with Film Commissioner TRACY BENNETT in 2019

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Jason Schwartz has a great conversation with Maui County Film Commissioner TRACY BENNETT... a great conversation about the development of a motion picture and tv/media industry in Maui County AND attracting Film & Media Location shoots and possible future vision ..9-9-2019

Summary & Transcript Below…

Interview with Tracy Bennett, Maui County Film Commissioner

1. 1. 1. 1. 00:01 → 02:34 | Introduction and Program Overview

• 
• [00:01] Jason Schwartz welcomes viewers to the Neutral Zone show and introduces Tracy Bennett, the Maui County Film Commissioner.
• The show is aired on a low-power FM station with online presence on Facebook Live and YouTube.
• The Neutral Zone aims to cover diverse topics with an open-minded approach, focusing on exploring issues and ideas rather than debating aggressively.
• Jason emphasizes the importance of art and music in Maui’s economic development, particularly highlighting the potential of the entertainment and film industry as a key economic driver.

1. 1. 1. 1. 02:34 → 06:39 | Overview of Maui’s Film Industry and Current Projects

• [02:34] Tracy Bennett has been serving as the Maui Film Commissioner for nearly six years.
• Maui hosts approximately 40 commercials annually, attracting major brands, indicating a steady demand for filming on the island.
• Notable projects include the reality TV show Temptation Island (USA Network), which filmed its second season on Maui. Tracy negotiated for the show to highlight Maui explicitly, including displaying the Maui County Film Office logo in the credits to promote local identity.
• The show employs around 150 locals per season, providing substantial work opportunities.
• Tracy shares her own experience working as a production assistant on Temptation Island, noting the large, dedicated crew and the importance of treating people well to maintain a positive filming environment.
• Locally, there is interest from residents and aspiring crew members in joining productions, but many find it challenging to get noticed without strong connections or a clear process.

1. 1. 1. 1. 06:39 → 09:15 | Crew Development and Access to Opportunities

• [06:39] The Maui Film Office maintains a database of local crew members and professionals interested in film projects, though the website is under renovation.
• Tracy encourages people to register their skills and experience with her office to be considered for productions.
• Verification of credits is often done through IMDB Pro, the industry standard for confirming professional work history.
• Tracy’s background includes 25 years in the movie business after a professional football career, providing her with deep industry knowledge and credibility.
• She highlights the high-stress nature of both professional football and film production, emphasizing the resilience required for the industry.

1. 1. 1. 1. 09:15 → 14:56 | Maui’s Unique Filming Environment and Infrastructure Needs

•        [09:15] Maui offers diverse, beautiful locations such as beaches, jungles, and waterfalls, suitable for various productions.
• The industry is “green” and environmentally conscious, requiring careful protection of land and culture during filming.
• Some activities common on Oahu, like car chases and explosions, may not be suitable for Maui due to its smaller population and desire to protect local life.
• The island has about 6,000 acres potentially available for a studio, but only around 40 acres would be necessary to build a practical film studio.
• Current studio infrastructure is limited compared to Oahu’s, where Hawaii Five-O occupies a large studio for most of the year, restricting availability for other productions.
• While there are some existing production spaces on Maui, such as a leased warehouse in Wailuku (Maui Lani Industrial area), these often have drawbacks like poor acoustics or excessive pillars, making them less attractive for big projects.

1. 1. 1. 1. 14:56 → 18:22 | Local Talent Development and Education

• 
• [14:56] Maui College’s creative media program, led by filmmaker Brian Kohn, is a cornerstone for developing local talent in writing, producing, and filmmaking.
• Homegrown projects like Brian’s film Maui (formerly Kuleana) demonstrate the potential for local stories to be produced and marketed within Maui, reducing the need for young filmmakers to move to the mainland.
• Tracy stresses the importance of nurturing local creators and teaching industry skills so that Maui’s film industry can grow sustainably.
• Reality shows like Temptation Island contribute to local education by donating funds to high school media programs and hiring students as production assistants, providing valuable hands-on experience.
• The industry’s growth is seen as an opportunity to keep young people on the island and build a “green” and culturally respectful film economy.

1. 1. 1. 1. 18:22 → 20:48 | Industry Work Environment and Challenges

• [18:22] The film industry requires stamina and adaptability due to long workdays (often 12 hours or more) and the “hurry-up-and-wait” nature of production.
• Working on productions is not glamorous for most crew members, who provide essential support behind the scenes.
• Tracy admires local filmmakers like Brian Kohn and Stefan Schaeffer for creating culturally rich stories based in Maui, emphasizing that content drives where productions shoot and how they are received.
• Maui’s natural beauty and local culture offer abundant storytelling opportunities that can differentiate Maui from other filming locations.

1. 1. 1. 1. 20:48 → 26:51 | Maui Film Commissioner’s Role and Industry Promotion

• [20:48] Tracy actively promotes Maui as a film location at trade shows and industry events, such as the American Film Market and the Location Expo.
• She highlights Maui’s unique selling points: quieter environment, lack of traffic, beautiful locations, and a 25% tax credit (5% higher than Oahu’s 20%) which can be a critical factor for productions budgeting their shoots.
• Maui’s tax incentives and natural assets are leveraged to attract productions that might otherwise choose Oahu or international locations like Fiji or Australia.
• Tracy acknowledges the challenges of competing with Oahu’s established infrastructure and film community but works to position Maui as a distinct, attractive alternative.
• She emphasizes the importance of having strong local relationships with crew, location managers, and service providers to facilitate smooth production experiences and positive word-of-mouth.

1. 1. 1. 1. 26:51 → 34:47 | Industry Infrastructure, Crew Recruitment, and Marketing Efforts

• [26:51] The Maui Film Office keeps an up-to-date database of local professionals in various crafts (camera, wardrobe, makeup, drivers, etc.) to provide referrals to productions.
• Tracy encourages local crew to maintain current resumes and photos to help her recommend them effectively.
• She explains that many productions come for commercials, reality shows, and mid-size projects rather than large feature films, which make up Maui’s “bread and butter.”
• 
• Commercial shoots, although short-term, pay very well and provide substantial income for local crew members.
• Productions also contribute to the local economy by renting cars, booking hotel rooms, and supporting restaurants.
• Tracy uses her own industry experience and connections, including her past as Adam Sandler’s set photographer, to promote Maui and develop relationships with producers and executives.

