Kauaʻi film commissioner finds success as productions continue to film on the island

Despite rising costs, union strikes, and increasing competition from overseas markets, Kauaʻi’s Film Commissioner Sandy Kaʻauwai has kept Kauaʻi on the industry’s radar.

Born and raised on Kauaʻi’s east side, Kaʻauwai found her footing in hospitality and real estate after graduating. In 1991, while working in real estate, she was asked to oversee a property rented by a major film production — “Honeymoon in Vegas.” It was her first brush with the film world, foreshadowing a future leadership role.

In 2018, Kaʻauwai was appointed as the Kauaʻi film commissioner, making her the main liaison for film and television productions on Kauaʻi. As part of the job, Kaʻauwai helps productions with finding locations, navigating permits, connecting with local crews and resources, and accessing Hawaiʻi tax incentives.

As momentum began to grow for the film and television industry in Kauaʻi, the COVID-19 pandemic stalled global productions. The recovery brought on new challenges such as union strikes and increasing competition from markets offering better tax incentives.

Regardless of setbacks, Kaʻauwai has brought commercial and photography projects to the island. Her dedication and insight have helped Kauaʻi be better positioned as productions consider returning to Hawaiʻi, according to Kui Kauaʻi, the blog for the Office of Economic Development.

“In recent years, more destinations have realized how important location shooting can be — and that’s why today the market is so competitive,” Kaʻauwai said. “But we have a long-established support system so that the support we give is not really just a bunch of numbers.”

“We can help with locations, we can help arrange hotel rooms, catering or pretty much the gamut of things that happen during a shoot,” she said. “We have the experience — and we have our island.”

In 2022, tax credit-qualified productions generated millions in spending, underscoring the industry’s local value.

Hawaiʻi has recognized the importance of the film industry to the state as a whole as tax benefits offered in 1997 have grown incrementally and currently sit at a 27% rebate for spending over $100,000 on Kauaʻi — higher than 22% offered for shoots on Oʻahu.

There are caps to benefits at $17 million per project and $50 million per year. However, Kaʻauwai said there are hopes to improve the tax credit further during this year’s state legislative session.

According to reporting from a Hawaiʻi Tribune-Herald story from July, the Hawaiʻi Film Alliance, an organization formed to revitalize the state’s film industry post-pandemic, has stated that the rebates “generate a five-fold return in economic activity, supported 2,247 jobs in 2024, led to an estimated 15 to 20% increase in tourism for locations featured onscreen. It also resulted in an additional $1.3 billion in Hawaiʻi visitor spending.”

Kaʻauwai attributes the beauty of the unique landscapes as the main reason why films and TV productions return to Kauaʻi. Some destinations that have been featured in notable media include:

• Manawaiopuna Falls in “Jurassic Park”
• Jungles and mountains around Hāʻena in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “South Pacific”
• Waimea Canyon in “Honeymoon in Vegas”
• Hanapēpē Town and Hanapēpē Valley modeled in “Lilo & Stitch”
• Nā Pali Coast in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”

“From the north side, which is completely green and lush, to the west side, which is more of a dry area, desert-type place, there are just so many different landscapes to work with,” Kaʻauwai said.

For productions interested in filming in Kauaʻi, the Kauaʻi Film Commission has created a separate website with information on permits, locations, incentives and more at filmkauai.com.