Audio Timeline — “Hawaiian. Not American.”
1. Opening — Dr. Haunani-Kay Trask Speech
Audio: Archival recording or excerpt from Dr. Haunani-Kay Trask’s speech. Merdged with the Pledge of Allegiance. (Probably cutting Hawai'i Ponoi as well as Star Spangled Banner)
Tone: Powerful, grounding, setting the political and cultural tone of the film.
Purpose: Establishes the foundation of Hawaiian identity and resistance.
Sound Design: Minimal — let her voice carry the weight. Subtle ambient background (waves, wind) to root it in Hawaiʻi. (If that, that would be up to my sound designer
2. Middle — “The Coconut” Story (Stop Motion / Down Shooter)
Audio: Personal narration begins after Dr. Trask’s speech glitches out.
Content:
Reflection on growing up Hawaiian.
Exploration of feeling “split” or “layered” (brown on the outside, white on the inside)
Symbolic stop motion sequences of a coconut breaking open, revealing it's inner identity.
Tone: Honest, introspective, slightly humorous but heartfelt.
Sound Design:
Layered foley: cracking coconut, scraping, nature sounds.
Light instrumental or ambient score under narration.
Pacing shifts with visuals (slower during reflection, quicker during realization).
(Again dependent on sound designer's vision)
3. Closing — Live Action Hula Sequence
Audio: 2nd half to last 1/4th of the script
Visual Context: Hula in different attire (showing cultural duality and personal growth).
Tone: Reflective, resolute, proud.
Transition: Last line of narration fades into the hula performance sound.
Sound Design: Live chant and percussion fade out to silence or ocean ambience.
4. Credits
Audio: Traditional or instrumental Hawaiian music (ʻukulele, ipu, or chant).
Visuals: Names and acknowledgments roll over the closing audio.
Reflection - 12/16
I was disappointed by how far the final film drifted from my original audio timeline for Hawaiian. Not American. The project was meant to be structured around sound! Heck I even got one of the best sound crafters to assist me! It was supposed to pan out with Dr. Haunani-Kay Trask’s voice, moving into a personal, symbolic narration, and closing with a live-action hula sequence. That progression was designed to give the film emotional and cultural clarity.
Due to production challenges and a loss of narrative focus, the film did not follow this structure at all. Abandoning the audio-driven foundation felt like losing the spine of the project, and it significantly weakened the film’s intention. This experience reinforced for me how critical it is to protect the core structure of a story, especially when everything else begins to fall apart.
I feel justified for what I submitted, but I'm still allowed to mourn what I wasn't able to acomplish.