1. 1. 1. 1. 34:47 → 43:38 | Personal Career Path and Industry Experience

• [34:47] Tracy’s film career began after retiring from professional football due to injury.
• He started as an assistant and driver on sets, eventually becoming a union set still photographer working on major films with stars such as Ben Stiller, Ice Cube, and Robert De Niro.
• His role involved capturing behind-the-scenes images used for marketing and publicity.
• Tracy developed a long-term working relationship with Adam Sandler, working on 14 of his films.
• Eventually, seeking more stability and to settle down, he applied for and became Maui’s Film Commissioner, combining his film industry expertise with local economic development goals.

1. 1. 1. 1. 43:38 → 54:44 | Duties as Film Commissioner and Balancing Industry with Local Culture

• [43:38] Tracy’s role includes film permitting, facilitating production logistics, and liaising with various county departments such as Parks, Public Works, Police, and Fire to ensure smooth filming processes.
• He acts as a concierge for productions, ensuring they have the necessary equipment, accommodations, and crew contact information.
• The job requires balancing economic benefits with environmental and cultural sensitivity, preventing damage to Maui’s natural and cultural resources.
• 
• Tracy would welcome larger productions like Hawaii Five-O and Magnum P.I. to shoot on Maui but stresses the importance of fitting the location and respecting local communities.
• He highlights the challenge of fostering a local film ecosystem that grows talent, supports local stories, and attracts outside projects while maintaining community values.

1. 1. 1. 1. 54:44 → 56:51 | Closing Remarks and Future Outlook

• [54:44] Jason Schwartz praises Tracy for his work and commitment to the industry and local community.
• Temptation Island is returning to Maui for a third season and plans five seasons total, continuing to provide local jobs and exposure.
• Tracy acknowledges the show’s content may not appeal to everyone but appreciates its role in showcasing Maui’s beauty to a broad audience.
• He reminds viewers that working in film is a career requiring flexibility and professionalism, regardless of the type of production.
• Tracy closes by encouraging local writers and creators to develop stories set in Maui, helping to grow the industry organically and retain local talent.
• Jason thanks Tracy for joining the show and looks forward to future updates on Maui’s evolving film scene.

1. 1. 1. Key Insights

• Maui’s film industry thrives on commercials, reality TV, and smaller productions, while feature films remain less frequent due to limited infrastructure.
• The 25% tax credit on neighbor islands is a competitive advantage, though Tracy advocates for even higher incentives to attract more projects.
• Local crew development and education are vital to building a sustainable industry, with programs like Maui College’s creative media curriculum playing a crucial role.
• Protecting Maui’s environment and culture is a priority when permitting and managing film productions.
• Tracy’s extensive Hollywood experience and local connections uniquely position him to promote Maui and foster relationships across the industry.
• The future of Maui’s film industry depends heavily on nurturing homegrown stories and talent, supported by infrastructure improvements and strategic marketing.

1. 1. 1. Keywords

Maui Film Industry, Film Commissioner, Tax Credits, Temptation Island, Local Crew, Film Studio, Maui College Creative Media, Film Permitting, Location Marketing, Economic Development, Sustainable Filmmaking, Hollywood Experience, Commercial Productions, Reality TV, Local Talent Development.

1. 1. 1. FAQ

Q: How can local residents get involved in Maui’s film industry?
A: Register with the Maui Film Office, maintain updated resumes and photos, pursue education and training programs like those at Maui College, and network with local productions and crew.

Q: What types of productions are most common in Maui?
A: Commercials, reality TV shows like Temptation Island, and independent films. Large-scale feature films are less common due to infrastructure limitations.

Q: What makes Maui a unique filming location compared to Oahu?
A: Maui offers less traffic, a quieter environment, beautiful and diverse natural locations, and a 25% tax credit, which is higher than Oahu’s 20%.

• 

Q: What challenges does the Maui film industry face?
A: Limited studio space, competition with better-equipped Oahu, the need for more local trained crew, and balancing filming activity with environmental and cultural preservation.

Q: How does the Maui Film Commissioner support productions?
A: Facilitates permits, coordinates with county departments, maintains crew databases, markets Maui at trade shows, and acts as a liaison between filmmakers and local resources.

This comprehensive summary reflects the detailed conversation with Tracy Bennett on the current state, challenges, and future of Maui’s film industry, emphasizing community involvement, sustainable growth, and the island’s unique contributions to filmmaking.

00:01

[Music] good morning everyone it’s Monday September 9th I’m Jason Schwartz this is the neutral zone I’ve got a great guest today you’re gonna enjoy today’s show [Music] [Music] watch this hand [Music] please leave isn’t that nice we have quiet on the radio psych Wow that is control you know it’s not the what you say it’s what happens between what you say good morning everyone this is Jason Schwartz here at the neutral zone I’m here with Tracy Bennett of the Maui

01:24

film commissioner and if you want to be seeing this show again that sounds funny as we’re starting we are a hundred watt station line of sight and we are what they call an FM LP station low-power which means you can find us most easily on Facebook live or que aku has a feed there on Facebook the next day you can find that Maui neutral zone calm all of our shows including this one will be up there all on YouTube and more than anything the word of mouth that’s what’s really getting us going

02:03

we’re the neutral zone we talk about anything it’s not that we don’t have any opinions but we’re here councilman Molina I used to tell them we’re here and I put down the swords before we start interview I’m not here to have a sword fight I’m here to see who and what it’s going on and how we can make this a better world and so I have all kinds of guests on here and people will see as we start mapping it out what this means in one of the sections of what we’re doing

02:34

in art and music how can one miss such a huge piece of our potential economic model which is the development of an entertainment industry a film industry this has been an ongoing thing I should let him talk but it is getting ongoing thing for a long time and we’ve had some film commissioners well Tracey you’ve been doing this a while and now you’re starting really kicking into your second half of a decade aren’t you thank you thank you for having me first and foremost Aloha it’s a it’s an honor and

