Behind the Scenes: Why This Filmmaker Rejects Spectacle for Intimate Conversations
Ever wonder why some movies bog you down with dazzling visuals yet leave you cold-hearted and uninspired? It’s like Hollywood’s got its priorities all backwards—plopping spectacle first on the list when Aristotle himself placed it dead last among the six elements of drama. Taika Waititi nails it with this gem: the real pulse of a story throbs in the quiet tension between two characters talking. Strip away the bombast and flashy effects, and you’ll find that raw, unfiltered heart where emotion lives and breathes. So, if you’re curious how a simple conversation can light up the soul of a story and make audiences truly feel something, you’re in for a treat. Dive in and discover the underrated power of dialogue that even the biggest blockbusters could learn from. LEARN MORE
Words of writing wisdom from Taika Watiti.
Did you know that on Aristotle’s list of the six elements of Drama, Spectacle is last in importance?
Plot, Character, Thought, Diction, Music, Spectacle
Yet, Hollywood all too often puts Spectacle first on their own list which is how we end up sitting in a movie theater surrounded by bombast … but feel nothing about what’s happening on the screen.
That’s why I love Taika Watiti’s quote.
If you can find the drama between two characters talking … you can find the heart of the story. And with that, the emotion it elicits in the audience.
Stories need to entertain. But equally as important, they need to make the audience FEEL something. Like this:
Or this:
Or this:
Or this:
As writers, the surest path to accomplishing that is explore the text and emotional subtext of character interactions …
Including two people talking.
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