Taika Waititi
Birthday: 16 August 1975, New Zealand
Birth Name: Taika David Waititi
Height: 184 cm
Taika Waititi, also known as Taika Cohen, hails from the Raukokore region of the East Coast, and is of Te-Whanau-a-Apanui (father) and Jewish (mother) descent. He has been involved in the film industr ...Show More
I never wanted to be a filmmaker. I still, sometimes, think I got sidetracked by this, like this is Show more
I never wanted to be a filmmaker. I still, sometimes, think I got sidetracked by this, like this is a tangent. My main thing was painting; I was just going to do that. Hide
I constantly remind myself that there are terrible movies out there. I try to watch them, some of th Show more
I constantly remind myself that there are terrible movies out there. I try to watch them, some of them, to give myself an understanding of what not to do. Hide
Sometimes there are really happy mistakes.
Sometimes there are really happy mistakes.
If you're tracking with a character that's running off a thing and diving off, I would leave the cam Show more
If you're tracking with a character that's running off a thing and diving off, I would leave the camera there and not follow them down, because cameras don't do that. The audience understands that. I'll definitely bring that understanding of keeping things a bit more grounded. Hide
Everything changes once you start trying to market the film. Part of you feels like everything is sl Show more
Everything changes once you start trying to market the film. Part of you feels like everything is slipping away from you. For me, I don't want people going to the theater thinking it's going to be a laugh-a-minute comedy, like a Will Ferrell film or something. Because it's not. Hide
To make filmmaking interesting to me, I want to keep learning things.
To make filmmaking interesting to me, I want to keep learning things.
The films I like to watch are when they make it relatable to human audiences.
The films I like to watch are when they make it relatable to human audiences.
I've become more like water, I'm more relaxed and I'll say, "Okay, let's just completely change it a Show more
I've become more like water, I'm more relaxed and I'll say, "Okay, let's just completely change it and do it that way." Hide
There are lots of parts of filmmaking that I don't like. At the end of the day, especially on featur Show more
There are lots of parts of filmmaking that I don't like. At the end of the day, especially on features, the film turns into a commodity. You have to play this entirely new game I'm very uncomfortable with. Hide
I hate the modern day the kids live in. I don't think it's very cool. Everyone's interconnected.
I hate the modern day the kids live in. I don't think it's very cool. Everyone's interconnected.
There were definitely Nazis who saw the error of their ways.
There were definitely Nazis who saw the error of their ways.
With a feature film you're dealing with so much more money and you've got to be very aware of the fa Show more
With a feature film you're dealing with so much more money and you've got to be very aware of the fact that you're really working with an audience. You've got to have a relationship with the audience. Play with them and show them things you want them to see. Hide
A feature film is an expansion of budget, stress, story, hours, time, workload, everything.
A feature film is an expansion of budget, stress, story, hours, time, workload, everything.
Short film: you can be poetic and you don't have to answer anything. You can make whatever you want. Show more
Short film: you can be poetic and you don't have to answer anything. You can make whatever you want. You have creative freedom with short film. Hide
I've loved comics since I was a kid, collected them, I've always dreamed of being involved in comics Show more
I've loved comics since I was a kid, collected them, I've always dreamed of being involved in comics. Hide
I want to do weird things and big budget things and no budget things. I don't have a five-year plan.
I want to do weird things and big budget things and no budget things. I don't have a five-year plan.
I'm really not trying to do everything that comes to mind because that's when it can be dangerous. F Show more
I'm really not trying to do everything that comes to mind because that's when it can be dangerous. For instance, I believe as much as possible, how your camera moves and flies around should be limited to the physics of how you could do it in real life. Hide
Sundance felt like a natural fit. I love coming here, and I do think that this festival suits my fil Show more
Sundance felt like a natural fit. I love coming here, and I do think that this festival suits my films rather than most of the festivals I've been to. I'm not going to Cannes, you know. Hide
Also with that money comes the idea, "Let your imagination run wild." Which I think is a very danger Show more
Also with that money comes the idea, "Let your imagination run wild." Which I think is a very dangerous thing. I think it's dangerous because you can get into pretty wacky territory. There are things that are too crazy. Hide
When you're actually making a film, it's just people on your back all the time wanting stuff and you Show more
When you're actually making a film, it's just people on your back all the time wanting stuff and you're constantly having to it deal with them. It's probably the most time consuming of all the arts, but I do love it because it is a great mix of visual art and music and writing. Hide
Hitler rounded up all of the vampires in Europe.
Hitler rounded up all of the vampires in Europe.
A big part of the humour is in identifying with the tragic elements of the film. The New Zealand sen Show more
A big part of the humour is in identifying with the tragic elements of the film. The New Zealand sense of humour is very dark. Our films are usually very dark and it's always someone being killed. Usually a child. Hide
I'm used to working with restrictions and that's when you come up with the more creative stuff.
I'm used to working with restrictions and that's when you come up with the more creative stuff.
I like to find comedy or something interesting to look at with whatever I'm working on.
I like to find comedy or something interesting to look at with whatever I'm working on.
Taika Waititi's FILMOGRAPHY
All
as Actor (95)
as Director (4)
as Creator (4)
Taika Waititi'S roles
Korg
Tom Kalmaku
Viago
Alamein
