"Our Makawao" documentary

With this GoFundMe campaign we are trying to raise $10K by September 1st to complete a 28-minute documentary project that has been over 5 years in the making. With these funds we will be able to finalize the film for statewide broadcast on PBS Hawaii and coordinate screenings of the film both on Maui and in various film festivals. Donations over $250 will have their names included in the end credits of the film. Donations over $100 will receive an invite to attend a private online premiere with live Q&A with the filmmakers. Donations over $10 will receive a link to view the final documentary prior to it's official release. 

 

 

 

 

Project background

The town of Makawao in upcountry Maui has a deeply colorful history. From a flourishing Native Hawaiian presence to early missionaries and immigrant labor; to cattle ranches, plantations, WWII, and rodeos; Makawao’s story is a fascinating reflection of the diversity of culture in Hawaii over the past 150 years. The town and many of the kupuna (elders) still remain to tell the story, so the Makawao History Museum is producing a documentary to capture it for future generations.

 

 

 

 

What began as the “Kupuna Video Project” in May 2015 was an effort to recount the unique history of upcountry Maui as told by elders who lived, worked, raised families, and experienced the profound changes that have marked the passage of time in Makawao.

 

 

 

 

Nearly 30 interviews were conducted with the direction of award winning filmmaker, Robert C. Stone, and producer Sunny Jordan. Sadly, Robert passed away shortly after filming was completed, so Sunny and the Makawao Museum began looking for someone to take on the project. In 2019, Sunny was introduced to Matt Yamashita, an Emmy Award-winning freelance filmmaker from the island of Molokai. Having grown up in a small town on Molokai, the Makawao project resonated with Matt and over the next year he and Sunny pieced together a beautiful storyline from over 40 hours of footage.

 

 

 

 

Thanks to grants and funding from: Grant-in-aid from Hawaii State Legislature; County of Maui, Office of Economic Development; Fred Baldwin Memorial Foundation Grant; Atherton Family Foundation; and Alexander & Baldwin Foundation, the documentary has been nearly completed as a 33-minute film.

 

 

 

 

What funds will be used for

When PBS Hawaii viewed the 33-minute version of the film, they requested permission to broadcast it on their station. The film, however, needs to be shortened down to 28 minutes in length. There are other technical requirements that need to be met as well before the film can broadcast on statewide television.

 

This is primarily what we are trying to raise funding for, to cover the additional work required to have the documentary broadcast to tens of thousands of homes across Hawaii on PBS Hawaii. It is a huge opportunity to share the unique stories and history of this special place. But we can’t do it without your support.

 

A portion of the raised funds will also go towards coordinating public screenings for Maui communities and covering film festival showings. We will begin sharing the film with the public later this year. Costs for screenings include advertising, screening locations, projection and sound equipment, etc.

 

 

 

 

About Makawao History Museum

The Makawao History Museum is a nonprofit 501c3. Our Mission is to preserve and share the cultural heritage of our Upcountry community by bringing history to life for present and future generations. Learn more here: makawaomuseum .

 

 

 

 

About the filmmaker

Matt Yamashita is an Emmy award-winning, freelance filmmaker who has written, produced, directed, and edited numerous documentaries over the past 2 decades. He has dedicated the focus of his work to telling Hawaii’s stories through a local lens. Among his list of notable, award-winning productions are: “Sons of Halawa” a nationally and internationally broadcast feature documentary about the history of Molokai’s Halawa Valley; and “The Roots of ‘Ulu” a nationally broadcast 30-minute documentary about breadfruit in Hawaiian culture, narrated by Jason Scott-Lee. To learn more you can visit his website at: quazifilms .

Robert C. Stone was an Emmy award-winning director, producer, writer, and cinematographer with over 40 years experience as a professional filmmaker. His most recent work includes "The Edge of Paradise" (2018), "From Trauma to Peace" (2014) and "Arbo" (2012). Robert owned and operated Stoneman Production on Maui and is remembered fondly by all who knew him.