Since Ty Tuin, a filmmaker, moved to Whidbey Island from Los Angeles, many people have come to him with ideas for shows.
When Nick Ricci, a Navy veteran, brought him the concept for Working on Whidbey – an Andrew Zimmern-, Anthony Bourdain-, Mike Rowe-inspired showcase of Whidbey’s businesses and culture – it caught his attention.
The first episode of “Working on Whidbey” premiered in June. Two full episodes, along with bonus content, are available on YouTube, with many more on the way.
Ricci’s not entirely sure where the idea of hosting a show about Whidbey came from, he said.
“I did drama when I was like 13 years old,” he said. “I did Oliver Twist, you know, ‘Food, Glorious Food,’ and all that stuff, but I’m always trying to think out of the box, and I see a lot of opportunity on this island.”
Tuin said the concept stood out for its selflessness. It felt like something that was for local businesses as opposed to personal gain.
The next step was recruiting Willie Shaw, a mutual friend and fellow filmmaker.
With a grant from the city of Oak Harbor, the crew set off to film the first episode about Blue Fox Drive-In, a 65-year-old theater south of town. When production wrapped, the crew knew just where to premiere it.
The response warmed the crew, Ricci said. Whidbey Islanders of 30 years said they went to the theater for the first time in decades, some the first time ever, because of the episode.
Beyond the pilot, it may have been because of the fries, he said. In the episode, Blue Fox staff show Ricci how they make hand-cut old-fashioned curly fries, which never fails to get a mention.
Now, each new episode of “Working on Whidbey” will premiere at the theater.
The island sometimes feels unnecessarily segmented in its communities, Ricci said.
“There’s a lot of different opinions on this island, and it’s easy to focus on our differences and put them on a pedestal and things like that, and with the spirit of this show, I really want to show people we have a lot in common,” he said.
Beyond the businesses, “Working on Whidbey” gives viewers the opportunity to connect with the people behind them.
“To be able to show a South Ender, hey, there’s more to Oak Harbor than a Walmart and a base, and to be able to show the North End, hey, the South End isn’t a ferry and some art,” he said. “People think there’s nothing to do. I’m going to give them something to do.”
Across Whidbey, there are remarkable people with worldly talents hiding in plain sight, Tuin said. They are making niche food, performing unsung services and sharing unexpected stories.
By allowing the community to share its work and stories, the collective identity comes into focus especially as the community grows.
“I think of other iconic island communities like Nantucket,” he said, “They kind of grew up around whaling and ship building.”
The Seaplane Base is world famous, but it’s a small percentage of what happens on the island, he said.
“We get to round out the uniqueness of this community and show people only living in one quadrant of it how well-rounded this whole experience is,” he said.
Tuin said that a surprising amount of Hollywood filmmaking is formulaic, from casting to product placement to timing. On Whidbey, the crew starts each episode from scratch. The story unfolds as the episode is shot, the set is designed based on what is available and everything is custom to the situation.
While this makes the job more difficult, it takes more creativity, which is more rewarding when it pays off.
The one-minute preview was the result of a 10-hour shoot, he said.
Brett Baird, an audio engineer and producer, mixes the show’s sound for cinematic quality. Tuin said that most people watch on their phone or computer, but it was produced for a dark cinema with loudspeakers.
“(Shaw) and I agonize more than we probably should,” he said. “We’re just artists. We want to make it good.”
Some stories come together more naturally than others, he said. Blue Fox Drive-In, for example, is an iconic story that a large audience would respond to. Some stories require a bit of digging to unearth.
Across Whidbey, Ricci sees enough material to fill 10 seasons. The crew hopes to share its favorite sandwich spot, show off some scenery through the island’s tours, shine a light on the state ferry system, follow the whales, dig into cultural history and more.
The biggest obstacle is funding. The crew searches for funding beyond the businesses themselves so “Working on Whidbey” can tell the island’s best stories without a barrier to entry. In the past, Tuin has received project funding from large corporations, but he is hoping to build the show in an organic, grassroots way.
Subscribing, following, sharing and commenting are great ways to help support, Ricci said.
“Tourism may be a result of this, and that’s cool, but that’s not the main goal,” Ricci said. “This show is really about community for the community and hopefully teaching people more about where they live and everything that’s here.”
From left to right: Ty Tuin, Nick Ricci and Willie Shaw take a selfie while filming an episode of “Working on Whidbey.” (Photo provided)
(Photo provided) The “Working on Whidbey” crew walks on Navy Air Station Whidbey Island for a future episode.
The “Working on Whidbey” crew poses while filming a future episode. (Photo provided)
(Photo provided) The “Working on Whidbey” crew walks on Navy Air Station Whidbey Island for a future episode.
The “Working on Whidbey” crew films on Navy Air Station Whidbey Island for a future episode. (Photo provided)
