Blog

Aerial Photography�Uh-oh!

Rick Bacigalupi — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:11:12 GMT

One highpoint of the most recent Hawai'i shoot for "Toward Living Pono" was getting aerial shots of the volcanically active Pu'u O'o vent. Since heights are not my thing (terrified the whole time!) it was good to have production assistant Sean Fujiyoshi and brother Chad along for moral support and backup photography. Blue Hawaiian pilot Kimo was great.

Work-in-Progress Screening of "Toward Living Pono" at HIFF '08

Rick Bacigalupi — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 16:07:08 GMT

On October 12, it was a privilege to hold the first public screening of our work-in-progress of "Toward Living Pono" at the 2008 Louis Vuitton Hawaiian International Film Festival in Honolulu. Organizers Chuck Boller and Anderson Le had graciously accepted our rough cut for exhibition at their prestigious event, giving us the chance to gauge audience interest and test the waters with local publicity�and I'm pleased to announce that our sneak peek showing was a great success!

Beloved Honolulu KITV news anchor Pamela Young surprised us by popping in right before the tape rolled to wish us luck and presented us with leis, Hawaiian style. I was really touched by this thoughtful gesture, what an honor.

Moviegoers packed the Regal Dole Cannery Theater venue and seemed to enjoy the cut. Jason, his wife Diana and mother Sylvia and friends were there, and Jason joined me and co-producer Roland Joseph Torres for a Q&A session after the program. We had to be kicked out to make room for the next film!

It was particularly gratifying that as a result of significant positive audience response, the Festival scheduled a second screening the following Sunday, October 19. Another packed theater seemed to enjoy this showing, too. There was really productive audience feedback during Q&A and I got the chance to chat with audience members at length at the "Critics Corner" in the lobby for a long while afterward.

Local Hawai'i media gave us some great coverage, including TV news features and a mention in Honolulu papers.

The work-in-progress is set to screen on the Big Island at the beautiful Palace Theater in downtown Hilo on Friday, November 7th at 5:30 PM as part of the E Malama 'Aina Festival kickoff event. The festival is being presented by co-producer Roland Joseph Torres, pictured here with award-winning musician and teacher Kainani Kahaunaele, who was kind enough to give us an interview about her efforts as an instructor of Hawaiian language at UH Hilo, where the photo was taken. But more on that later!

On Location at Pohoiki Breakwater

Rick Bacigalupi — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 16:00:30 GMT

As principle photography begins to wrap up, I followed Jason on one last fishing expedition earlier this week as he went out for dawn kayak fishing off the beautiful Puna coast. It was about a 45-minute drive from Hilo down through the mystical tropical forest to this relatively remote surfing spot in the cool October darkness. Jason and chase boat skipper Gary Young met me at the ramp and in just a few minutes we were out in the big waves.

I have to admit, as a land-loving cameraman the rolling swells so sought after by diehard surfers were a little bit daunting. Okay, I was terrified. At times Jason's kayak was riding up the waves ahead of our 12-foot skiff 10 feet over our heads �but there was a job to do and once I got some sea legs, tape started rolling and thanks to Gary's expert helmsmanship we got some great footage. Thank goodness I was way too scared to get seasick.

Topping it all off, in only about 10 minutes as the sun began rising out of the sea, Jason got a bite�and what a bite! After a lengthy battle he reeled in a 32-pound Ulua (for us non-fishermen, that's a great big fish!). Jason yelled "Monster!" as he pulled all four feet of it up out of the water and slung it across his kayak. "Next stop: Dinner!"

Skipper Gary looked at me and yelled: "Shall we keep rolling?" I said, "No, I think that's just enough! That's just fine, uh-huh. Why don't we go back in now?" We got back to dry land none too soon for me, but with a great scene in the can.

Reforestation at Mauna Kea's Hakalau Forest Refuge

Rick Bacigalupi — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 15:26:36 GMT

Despite the catastrophic environmental impact of decades of ranching and agricultural deforestation on the Big Island, there is cause for hope in the work going on at the Hakalau Forest Refuge. At this remote location 6500 feet up Mauna Kea a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service team and volunteers are working to reclaim native forest and save several endangered species of birds, which live only in this unique habitat.

On Wednesday widely respected Senior Biologist Jack Jeffrey, Fish & Wildlife Biologist Donna Ball and Office Automation Clerk Clara Tsang allowed me to film their routine duties at the Refuge, Mauna Kea's stark cinder cone summits, and observatories looming right above us. Just as in Jason's tract of cloud forest at Pu Mu, here native O'hia and Koa are regaining a foothold through replanting and protection from roaming "feral ungulates," the technical name for wild cattle, sheep and pigs who have escaped from ranches over the years and now roam over the terrain wreaking havoc on the native environment.

At the Administrative Complex greenhouse on site, the FWS staff nurtures starts of native flora for replanting by volunteers who make the trek up the mountain each weekend�Jack says this program is so popular that it is booked well into 2010. In this clip he shows us some of the specimens and explains how the plants and birds have evolved into an intricate symbiotic relationship between food source and pollinator.

Among the most charismatic residents by far, however, are the Nene or Hawaiian Geese, the Hawai'i state bird. Due to human activity (like running over them with cars) and non-native predation by mongoose, feral cats and others, the Nene (pronounced "Nay-Nay") is on the brink of extinction with only a handful of populations of a few hundred individuals each on the Big Island and neighbor islands.

These beautifully plumed characters showed lots of personality during our visit, and the team carefully recorded which individuals were present, and banded some of them who had not yet been tagged. Once caught, the biologists expertly place the goose's head under its wing, and the bird becomes totally calm for banding. It was amazing.

If there is ever an opportunity to visit this extraordinary spot I highly recommend it. Jack explained with pride that over his 30 years working on the Refuge he has witnessed how as the forest is reclaimed, the endangered species return and thrive. If you plant it, they will come!

For permitting and more information visit the Hakalau Forest Refuge Unit website.