Reel News
Isles double for
Philippines in
Fincher filmExecutives for the big-budget, Columbia-Sony film "Fertig," to be directed by David Fincher, just completed their second scout on Oahu with plans to shoot here late next year through mid-2004. Hawaii will double for the Philippines. Fincher hopes to land Brad Pitt for the lead. Some filming will also be done in Panama. ...
"The Big Bounce" filmed Monday in Haleiwa, with night filming planned for the rest of the week, followed by a North Shore home before the production wraps New Year's Eve. ...
Ten episodes have been completed for the "The Last Resort" TV reality show being shot along the Big Island's Kona-Kohala coast. After a holiday hiatus, the production is expected to return to do the last five shows here. ...
Sources continue to insist the Chuck Norris TV series to be based on Oahu is a go for next year, but executive producer (and Norris' brother) Aaron is keeping mum. ...
KUDOS to impresario and Maui Film Festival director Barry Rivers and his fourth annual FirstLight event, an end-of-year screening series that allows Hollywood studios to trumpet their Oscar candidates to winter vacationers. Rivers and the event are featured in a story in the entertainment trade publication The Hollywood Reporter. FirstLight 2002 will show 37 Oscar hopefuls, during a five-day period beginning this week.
Paramount Classics co-president David Dinerstein, whose company's "Bloody Sunday" is screening at FirstLight, calls the event "a wonderful opportunity to screen Academy-type films for the industry audience, as well as the public."
Rivers defers some credit for FirstLight's success to the "world-class venue" at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Castle Theatre.
And speaking of Maui, will there be a Maui Film Office in mayor-elect Alan Arakawa's administration? State and county film officials don't know and, at least publicly, Arakawa isn't saying. Recently announced Maui department appointments make no mention of a film office or film commissioner. I really hope this isn't another case of the "Hollywood will come anyway" syndrome.
Reel News unspools every Wednesday.
Contact Tim Ryan at tryan@starbulletin.com.