Producers casting for
Maui Fever sought people who were willing to participate in the show and who were already part of a group of friends on the island. After viewing the pilot and meeting with Hawaii's film commissioners, MTV executives gave
Maui Fever "green light" status in August. It is one of two MTV reality programs filmed on
Maui in 2006; the other,
Living Lahaina, began filming one week before
Maui Fever but did not premiere until more than a month after the
Maui Fever finale.
Maui Fever was executive produced by Steve Michaels, Jonathan Koch,
Morgan J. Freeman,
Liz Gateley and
Tony DiSanto. They intended the show to be an homage to the sand-drenched beach films of the 1960s. From the initial concept, the show's creator (Freeman) and the other producers wanted to incorporate the feel and
culture of Hawaii as though it were a "character," rather than merely a backdrop. Producers sought to capture the allure of living on a tropical island in a state of "permanent vacation." When filming of
Maui Fever began, everyone involved was excited about the potentially vast and beneficial
exposure for Hawaii. According to Hawaii's State
Film Commissioner at that time, Donne Dawson,
Maui Fever's producers were receptive to
community and cultural concerns, and wanted the show to be as
authentic as possible. Maui Film Commissions Benita Brazier also expressed strong optimism regarding
Maui Fever, saying she was certain it would "put Maui in a good light," even though she knew there would be "some
conflict of interest" (due to the usual content of reality television programming). Brazier indicated that she expected the producers to educate themselves about the island and "document the Maui that most visitors will never experience." ==Reception==