Georja Skinner’s current job focus is to chart the course for Hawaii’s creative sectors. And right now the division chief for Creative Industries, which is part of the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), is navigating what appears to be a propitious path for the islands.
For starters, with the renewal of “Hawaii Five-0” for another full season and the debut of the rebooted “Magnum P.I.,” along with hundreds of smaller-scale productions as well as feature film projects, 2018 is on pace to be a record year for the state’s film industry.
“It’s looking like we’ll reach north of $400 million in estimated production expenditures, largely due to the two network shows in production now,” Skinner said. Also contributing to that figure are productions such as Japanese TV series and commercials, independent feature productions like “Hanalei Bay” and “2 Hearts,” and tent-pole features from the major studios including “Midway” and “Jungle Cruise.”
An increase in production, Skinner said, prompts a boost in tax revenues and income for various small businesses. In addition, there’s an increase in contributions to Hawaii’s workforce development programs, a requirement of the state’s tax-credit program.
Skinner was born and raised in Hollywood, Calif., where her family was employed in the Tinsel Town biz. Her father, in television and motion picture sound editing. And her mother, a singer and artist, encouraged Skinner’s creative pursuits as a youngster — ballet, painting, music and drama.
Before moving to Maui in 1980, Skinner held a variety of jobs in her hometown, such as working in recording studios, designing animated promos for local television stations, and rising through the ranks to serve as lead sound mixer at the height of Norman Lear’s reign. After “All In the Family” wrapped its final season, Skinner, who had fallen in love with the Valley Isle’s “culture and spirit” on vacation visits made the islands her new home.
Among her professional roles in Hawaii: public relations, broadcasting, marketing and music-and-artist representation. “They say that the ‘power of now’ is all there is. Well, I embrace all of it,” Skinner said. “I have a personal drive to make waves and connect the dots of opportunity — now and in the future.”
Question: What’s responsible for the current record pace?
Answer:Production cycles fluctuate, but Hawaii’s hard-won reputation as a film-friendly destination — top-notch crews, expert state and county film offices, infrastructure and a reliable film tax credit program — have made the islands a top location destination for producers and studios worldwide.
The Hawaii Film Office, which this year celebrates its 40th anniversary, plays a critical role in supporting fast-paced demanding production throughout the islands, and administering the tax credit program. Coupled with the work of all our county film offices, these elements … are key to maintaining and growing Hawaii’s film industry — a key facet of Hawaii’s creative economy.
… Also, our film tax credit program is crucial and provides the business certainty that is motivating the studios, television networks, indie productions and OTT streaming services (Over The Top content is internet-delivered and bypasses traditional cable/linear distribution) to choose Hawaii over other tropical locales. Our proximity to Los Angeles is another bonus, as actors, directors and production execs find the commute an easy one.
Q: How has the industry changed since the last big year for Hawaii (2010)?
A: … Global hunger for content on all distribution platforms shows no signs of reversing. Whether it’s production on location for traditional broadcast TV and feature films for the big and small screens, or the thirst for short-form mobile content and OTT television services like Amazon, Netflix, Hulu — who are all producing original movies and series content for their subscribers.
This is an advantage for Hawaii. It’s disrupting the traditional media models and throwing open a giant door of opportunity for Hawaii’s creative content producers/writers.
Q: What do you see on the horizon?
A: Building the bridge between education and industry, resulting in more keys and above-the-line jobs for local residents working on productions; ensuring we maintain our film tax credit program beyond 2025; expanding our studio facilities and broadband infrastructure. The latter includes co-working spaces, incubators and a new Creative Media/Film Studio Complex that’s envisioned as a P3 (public-private partnership) with DBEDT, University of Hawaii-West Oahu and a private developer/operator.
These elements, along with developing the talent base, are facets of a successful, thriving media hub on Oahu, connected by broadband fiber to facilities on the neighbor islands.
Q: When it comes to tax credits, what do you think is the right level to offer, since some worry about too-generous tax “giveaways”?
A: Hawaii competes more with countries for location production work than with U.S. jurisdictions, which puts us at a bit of a disadvantage because we don’t have the budgets countries have put toward their film commissions and film programs. This means in order to remain competitive, but also to balance the benefit with the cost, Hawaii must maintain a reasonable, long-term tax credit program.
While each production or “project” is limited to a $15 million cap per project tax credit cap, the state has imposed an annual spending ceiling on the total rebate. Set currently at $35 million annually, once the ceiling for rebates is reached, productions can carry forward the balance of their tax credit to a subsequent year.
For Hawaii’s film industry to survive in a highly competitive environment, it requires not only a stable tax credit program and but increased film stage and broadband infrastructure as well as a strong talent base. The state also requires a well-supported film commission. And the counties, the same. Without the combined strength of these components, Hawaii will not be able to compete for this business. Film and digital media is the anchor of Hawaii’s creative economy. It behooves us to work in collaboration to balance the opportunity with the cost.
Q: Five years ago, you launched the state’s Creative Lab Hawaii program, which offers “creative entrepreneurs” one year of coaching in music, media and fashion fields. How’s that going?
A: In a word, “magical.” … Four feature films produced, one television movie optioned, one television series optioned, 15 original songs licensed or sold outright to studios or networks, and … projects in the wings being pitched at the American Film Market in Santa Monica this year. What a journey. I’m so proud of the accomplishments of the participants, or fellows as we call them, and the leadership of the team that brings this vision to life.
… One of my commitments to Hawaii when I made these islands my home, was to empower local storytellers by making the right connections for them. So, whether it was while I was leading the Maui Film Office or now in my current role, it matters to me to see people share their stories that relate to any citizen in the world, reaching and touching people beyond Hawaii’s shores.
Q: A few years ago, the state estimated there were slightly more than 52,000 creative industry jobs here. Is that figure holding?
A: Yes. The metrics compiled by our Research and Economic Analysis Division (READ), DBEDT, are well known outside of our state as a model to follow for other creative industry state and regional programs. The difference is the filter of tracking the base level, emerging level, transitioning and declining levels. This is a lens by which we can see the shift in need areas.
… There are those trends that are predictable such as the consolidation of broadcast media, radio and publishing. Then the newly emerging vast potential of being your own broadcast brand through the internet and mobile media. We see this as a dynamic growth area along with maintaining a long-term commitment to a location-based film destination.
Blockbuster movies may not be going away, but the opportunity quotient for Hawaii’s creatives increases daily. We must prepare (all types of creative sector artists and workers) to navigate this brave new world where an idea on YouTube can become the next Netflix or Amazon hit series. It’s only a matter of time!
