On May 5, 1998 I was driving up the Malibu coast whereby I decided to pull into a small dive store. Upon entering the store, I noticed a book on Catalina ‘kelp forests’, and was absolutely mesmerized by their natural beauty. Living in Los Angeles, I was attending UCLA film school at night and was searching for a subject matter to demonstrate my story telling abilities. Walking into that dive shop prompted a four-year journey on capturing the magic and nostalgia of this enchanted island, an American dream – a story never documented. I felt passionate about the subject matter and was honored and privileged to show this film to the world. I realize that many films take strength, courage, and a strong will to complete. This was the case with Hollywood’s Magical Island, a journey well worth taking.
