Malaʻe Productions runs equipment rentals and crew statewide from its Big Island base, and Oahu is a regular destination for our multi-island productions. A 14 ft McKee is based in Kaneohe, and full RED, Shotover, DJI and Nauticam packages move to Oahu for commercial, broadcast and natural history work.
Oahu productions draw on the same crew and inventory that has served National Geographic, PBS Nature, Discovery, ABC, NBC and CBS since 2003: full-service video production for natural history documentaries, commercials and broadcast, aerial cinematography, underwater filming and time lapse. Whether a production company needs a turnkey Hawaii field crew or a visiting network needs a RED package waiting on arrival, this is where it comes from.
Surf cinematography is one of our disciplines. Salty surf housings put a RED DSMC2 or DSMC3 in the break with full cinema control behind a dome port, a Zodiac inflatable serves as the surf-zone support vessel, and Mavic 3 Cine and Mavic 4 cover sessions from the air. For an Oahu surf shoot, from a North Shore swell to a south-shore session, the housings, boards and drones travel with the crew.
On the water, the Kaneohe-based McKee and our GoPro fleet handle multi-angle coverage and wildlife approaches, and Nauticam housings bring 8K underwater cinematography to Oahu's reefs and open ocean. Humpback whales in Hawaiian waters and shark sequences are staples of our underwater and aerial reels, and if the shot already exists, our 4K and 8K Hawaii stock footage library may have it.
Gear that travels to Oahu
Cinema cameras: RED V-RAPTOR 8K VV, DSMC3 S35, MONSTRO 8K VV, HELIUM 8K S35 and GEMINI 5K S35, each with PL and EF mounts, ND filters, on-board monitors, follow focus and V-lock power. Stabilization: the portable Shotover F1 for vehicle and boat work, Ronin 2 and DJI RS3 handheld kits. Aerial: DJI Inspire 3 (Zenmuse X9-8K), Inspire 2 (Zenmuse X7, 6K CinemaDNG), Mavic 3 Cine and Mavic 4. Underwater: Nauticam housings for RED DSMC2 and DSMC3 with ports, monitors and lighting, plus Salty surf housings. Motion control from Emotimo, Rhino and Kessler, Chrosziel and Nucleus wireless lens control, and cinema, macro and Canon L-series lenses in PL, EF and RF mounts. Every piece rents with or without an operator.
Drone operations under FAA Part 107
Aerial work is flown under FAA Part 107. We handle airspace authorizations, LAANC approvals and restricted-zone waivers, including coastal airspace, so the production is compliant from day one. Aerial reconnaissance and location scouting document access points, lighting windows and conditions before a crew arrives, and Autel thermal drones are available for wildlife surveys and low-light scouting. Our aerial work appears in National Geographic's World's Most Dangerous Sharks and throughout our own natural history productions.
Shipping, logistics and pricing
We regularly move packages to Oahu and plan multi-island productions; we coordinate transport for larger gear packages, so send shoot dates and islands and we arrange the logistics. On the Big Island, pickup is at Keauhou, Hilo or Waimea. Price match guarantee: bring a quote from any Hawaii camera or production equipment rental house and we will beat or match it, from a single lens to a full production package.
Plan an Oahu shoot
Send your shoot dates, locations and an equipment list. We reply with availability and pricing, typically within one business day.
Related
- Big Island
- Maui
- Kauai
- Equipment Rentals — Rent RED cinema cameras, Shotover gimbals, DJI drones, Nauticam underwater housings and full production packages on the Big Island, with delivery statewide and a price match guarantee.
- Aerial Services — FAA Part 107 licensed aerial cinematography, thermal survey and location scouting across the Big Island and all Hawaiian Islands.
- Contact — Tell us about your production, rental or stock footage needs anywhere in Hawaii. We reply with availability and pricing, typically within one business day.