Lost At Sea: Hawaii’s Film Industry Navigates Challenges in the Wake of “NCIS: Hawaii” Cancellation

Hawaii’s film industry is facing challenges following the cancellation of “NCIS: Hawaii”. The show brought in $50,000 in revenue for Honolulu design firm PD Technologies and provided employment opportunities for many people in the state. However, the decision to cancel the show was driven by financial considerations, with competition from other filming locations with lower costs leading some productions to move away from Hawaii despite tax incentives offered by the state.

Rachel Whitley, who served as the Hawaii casting director for all three seasons of the show, expressed shock at the cancellation and highlighted the hundreds of jobs that were created by it. Katie Doyle, a longtime casting director, also explained that financial considerations played a significant role in the decision to cancel the show. CBS reportedly spent $75 million per season on producing “NCIS: Hawaii”, making it a costly production.

More than 15,000 fans have signed a petition urging CBS to reconsider the cancellation but it may not be enough to change their mind. This has prompted reflection on Hawaii’s film industry and discussions about potential solutions such as building a state-of-the-art film studio in West Oahu that could help stimulate growth in local film industry. While this development may be years away, there is determination among those involved to address these challenges and move forward with plans for future productions.