03:10

pleasure to be here with you so thank you and yes I’m on the the back side of the second five years of my term here going into year six October will be year six yeah so what are you if I was gonna have you a quickie how’s the film industry on Maui doing are we seeing an upward trend about us as a destination for film you know that’s a really interesting question I think a lot of people expect to see more movies or bigger movies filmed here but you would be pleasantly surprised to know that we

03:49

shoot about 40 commercials a year here well all the major brands come here and film their commercials we just did season two of temptation Island which airs on USA Network I was on the duck ssin crew on that I loved that that was a great experience very nice people there they’re really great people they take care of the crew and and the show is fabulous they make Maui look amazing you know what’s interesting is well it is yes what’s interesting is after season one aired they came back and said

• 

04:22

they were interested in shooting season two here and I said you know what’d be great is if you highlight Maui more and that people that are viewing a show can see that it’s Maui so show a Maui sign or let everybody know that it is Maui when they have activities for the dates for these people I are I’m seeing you know the locations that are all over Maui just like you’re hoping to have happen yeah exactly and I they didn’t really do that in season one it was more of a nondescript location that they were

04:54

at so you saw very little that said it was Maui so I was able to negotiate some things where they highlight the island more and let the viewers know that it is Maui Hawaii and not only that but have the Maui County Film Office logo and the county of Maui logo in the end credits of season two so you know we’re making these steps toward it but you know the crew our union guys love that show because they get paid well it’s a fun opportunity the production crew and the studio execs real love it here they treat everybody well

05:30

feed him well house them you know those sort of things put 150 people to work here so well it was really fun I was a production assistant which means I was non-union I was a moving ice and they call them craft e’s all of the goodies for the crew and driving so I got to meet all kinds of different people and I saw that there were just an army of people really just totally focused on having a good time in their production there and now he was a great backdrop the houses were you know all this stuff

06:05

you see what people have to understand of course is you take care of locations but there was a guy like Glen Beatles up there who takes care of room locations or all Eamon’s stuff these are guys that do productions on the island it’s nice to see coordination of people I did find that some of the people that work locally production are saying how do we get in on some of that stuff my name is on the list you had a film Maui website I’m not sure how that is there one for the county that’s already up or how you

06:39

know I do have a website it is film Maui comm but it is currently under a little bit of renovation I said an update but the Facebook page is up there yeah and people can get in touch with you if they need to they can yeah do you find that oh man I was asking about this guy that was living here his name is on a list you can put your name and register that you live here and work here and what your skills are I’m not sure what happens with those lists after that but he worked on a couple of independent

07:09

productions in the past but didn’t really know how to get his name picked out it was always sort of word-of-mouth from the people on a crew you have any how do you recommend to people that are out there not only to register on your on your site and stuff but what they can do to kind of get in touch do you think they should get in touch with the production companies themselves or well there’s there’s a variety of ways to do it and thank you for asking that’s a really great question because we you

07:40

know we as the county are all he’s looking to build our database of crew members and people in the arts that are interested in film and TV and photo shoots and commercials and that sort of thing we had a company called real scout that was attached to our website that would help with our database but we are not using them anymore because it just wasn’t affordable for us so people can still reach out to me and I put all their information into a database alphabetized with your name address

08:10

phone number email address what your craft is what experience you have basically a resume self-professed correct now there is way you know I’ve being 25 years in the movie business I’m able to spot out you know people’s credits you’re not that old 25 years yeah believe it or not yeah goodness yeah 25 years in the business but I think that you know there’s a way to there’s a way to verify people’s credits which is IMDB Pro it’s the Bible of the industry and that’s usually how

08:46

you can tell if somebody’s legit when they tell you oh I worked on Pearl Harbor or I worked on Hawaii five-o or whatever it may be I imagine people see that site that’s a fun site that has so much information yes I am DB Pro of people go up on the internet they’ll find it I’m here with Tracy Bennett our maui county film commissioner you know before you were doing this you were in the movie industry for years and before that you were i seei when you mentioned about radio to me and i thought you were

09:15

an announcer but you were actually a player way back when National Football League I was I was yeah right out of college hi Dan I was a kicker I grew up kicking the football I had two loves in life and one was making movies and the other was kicking a football literally and when I retired from football I got into the movie business but I played six years I played in the World League also but I played in Denver Tampa Dallas Orlando and had a really great time and you know I missed the game in general I just don’t miss the

09:51

pressure I’ll leave that to the younger kids but you know it toughen to me I think as I grew older and it takes a lot to really rattle me these days so I like to thank football fear in the movie business or in the film business I’m sure that that’s also a more high-stress thing than people think about huge numbers of people huge budgets things moving around someone decides to have an hour off and you just spent 6 grand I say six grand spend resilient dollars do you find that the locations here are great and people

10:26

find their time efficiently used here pretty convenient for that I do I do you know in Hawaii we have some great locations here all the islands have beautiful beaches and jungles and waterfalls and blue water and whales but what we try to do differently here is be a little more welcoming yet protective of our residents of the culture you know the the movie and TV industry is a green industry it’s it’s very clean so with that comes a responsibility of taking care of the land taking care of

11:02

our residents and our crew for example let’s say Hawaii five-o wanted to come and do an episode here and there was a car chase in a gun battle and an explosion I don’t know that Maui is a great place for that it depends on where it would be because you’re putting a lot of people you’re making some people unhappy you’re disrupting a daily flow sometimes and to go over to Oahu and see those shows shooting and how they close down major streets and highways on a regular basis you know while who’s a

11:34

great place for that so for Maui I don’t know that we’re a great place for that it just depends on the project and if it can be less we have 6,000 acres and build the studio exactly how many acres we need for a studio when we don’t need we don’t need more than 40 acres 40 acres yeah so that sounds incredibly doable well it is if you look at the size of the Diamond Head Studios and what’s going on there Hawaii five-o leases that studio for nine months out of the year so you know anybody that

12:03

comes in and wants studio space they’ve got to fit in the three months that the show is off otherwise there’s not that much infrastructure is that the other thing forty acres no yeah it is yes I think if one group is coming in we could do multiple forties we don’t really maybe need it because we got great locations right yeah you like I said the locations here are great and you know we do have a couple areas that are protected and they’re either in a conservation district or you know we

