According to Walea Constantinau, Film Commissioner for Oahu, no such tactics were needed to unite the Islands' film commissions. "Our slogan is Five Commissions with One Mission," she says. "And that is to make 'Hollywood's Tropical Backlot' very film-friendly."

It's working. 2000 revenues for commercials, features, episodic television and pilots reached US$136 million.

The Islands regularly host many top spot producers like Anonymous Content, Palomar and DNA. "Not just once in while. @radical.media comes two or three times a year," Constantinau says. "Maybe they need water that's warm all year or beautiful mountain scenery or they have to pretend they're in China."

The Islands' chameleon landscapes (11 of the world's 13 climate zones can be found on the Big Island alone) have doubled for Africa, Costa Rica, South America, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Saipan. Constantinau boasts: "The producers of Godzilla needed locations to double for Tahiti, Panama and Jamaica and found them within a 20-mile radius."

But it's not just the terrain that is made to order. "There is a sunny side of the island and a rainy side. A lot of people are looking for that misty, mysterious look and it's less than an hour from this sun-drenched beach." Constantinau says this flexibility is often crucial for commercial clients who need to shoot many moods in a few days.

Hawaii's film career started in 1898 when a series of travelogues were shot there and graduated to prime time in 1969 with Hawaii 5-0. Thirty solid years followed, with recent high-profile titles like Pearl Harbor, Final Fantasy, Windtalkers, Jurassic Park III and 2002's Dragonfly.

This legacy has led to strong and numerous local crew. Just as strong, but not as numerous, are Hawaii's indoor production facilities. You will find production offices, two sound stages and an underwater filming tank at Hawaii Film Studios but you will not find a film lab. Constantinau assures us, "People come here to shoot outdoors in locations that are varied, numerous and stunning. They prefer to send film back to their own colorist and their own lab."

Recent shoots in the Islands include three spots for Bally Total Fitness from DNA, American Express from @radical.media, Visa from Screen Gems, Orbitz from Anonymous Content and Toyota from Palomar.

Geography, weather, crews, a mint umbrella in your coconut girlie drink - sounds perfect but is paradise affordable? Constantinau says Hawaii, like all US production centers, struggle with a strong dollar but Hawaii helps offset costs with nominal location fees. On Oahu for instance, pointing the camera in a harbor or down a highway is $100 a day. Taking over a city park is $10 and shooting in state parks and on city streets is free.

Nicole Ebeo, who coordinates shoots in her home state, warns of one unexpected danger. "So many times crew members come to Hawaii and end up staying. Sometimes for a few days. But some of them actually move." Somewhere, King KaMehaMeha is smiling.

Webfiles:
Hawaii Film Office> ddawson@dbedt.hawaii.gov
Honolulu Film Office> http://www.filmhonolulu.com
Kauai Film Commission> http://www.filmkauai.com
Maui Film Office> http://www.filmmaui.com
Big Island Film Office> film@bigisland.com