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Hawaii Film Studio: Strategic Guide for M&E Executives
Introduction
In my role as a content strategist specializing in the media and entertainment (M&E) supply chain, I am often asked to provide a granular analysis of a specific production hub. When the query is, “Tell me about the Hawaii film studio,” the answer is far more complex than a simple list of facilities.
This query doesn’t just refer to a single location; it refers to an entire ecosystem—one currently at a critical inflection point. As a senior executive, your interest lies not in a building’s square footage, but in the strategic implications of its market.
This guide will provide that critical context, moving beyond the physical soundstages to a deeper analysis of the industry’s economic value, its current challenges, and the actionable intelligence required to navigate this dynamic market. It is my professional assessment that understanding the underlying market forces is a prerequisite for any meaningful engagement with this region.
Table of content
Key Takeaways
| Core Challenge | The Hawaii film industry is facing a significant downturn due to uncompetitive tax incentives and major project cancellations. |
| Strategic Solution | Executives must utilize a data-driven approach to identify emerging projects, new collaborators, and legislative changes to de-risk investment. |
| Vitrina’s Role | Vitrina provides real-time, global project tracking and company profiling to help executives find verified production leads and key decision-makers in the Hawaii market and beyond. |
The Hawaii Film Studio: An Iconic Production Hub in Transition
When most people search for a “Hawaii film studio,” they are primarily looking for the state-owned facility officially known as the Hawaii Film Studio. Situated on a 7.5-acre lot at the base of Diamond Head crater in Honolulu, this facility is more than just a soundstage; it is a historical cornerstone of the islands’ production legacy.
Its origins trace back to 1975 when CBS Productions first leased the land for the original series Hawaii Five-O. Over the decades, it has served as a production base for a host of iconic series, from Magnum, P.I. and Baywatch Hawaii to the reboots of both Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum, P.I., and most recently, NCIS: Hawai’i. The facility includes a 16,500-square-foot soundstage, production offices, and various support spaces, making it a critical asset for large-scale, long-term television productions.
However, the narrative of the Hawaii Film Studio is currently one of transition. Following the cancellation of its most recent long-running tenant, NCIS: Hawai’i, the facility has reportedly been left vacant. While historically a hub for major network shows, the studio’s future and role in the global M&E landscape are now subjects of strategic concern.
This vacancy is symptomatic of a larger, more systemic set of challenges facing the entire Hawaii film studio ecosystem. The reliance on one or two key productions has left a significant vulnerability in the market’s stability, underscoring the need for a diversified and resilient production pipeline.
A Strategic Analysis of the Hawaii Film Industry
To truly understand the value and risks of engaging with the Hawaii market, executives must look beyond the physical infrastructure. My analysis indicates that the industry’s health is inextricably linked to its legislative and economic environment.
The state of Hawaii has long used its unique natural locations and its production tax credit to attract projects, but this strategy is now being tested by a fiercely competitive global market.
The Economic and Cultural Value Proposition
The Hawaii film industry is a well-documented economic driver. According to a 2021 report from the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO), production spending in Hawaii soared by 116% between 2007 and 2019, reaching $355.6 million.
This growth significantly outpaced the state’s overall GDP increase during the same period. This economic impact is a powerful indicator of the industry’s potential.
Beyond direct spending, the film industry has a measurable effect on tourism, a phenomenon known as “set-jetting.” A 2024 report from the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) found that in 2022, approximately 8.2% of visitors were motivated to travel to Hawaii, at least in part, due to television shows or movies filmed there.
This data confirms that the industry’s value extends far beyond the production itself. It is a critical component of brand-building for the state, creating jobs, and diversifying an economy heavily reliant on tourism.
However, as executives, you know that historical success does not guarantee future performance. The core question is: what is the current state of play?
The Current Landscape: A “Famine” in Production
Recent news from sources like SFGATE and Hawaii Business Magazine paints a sobering picture of a market in decline. Industry professionals are describing the current period as a “famine” in production, a stark contrast to the years of prosperity.
The primary catalyst for this downturn is the state’s film tax incentive program. While a pioneer in offering a tax credit since 1997, Hawaii’s current offering of 22% on Oahu and 27% on Neighbor Islands is no longer competitive on the global stage.
For comparison, states like New Mexico offer a credit of up to 40%, while Georgia offers 30% (Source: SFGATE). This discrepancy has made Hawaii a less attractive destination for major studios and streamers operating on razor-thin margins.
The consequences of this are immediate and severe. When a major production like NCIS: Hawai’i is canceled, the economic impact is felt throughout the supply chain. Local crew members, a skilled and seasoned workforce, are left without work, and vendors who rely on large-scale projects face significant financial hardship.
This instability highlights a fundamental problem: a lack of robust, proactive business development. When you are operating in a market with such rapid project churn, relying on traditional, fragmented intelligence is a significant risk.
My analysis shows that without real-time, comprehensive data on which projects are in development and who the key decision-makers are, it is nearly impossible for vendors, co-producers, and financiers to build a sustainable pipeline. The current situation in the Hawaii film studio market is a powerful case study in the perils of not having this visibility.
Why Visibility into the Hawaii Film Industry is Critical for Global Executives
For a distribution executive, a financier, or a vendor, the current volatility of the Hawaii market presents a unique challenge. You cannot simply wait for a new long-running series to announce its arrival. You need to be proactive—to identify the next wave of projects in development, find new partners, and understand the intricate network of companies and collaborators.