12:33

have a couple Beach parks now that are illegal to film at there’s no commercial activity allowed and some of the beach parks and some of the beaches and and whatnot but you know we’re film friendly here we have a hundred and eighty people in our database and a good probably 35 to 40 Union crew members the hotels here there’s probably four that are real film friendly and we’ll give the good group rates for productions that come in you know when temptation island comes they they give us four thousand room nights

13:02

so some of the hotels are pretty friendly for the most part you know and I really have appreciated the the people have been treated well you know what I guess I’m not gonna get I mentioned the names of you know the mahana or up there in in Hana Kauai and in wet the West and really beautiful places that people are very happy and there’s constant flow of of good feeling people I hope leave Maui and go back and say I want to work on Maui again and the people on Maui say well what about us have you found people here isn’t only

13:42

odd question but when I first looking at the film thing closely it was because someone hired me to be the manager of their production studio that they were built and as it turned out that’s how I met Glen Beatles or a Paul Eamon this was some years ago but they were trying to romance or then mayor Arakawa who you’ve worked them to build a studio here it didn’t happen and then they lease the building in Wailuku I guess it’s called Wailuku Industrial what is that Maui Lani Eyre yes what is it is there a place or a

14:21

building or anything for a production studio I know that out in the West fuzz box you know fuzz box I do is wherever those guys are built out one of their places to be a production studio which is good but I keep thinking like you said nine months on Oahu Hawaii five-o has the production studio and to me to build an industry here we need to do what what we’re doing we got a college that’s teaching people how to write how to use new things that aren’t even sight related but it’s industry related and so

14:56

we’ll create an industry here by creating stories and having people here and we can bring from the mainland but we have like we harvest our local thing and really create this industry and what can we say create a business from here without having to get people here it’s a maybe a different slant but they need a production studio I think well you know what’s interesting about what you were talking about in Wailuku was the it’s a Paradise beverage warehouse and that location was good and it had parking and

15:31

it had some of the infrastructure however a couple major producers in a studio executive I hosted here and took them to that location and their responses were it’s cement the sound is bad it’s not tall enough there’s too many cement pillars so I got all the negatives instead of what the positives were and the amount of rent I think at the time probably wasn’t compatible with some of the productions I do feel for us to get you know bigger films or TV projects here we have to have a studio

16:04

of some kind I think 12,000 square feet is plenty I don’t think 20,000 square feet is is needed really but in in nurturing our kids here and the keiki and the students and getting them interested in the industry keeping them in Hawaii to learn the art and learn the business as opposed to kids deciding they want to do it and then moving to LA or New York and getting in the business and you know the goal what Brian Kohn is doing it at Maui college is amazing in that you have a successful filmmaker writer producer

16:39

that is making homegrown projects and shooting them here and marketing them here and you know his movie Maui is about to come out on DVD in October so just things like that are helping our kids understand that we can stay here and have an industry here and if they’re not working on Maui specific there are opportunities on Oahu and I’m hoping that you know especially in this world that is I want to say so device centric there’s gonna be an is so much need for quality product that marketing stuff I

17:17

hope that we can develop all here on Maui a more effective way of educating people about the marketing for some of this stuff because that’s an a whole other piece maybe but I consider that part of the film industry all the things that people come here to do I’m just thinking about the local population trying to get more product going on locally and I imagine that would then attract producers who want to come and have their crew here also except for maybe whoever pan picked they want to do

17:48

right yeah yeah just just nurturing the kids really is important a good case in point is Temptation Island made a donation to Lahainaluna high school and their media program and that money is intended to be used for cameras and studio equipment and things to help teach those high school kids the industry so that they can stay here in Maui and learn the industry and work in the industry or somewhere in the state at least as opposed to having to go to LA to learn so those are things that are really important here is that you get a

18:22

show a big Network show like Temptation Island that gives money to programs to help teach and you know when they came here they asked for Brian cones assistants for some production assistants kids that are taking his classes that want to learn the industry and they worked on the show well that’s how I did it I’m saying I’ve enjoyed being over there with Brian and Barry worst is film critic these guys have been here on the show but also they’re effectively building what you’re talking about

18:53

building the recruits into this industry but the thing with tech and all the directions that are going I’m sure that this is going this could be just a wealth of talent operating right from here on Maui and bringing you know from LA but using Maui people and creating more productions because we have more stories in this time when Netflix and Disney and Apple are all having this financial battle I wouldn’t be surprised if one of these giants financial giants couldn’t find Maui an attractive place

19:34

to do a lot of their advert I mean I know that sounds self pluggy but it’s not because it’s all of us the Maui Arts and Music Association that I created was intended to be just that a brand to show off all these pieces of our extraordinary destination to put all this together for an environmental economic model that employs people does all the kind of things to showcase to the world what a little pipsqueak like Maui in the middle of the ocean the most remote landmass can do and you know

20:12

Temptation Island I was so impressed by how there was so much cooperation and goodwill on the show and I saw that the reaction of the people here that were working everyone that was production assistant from the school like you said really found that the crews were very accepting and inviting the biggest challenge that we’ve had was at the show they work 12-hour days and that’s a new experience for you man wow that’s a short day believe it or not I’ve done many 15s and 16s and when

20:48

that’s the biggest education is like a this you got a set of shift when you’re on location you’re gonna be there for oh and you got to have stamina you’re gonna be on your feet you’re gonna be hot and sweaty or depending on your location you’re gonna be cold you’re gonna be tired and you know it’s a hurry-up-and-wait business it’s not as glamorous as everyone that they hear the word movie industry they think every job is a star the stars have their place but the people that support those stars is

21:18

just an extraordinary group of people well it’s an interesting puzzle that there are many many pieces too and getting a project made and I think Brian Cohn again is a perfect example of that for his kuleana formerly titled now it’s Maui but Stefan Schaeffer you know his Aloha surf hotel that thing has been just gestating for for years and years and he finally shot it and Augie T is an amazing actor believe it or not he’s never than all three yeah yeah so you know it’s it’s homegrown stories and

