The University of Hawai‘i – West O‘ahu (UHWO) took a sig­nificant step in making a state-of-the-art film studio a reality. The new film studio, the Academy for Creative Media (ACM) West O‘ahu building, will transform the campus and have a major impact on the film and television industry in the state. UH has selected the Island Productions LLC team — a diverse group with local and national experience in film studio and commercial development and operations — as the project developer.

Outside the new Academy for Creative Media West O‘ahu building. The high tech 33,000-square-foot facility features the latest video, graphics, animation, social media, web and app development equipment and rooms.

Island Productions envisions a multipurpose entertainment campus for studio employees and the UH West O‘ahu com­munity consisting of a public-serving town square with live/work, retail, dining, lodging, and office space, along with a private, secured film studio that would include modern sound stages and other support facilities.

“This project is not only important for the local film industry and the state’s economy, it will also support our educational mission by providing our students direct workforce experience with industry professionals for mentoring, networking, and internship and career development opportunities,” said UH President David Lassner.

UH will now begin negotiating the terms of a development agreement and long-term ground lease with Island Prod­uctions that must be reviewed and approved by the UH Board of Regents. As part of the expected agreement, Island Productions will design, build, finance, operate, manage, and maintain the project for the life of the lease. Ownership would revert back to UH when the ground lease expires.

“Combined with our adjacent $37 million ACM Student Production Center at UHWO, this state-of-the-art studio complex will propel ACM to the top ranks of media schools globally,” said ACM Founder and Director Chris Lee. “Because one of the requirements of this partnership is integration with ACM, our local students will have enormous career opportunities to stay in the islands with living-wage jobs as talent both above and below the line. This combination will strengthen our vital production industry through workforce development and diversify Hawai‘i’s economy away from an over-reliance on tourism.”