This requires a level of intelligence that traditional methods, such as relying on trade publications or personal networks, simply cannot provide.
The fragmented nature of the global entertainment supply chain means that identifying and vetting potential collaborators in a market like Hawaii can be a resource-intensive and often fruitless endeavor.
You need to know more than just a company’s name; you need to know their track record, their previous collaborations, and who the key contacts are. Manually compiling this data is a time-consuming process that often leads to missed opportunities.
The strategic value lies in being able to see beyond the news headlines. While a major studio may have canceled a series, new independent productions, co-productions, or international projects may be in the early stages of development. Finding these projects before they become public knowledge is the key to maintaining a competitive edge.
This is where the power of a data-driven platform comes into play. It’s no longer about waiting for the phone to ring; it’s about having a digital infrastructure that allows you to identify and target opportunities with surgical precision. The current state of the Hawaii film industry is a powerful reminder that an ad-hoc approach is no longer tenable for serious players in the M&E supply chain.
The Future of the Hawaii Film Studio and the Road to Recovery
Despite the recent setbacks, the long-term outlook for the Hawaii film industry is not without hope. The islands’ unique locations remain a powerful draw, and industry professionals are actively advocating for change. A key component of the future strategy is the development of a new state-of-the-art studio at the University of Hawaii West O’ahu campus.
The development of this facility, spearheaded by the Island Film Group, is a significant step toward expanding the state’s production infrastructure beyond the singular Diamond Head studio.
This new project aims to create a multi-purpose entertainment campus that will not only include modern soundstages but also provide invaluable opportunities for students to gain direct, hands-on experience (Source: University of Hawai’i System News).
Furthermore, legislative efforts are underway to address the uncompetitive tax credits. As of late 2024, industry figures, including actor Jason Momoa, have testified in support of raising the tax credit cap and making the state more attractive to major productions.
While a recent bill failed to pass, the conversation is ongoing, and the political will to support the industry is present among key stakeholders. Executives should monitor these legislative developments closely as they will directly impact the cost-benefit analysis of filming in the state.
From a strategic standpoint, these developments present a moment of opportunity. The turbulence in the market is a chance for agile companies to step in and forge new partnerships. For a production company looking for a unique location, or a financier seeking to invest in a market with strong legislative support and a skilled local crew, Hawaii remains a viable option.
But the challenge remains in finding these opportunities with speed and accuracy. Manual searches for crew, location scouts, or co-production partners are simply too slow in a market where the landscape is shifting daily.
This is where my analysis leads me to a clear conclusion: to succeed in the modern M&E supply chain, you must move from a reactive to a proactive intelligence model. You need to be able to identify the people and companies behind a project, not just the project itself.
This is the difference between surviving a market downturn and capitalizing on it. The ongoing changes in the Hawaii film industry serve as a microcosm for the larger strategic challenges facing executives worldwide. It’s a reminder that success hinges on data, not just intuition.
The ability to connect with the right people is arguably the most valuable asset in the M&E industry. In a market like Hawaii, where key productions have departed, knowing who the remaining decision-makers are and where they are moving next is crucial. For a vendor, this means identifying which studios are exploring new projects.
For a distributor, it means finding a new co-production partner. Without a centralized, verified source of this information, you are operating with a significant disadvantage. The fragmented nature of crew and vendor sourcing means that even with a project announced, finding the right collaborator can be a laborious and manual process. My assessment is that this inefficiency is one of the most significant—and preventable—challenges facing the industry today.
Conclusion
The narrative of the Hawaii film studio is a microcosm of the modern M&E industry’s complexities. It is a story of a market with immense potential, facing significant challenges that can only be overcome with strategic foresight and access to superior intelligence.
The days of relying on an established long-term production are over; the future belongs to those who can navigate a dynamic, project-based supply chain with precision. My analysis confirms that the path to success in this market, and in the global M&E landscape as a whole, requires a data-driven approach that provides clarity in a time of uncertainty.
To navigate the evolving landscape of the Hawaii film industry, executives must move beyond a reactive stance. The need to find, vet, and connect with potential collaborators is paramount.
With the right tools, this seemingly complex market can be de-risked and transformed into a source of new opportunity. Sign-up Today
Frequently Asked Questions
Hawaii has two state-owned film studios: the historic Hawaii Film Studio near Diamond Head and a more recent, repurposed facility in Kalaeloa. Additionally, a new, privately developed studio is planned for the University of Hawaii West O’ahu campus, which will expand the state’s soundstage infrastructure.
Recent reports from industry news outlets indicate that major television productions are no longer filming in Hawaii due to its uncompetitive film tax incentive program. The state’s tax credit is lower than those offered by competing states, which has made it a less cost-effective location for large-scale projects.
The Hawaii film tax credit offers a refundable production tax credit, currently at 22% for expenditures on Oahu and 27% on the Neighbor Islands. The program has been a key driver of the local industry’s growth but is now facing criticism for not being competitive enough compared to other jurisdictions with higher incentives.
According to a report by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO), the film industry has a significant economic impact, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in production spending and creating thousands of jobs. It also has a positive effect on tourism, with a portion of visitors being motivated to visit based on films and shows shot in the state.