21:52

some of them are culturally based some of them are just for humor but there are many many many stories to be told about Maui and Hawaii and Kolev a and just this place the people the culture there so this college over here this University of Hawaii Maui college creative media program which is available to everyone I’m in it I got in school a little before the program was kind of launched so I have a little bit of a music and art but once I saw him take this program like right now I’m taking I want to say screenwriting and

22:27

developing and finding your voice in the media just a fantastic group of people and and the leadership from Brian Cohen has just been really super well brought Brian gets at him and Stephan you know are two of our our better filmmakers here and more accomplished filmmakers on Maui and they set the standard in a way because you know there there are no projects without content and it really comes down to content and what’s written on the page why don’t we come back we got a few minutes before we go for a break but I’m

22:58

gonna be hopefully we’ll talk about stories that you can pick about fun experience you’ve had both in trying to find how to bring people to Maui I’ve been always wondered you know this experience is you go out in the world and have to tell people that there’s this destination that’s called Maui which they know Maui but now how can you pitch and say this most beautiful place has something more to offer than I used to say the Bahamas but I don’t say that today right exactly

23:33

but you know different locations in the world that we always use the year that Georgia was given big tax credits and and you know so what I want to talk about that kind of stuff and like you say Temptation Island is one example I know we have I want to say a local in Clint Eastwood who shot a couple of things here mm-hmm but some of the stories about some of the locations some of the people and how you go about I want to say recruiting what can people out there would like to do movies or you know want to do something here do they

24:10

have to apply you know a lot of people are amateurs that if they apply and do it they professional is just means you get paid right in this new age Jeff Bezos has sort of helped us make sort of a level playing field since everything is M but it takes a little got a big guy all going through this new funnel so little guys can you know really get into this game that’s why I’m bringing it up though sure so I’m looking at to see how we not only can how you attract them and what kind of things come here what has

24:45

been your most fun at the job that you’re doing what do you really enjoy about this job you know I really like meeting some of the students there’s really just you know Maui is such an amazing place but to hear and see some of the kids who’ve taken in what guys like Stephan and Brian have and even Brandt’s can Richmond and and Pauli Minh you know he’s got this vast array of equipment in an amazing warehouse it all goes hand in hand because it’s all about what’s written on

25:17

the page and transferring that onto a medium that you know people will be entertained by whether you laugh or you cry or you’re scared or whatever it is that you feel when you watch a movie or a TV show or something I think you know seeing some of the kids that have come through and and are growing now seeing Bryan’s movie you know kuleana was he was trying to get that thing made when I first took this position and now to see that it was not only made but they’ve rebranded it to Maui which is one of the

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most marketed and popular brand names in the world right I think it’s a brilliant move and with some help from the Visitors Bureau and from economic development in the mayor’s office all those things go hand in hand and it’s growing and now Brian’s working on another project and you have Stefan with Aloha surf hotel you know it’s giving notoriety to the people who’ve worked hard here to do it so I think that’s the most rewarding thing so far well good well I’m gonna you guys are

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listening to Tracy Bennett our maui county film commissioner and i’m Jason Schwartz we’re gonna let some of the people that keep our radio station going have something to say and then we’ll come back and be back here with Tracy hang on the neutral zone with me Jason Schwartz would like to sincerely thank David Bryan for his support David was founder and head of school at New Road School in Santa Monica California and as the board chair at the Ojai Foundation and on the board for brave new films the

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neutral zone is heard live Mondays at 11:00 a.m. here on Kak you 88.5 FM the voice of maui and again on saturdays at 7:00 a.m. as well as on TV and on Maui neutral zone dot the neutral zone with me Jason Schwartz would like to sincerely thank David Bryan for his support David was founder and head of school at new Road School in Santa Monica California and as the board chair at the Ojai Foundation and on the board for brave new films the neutral zone has heard live Mondays at 11:00 a.m. here on Kak you 88.5 FM the voice of maui and

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again on saturdays at 7:00 a.m. as well as on TV and on Maui neutral zone dot-com do you have something to say but can’t find an outlet did you know that ikkaku offers a service called open mic here you can come in and make a statement on any topic you want and it’s for explore song you wrote recite a monologue do a funny dance comment on a recent event the floor is yours come speak your mind for free appointments are available Mondays and Wednesdays between 1:00 and 3:00 call eight seven one five five five four

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today to reserve the spot Clos ha I’m a moral st. John inviting you to join me every Friday at 11 a.m. when I’ll be talking story to some very gutsy women women going through their dreams women who have children and grandchildren and the wisdom of the ages women who are courageous and filled with spirit nets gutsy women radio Fridays at 11 a.m. and replays on Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. Iran kak you radio 88.5 FM hi I’m Jason Schwartz host of the neutral zone kak u is a listener-supported station this

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means that all the great programs you hear like mine are sponsored by you as well as our underwriters if you would like to help keep the voice of Maui looking loud and clear go to kak UF m dot org slash donate today and give and don’t miss the neutral zone Mondays at 11:00 a.m. on 88.5 FM a voice of valley hi I’m Danica Patrick watching my niece’s grow play and learn is amazing but not every child gets to be carefree one in six kids in the US are hungry this breaks my heart and it’s something

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that feeding America is working to change each year the feeding America network of food banks rescues billions of pounds of good food that would have gone to waste and gives it to families in need to help visit feeding America org brought to you by feeding America and the Ad Council hello everyone I am back here this is the neutral zone Jason Schwartz with tracy bennett maui film commissioner by the way and wonderful guy you play pool I’m not very good are you married I am okay I’m just

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checking out there’s any girls out here well you know he said he’s old but you don’t look oh maybe it’s because I’m getting old you look young to me well that’s sweet of you and normally people would buy me a drink first and say that no I just I just crossed the 50 mark so well you wear it well well thank you so you’re out there trying to find quote people to come in or to be using our place tell us a little about that and where you going what you do in some of the challenges well this job as the film

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Commissioner has a few different facets of it first is the and these are in no particular order but part of my job is to market and promote Maui as a film destination so I go to several trade shows every year usually with the rest of the state film commissioners there are a couple shows that I do strictly as film Maui for instance American Film Market coming up in November in Los Angeles typically that show is that trade show is for filmmakers who either have a script or they have a finished product and they’re trying to find

