Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

For Immediate Release: July 8, 2019

PROGRAM FELLOWS SPENCER HYDE, CHAD MARTIN, AND JOSH NOBLE SELECTED TO SHOWCASE THEIR PROJECTS AT WORLD’S LARGEST ONLINE VIDEO CONFERENCE IN JULY

HONOLULU—Expanding industry access for Hawaii’s new media entrepreneurs, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s (DBEDT) Creative Industries Division (CID) has chosen three finalists from its Creative Lab Hawaii (CLH) Web-Series Immersive program to present their projects at VidCon 2019. Selected from the 2018 Web-Series Immersive cohort following the five-day intensive workshop and year-long mentorship program, CLH Fellows Spencer Hyde, Chad Martin, and Josh Noble will now have the opportunity to network at the world’s largest celebration of digital video and online creators from July 10-13 in Anaheim, CA.

“The digital content space offers a tremendous opportunity for entrepreneurs to create new forms of entertainment for global distribution,” said Mike McCartney, Director of DBEDT. “Bringing together online creatives and industry experts, VidCon provides the perfect platform to showcase the talent and unique stories being fostered in Hawaii.”

“VidCon is a key step in the development of these projects created for the mobile and online space,” said Georja Skinner, Chief Officer of DBEDT’s Creative Industries Division and founder of CLH. “Spencer, Chad, and Josh are putting into practice the insights CLH Mentorship provides throughout these one-year immersive programs that prepare them to compete on a global level in the new frontier of the entertainment industry.”

Designed as a continuum touching every facet of creative entrepreneurial development, CLH has garnered support from organizations ranging from Writers Guild of America, West Inclusion and Equity Department, to the Producers Guild of America. The access to decision makers at the center of the industry is unprecedented for creatives in the state.

“The Creative Lab Hawaii program helped me to streamline my creative process and frame a plan to produce my content over the year,” said Chad Martin of his experience. “Being a graduate of the program has further given me access to a supportive group of creative entrepreneurs, and opportunities to share my content on local media and with influential circles.”

CLH Executive Director, Michael Andres Palmieri, will accompany the CLH Fellows to VidCon, where they will pitch their respective projects developed during the CLH Web-Series Immersive. The CLH Fellows are granted Creator-Track passes for added access to industry professionals throughout the conference.

Further background on the selected CLH Fellows and their projects follow:

Spencer Hyde – Spencer grew up on Maui, attending Seabury Hall in Makawao before earning a BFA in Film & Television Production from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He worked in digital advertising for companies like Lionsgate and Magnolia Pictures in Los Angeles before following his heart back to Hawaii. He now works for the Department of Education where he produces videos about public education in Maui County. Spencer is planning meetings with potential partners at VidCon, where he will present a pilot script and pitch materials for his web-series Hawaii High—a coming of age story about four high-school friends with island fever.

Chad Martin – Chad is a life-long resident of Hawaii with a passion for Hawaiian history, language, and storytelling. He has designed and illustrated projects for the State of Hawaii, County of Kauai, nonprofits, schools and global sports brands. In 2014, Chad refocused his company Makaiwa, Inc. from graphic services to original art and animation, creating content that aligns with his interests in the history and cultures of the Pacific. Together with his wife Lisa, he produces family-friendly animated content that teaches basic Hawaiian language. Chad is currently self-producing the prologue and first webisodes of his animated Hawaiian mythology series, Wao Akua – Realm of Gods. In anticipation of VidCon, Chad has released his content both on Instagram (@waoakua) and YouTube (Wao Akua Youtube Channel ).

Josh Noble – Josh’s current project Finessin’ is set in the West Adams area of Los Angeles, and follows two young sisters as they maneuver the legal cannabis industry as women of color. The cold open for Finessin’ is in post-production, and a pilot script, pitch-deck, and bible are complete. Josh plans to pitch the show at VidCon to potential production and distribution partners. A screenwriter and filmmaker who was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Josh now resides in Hollywood and has written several projects as work-for-hire for companies such as LKE, Ace Studios, and 2nd Nature Films. He is passionate about the use of fiction to entertain, educate, and empower viewers—and give voice to underrepresented individuals and communities.

To connect to Creative Lab Hawaii via social media for the latest updates, insights and content, visit:

Facebook: Creative Lab Hawaii – www.facebook.com/creativelabhawaii
Twitter: CreativeLabHI – www.twitter.com/creativelabhi
IG: CreativeLabHI – www.instragram.com/creativelabhi

About the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT)
DBEDT is Hawaii’s resource center for economic and statistical data, business development opportunities, energy and conservation information, and foreign trade advantages. DBEDT’s mission is to achieve a Hawaii economy that embraces innovation and is globally competitive, dynamic and productive, providing opportunities for all Hawaii’s citizens. Through its attached agencies, the department fosters planned community development, creates affordable workforce housing units in high-quality living environments, and promotes innovation sector job growth.

About Creative Industries Division (CID)
CID, a division within DBEDT, is the state’s lead agency dedicated to advocating for and accelerating the growth of Hawaii’s Creative Economy. Through initiatives, program development, and strategic partnerships, the division and its branches implements activities to expand the business development, global export and investment capacity of Hawaii’s arts, culture, music, film, literary, publishing, digital and new media industries.

About the Creative Lab Hawaii Program (CLH)
The Creative Lab Hawaii (CLH) Program was founded in 2012 by the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic, Development and Tourism (DBEDT)’s Creative Industries Division to accelerate the growth of Hawaii’s creative entrepreneurs through immersive, hands-on training in broadband/new media, producing, screenwriting, interactive media, music and design/fashion. The CLH Program, a key facet of Hawaii’s creative economy, is developing an ecosystem to increase export, attract investment and build the State’s creative entrepreneurial capacity in media, music and fashion/design. The CLH Program features three program components: 1) Immersive Programs; 2) Ideation Workshops; and 3) Public Keynotes. Website: creativelab.hawaii.gov

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Media Contacts:
Georja Skinner
Creative Industries Division/DBEDT
Founder, Creative Lab Hawaii
Phone: (808) 291-8073
Website: creativelab.hawaii.gov

Charlene Chan
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
Phone: (808) 587-9006
Website: dbedt.hawaii.gov

Susan Wright and Vianca Cao
Becker Communications, Inc
Phone: (808) 533-4165
Mobile: (808) 799-4293; (808) 798-8873