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The ‘Ohina Filmmakers Lab is a two-day filmmaker educational intensive that provides Hollywood screenwriters, producers, and directors mentorship and advice in a variety of key filmmaking fields, including script development, honing pitches, production support, project guidance, and more.

 
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Mentors

‘OHINA LABS 2025

Guest Mentors included Bryson Chun (staff writer, Disney+’s Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.), Mitchel Merrick (director/writer Water Like Fire; Kūkini), and Bao Tran (director/writer, The Paper Tigers). Guest judges joining the LABS Pitch Day included Noah Evslin (producer/writer, NCIS: Hawai‘i) and Jordan Kandell (producer/writer, Adrift). Stephen Broussard (VP Production & Development, Marvel Studios) provided creative mentorship towards the Greenlight Award-winning project.

‘OHINA LABS 2024 

Guest Mentors included Chris Kekaniokalani Bright (screenwriter, live-action Lilo & Stitch), Zoë Eisenberg (writer/director, Chaperone, Slamdance 2024 Breakouts Feature Grand Jury Prize), and Ty Sanga (first Native Hawaiian filmmaker to premiere a short at Sundance Film Festival as writer/director, Stones). Guest judges joining the LABS Pitch Day included Stephen Broussard (VP Production & Development, Marvel Studios), Henry Ian Cusick (actor/director; Primetime Emmy nominee for role on Lost), Aaron and Jordan Kandell (screenwriters, Disney’s Moana), and Adam Wong (producer, Chaperone). 

‘OHINA LABS 2023

Guest Mentors included Blackhorse Lowe (episode writer/director, Reservation Dogs; multi-alum of Sundance Film Institute) and Vanessa Taylor (producer, Game of Thrones; Best Screenplay Oscar nominee for Shape of Water, co-written with Guillermo del Toro). Guest judges joining the LABS Pitch Day included Noah Evslin (writer, NCIS).

‘OHINA LABS 2022

Guest Mentors included Dana Ledoux Miller (Thai Cave Rescue; Lodge 49) and Bryson Chun (Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.) Fellows were also invited to a Q&A with actor and filmmaker Justin Chon (The Twilight Saga, Blue Bayou).

‘OHINA LABS 2021

Guest Mentor was Susan Soon He Stanton (producer/writer, HBO’s Succession).

‘OHINA LABS 2020 (postponed due to COVID)

‘OHINA LABS 2019

Guest Mentors included Aaron and Jordan Kandell (writers/producers, Adrift) and Rob Letterman (writer/director, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu).

‘OHINA LABS 2018
Guest Mentors included Dana Ledoux Miller (writer, Narcos; Newsroom) and Eric Pearson (screenwriter, Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok).

‘OHINA LABS 2017

Guest Mentor was Joe Robert Cole (co-screenwriter, Black Panther). Cole was introduced to the ‘Ohina team by Marvel Executive Producer Nate Moore, who also participated in a special Q&A for ‘Ohina in 2016.