Posted on: Wednesday, August 11, 2004
'Rocky Point' about to film pilot
By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Make that four new network TV series being shot on O'ahu.
The WB's "Rocky Point," the latest project by the writing and producing team of John Stockwell and Lizzie Weiss ("Blue Crush"), is set to begin filming here shortly after Labor Day, according to co-executive producer Rick Dallago.
NBC's "Hawaii" and WB's "Rocky Point" are holding casting calls for walk-on roles this weekend. "Rocky Point" (WB) When: Sunday, 2 to 5 p.m. Where: Turtle Bay Resort, Kahuku 1 room. Looking for: All ages, ethnicities and types for speaking and non-speaking roles. No experience necessary. There are opportunities for boys ages 5 to 10 for a recurring role, and men ages 30 to 40 to play a surf photographer and possible love interest. Bring: Nothing required. Casting director: Anna Fishburn "Hawaii" (NBC) When: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Where: Windward Mall stage Looking for: All ages, ethnicities and types. No experience necessary. Bring: Current photo and portfolio welcome, but not necessary. Casting director: Cathy Reinking The other network series shows being shot on O'ahu are ABC's "Lost," Fox's "North Shore," and NBC's "Hawaii."
"Rocky Point" revolves around Cassie Flynn (played by Chyler Leigh), a 19-year-old from Connecticut who puts off going to Princeton and moves to the North Shore of O'ahu, where she was born.
Cassie finds happiness with her pro surfer boyfriend and her three best friends, but her new life is complicated by the surprise appearance of her estranged father (Billy Campbell).
Producers had considered filming the show on Maui or Kaua'i, but ultimately decided they couldn't do without the distinct North Shore look and feel.
As the last of the four shows to arrive, "Rocky Point" will have its share of challenges, from casting local actors to coordinating permits and acquiring a soundstage if the show is picked up. A more immediate concern is that the pool of experienced local crews has been nearly tapped out by the three other productions.
"We already have good relationships with local crews, and we're going to try not to bring in crews (from the Mainland)," Dallago said. "But we realize that resources are limited and since we're only shooting a pilot, we can't really expect people to leave a 13-episode job with one of the other productions for a one-week job with us."
This will be the third major project for Stockwell and Weiss in Hawai'i. The film "Blue Crush" made a respectable showing at the box office and helped kick off the recent run of mainstream surfing movies. A TV pilot, "The Break," was developed for Fox last year but was not picked up by the network.
Dallago, who was a producer on "Blue Crush," said the WB has "high hopes" for the series.
"Our experience with 'Blue Crush' and 'The Break' really inspired us," Dallago said. "The idea of 'ohana keeps bringing us back and we hope we can represent that idea in a respectful way with this show.
Dallago said casting local people will be a priority. " 'Rocky Point' will be more specific to Hawai'i than the other shows that are shooting here," Dallago said. "We want to hire and cast as many local people as possible.
"We want to encourage and train local talent," he said. "We'll give roles to local actors that they might not normally get. I think this will help develop the talent base here, and that helps our industry as a whole."
Dallago also confirmed some recent additions to the core cast. Calvin Klein model Travis Fimmel ("Tarzan") will play professional surfer Taj. And Moon Bloodgood, who has had small roles in "CSI" and "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton," will play Alana, a single mom. John Patrick Almadora will play East Coast kid Kyle.
"Right now we're concentrating looking at equipment, scouting for locations and casting," Dallago said.
Casting calls