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distribution for it and a sales deal to get that project on the air or on DVD or streaming or in a theater or whatever it may be a couple years ago they added a location Expo so all these film Commission’s sign up and get a booth at this tradeshow that way you have producers who have other projects and they’re looking for locations now we have this location Expo so I have this great booth with that’s all decorated in Hawaii Jana and it’s strictly Maui centric so I will go and have a display of photos of some

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of our better locations like Twin Falls some of our beaches the Hawkeye geo property and yeah Valley you know there’s many many locations that we have here the bamboo forest why not but not the State Park what will keep us a very popular film location DT flamming Beach all the Kihei beaches big beach you know so I’m just listening you can’t imagine back I had a magazine planned and all the locations that I identified you’re talking about the same places yeah yeah so go in the world this

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incredible place I’m highlighting what now he has to offer and I try to set ourselves apart from say Oahu who gets 90 percent of the business that comes to Hawaii because they have the most infrastructure everything’s close they have every piece of equipment you could imagine there they have actors and producers and writers that live there island film group as a studio and all the equipment there at HMI that they own and so they naturally and you have Kualoa ranch you know that has hosted

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some huge movies and they do the big movie to her now but in in trying to separate ourselves from that we’re much quieter here we don’t have the four and eight lane freeways that are jam-packed thank you God yeah you know it’s it’s at quite a distance I know I worked on a few movies that shot on Oahu back in the day like for instance Along Came Polly we stayed at a hotel in Waikiki and had to drive to Turtle Bay every day and in traffic it took a you know an hour or whatever and then in our home and

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producers have to budget for that time because you’re losing two hours a day in transportation so I sell Maui as we don’t have that here so depending on where you’re shooting and that’s where you want to house your crew or that’s where you want to stay you want to make it easy for crew to get in and out and that sort of thing I could tell when temptation Island is doing it we were running back and forth and it was really important to have a route to get there quick and kept on top

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of it yeah yeah exactly and when I do these trade shows and I market Maui I really push that the extra 5% in the tax credit which for us is 25 percent it’s 20 percent on Oahu so all the neighbor islands are 25 percent that little bit of 5% difference can can make or break a project sometimes in that it cost so much money to bring your department heads and bring actors and that sort of thing and so by the neighbor islands giving that extra 5% it helps in my own personal opinion I don’t think five

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percents enough if it was eight or ten I think we’d have a lot more business on the neighbor islands because at the end of the day the bottom line to these movie studios and executives and bean counters is the bottom line how much does it cost to film in Maui as opposed to filming on Oahu of those kind of breakdowns available for people to see or use as templates – how do how do people put that together that’s a lot of numbers a lot of different things coming – guys I’m looking at that well most

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most of the budgets on on projects are not made public but it’s it’s been a frustrating part of my job in that you know I think that there are certain projects that could have come here either choose Oahu or they choose Fiji or Australia even Fiji gives us 75% tax incentive which is crazy but they don’t have any infrastructure there they have to bring it from Australia so it’s all about these bean counters at the studios who say this is the better deal longer you know I’m always wondering about you know what can

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be done so that’s it I think are we needing to keep it at five it can it be a local decision to give them extra or no that’s to happen to state level no it’s got to happen at a state level and it’s just a matter of the legislature seeing the benefit of offering the neighbor islands a little bit more and I’m sure that I will speak for our kawaii film office and the Big Island film office and that we’d all have a little bit more business if we had a little bit more leverage in being able

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to bring projects here but you know 2009 I was working for Adam Sandler as his photographer and we just finished a movie and it was Christmas Day and he called me says hey are you in Maui and I said yeah and he said is your girlfriend still working at the ground why laya and I said yes and he said I’m sending my guys over cuz we want to scout it for a movie I want to do which ultimately was just go with it so Dennis Dougan the director and Barry Bernardi that producer flew over and and my now wife girlfriend at the time gave

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them a site visit of the Grand Wailea and the studio was pushing at him to shoot it on the Big Island or Oahu there was another executive that was trying to get him to shoot this in Australia and at the end of the day I kind of felt like my relationship with Adam Sandler was good enough and I said dude let’s shoot this in Maui it’s awesome the Grand Wailea is awesome the crew can stay there huge cast they’re all gonna stay at the four seasons and the Grand Wailea and there’s plenty for the crew to do on

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days off and so you know he ended up choosing Maui and the Grand Wailea and you saw how the movie was and it did very very well and it’s cute and and funny and it’s on TNT basically about every three weeks almost so it’s great for the island it’s great for Maui and I use that as a tool and some of my marketing and promotion in that we can shoot a huge movie here we have the ability to do that but now what’s become our bread and butter has been some commercials you know a million dollar

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commercial sometimes they’ll come for three days they’ll hire anywhere from 10 to 50 people and they’ll shoot the commercial and they’ll leave and the people that work on those commercials make more money in those three days then normally get in a week or making a couple weeks so they pay well and it’s a variety of things to do and you know with some of the reality TV shows that have come here to their income generators and they dump a lot of money here and they rent the cars and they put

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their heads in beds and they’re eating local food and going to local restaurants and that sort of thing so there’s the trickle-down effect of of bringing projects here but it’s not always easy like I said Oh wha who gets a majority of the work and people in the industry know Oahu and know the projects that have been filmed there so when they see Maui they’re like well why would we shoot in Maui and not just a Wahoo that way you know there’s the infrastructure there so it’s my job to mark it and and

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promote it in a way that people understand that we don’t have all the traffic we don’t have the population it’s a much easier quicker commute here we have qualified crew we have Paul Eamon and branch combs equipment and we have the Hana productions guys and we have mark Moe Quinn and Glen Beatles and all these great location managers Chris Barca and guys that really are responsible at the end of the day whether or not a project comes here because they have to be well-spoken they have to talk directly with the producers

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or location managers or whatever it may be the decision makers who decide where a project shoots so it’s important for me to have a good relationship with all those guys and all those companies because I have to either refer work to them or when a studio asks me who’s good I say here’s my list of guys so that’s why we keep the database because I get calls all the time saying I need five PAS I need a good hair makeup and wardrobe person I need a teamster I need somebody to drive this truck

