Music video dedicated to families impacted by Maui wildfires takes home an Emmy Award
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Dedicated to the families impacted by the Aug. 8 fires in Lahaina and Upcountry, the music video "E Ola Maui," won an Emmy Award on Saturday at the 53rd Annual Northern California Area Emmy Awards in San Francisco. It won in the Arts/Entertainment – News or Short Form Content category.
"Congratulations to Ruben Carillo and Carrillo Digital Inc., producer Dawn Kaniaupio, Kino Eduardo Carrillo, the entire crew, musicians, and talent," Cody Pueo Pata posted on Facebook.
"Last September, Ruben Carrillo asked Kalena Ku, Kala'e Parish, Joshua Kahula, Kimie Miner, and me to compose a song for Lahaina's people and lands in the wake of the devastating fires the month prior. We put our heads together and 'E Ola Maui' was born. Before it was even done being composed, we all met on Maui, along with our other musician friends, and began filming this video."
The concept of "E Ola Maui," was to create a mele and video that was inspiring. "When we first came together to compose the melody, Lahaina resident Josh Kahula said he didn't want anything that was depressing," Pata explained. "He wanted it to be uplifting, something like the melody of Hawaiian Style Band's 'Hawaiian Style.' That was the kind of guiding light because he wanted to provide hope and he wanted to provide a sense of healing for anybody in Lahaina that would hear it, but also for people abroad to help them focus on what positive recovery would look like."
Other musicians involved in the project included Henry Kapono, Brother Noland, Amy Hanaiali'i, Tavana, Lopaka Colon, Wailau Ryder, and Kawelau Palakiko, along with members of the Lahainaluna High School football team.
The video premiered on Oct. 14 on Spectrum OC16. "E Ola Maui" has been nominated for Na Hoku Hanaohano Awards for Song of the Year and Hawaiian Music Video.
Another Emmy winner, "Trilogy: It's in the Heart," by Pacific Story Tellers, which focused on the Maui-based sailing tour company owned by the Coon family, won the Documentary – Topical category.
"I'm overjoyed and overwhelmed," said "Trilogy" director Stephan Boeker. "It's definitely an honor to receive such a prestigious award."
Pacific Story Tellers is a Makawao-based production company. "We're a ragtag bunch of creatives strewn all over Maui and we just love the pursuit of a great story," Boeker said. "Certainly the Coon family and Trilogy Excursions has an excellent one to tell."
Among other Hawaii Emmy winners, "First at 4: Maui Wildfires Disaster," by Hawaii News Now KGMB/KHNL, won in the Newscast-Daytime-Medium Markets category.