Members of the film industry, including water stuntmen, actors and actresses, gathered in support of Senate Bill 732, which went before the House of Representatives' Committee on Finance on Wednesday, April 2. The committee unanimously recommended the bill be passed, with amendments.
SB 732 establishes the Island Film and Media Investment Fund and provides a 5% tax credit to workforces with at least 80% local hires. It also requires productions to contact all local labor unions in Hawaiʻi when hiring, to qualify for this tax credit.
Among the speakers in support of the legislation was Moses Goods, who is originally from up-country Maui. Goods is known for his roles in “Hae Hawaiʻi” (2018), "Inhumans" (2017) and "Stones" (2009), as well as “Rescue: HI-Surf,” “Kukini,” “NCIS: Hawaiʻi” and “Hawaiʻi Five-0,” among others.
Goods shared how he was originally introverted and how his father once asked him to purchase a newspaper at the grocery store and he said they were sold-out to avoid talking to anyone.
“I was that terrified of use using my own voice, and it wasn't until I became an actor and spent time in the industry that I realized I not only had a voice — that voice was my source of power and I can use that voice for my community,” he said. “That's what I did. For the last almost 30 years, I've been working as a professional actor right here in my home, the place that I love. I never moved to LA, never moved to New York. And that was intentional. I wanted to prove what was possible to my community and to the next generation of actors, and that's what I did.”
When the mini-series “Chief of War” drops this summer, Goods will be playing King Kamehameha’s chief advisor, Moku. The series was filmed in New Zealand, according to IMDb.
“Here's what scares me,” he said. “What message will the next generation of actors be hearing? Is that message going to be: ʻSure, you can do what you love, you just can't do it in the place that you love or with the people that you love?’ For the first time in almost 30 years, I might have to leave. I might have to go to LA, New York, Atlanta. And the sad part is not for me — that I have to go. The sad part is for the next generation of actors and filmmakers and industry workers that want to do this, but can't do it here. So that's going to be the reality, unless we make the change. And the change starts with SB 732.”
Brian Keaulana also spoke. He is an actor and producer, who has worked in productions such as “50 First Dates” (2004), "Jurassic World" (2015) and "Godzilla" (2014), who traveled from his home in Mākaha to speak in support of the bill. Keaulana started his career by acting and later moved into stunts and stunt coordinating, he said.
“I've been in this industry for close to 40 years,” he said. “And found out that you can make really good money, but trying to make a name for yourself here in Hawaiʻi — my hat's off to Moses on being true to himself here — but I had to go elsewhere to develop my skills, my knowledge, to learn all these things. ... We all traveled, and we learned the art of stunt work. And we became known, not only in Hawaiʻi and not only in America, but worldwide as the best water people in the world, whether it's life saving, whether it's filming and all that. So now people come to us for all those things. I also climbed up the ladder. Now I direct all the water units in Rescue: HI-Surf, Chief of War.”
Having local hires in positions of leadership helps ensure there are more local hires, he said.
“We keep our local people working in Rescue: HI- Surf,” he said. “We're close to 95% in local hires, and that's because of people on that upper end is in that place.”
In more than an hour of testimony, Dylan Davis provided the only testimony against the legislation.
“I oppose [SB] 732 because it's not the path forward,” he said. “I suggest that a state film budget is better than a refundable tax credit.”
Lindsay Watson, an actress, director and writer who grew up on Maui also spoke in favor of the bill as a younger member of the industry.
“I went to Kamehameha Schools, Maui, and I am coming from the perspective, unfortunately, of the people that were forced to move away,” she said. "I'm now based in LA, pursuing the industry, and I'm just here to say that I want to come home. I miss my family. ... My family is getting older, my nephews are getting older, my niece is getting older, and I have to miss a lot of these moments in order to pursue my dreams.”
She credits working on films, such as “Finding ʻOhana” and “The Wind & The Reckoning,” which filmed in Hawaiʻi, as helping her get her start in the industry.
Read the text of the legislation.
Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
