It's Dawson's hope the state will step up and fund the necessary repairs.

"The state needs to show that it's going to carry more of its share in terms of that," said Dawson.

That includes extending the ACT 88 tax credits that are set to expire in 2015.

"The choices out there are many and we don't have a corner on the beauty market here in Hawaii," said Dawson.

The state film office has been the victim of economics.  Just three years ago, the budget for the Diamond Head studio was less than $20,000.

That is slowly changing and budgets are increasing.

Dawson believes the studio needs at least $10 million in repairs.  Less than $2 million was budgeted for this fiscal year.