HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

79

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING HAWAII'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO HELP THE STATE'S FILM INDUSTRY ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR CLEARING FILM AND VIDEOTAPES THROUGH AIRPORT SECURITY.

 

 

WHEREAS, Hawaii's film industry is a major contributor to the State's economy, with expenditures by domestic and international film makers averaging $100,000,000 per year; and

WHEREAS, because Hawaii does not have a film processing laboratory capable of developing 16mm and 35mm movie film and has limited facilities in which film and videotapes can be edited, film and video production crews returning to their home country or state after shooting in Hawaii often hand carry their unexposed film and tapes with them; and

WHEREAS, new scanning technology and enhanced security procedures established at Hawaii's airports as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, have made the "safe" passage of unexposed film and tapes an area of concern and worry for film and video production crews; and

WHEREAS, productions interested in Hawaii have canceled their plans after becoming aware of the possibility of their product being subject to scanning or being opened at an airport during an inter-island flight or on their way home; and

WHEREAS, the current economic status in Hawaii is in need of revitalization and having a vibrant film industry in Hawaii will provide the State of Hawaii with more economic stability; and

WHEREAS, it is essential to educate the public as well as airport security at the local and federal levels about the film industry; and

WHEREAS, the increasing use of scanning and higher dosages of X-rays has prompted Kodak and Fuji, among others, to issue warnings to the production and advertising industries against having any unprocessed film and tapes be subject to X-rays and scanning devices; and

WHEREAS, higher levels of security have made it almost impossible to physically approach security personnel at X-ray machines to request a hand check for unprocessed film and tapes being hand-carried; and

WHEREAS, Kodak has updated its warning on film fogging in a technical bulletin to Japan in late 2001, which, coupled with fears associated with terrorist attacks, has caused a severe reluctance to film at any location such as Hawaii that does not have a film processing laboratory; and

WHEREAS, in 2000, there was a report from Japan that a returning TV commercial crew was required to open their film canisters upon departure at Honolulu International Airport, purportedly done in a darkened room where the security personnel ran their bare hands over the unprocessed film to verify the content; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii International Film Association has had a marked increase in complaints from members who have seen foreign productions cancel their plans to film in Hawaii because of their expressed fear that film will be subject to scanning or possible exposure to light while being hand checked, which has led to further losses of business because Hawaii has not been able to reassure the productions on the safe passage of unprocessed film; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaii Film Industry Association and members of the industry have been meeting to develop possible remedies to address the concerns of Hawaii's film industry and the concerns of the agencies which regulate airport security and safety; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the Senate concurring, that Hawaii's congressional delegation is requested to work with the Hawaii Film Office, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the film offices of the four Hawaii counties, the Hawaii International Film Association, the Airports Division of the state Department of Transportation, Local 665, International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Transportation Security Administration to develop workable, permanent solutions which can be implemented and utilized as soon as possible, which address airport security and safety concerns of all passengers and aircraft crews as well as the needs of Hawaii's film industry and its production crews; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and the Department of Transportation is requested to submit a joint report of actions taken and remedies implemented to facilitate the inspection and safeguarding of unprocessed film and videotapes which commercial producers desire to hand carry inter-island or out-of-state and meet the security and safety concerns of the agencies charged with implementing inspection procedures, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2003; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to Hawaii's congressional delegation, the Governor, the Director of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the Director of Transportation, the Mayor of each county, the Hawaii International Film Association, Local 665, International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees, the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, and the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Film Clearing through Airport Security