Veteran stunt coordinator details safety planning for water and lava shoots

Kealana said risk management is central to his work on complex shoots, including lava‑field sequences and large water sets. “My forte is risk management,” he said, outlining how teams mark zones, hide pads and train local performers to know where cracks and sharp pockets are before filming.

He praised mainland stunt coordinators who trained Hawai‘i’s local teams and said sustained training and cooperation with experienced riggers and camera crews reduces risk while enabling dramatic shots. Kealana noted that large sets (he described a 300‑person field) require extensive planning and that rehearsals and local knowledge are critical to safety.