Hilo may seem like a sleepy town to a lot of people, but if Chris McKinney and Walter Dods III get their way, it will be the backdrop of a cable TV drama that paints a dark portrait of Hawaii.
The duo wrote a dramatic series called "The ‘Aina," one of three finalists in a new screenwriting program run by the Hawaii International Film Festival’s Creative Lab. Their prize was a week in Los Angeles and meetings with key players in the TV industry.
"The ‘Aina" draws its inspiration from author Daniel Woodrell’s celebrated crime genre, the "country noir" that made "Winter’s Bone" memorable as both a novel and a film. But McKinney and Dods also view their tale as a Big Island version of HBO’s "The Wire."
They think "The ‘Aina" will sell because TV viewers are looking for crime stories set in unusual, isolated communities.
"We are trying to tell an allegory of colonialism set in the backwoods of Hilo," said McKinney, whose novels are known for their unsparing depictions of contemporary life in Hawaii.
Hilo is the perfect blend of crime and poverty, he said.
"It’s kind of a seedy place," McKinney said. "I think Hilo overall is the most fertile place in the state for this kind of story."
When McKinney and Dods pitched their idea, they referred to some of Hawaii’s most painful historic chapters — of a dying Hawaiian culture and the exploitation of people, land and values.
"It’s a crime series full of mystery, corruption and intrigue set in a world where the old ways are dying, sprawling landscapes are being covered by resorts and the Hawaiian culture is being buried under its foundations," McKinney said.
The duo started writing the pilot in early 2013. In October they were among a dozen writers accepted to the Creative Lab’s writing program, which was co-founded by HIFF and the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Their trip to L.A. gave them access to television show runners, producers and studio executives who can turn an idea into a hit.
"The quality of the meetings set up for us was top-notch," said Dods, whose company, Saturation Point, produces narratives, documentaries and commercials. "These guys are about as hard to find as diamonds on the street. They are really hard to get in touch with. They don’t take calls."
Just about everyone they met was intrigued by the concept, he said.
"The allure of it is you are playing against type," Dods said. "You are cutting against what everyone thinks of Hawaii, which as a storyteller is the most fantastic thing you can do. That’s the part everyone responds to."
The two writers are so invested in their project that they have the first six episodes written and a story arc that runs through five seasons, Dods said. Most of it was written since October, when they discovered during their Creative Lab sessions that their project needed more focus — and a shift from Oahu to Hilo.
They’re not sure what comes next. One agent they met along the way loved the project. Other producers who hadn’t read it but met with McKinney and Dods requested scripts for review.
"I think things look really good," Dods said. "I would like to say it looks promising, but you never know how it will go. You don’t want to say too much so you jinx yourself."
AND that’s a wrap …
Mike Gordon is the Star-Advertiser’s film and television writer. Read his Outtakes Online blog at honolulupulse.com. Reach him at 529-4803 or email mgordon@staradvertiser.com.
