From Honolulu

In five weeks, we begin production on my thesis film, which is titled Layover, on the Shore. The screenplay comes from a question that I've been chewing over ever since I began film school: "How does one properly represent Hawai‘i in film/art/media?"

I'm not sure if I've gotten any closer to an answer, but what I now recognize is that in order to provoke a conversation on the topic, I'd have to make a film that puts this question front and center. Layover, on the Shore presents two dichotomous Hawai‘i's -- two distinct faces of my home. Although it is nowhere close to a comprehensive portrait, these two faces represent two Hawai‘i's that resonate with my experiences. It is a film that is inspired by the idea of islands, by comings-and-goings, by Yasujiro Ozu and Hou Hsiao Hsien, and by the time that I've spent away from home.

And so, welcome. We will be blogging throughout pre-production and into production, which begins on August 9th in Honolulu. There is a lot of work to be done between now and then, but we will continue with frequent updates on the filmmaking, along with random thoughts and notes on anything that might grab us.

I invite all to participate -- more than anything, I want to encourage feedback & discussion as we move forward with this production.

Check back soon.

Chris