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whatever it may be so some of the people on the list can make themselves more known to you in what ways how can they do you know just sending me resumes keep them updated you know with a picture of what you look like because I’ve met so many people here you know I’m friends with a lot but there are some people that I know have worked in the industry and I haven’t met them yet I don’t know what they look like or or anything but I like to put a face with a name so that I know when I’m recommending somebody do a

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production that’s who it is gotcha well that’s good well when you do what did you do in the film industry all these years I mean when you talk about Adam Sandler on you his personal photographer that’s an interesting job that job is on location or well it was it was everywhere so I this is a really interesting story back when I played football and I got hurt and had to have knee surgery I knew that my career was over so I you know took an interest in the movie business and I knew from the very second that I got

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hurt that I was going to move to LA and get in the movie business and I got in a lucky break and was in Las Vegas at the time and met a guy named Frank Massey who was a still photographer on a movie called fools rush in with Matthew Perry and Salma Hayek and he got me a job on the movie working for Salma Hayek so I was her driver and assistant on that movie and I got to watch him work and see what he did and I said that’s what I want to do I want to be a set still photographer so I ended up getting into

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the Union and doing some really great movies I’ve did five or six Jerry Bruckheimer films and then I worked on a whole bunch of movies with Ben Stiller and with Ice Cube and Robert De Niro I did a movie with him and called Meet the Fockers and after the movie was over he invited me to shoot a private event for him at his home in upstate New York so he flew me to to New York pick me up in a limo I get to his property and find out that it’s his wedding so I got personally invited to shoot Robert De

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Niro’s wedding and the guest list was just crazy you know everybody from Martin Scorsese to Meryl Streep to Chaz Palminteri and his business partner Nobu so Nobu is cutting sushi for the wedding guests and I got to meet him and become friends with him and I ultimately met Bono with you two and I got to shoot some tours with with you two but I did still photography for for 20 years and as you know being a set still photographer I would shoot every actor every location every set just a lot of behind the

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scenes stuff and then some sometimes the publicity and marketing department of those studios would use my images for the movie posters the DVD boxes and that sort of thing so what a wonderful job that was then a lot of fun a lot of work it was a lot of work it was it was literally on my feet for 12 14 16 18 hours and multiple cameras around my neck and just capturing every possible image that would sell the movie and then I became really good friends with Adam Sandler and he took me under his wing for probably 12

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years the last 12 years of my career and I did 14 movies with him well yeah so it was a really great experience for me but ultimately as I got a little older I got tired of living out of a suitcase and not knowing where my next job was gonna be and where and how much I was getting paid and that sort of thing and it wore thin on me and so my girlfriend had called me one day from the ground Wailea and said hey they’re hiring a new film commissioner here so I applied for the job I know that everyone here has been

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you know why no way in we you were sitting there with our I guess yeah I guess he was the last one before you was he or was there someone yeah Harry donenfeld Harry donenfeld who I like to say whose grandfather was DC Comics right I think so yes and so Superman in DC which brought Marvel as well he was named after Superman the one from Superman comics all that Superman’s though yeah and then he was our film conditioner and he was a photographer also yeah so it seems to get to know if maybe that’s what’s perfect for this job

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you get out there you you meet all the people and all the films and and now here you are you’ve got to find locations you have access and direct I guess pretty direct contact with the people that are making the films well it’s it’s an important position for filmmakers in general because when you choose where to shoot it comes down to film permitting what locations cost what how much crew you have how much equipment you have and not only that but it’s an ability to relate to these

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producers and be able to talk business strategy so that they understand it and at the same time there’s a lot of schmoozing and wining and dining to get people to come to your location and spend their money here as part of economic development so it’s a it’s a roundabout thing you know I don’t do just film permits for people when they come here I make sure that they have everything they need from equipment all cars to hotel rooms passing on the crew information the film industry

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concierge you’re like we got to make sure that everything gets done for this giant thing coming here exactly and being you know a government employee technically in economic development I’m in tune with the departments that I have to work with directly like our Parks Department Department of Public Works Planning Department you know the police department the fire department there’s several county entities that I have to work closely with in order for a shoot to be successful and we all have to be

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on the same page because ultimately trying to get this industry in this business to grow here so everybody’s got to be on the same page and and even though I say we don’t want an episode of Hawaii five-o here because they’re going to be doing a car chase or explosions that’s not true I mean we’d love an episode here since I’ve been the film commissioner we haven’t been able to get them over here yet and that would be great especially with magnum p.i now and it’s the same producers and the same

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network but ultimately it like I said it has to fit our location and our people and the culture because I don’t want to just expose what we have here to somebody coming in and tearing it up or ruining something or destroying the land or whatever it may be so it’s a tricky balance it is tricky well you can hear why when earlier I was thinking okay what about the people that live here same dollars I’m talking about if the financing comes maybe that is here maybe you know maybe it’s coming

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from somewhere else but if we can develop the people that are doing the kind of things that you’re going other places to find I think we can kind of have a green film industry based on the people that are in it from here and create a lot of the work pay the same fees that’s why I keep thinking about that about getting enough people here you know you’re talking about bringing crews in I get that but I keep thinking that the only way we’re gonna be able to do this without continually you know having problems

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just have local people who are developing more local stories that can maybe be off the beaches that I mean you’ll see Brian Cohn is the great example where Brian’s writing things that use this location and its culture as part of what he’s doing rather than someone coming to Hawaii having an event you know a kind of movies which often has happened or still happens all the time yeah so that’s why I was thinking about that because your work that takes when someone’s kind of figure out a

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movie unless you’re in this business a long time to figure out how to bring all these people here inadequate that is a job and a half so I haven’t seen that training piece here yet that’s why I was asking about all these budgets available for the training to be able to do something like this you get kind of grabbed and when I’ve been doing shows here I’ve been doing them by myself and haven’t had a crew but even like Brian Brian straining was because he went to the mainland and had enough of that

