Background
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. In June 2006, the producers of Maui Fever shot the pilot episode on location on the Valley Isle (Maui). After viewing the pilot and meeting with Hawaii's film commissioners, MTV executives gave Maui Fever "green light" status in August.
Filming of Maui Fever began on September 1, 2006 and continued for ten weeks. Initially the show was tentatively going to be called Island Fever. 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. Freeman described Maui as an ideal setting for a reality show because of its exotic scenery and spicy mix of tourists and locals. DiSanto likened the series to "a reality version of Cocktail." 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."
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