Naman Shrestha
The first live-action adaptation of the eponymous Oscar-nominated animated film, ‘Moana,’ is an action–adventure movie directed by Thomas Kail. It revolves around a gritty and brave teenager named Moana, leading a carefree life on the island of Motunui with her beloved people. When she becomes the chosen one by the Ocean to help restore prosperity to the people on the island, Moana embarks on a series of adventures outside Motunui for the first time, accompanied by the infamous shape-shifting demigod, Maui. As part of their mission, they must return a mystical heart to the goddess Te Fiti to lift a dangerous curse. Featuring compelling performances from Catherine Lagaʻaia, Dwayne Johnson, Rena Owen, John Tui, and Frankie Adams, the narrative is set on the fictional, picturesque island of Motunui and the ocean, where Moana and Maui encounter all kinds of threats during their mission.
Moana Filming Locations
Production on ‘Moana’ was conducted in Georgia and Hawaii, particularly in Metro Atlanta and Oʻahu. Originally, the shooting was scheduled to begin in June 2024, but was delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. According to reports, principal photography for the adventure film got underway in late July 2024 under the working title ‘Canon’ and wrapped up after four months in November of the same year. The stunt coordinator, Monique Ganderton, described ‘Moana’ as the “most magical film to be a part of.”
She added, “Every day I woke up wanting to go to work and excited to see this family! Every single person from every department came together with love for this story. While some days were challenging it was the family that kept going together. I’m forever grateful for this film, the memories and the teachings. ❤️ to everyone who poured their hearts and history into Moana!!!”
Metro Atlanta, Georgia
A significant chunk of ‘Moana’ was reportedly shot in Metro Atlanta, with its economic and cultural center, the city of Atlanta, serving as one of the primary production locations. The filming unit took over the premises and amenities of Trilith Studios at 400 Veterans Parkway in the city of Fayetteville. The film studio consists of a total of 30 different sound stages, open workshops, purpose-designed ager/dyer rooms, and production offices. Trilith Studios is also home to a 400-acre backlot area, which provides unique landscapes that were the requirements for the live-action adaptation of ‘Moana.’ The property at 460 Sandy Creek Road in Fayetteville, along with its surrounding areas, also served as a prominent production location. Furthermore, multiple key portions for the Dwayne Johnson starrer were lensed in and around the city of Fairburn.
O’ahu, Hawaii
In order to fill the visual canvas depicting the fictional island of Motunui, the production team of ‘Moana’ traveled to the island of O’ahu. They utilized the scenic and natural landscapes of the census-designated place of Waiʻanae, specifically the Pōkaʻī Bay Beach Park at 960 Bayview Street #85. Many pivotal sequences were also shot on location at Mākaha Beach Park in the census-designated place of Mākaha. During a conversation with ABC 7, the producer Hiram Garcia revealed that the team created the fictitious island on a farm in O’ahu.
He stated, “We needed a lot of acreage to build the village and to see it come to life. It’s an unbelievable landscape, it’s one of our most amazing sets.” The production designer, John Myhre, added, “The heart of the story of ‘Moana’ is about the saving of this beautiful island that everyone is living on. And so, our director Tommy Kail wanted the actors to be able to interact with this beautiful village, so it’s really important for us to actually build the village so it’s real and tangible to all the actors.”
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