Creatives Invited to Attend Storytelling Ideation Program

Creative entrepreneurs are invited to learn from entertainment industry mentors during the 2019 Creative Lab Hawai‘i (CLH) Weekend Ideation Program. The weekend experience, “From Short to Long Form Content – A Program for Indigenous Storytelling,” will be held Saturday and Sunday, June 1 and 2, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach in Honolulu.

The free two-day program aims to develop indigenous storytelling projects through global platforms and includes three months of mentorship. Those who interested in taking a written idea, concept or fully-developed short to the next level can learn strategies to maximize their time, creative and financial resources.

Applications are open now and the deadline to apply is March 31. To be eligible to apply, applicants must attend one CLH Information Session before the deadline (scroll down for session times and locations).

“We’re always looking for new ways to celebrate and accelerate opportunities for Hawai‘i’s unique voices,” said Georja Skinner, division chief Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s Creative Industries Division and founder of CLH. “CLH programs offer participants an understanding of the avenues, tools and access to industry connections needed to better navigate the entertainment industry and the use of new platforms to share their stories.”

“We are thrilled to provide this platform to cultivate indigenous storytelling and support creative entrepreneurs who are committed to moving their ideas forward,” added Michael Palmieri, executive director of CLH.

Jeff Orig developed the popular Waikiki PD during the CLH program and has since had his comedy web-series honored with numerous international accolades, including award nominations at the prestigious L.A. WebFest at Sony Pictures.

“The feedback, wisdom and workshop environment offered through Creative Lab Hawai‘i helped me to elevate my project to the next level,” Orig said. “The program is important because it is not only a tool to diversify our local economy, but it helps give our people a voice. We cannot rely on Hollywood to tell our story. We communicate to each other and to the world through story.”

Myka Arakawa, a recent college graduate who majored in creative writing, came to CLH as a screenwriter and was accepted to the 2018 Writers Immersive.

“The program isn’t even over yet, but I now have an actionable and dedicated plan on how I want to position myself and my work, a supportive and competitive community, a better sense of how the business side of the industry works and confidence in myself as a creative entrepreneur,” said Arakawa. “Creative Lab Hawai‘i gives you the tools to not only tell the stories you’re uniquely qualified to tell, but also see what makes you truly unique and necessary in the first place.”

The required CLH information sessions are offered both in-person across the state and online as follows:

Hawai‘i Island

Location: Palace Theater, Hilo
Time: Tuesday, March 5, 5 to 6 p.m.
Speakers: Georja Skinner, Michael Andres Palmieri, Charles Brotman, Amy Bircher, GB Hajim
RSVP HERE

Online Sessions

Time: Every Wednesday at 6 p.m. HST until the end of March 2019.
RSVP HERE

Off-Island Information Sessions

O‘ahu (Hawai‘i Foreign-Trade Zone No. 9)
Monday, March 4, 2019 – 6 to 7 p.m.
Speakers: Georja Skinner, Michael Andres Palmieri, Jeff Orig, Stacy Fukuhara-Barclay, Sean Verhaagen
RSVP HERE

Kauai (Kauai Community College)
Wednesday, March 6, 2019 – 5 to 6 p.m.
Speakers: Georja Skinner, Michael Andres Palmieri, Serge Marcil, Nadya Wynd
RSVP HERE

Maui (Akaku Television)
Thursday, March 7, 2018 – 5 to 6 p.m.
Speakers: Georja Skinner, Michael Andres Palmieri, Brian Kohne, Spencer Hyde, Jonathan Melikidse
RSVP HERE

For additional information on the CLH Weekend Ideation or to apply, visit www.creativelab.hawaii.gov/apply.