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experience to be able to put together something like this is a whole training process I’d like to see more of that here so that we can develop because some of these people could bring money in and support this industry and help your job become you know if you want to call it have some kind of local help that you could develop here locally because what you’re talking about it’s not in any way missed that you’re trying to be responsible to our Islands people and that’s really important for the people

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here to know yeah you really are honoring this place and and I want to get them all working and at this old age you know I’m looking around and I’m seeing we’re here in Maui there’s so many people here that could be doing something in this incredible industry well that’s a really good point you know I take a lot of pride in sharing my experiences in this industry with people and trying to train and tee and educate people on the industry and how it works and you know Brian and

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Stephan and Brad Starks and Brandt’s command Paul Eamonn and some of these guys that I’d mentioned there are great teachers as well and you know from my experience in the industry a lot of people are not too willing or friendly enough to offer that education because there’s so much competition for jobs so what it comes down to as I’ve said a couple times already it comes down to what’s on the written page and it takes somebody to come up with an idea for a story and it’s what’s on that paper that

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will determine where it shoots what the budgets going to be what the vision is and from that point comes the education on you know where this can shoot the logistics of its shooting in Maui or on lanai or on Molokai or wherever it may be but you know Brian’s doing a great job in teaching writing skills to these students I was gonna say that’s the class I’m in it’s called finding your voice in creative media very good class that we’re learning screenwriting and we’re getting to also

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appreciate all the things you’re talking about it really is a good teacher very available to the students and yes it’s you’re loving he’s perfect for the job and I hope it doesn’t take him away too much from what he’s really great at which is writing and directing and producing but you know what I like to tell people Jason is when you go see a movie and you pay your 10 or 12 dollars to go see a movie and sit in a dark Theater you want to feel an emotion you’re going to see that movie for a reason what is

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it that drives you then that’s what can create something in your mind to tell a story as well that would get other people to sit their butt in that seat and pay the money to see what you’ve created and that’s a challenge I think I like to give to people in that you go see movies or you sit in your living room on a Friday or Saturday night or whatever it may be when it’s dark and you watch something and you let yourself be carried away in an emotion of what that movie is about and it’s no different than you’re seeing

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somebody’s finished product there and the key important thing is to everybody has that in their mind and they may not be a great rider but they certainly can speak into a recorder and say they have this story that they want to tell something that happened to them or something they saw or heard or feel or what it’s like to sit in that movie theater and be scared and what really scares you so much that you want to go home and write a story about a zombie because zombies scare the crap out of

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you or they’re creepy or whatever it may be everybody’s got it inside them and it comes down to the content what’s on what’s on the page and there’s going to be some people that don’t like it there’s going to be people that love it yeah but now for all of you out there on Maui if you want to have a lot more industry here’s your now being an open invitation to become a writer start writing things and have Maui as eccentric part of your story and here we go keep the kids at home and I’d like to

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say that funny people have talked about wanting to keep their kids on Maui after they graduate from college this is a really beautiful clean environmentally sensitive way to really you know try to to really build this as a home again right I know that sounds sort of funny but as its building up I hear that so much about people who live here their kids grow up and they’re off to the mainland off to the mainland well this is the kind of thing that could definitely keep them here and you’re

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doing a really good job I I’m hearing it that I saw outside you and Harry donenfeld talking it up that takes a lot to do this it’s pretty this film industry I think you say has so many factors and so many factors you’re out there but are you on the road a lot or you spend most of your time here I do I think I do either a trade show or a conference or something almost once a month so you know I go to LA several times I do a trade show a locations trade show in London called focus every

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December I go to American Film mark I go to Sundance I go to South by Southwest I’ve come with you can you get her off them sometimes yeah she she tagged along believe it or not our two industries you know she’s Director of Sales at the Four Seasons so our two industries kind of intermingle in a sense that you know I had we have a Netflix TV series a brand new and that’s about to start and they’ve been scouting here and they want to shoot at the four seasons and they want to put the crew up

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at the four seasons so there’s a lot of the you know what we both do in our jobs that kind of intermix here but you know I appreciate you understanding this job it is it’s interesting and difficult not only do I have to be an expert in the film industry but I also have to be an expert in the Hawaiian culture I have to be an expert on our locations here and have a good relationship with the departments that I need to pull something off and you know whether it’s planning or parks and a parks permit for

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a show to shoot at a beach park or something all these things all coordinate and have to go together so that they come here and they spend their money and hire our crew and stay in our hotels and rent our cars and eat our food and appreciate our island and then when we see the finished product on TV or in a movie theater you know it’s a good feeling to see that it’s my own good feeling well hope everyone has enjoyed today we got a couple of minutes left so we’re gonna wrap it up here in

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just a minute okay so you’ve been a really terrific guest you got a lot to say and I hope that you can stay in touch with us and maybe come back and give us a progress report so if there’s ever anything that you want to be able to share and want to get out to the people of here in the world we may be small here and that the new kizomba we have a big vision you can hear in my nonprofit Maui Arts and Music Association all the things that tie our place together to be seen to the world so I’m on the page there with you and I

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have appreciated the hard work and I hear nothing but good things about you whenever I’m out there talking to people the people at temptation Island that we didn’t talk about you but they sure appreciated you and I goodwill expressed just in every direction and yeah cause of you well it is a it is a good show and they’re coming back in March for season three and they want to do five seasons here so that’s great for us you know it’ll keep our our crew employed and make Maui look fabulous and

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the content of the show might not be for everyone but you know what I do is I turn the volume down sometimes and I just watch and they really make Maui look beautiful on a major network so you know I was working on the production crew there and I didn’t have any sense of any of that storyline because we were working with the crew but uh yeah it’s not it’s not for everyone but it was a really great bunch of people and we’re dealing with what does the world want and we giving them what they want well

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unless you’re a writer or producer and you’re a crew member you don’t get to pick and choose what you work on and whether or not you like the subject matter it’s it’s a job and it’s a career I worked on over 50 movies in my career and I never got to you know I get offered a job to shoot a certain film for instance when I worked on the movie dodgeball I thought the script was okay I ended up having the greatest time of my life can you believe we’re out of time thank you guys all for joining us

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I’m here with Tracy Bennett maui film commissioner we will see you again thank you for joining us today Aloha Aloha you [Music]