Jurassic World sequel starts filming at Oahu harbor

HAUULA, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Filming for Jurassic World's sequel started Wednesday at Heeia Kea Small Boat Harbor and it's already making waves among boat owners.

Dinosaurs, smoke machines and large black tarps are taking up over half of the harbor, where commercial and privately owned boats once sat.

And the filming has been a boon for boaters.

According to boaters, around 60 recreational boaters received $1,000 for moving their boats and an additional five commercial businesses were paid to temporarily halt operations during portions of the filming.

Half of the harbor, including boat tours, the restaurant, and private access will continue to run during filming.

However, a portion of Kamehameha highway will remain closed through Thursday, with on-off traffic interruptions on Friday and for portions of next week.

Brad Fisher, who owns a boat tour company at the harbor, said the chance to have "Ancient Features" film feet away from his business outweighs the potential inconvenience.

"It impacts us a little bit, client wise, because we book through agents and they book people," Fisher said. "But the fact that they did pay for the boats, everybody's happy. It's a win-win for everybody."

The city and state have been collaborating with Universal for months to ensure the film's presence has a positive impact on the community.

"All of that money (from the filming) will go back into the Department of Land and Natural Resources in their Boating Division," said Georja Skinner, chief officer for the Hawaii Film Office. "The production is investing in that, so in a way investing to keep this harbor and what it means for its local people alive and well."

Skinner, like many others, shared her excitement for the franchise returning to Hawaii.

"This is a giant production. It is on a Jurassic scale, certainly," she said. "From the very beginning of Jurassic Park, filmed mostly in Kauai, to the new Jurassic franchise, we couldn't be happier to host them again."

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