Even Happier New Year!

Ok, my thanks to whoever is doing all that praying or whatever on my behalf because it's been working! After being ignored for the decorator job on a surf film about Bethany Hamilton and then turning down a 2 week job as their shopper buyer, I was asked to be the art director for a national Capital One ("What's in your wallet?") commercial with those wild and crazy visigoths. You'll probably be seeing the commercial in a few weeks. I worked 11 days, hired 9 guys, filmed 2 long days for 30 seconds of air time. We were based out of the same hotel as the surf movie and even another Capital One commercial for the Canadian market. It was a completely separate commercial and crew but for the same client. It's funny that several of them said how spoiled TV people were because commercials are so fast paced now. Then TV people think film people are spoiled because TV is so fast paced. Film people think TV people are spoiled because they don't have to worry about all the details of "The Big Screen." My take is to just shut up and do my job.

Right now besides "LOST" there is a George Clooney film, an Adam Sandler film, the surf film, and early rumblings from "Pirates of the Caribbean" filming here this summer and my phone wasn't ringing at all. Then 10 days ago I got a call to interview as Set Decorator for a new pilot for CBS's "Hawaii Five-0" Wow, that will teach me not to believe rumors. Lest you think I was a shoe-in because of my experience here, wrong. It wasn't until I was able to show my work online at www.flickr.com/photos/rick_romer/ that I was seriously considered. Then it took some discussion and another meeting before I was offered the job.

This is just the pilot. It has not been pre-sold or picked up yet--or so we are told. However, the script is absolutely amazing and riveting. Remember, I did another 5-0 pilot in '96 or '97 that never even aired (although it probably did help Gary Busey's career on Celebrity Rehab) so I am cautiously optimistic on this one. Daniel Dae Kim is going right from "LOST" into 5-0 as the character Chin Ho Kelley. Well, if they can revive "Hawaii Five-0" can a revival of "Magnum, P.I." be too far behind? There was only a year between the series after all.

I wasn't going to, but I got talked into seeing "avatar" in 3-D imax. I don't often say OMG, but OMG! I was ducking under those palm fronds in front of me during every chase scene. Nothing stayed inside the screen, it was right in front of me. I decided that it wasn't a film at all. It was an event. I came out of the theatre covered in popcorn and wanting to keep my yellow 3-d glasses on for the rest of my life. Go Blue People!

Well, Aloha from the only state that didn't have snowfall this weekend. I do assume there is snow on top of Mauna Kea, though. You have to drive up 14,000 feet to see it instead of outside in your driveway.

Aloha, Rick

More about film studio, Hawaii 5-0, Magnum

Idrove over to my old haunts around the film studio today (in part to let my visiting sister help our economy shopping at Kahala Mall) and took some photos.  Rubber chicken has put his original letter to me under comments in the previous post if you want to follow all of this.  I also forgot to point out that the google maps of the studio area are at least 4 years old since they do not show the new studio offices and construction mill although the new soundstage is shown.

I took pictures of the corner of Diamond Head Road at 22nd Avenue and again at 18th Avenue.  I think some of you will recognize parts of the National Guard building that was used in some Magnum episodes.  I wasn't aware that across the street from this building (on 22nd Avenue) there are still some of the old WWII warehouses still in use for something.  I remember when they used to actually store tanks there.  As this is the most expensive part of the island, I used to tell visitors that this area had their own army for protection.  In any case, there does not seem to be any trace of a warehouse that could have been the one where 5-0 was filmed.

Sorry, couldn't add these photos on this post so refer to above next posting for views.

The view at the corner of Diamond Head Road at 18th Avenue is much greener and better landscaped than it was during Magnum times.  The old soundstage (renamed the 5-0 Stage and now used for storage by "LOST") has a new sliding door and has been repainted, but is otherwise the same.  It's just an old Butler Building warehouse, but is the holy grail for Magnum fans.  The new studio gates and guard house are an improvement over the old shack and chain link fence that were the entrance for Magnum slightly to the left of the main gate and still there.

Well, it ain't much folks, but it is 30 years later and this is what it looks like now.

Aloha,  Rick

P.S.  here is also a detail of one of the old guard houses to Fort Ruger and now an electrical substation.  Also the bust of Jack Lord outside Macy's at Kahala Mall.........odd place for a memorial.