Dolby Institute Fellowship
Hunt for the Wilderpeople, written and directed by renowned New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi, received one of the year's Dolby Institute Fellowship grants in support of its launch at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
"Wilderpeople was exactly the kind of film we look to support with this grant," explained Dolby Institute director Glenn Kiser. "A brilliant filmmaker making a fresh and inventive film with the potential for very creative sound work, but needing some support to execute at the level of his or her vision." The Dolby Institute Fellowship allowed the film's sound and music teams, working at Park Road Post in Wellington, New Zealand, the time and resources to enhance the sound design and finish the film in Dolby Atmos®.
"The film is 80 percent exterior, out in the bush," said writer-director-producer-actor Taika Waititi. "You really become aware of all the sounds around you, like from animals and bird life, but also the sound of wind and rain and water on the trees. There's so much more aurally out there that you never really think about. So this opportunity to use [Dolby] Atmos was really huge for us because we put the audience right in there."
It's one thing to have the audience root for the characters but quite another to really feel like they're out there in the same environment and the freezing cold and the snow and the rain, and actually feel like they're part of the adventure.
TAIKA WAITITI, WRITER AND DIRECTOR, HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE