Posted on: Friday, February 11, 2005
Joe Moore may film indie western in Hawai'i
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
Joe Moore, KHON TV news anchor, is hankering to do a shoot-'em-up western feature in Hawai'i, possibly as early as summer or fall. His script, "The Lawmen," would be his third as star and second as screenwriter.
Dennis Christianson, an advertising executive and Moore's producing partner in Latitude 20 Pictures, will direct, as he did Moore's two previous films, "Goodbye, Paradise" in 1991, and "Moonglow" in 1999.
"We're in a hugely preliminary stage, researching estimated budget and current distribution options," said Christianson. "I imagine it will cost a lot more than our earlier films, because we'll have a fairly large cast and require a lot more — wranglers, firearms, horses. The question is if we can afford to do the film in Hawai'i."
The project is about 10 years old, earlier attached to a Mainland producer who backed down on the deal, with Moore retaining the producing rights. Its viability is under scrutiny now, said Christianson, and if it's greenlighted, would be somewhat of a rarity among independent films — the indie western. "I've been waiting for the right time," Moore said. "With 'Deadwood' now on HBO, the western has been revived."
"The Lawmen" — like other filmed-in-Hawai'i productions, large and small — currently is examining tax film credits to see if it can keep the show "local."
"We're in the same boat," said Moore about battling for expanded tax incentives to film in Hawai'i like bigger projects such as ABC's "Lost," which is seeking state kokua in keeping the second season in the Islands.
"We need every break we can get," said Moore. "This is not a campaign to sway the state, but if everything's in place, we'd still need to make actors make concessions to get ... (pay) at the back end, instead of the front end. Price issues favor New Mexico, Arizona and even Canada."
Moore, Hawai'i's most-watched news anchor according to the quarterly Nielsen ratings, would play one of the leads.
There is a marshall, a female lead and a "heavy" secondary lead. Locations on the Big Island, Moloka'i and O'ahu are under consideration.
The story is set in Topaz, Ariz., in a mining town environment, circa 1872. But Moore said the western theme may be going against the prevailing tide.
"There's not a lot of indie westerns being done," Christianson said. "That's part of our exploration."
Moore said prepping for "The Lawmen" means he's not doing his periodic theatrical play for Manoa Valley Theatre.
Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.
"It's a boyhood dream of mine to do a western — even if most people say the western is dead," said Moore, an acknowledged fan of John Wayne and the old cowboy movies and a "Gunsmoke" rerun junkie. He envisions a minimum budget of between $2 million and $3 million.
Joe Moore
