Trey Edward Shults Talks Interactive 'Waves' Script, Crying to Radiohead & More [The Fourth Wall #12]

Writer/Director Trey Edward Shults joins me for Episode 12 of The Fourth Wall to talk about his third feature "Waves" (my FAVORITE film of the year) discussing the critical moments in his own life that directly inspired the events of the film.

As A24's "Waves" comes crashing into select theaters this Friday, it's astounding to think that such a profoundly human, visceral, and heartwrenching tale is the work of a filmmaker on their third feature film, however, not every filmmaker is Trey Edward Shults. The Houston native, who's previous two works, "Krisha" and "It Comes at Night," both garnered praise for their craftsmanship and intimate exploration of family, puts forth his most personal venture yet cementing his utter mastery over the art of filmmaking. He’s a storyteller who thinks with emotions first and how he can let those feelings take flight in a way that allows audiences to experience what he so deeply feels. Perhaps his prowess over the visual grammar of filmmaking originated during his time working on Terrence Malick movies possessing the same cerebral tendencies as the master above. However, there’s something distinctly provocative about how Shults captures the human experience, and nowhere is this more apparent than in"Waves."

Across all three of his feature films, Shults has explored a constant thematic through-line of complicated family relationships to which the director himself admits inherently seeps its way into his work. Much of this stems from his upbringing and turbulent relationship with his biological father who's impact has been the subject of exploration across Shults' feature films with "Waves" harkening back to the pivotal final moments he spent with his father in autobiographical fashion. By boldly utilizing direct experiences from his own life, Shults understands the innate power in being open and honest with an audience. During our conversation, it became clearer that the filmmaker is someone who will always speak from the heart through personal experiences. This openness comes in the form of a wrestling injury, a pivotal conversation he had with his stepfather, a road trip he and his girlfriend took, and most importantly, his friendship with Kelvin Harrison Jr. as they bonded and meditated over "Waves" to Frank Ocean's "Blond" and "Endless." Shults recalls and interweaves these specific exchanges in such vivid detail, conveying his mastery of human emotion and understanding the relatable power these personal experiences will have in allowing an audience to connect. Those moments truly come alive, however, through the use of a perfectly curated soundtrack that was formative in the creation of the film and an interactive scripting process. During our conversation, we also discuss the first time Shults listened to Radiohead's "Moon Shaped Pool," his use of aspect ratio, color, movement, and how he discovered his cinematic voice.