Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Honolulu Film Office urges modernization of tax credit as major productions spotlight Hawaii
Summary
Valeria Constantino of the Honolulu Film Office told the Council committee that Hawaii’s film tax credit remains active and that modernizing its terms — including per‑production caps and streamer‑era rules — is key to keeping large productions and long‑running TV series in the state.
Valeria Constantino, senior film industry development specialist with the Office of Economic Revitalization, briefed the Honolulu City Council Committee on Innovation, Technology and Entertainment on May 29 about the status of Hawaii’s film industry and the need to modernize the state’s film tax credit to retain large productions and attract new projects.
The film office framed the industry as an economic diversification strategy: it said productions bring large, immediate spending to the islands and support local jobs across multiple sectors. Constantino cited DBEDT cost‑benefit figures — in 2023, the industry generated increases to gross domestic product and earnings, and she said studies show that every dollar spent on the film tax credit produced roughly $4 in GDP and about $2.50 in earnings.
Why the credit matters now
Constantino said high‑profile projects are elevating Hawaii’s global visibility — noting Lilo & Stitch’s box‑office performance and the Apple TV series Chief of War, which she described as “entirely about us, entirely about our history.” She warned,…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
