Film Flimflam – MidWeek August 20, 2025

A comedian once joked that Los Angeles has so many people in the film industry that people there list x-rays and CAT scans as résumé film credits. Locally… not so much. 

Too many people here in the heretofore thriving film and television industry are being forced to change careers or leave town, as the state tax credit reimbursement program for locally-lensed productions is simply not competitive vs. other markets with greater (read: financially alluring) tax incentives.

Providing tax motivation to entice more production here was pushed in a Senate bill that died in committee. With historical facts and figures that show the value of nurturing a vibrant film/TV industry in Hawai`i, somehow the message was not accepted by elected officials. Luckily, the governor vetoed a bill that would have been even worse- he vetoed a bill that would have established a drop-dead date for any tax credits for our film industry (still in play through 2032).

Where should we start? FYI, tourism is a really vital component of our state’s economy. How much impact did hits like “Hawaii 5-0”, “Magnum P.I.”, “Jurassic Park”, “Lost”, “50 First Dates”, “The Descendants”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “The Thorn Birds”, “Fantasy Island”, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”, “Lilo & Stitch”, “The White Lotus” and countless other productions have in swaying potential Hawai`i visitors? The value of incentivizing Hawai`i-based productions goes far beyond providing tax write-offs for well-to-do Hollywood moguls, actors, and studios. The ripple effect (especially in the world of social media) of millions of viewers seeing local sites they might never have seen or thought of visiting is a boon to our biggest economic driver.

Locally-filmed productions are a no-brainer to enhance official tourism marketing and advertising efforts. “Wheel of Fortune” in Hawai`i? Winner. Televised coverage of the Pro Bowl, Hawai`i Bowl, and “Merrie Monarch Festival”? Well worth it. Gee, if only we had 20 other strong business options that supplied a steady tax base, provided well-paying jobs, encouraged our youth to stick around, and created buzz throughout the continent and beyond. Alas…we don’t. 

Let’s hope those pushing for the film/TV production industry are preparing what’s necessary in the 2026 legislature to convince decision-makers who discourage efforts like the Hawai`i historical epic, “Chief of War”, Jason Momoa’s new series on AppleTV+. That nine-hour series was economically dispossessed here and thus filmed most of its Hawai`i-centric production in New Zealand. Opportunity knocks. Please answer.

Think about it…