Filming Tumoana’s Hōʻike at Smith’s Luau on Kauaʻi

Recently, Kanakanowelo had the opportunity to film a special hōʻike performance for the Tahitian dance group Tumoana at Smith's Tropical Paradise Luau.

This was our first time filming both this hālau-style Tahitian showcase and this particular venue, making it an exciting production experience filled with learning opportunities, technical challenges, and unforgettable performances.

A Unique Venue Setup Surrounded by Water

One of the first things we noticed about the venue was how unique the staging layout was.

The performance stage sat farther away from the audience and was surrounded by a pond, creating a visually beautiful atmosphere while also introducing some production challenges for camera placement and equipment setup.

Because the seating area was built on a slanted incline rather than flat ground, we had to quickly problem-solve how to safely position our production setup and gator cases without stable surfaces nearby.

Live event videography often requires adapting to environments that were designed for audience experience rather than camera operations, and this event definitely tested our flexibility.

Multi-Camera Tahitian Dance Production Setup

For this production, we used a multi-camera workflow to capture a variety of angles throughout the hōʻike:

• PTZOptics cameras for left and right stage coverage

• Blackmagic Studio Camera 6K Pro for the main center-stage angle

• Canon EOS-1D X Mark II for close-up cinematic shots and audience moments

• A second camera operator onsite to help capture additional coverage

Having multiple camera angles was important because the hōʻike included:

• Traditional Tahitian dance performances

• Multiple costume and fashion showcases

• Group performances

• Audience reactions

• A dramatic volcano fire finale at the end of the night

The variety within the performance meant we needed both wide coverage and detailed close-up shots to fully capture the experience.

Audio Challenges During Live Performance Recording

One of the biggest lessons from this event involved live audio recording.

The venue’s sound system was designed primarily for live audience listening, which sounded excellent in person. However, for production recording purposes, we encountered some issues with the audio feed connection.

The microphone cable ports occasionally clipped or introduced audio interference whenever the connections shifted or moved during the event.

This is one of the realities of live production work — every venue has a unique audio infrastructure, and sometimes workflows need to be adjusted specifically for recording purposes rather than live reinforcement.

Experiences like this help us refine our setup strategies and prepare stronger redundancy systems for future productions.

Learning About Lighting and Camera Settings

Another major challenge was the stage lighting.

The lighting conditions changed constantly throughout the hōʻike:

• Brightness levels shifted frequently

• Colored stage lighting varied throughout performances

• Red lighting sometimes appeared pink or purple on camera

One of the biggest lessons we learned was related to camera automation settings.

For the PTZ cameras, we initially left some settings on auto. As the lighting intensity and colors changed throughout the performances, the cameras continuously adjusted:

• White balance

• ISO

• Exposure

• Focus

This caused inconsistent image results during parts of the performance.

Looking back, we recognized that auto settings should not be used for stage performances with dynamic theatrical lighting. Moving forward, we plan to lock camera settings manually for more consistent and cinematic results during live productions.

Every production teaches something valuable, and this event definitely helped us improve our workflow for future performances at similar venues.

A Night Filled with Energy, Fashion, and Tahitian Dance

Despite the technical challenges, the hōʻike itself was incredible to experience and document.

The performances were filled with:

• High-energy Tahitian dancing

• Beautiful costume design

• Live entertainment

• Fashion showcases

• Strong crowd energy and support

One especially memorable moment was the volcano fire effect activated during the finale, creating a dramatic ending that fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the night.

Events like this remind us why we enjoy documenting live cultural performances throughout Hawaiʻi.

Looking Forward to More Tahitian Productions

At Kanakanowelo, we enjoy working with Polynesian performance groups, cultural organizations, schools, and community events throughout Hawaiʻi.

Each production gives us opportunities to:

• Improve our workflows

• Refine technical systems

• Preserve meaningful performances

• Capture cultural storytelling through video

We’re grateful to have documented Tumoana’s hōʻike and look forward to filming more Tahitian dance productions in the future.

Hire Kanakanowelo for Live Event and Cultural Productions

Whether you’re organizing:

• Tahitian dance performances

• Hōʻike events

• Cultural festivals

• Concerts

• Fashion showcases

• Community productions

• Livestream events

• Documentary projects

Kanakanowelo provides professional videography, livestreaming, multi-camera production, and storytelling services throughout Hawaiʻi.

Visit:

https:www.kanakanowelo.com

Let’s capture your next performance together.