Reel News
Tim Ryan
Film crew rents
Sea Life ParkThe production team for Adam Sandler's "50 First Kisses" -- which begins filming here April 28 -- has rented Sea Life Park for four days, most likely April 28 to May 1. On one of those days, 1,000 people will be recruited as extras at no pay, other than being eligible for prizes and having the opportunity to see Sandler and co-star Drew Barrymore in the flesh. In the romantic comedy, Sandler plays an aquarium veterinarian. ...
"E.R.," setting up shop on Oahu, may be the single largest TV show ever shot in Hawaii, involving a few hundred extras, two 40-foot containers of props shipped in from Los Angeles and nearly a month's worth of shooting.
In the two episodes -- this season's last episode and the next's opener -- Oahu doubles as the Congo. (It's interesting to note that many of the props -- African and French furnishings -- were previously used here during the shooting of "Tears of the Sun." That $80 million pic has not done well at the box office, grossing only $43 million in five weeks.)
"E.R." filming begins April 24 in Waialua and finishes May 15 in a scene where the "Tears of the Sun" medical clinic at Kualoa Ranch's fishpond will be burned down. The building had to be moved to one end of the fishpond because the Sandler production will be shooting at the other end.
Other "E.R." locations will be the Kahuku fish farms, the old Dole offices in Waialua and the YWCA in Honolulu. Thirty-six refugee huts have been built and stored at the Hawaii Film Studio for use at various locations. ...
Hawaii Film Office Manager Donne Dawson and Big Island Film Commissioner Marilyn Killeri met in Los Angeles with actor Chuck Norris and his producer-brother Aaron prior to the duo's visit to Honolulu to finalize arrangements for their Lions Gate/NBC Oahu-based series "The Guard." The Norrises met with Coast Guard officials, and today discussed the show with Gov. Linda Lingle. NBC execs will receive the script on Friday with the decision to green-light the show. ...
John Stockwell, creator-writer-director of "The Break," made a quick return to Oahu last week for some post-production work on his TV pilot. Fox execs will make a decision whether to green-light the hour-long, Oahu-based police drama as a series early next month, Stockwell said.
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Contact Tim Ryan at tryan@starbulletin.com.