Fox-TV pilot "The Break," a pilot for a police-drama television series of the same name by "Blue Crush" team John Stockwell and Brian Grazer, has been given the green light by Fox Television to begin production on Oahu.
for police-drama
will be filmed
on North Shore
Work on ‘The Break’ is scheduled
to begin in mid-FebruaryBy Tim Ryan
tryan@starbulletin.comStockwell, who will write, direct and be executive producer of the first hour-long show, said he will hire as many local actors as possible, including for the four main supporting cast members.
He also plans to have an "at least 70 percent local crew."
"If I can hire 100 percent, I will," Stockwell said in a telephone interview from Kauai.
Stockwell and Imagine Entertainment executives Grazer, an Academy Award-winning producer, and David Nevins got the go-ahead from Fox officials in mid-December. Grazer and Nevins will also be executive producers.
Water-unit photography will begin as early as mid-February, with principal photography the first two to three weeks in March, Stockwell said.
Casting for the male lead is being done in Los Angeles and New York. Hawaii casting begins later this month on Kauai, Maui, the Big Island and Oahu because Stockwell said he wants to see "as much Hawaii talent statewide as possible."
Stockwell wants Fox officials to decide early whether the series -- likely a 13-show pickup to begin in the fall and air through next January -- is a go.
The Hawaii State Film Office is ecstatic about the announcement.
"We're particularly pleased with the production's desire to hire as many locals as possible," said Donne Dawson, Film Office manager. "We look forward at the possibility that 'The Break' will be Hawaii's next big series."
Series normally begin filming in August for the fall season, but Stockwell told Fox executives that August would be "dead, wavewise" on the North Shore. He wants to film as long as the North Shore has waves this winter and spring.
Stockwell emphasized that "The Break" is not a "'Blue Crush' the TV show."
"The ocean plays a part but surfing isn't a main character," he said.
The story surrounds 32-year-old Dane Patterson, who left Hawaii at 17 for Detroit and returns with his troubled 14-year-old son to live with his sister at her North Shore beach house. Patterson joins HPD's Crime Reduction Unit, where he works alongside four partners, two men and two women.
"Ideally, I would like to find someone who either spent a lot of time in Hawaii or lived here and is akamai about local sensitivities and attitudes," Stockwell said. "It would probably be easier to teach someone how to surf than teach them the right attitude to live here."
Other principal roles include the main character's brother-in-law, sister and "a lot of kids."
"The Break" is the spacious area and isolated surf spot where CRU members gather to relax and talk story. Stockwell's image was Velzyland north of Sunset Beach, but with pending development he is looking elsewhere, including Mokuleia.
The CRU's headquarters will be a North Shore beach house. There will be plenty of filming in and around Haleiwa, but "The Break" is not strictly a North Shore show, he said.
"We'll be filming all around Oahu, including some areas not seen on television, like low-income neighborhoods," Stockwell said.