How is the context of the film reflected in the choices made my the filmmaker?

Writer-Director Taika Waititi began to work on the film that later became Hunt for the Wilderpeople in 2005. Working from New Zealand-native Barry Crump’s Book Wild Pork and Watercress, Waititi completed quite a few drafts - most of which varied in its content. Waititi’s early drafts, for example, stayed remarkably close to Crump’s book. However, in later drafts, Waititi made the decision to depart from the novel in story and in some instances, tone.

Like many scripts, Waititi’s script for Hunt for the Wilderpeople sat on the shelf for over a decade before being made. And it was only because of the tremendous success of his debut film Eagle vs. Shark, 2010’s Boy, and 2014’s smash-hit What We Do in the Shadows that Waititi was able to make Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Naturally, because Waititi had quite a long time to revise his script, he was able to fine-tune the film and make it closer to what he wanted.

Waititi shot Hunt for the Wilderpeople over the course of five weeks in locations like Central Plateau and the Waitākere Ranges using only a single camera - a rarity for a full-length feature film.