The production of “Love Island” in Ninole earlier this year should have gone differently, admitted county officials Tuesday.
At a meeting of the Hawaii County Council Committee on Governmental Operations, Relations and Economic Development, Doug Adams, the county’s research and development director, acknowledged that certain steps were not followed properly in the leadup to the production of the reality show, which filmed its third season at a villa in Ninole throughout July and August.
“Understatement of the century, but things did not go the way we would have liked them to,” Adams said.
Adams said the Big Island Film Office, which is managed by Research and Development, did not do proper diligence in connecting the “Love Island” production with various county agencies that would have required permits.
For example, Adams said, the Film Office did not realize the production should have required a Special Management Area permit. The County Planning Department, which issues such permits, was only made aware of the production through local news coverage as the shoot was happening, despite Research and Development knowing about the production as early as last November, he said.
In addition, certain temporary structures at the shooting locations were determined to not require building permits, which Adams said “was not a correct determination.”
The “Love Island” production — the largest film project on the island since the 2007 production of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” — was contentious among Ninole residents, who endured frequent truck traffic on private roads insufficient for such heavy use, disruptive helicopter flyovers, loud cast and crews and bright lights.
In particular, those bright lights were suspected of disrupting the flight patterns and behaviors of endangered local seabirds.
Because the “Love Island” shooting locations were on private property, Adams said there was a limit to what the county could require of them. Permits on private property are required only on a case-by-case basis, he said.
Adams said Research and Development will improve lines of communication between county agencies and make it clear to future film projects precisely what is required of them. In addition, he said Research and Development is actively seeking to hire a permanent Hawaii Island Film Commissioner, after the previous commissioner left earlier this year, with county Tourism Specialist Frecia Cevallos filling in ever since.
Council members encouraged Adams to make whatever corrections he could, with many saying they felt they had been taken advantage of by the “Love Island” production.
“We know they come to the Big Island because of all our special places,” Hilo councilwoman Sue Lee Loy said. “But it feels like they’re taking advantage of our special places … it feels like barriers for them are getting lowered compared to people who care and live here, who are being held to higher standards.”
Kona councilwoman Maile David said she felt “Love Island” production company ITV Entertainment should have faced some form of consequences for its handling of the matter, but Adams said he is unsure whether any penalties could have been or still could be levied against them.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
