StarBulletin.com

Filming in Hawaii is a dream come true for Director Rob Hedden


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POSTED: Monday, April 13, 2009

Making a movie in Hawaii has been on director Rob Hedden's dream list for quite a while. The dedicated surfer (he rides a 9-foot board by Donald Takayama) has visited Hawaii once a year since he was 17, and vacationed more frequently when his sister lived here for a decade.

So when the opportunity to write and direct “;You May Not Kiss the Bride”; came along, Hedden gratefully accepted.

“;This is the type of project that I love,”; says Hedden (”;The Condemned,”; “;Friday the 13th, Part VIII”;). Knowing the material better than if it were someone else's work certainly helps, as does eliminating his typical concern for pleasing the screenwriter.

Though he solidified his vision of the movie when he constructed the script, he's willing to alter and improve, which is one of the reasons the set appears to be such a pleasant place to work.

“;He's always open to new ideas,”; says producer Gina Watumull. “;He's very generous.”;

Hedden affirms that “;a good idea is a good idea; I don't care who it comes from.”;

For an action sequence in the coconut grove on Dillingham Ranch, Hedden refers to a computer-illustrated shot list to keep the three-ring circus — complete with a helicopter, a sophisticated technocrane for the camera and multiple tents and trailers teeming with activity — on track. Planning is essential.

Hedden credits the crew with helping him achieve his daily goals of getting the shots he needs before darkness falls. “;The local crew here is sensational,”; he says. “;They're fast. These guys are so on their game.”;

“;You May Not Kiss the Bride”; is an independent film that looks like an expensive studio picture, notes Hedden, whose demeanor sets the tone on the set. “;We all have fun; everybody feels like we're at summer camp.”;