Out of the Shadows
After the bright lights of TV, Matt Levi moved into the shadowy world of a private investigator. Now he’s combining his skills, partnering with Edgy Lee to produce an in-depth news show that is certain to shock many viewers
By Chad Pata
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On location: cameraman Mark Morgan, Edgy Lee,
assistant producer Noel Pietsch, Matt Levi and
makeup artist Mimi Whittle
gies, they are proud to claim Michael Foumai as their own.
Raised in a single-parent home, while his dad served time on drug charges, Foumai was drawn to composing classical music and was honorably mentioned in the New York ASCAP competition at the age of 16.
“He is an amazing kid, and you will hear some of his music during the show,” says Lee, who is classically trained in piano and violin herself.
Highlighting these very deserving talents is a tribute to their hard work, but Lee feels it also serves to improve the community as a whole.
“I think there would be across-the-board better TV and more informed and compassionate Americans if we knew what was going on in our own cities,” says Lee.
If the pilot goes well, plans are to make four of these shows a year, each exploring issues that get glassed over on other programs. Its success, however, could mean an end to life of anonymity that Levi had been enjoying. But according to Lee, that is a sacrifice he is willing to make.
“He cares a lot about local people, local life, the way it was when our parents were kids,” says Lee of her partner. “He appreciates the local people where a handshake is worth more than a 20 page contract.”
This is a message that permeates their work: an appreciation and celebration of the good that so many Hawaii people perform without any recognition. To them it seems people are only recognized if they sing, or eat, well.
“When you talk about local programs, what do you see?” asks Lee. “Music shows, lifestyle shows and maybe a documentary film now and then. When it comes to shows like this, you are not going to see it. It is a timely show made for us here. It is exciting and I hope it doesn’t fail miserably.”
That will depend entirely on whether the local viewing public care more about their own community than about fictitious crimes in New England.
And as far as Lee is concerned, all they can do is try and let the results speak for themselves.
“If the morning after this airs,” she concludes, “there aren’t groups gathered around water coolers talking about the hard issues, then we may just have to go back to our lives.”
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