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'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

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

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

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

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

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.

I've always been a relaxed person on set, but I think the main thing is I think about it from an edi Show more I've always been a relaxed person on set, but I think the main thing is I think about it from an editing point of view way more than I did before. Hide

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

Sometimes there are really happy mistakes. Sometimes there are really happy mistakes.

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.

There were definitely Nazis who saw the error of their ways. There were definitely Nazis who saw the error of their ways.

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

Hitler rounded up all of the vampires in Europe. Hitler rounded up all of the vampires in Europe.

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

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.

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

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'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'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

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.

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

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

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.

Taika Waititi's FILMOGRAPHY

All as Actor (114) as Director (4) as Creator (4)

What We Do In The Shadows

Jojo Rabbit [Sub: Eng]

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Boy (2010)

Taika Waititi'S roles

Viago

Korg

Tom Kalmaku

Alamein