Posted on: Wednesday, January 8, 2003

Fox TV pilot gets early start on North Shore

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

"The Break," a Fox TV pilot set in Hawai'i from the makers of the feature film "Blue Crush," has arranged to begin production on O'ahu's North Shore in late February.

The police drama, written, directed and produced by John Stockwell, is being pitched as an ongoing series by its makers, Imagine TV, for the fall season. Breaking from tradition, production on "The Break" will start well before the normal summer timetable for a fall show to take advantage of winter wave action on the North Shore.

Hawai'i Film Office manager Donne Dawson confirmed that shooting is scheduled for February or March. Filming would also take place at other O'ahu locations; waves and surfing would be one component, but not the focus of the drama.

Stockwell had praised Hawai'i locations after his "Blue Crush" shoot, promising to return with an ongoing TV series if it could be sold.

Scott Grogin, Fox vice president of corporate communications, said the network had not yet committed to a series. "We make our pilot pickup in April," he said. "And there could be a 13-show decision by May."

"The Big Bounce," a big-budget film starring Owen Wilson and Morgan Freeman, winds up production on the North Shore next week, later than originally estimated, after director George Armitage became ill in late December. Production resumed Monday for the feature film, which is being produced by Shangri-La Entertainment for release by Warner Bros.

The thriller, based on an Elmore Leonard novel, features locations in Hale'iwa, Waialua and Sunset Beach.