Letter from the Local President

Aloha Hawaii Sisters and Brothers:

This Year of the Ox finds our local SAG-AFTRA membership, Board members, and staff leaders gradually re-energizing in the brave new virtual world of COVID-19.

After a year and a half, we held our annual membership meeting last month as a webinar on Zoom. Approximately 50 attendees participated, including Local Executive Director Mericia Palma Elmore, National Board member Scott Rogers, Local Vice President Charles Uyehara, Local Secretary Leanne Teves, and Local Board members Andrea Sikkink, Jean Simon, Lisa Romano and Theo Coumbis.

We talked about the emerging developments around the resumption of productions, including Safer Set and COVID-19 protocols and vaccinations. 

After the meeting adjourned, the final 30 minutes included a Q&A session. Our Local Board members and local and national staff addressed members’ questions on various topics, including new media productions, low-budget films, and union rules and regulations.

Television and streaming productions are back, including the renewed Magnum P.I., as confirmed on the show’s Twitter feed: “The Spirit of Aloha is alive and well — #MagnumPI will return for Season 4!” 

Amazon and Sony’s I Know What You Did Last Summer is in production. The new Disney+ original series Doogie Kameāloha, M.D. began shooting in February.

It also appears that a Hawaii-based version of NCIS will become a reality. TVInsider, one of the sources reporting CBS’ programming plans, said a show with a female lead is in the works.

We have also resumed the ACM table readings with advanced screenwriting students of Professor Lisette Flanary via Zoom virtual settings. 

The National Board has also conducted its meetings virtually.

I’m grateful this year for our family’s survival and seeing new hope for the future of our union, our democracy, our economy and our collective health.

Finally, I want to acknowledge our extraordinary executive director, Mericia Palma Elmore, who continues to serve above and beyond the call of duty. She is still here, working diligently, maintaining connections with our local industry partners and board and officers, performing all essential and core functions, and assisting her colleagues around the country where she can.

Me ke aloha pumehana and in solidarity and looking forward,

David C. Farmer
President 
SAG-AFTRA Hawaii Local