Or consider Nathan Kurosawa's "The Ride," the runaway hit of last year's Hawaii International Film Festival. The film was made for TV but enjoyed an extended theatrical run in Honolulu. It also has drawn enthusiastic nods traveling the film-festival circuit. None of that would have been possible without the buy-in of a private benefactor and a local crew willing to work for less than scale.

Even Edgy Lee, the internationally acclaimed documentarian, isn't immune to the inherently tenuous life of the independent. Lee was still raising money for her latest project, "Ice II: Life or Meth," a sequel to last year's consciousness-raising "Ice," well after the production got under way. "Life or Meth" will be simulcast statewide at 7 p.m. Dec. 7, commercial-free on KHON-2, KHNL, KITV, KFVE, KGMB, KBFD and KIKU.

"We're raising money as we're making it," Lee said during a break from editing last week.

Time and again, Hawai'i's independent filmmakers have proven that a little pluck, a little luck and a lot

of resourcefulness can sometimes compensate for spare-change budgets, sparse resources and what some see as the indifference of a local industry geared toward accommodating bigger imported productions.

From stage-setting works such as Dennis Christianson's "Goodbye Paradise" and Kayo Hatta's "Picture Bride" to the crop of short films recently produced by students from the University of Hawai'i's Academy for Creative Media, Hawai'i's small-budget filmmakers have a proven history of producing compelling, culturally unique films — when they have the chance.

Hawai'i-based independent film company Pacific Films recently finished shooting "Tides of War," a $3 million submarine adventure film. Christina Simpkins photo

Even without the progressive financing structures, tax accommodations and other support enjoyed by independent productions in certain other states and countries, filmmakers such as Lee, Stephanie Castillo ("Cockfighters"), Vilsoni and Jeannette Paulson Hereniko ("The Land Has Eyes"), and numerous others have brought meaningful Hawai'i and Pacific works to national and international attention.

Now imagine what these filmmakers could do with a little more money and a little more support. Imagine the unique cultural perspectives that would emerge if more talented filmmakers could pursue their ideas.

Donne Dawson

"We're constantly approached by people with great ideas that, in some cases, have progressed to great scripts. But they have no funding to get off the ground."

Help on the way?

Dawson, the Islands' film commissioners and Hawai'i's independent filmmakers are hoping that will change during the upcoming session of the state Legislature, when they will lobby for — among other things — financing for a dormant film fund and broader access to production tax credits for smaller productions.

Dawson said she'd like to see an environment where large Hollywood-style productions — which bring money to Hawai'i, help build the industry's infrastructure, provide jobs and on-set experience for local professionals — are balanced with a vital independent film community that tells unique stories about Hawai'i and the Pacific, provides opportunities for up-and-coming talents and helps moderate economic peaks and valleys as larger productions come and go.

In addition to the Act 221 (now Act 215) credits, the state offers qualifying entities a refundable production tax credit of 4 percent on all paid expenditures incurred in the state, as well as a 100 percent hotel-room tax credit.

Dawson says the production tax credit needs to be at least 15 percent to compete with other shooting destinations.

"A few years ago, we could say our only competition was other countries in tropical regions," said Dawson. "But the landscape has changed radically in the last three to five years. There has been a dramatic increase in U.S. jurisdictions passing legislation to attract more film productions.

"Projects that could have been done here have been drawn to other places, on the Mainland," she said. "The productions are just doing their homework now and finding the best locations with the best incentives."

The spending required to qualify for the tax credits stands at $750,000 for TV programs and $2 million for feature films. Dawson and others have said they would like to see those thresholds lowered.

Of more immediate impact to independents would be the allocation of money to a film fund, approved by the Legislature in 2000 to support film and TV productions in Hawai'i. The fund is overseen by a board created under the auspices of the film office, but — aside from a $100,000 grant from the Hawai'i Tourism Authority distributed to five local filmmakers as part of a Cultural Films Initiative earlier this year — the fund has been unfunded and unused.

Dawson said at least $1 million in seed money is needed to get the fund operational; $5 million would be ideal. Ultimately, private money may be needed.

"We need a viable film fund in place," said Dawson. "It's the only way a lot of independent projects will see the light of day."

Walea Constantinau

"For a long time, we've supported the independent film industry, but we didn't have the financial means to really nurture it," said Constantinau. "We're seeing now a tremendous effort on the part of local filmmakers to take it to the next level.

"There is amazing energy right now," she said. "It's like a renaissance for independent film. It's all coming together."

State Sen. Carol Fukunaga, D-11th (Makiki, Pawa'a), a driving force in the state's dealings with the local industry, agreed.

"The climate for this is a lot better because the industry is more organized than in the past," she said. "If productions and the community and legislators all get together for more initiatives, it will benefit the industry, and they'll produce stuff that will blow us away"

Why Indie?

"I tell people that if you don't like what you see on the small and big screens as far as race and culture, then do it yourself," said filmmaker Kurosawa.

"You can pound on the door and write letters, but Hawai'i won't make or break the box office," he said. "Hollywood is driven by money, and they don't care. If you want to change something, you have to go out and make your own film."

Kurosawa, who responded to Hollywood's commercialization of surfing by bringing the sport back to its Hawaiian roots in "The Ride," said he'd like to see Hawai'i's independent scene grow to where industry professionals can choose to work on productions based on their belief in the content.

"Overall, the local independent-film community has to be a little more conscious of the content," he said. "We might have a lot of TV shows and feature films right now, but if they cast us in a negative light or depict us in a negative way, why bother? Crews and actors have to take a hard look at the scripts and decide if they really want to do it. We aren't just hired guns or prostitutes.

"People jump onto productions without reading the script, and you can't blame them because they need to pay the bills, but if there were more choices, there would be better decisions."

Sereno's "Silent Years" was a good decision for all involved.

The filmmaker said he was determined to make a film that credibly depicted the Hawai'i experience, even in dark terms. Adapting poems from local author Lois-Ann Yamanaka's award-winning collection "Saturday Night at the Pahala Theatre," Sereno crafted a film that wowed critics for its strong ideas and technical achievements.

Sereno, best known for directing commercials, assembled an all-Hawai'i cast, crew and production staff, mixing experienced professionals with newcomers.

"I felt there were a lot of good, talented people here in Hawai'i who don't often get the opportunity to work in higher positions," said Sereno. "I had a great bunch of people who had a great attitude about making this film happen."

Constantinau said independent productions are an ideal place for developing professionals to hone their skills.

"You don't go from film school to major Hollywood productions," she said. "There is a skill and a craft you have to learn, and you can do that with independent film."

Constantinau pointed to independent film communities in Australia, New Zealand and Canada that are thriving with support from their governments, nurturing directors and actors who have gone on to huge commercial success.

The dream, she said, is that Hawai'i might one day produce its own Peter Jackson, the New Zealand director who invested heavily in his country's film community during and after his high-profile work on "The Lord of the Rings."

Jason Suapaia, director of operations for Pacific Focus and executive director and co-founder of the 'Ohina Short Film Showcase, said a more modest breakthrough — something along the lines of "Once Were Warriors" — might be closer on the horizon.

"That film was a big milestone for New Zealand," said Suapaia. "When are we going to have our 'Once Were Warriors' or 'Whale Rider'? We have a lot of good-quality productions coming up the ranks. Hopefully, that's where we'll be soon."