as $15 million in Hawaii when principal and second unit production is completed Saturday, Johnson said. When Friedman made his remarks, the production was -- and remains -- three days ahead of schedule, expecting to finish in 39 days rather than the budgeted 42. The film also is $2 million under budget, which would not have happened without the local crew, said Johnson.
"They've done an incredible job reacting to each day's situation when we've had to move quickly from a place like Pipeline to Haleiwa because of changing wind, sky or wave conditions.
"We changed our minds every single day, and that's not how you're supposed to make movies. They made it work."
Stockwell said Friedman's comments were "unfortunate."
"My experience is completely opposite," Stockwell said. "The idea that Hawaii people aren't as motivated ... is so wrong.
"It's an ignorant cliché and not a bright thing to say. The studio is pumped with what we have gotten."
The production received surprising cooperation from North Shore surfers when filming at prime spots, particularly Pipeline, agreed Johnson and Stockwell. The company did buy small blocks of film time during some major surf contests to capture the women surfing doubles on the waves alone.
"When we didn't buy time, the guys in the water still moved out of the way to let us get our shots," Johnson said.
Stockwell hopes "Surf Girls" presents surfing in "an honest, organic, fun and compelling way" without the cliché of a "'Gidget' or T&A story."
The film opens this summer and Stockwell hopes to have the premiere here and to film a sequel.
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