M. Night Shyamalan on Imposter Syndrome and His Old-School Film Techniques

The third season of that unicorn, the Apple TV+ thriller “Servant,” for which Mr. Shyamalan serves as showrunner, executive producer and sometimes director, drops January 21. Its premise—a grieving couple hires a nanny to help care for the doll that has replaced their dead child—could easily sustain one-hour episodes. But delivering the story in 30-minute bites, Mr. Shyamalan said, allows him to focus on the few themes that ground each episode. Similarly, in writing a tight script for his next feature, “Knock at the Cabin,” he’s learned that every line and every moment has to earn its place in the film.

“I’m always telling crew members or filmmakers: Think of what we do as sushi making,” he said. “The least amount of ingredients at the highest quality level.” Here, more insights into his passions and beliefs.

One of my favorite movies of all time is: “Die Hard” [1988]. Bruce Willis can surprise you with his wit. He has a James Bond kind of humor with a suit. “Come out to the coast, we’ll get together, have a few laughs”…that’s who he is.

The last movie I shared with my kids and their friends was: “Parasite” [2019]. We were laughing our butts off watching that movie. It’s just a mastery of language from beginning all the way through.

There is a room in my house filled with: DVDs and Blu-rays. When I go into the room that has them displayed all along the shelves, by osmosis, I’m absorbing all of these movies. It’s tangible. It’s right there. I don’t know how many times I’ve just stared at them all.

To organize my DVDs and Blu-rays, I use: an app called CLZ Movies so I can see [the titles in] my library wherever I am. If it made my collection, I consider the movie a masterpiece. I often review movies to friends by saying, “I liked it, but it didn’t make the shelf.”

Shooting still film photographs reminds me: how powerful an individual image is. I have an old, Hasselblad 500C/M that I love. Unfortunately, my daughter, Ishana, who is a director on “Servant,” has stolen it from me. It is a very difficult subject to talk about.

I draw out: every frame of a movie I’m working on by hand. For my movie “Old,” I drew them on an iPad. For my new movie, “Knock at the Cabin,” I’m literally drawing each frame on pieces of paper. I know I have it as soon as I draw it. I’m like: That’s not it, that’s not it—there it is.

I get very attached to: my car. It becomes part of my personality. I love something that’s exquisitely well made. For a long time, I had a Maserati. Right now, I drive a 2019 Tesla Model X. I love it. It’s at the top of the field.

I keep a list on my phone of: the 50 books a year that I read. I put a star next to the ones that I think are masterpieces. One of the books I put a star next to in 2021 was Isabel Wilkerson’s “Caste.” I think it’s amazing in terms of understanding what’s happening sociologically.

On my phone, I have at least three different: dictionary apps, including the “Oxford Dictionary of English” and “Advanced English Dictionary & Thesaurus.” If I’m reading and I come across a word that I’m aware of, but not quite as confident with its usage, I love to look it up and try to incorporate it into my everyday conversations.

One of my favorite time-wasters is: a vocabulary app called “Knowji Vocab 7-10.” I used it just the other day when I was in the waiting room at my dentist’s office. If I’m in the waiting room learning five new words, that’s a better use of my time than reading People magazine.

When I’m writing a screenplay I tend to read: Elmore Leonard’s books because he is so fantastic at dialogue. Last year I reread “Touch.”

When I’m writing, I like to listen to: film and TV scores. Lately I’ve been listening to the “This Is Hildur Guðnadóttir” playlist on Spotify, which includes music from her scores for films like “Joker” and the miniseries “Chernobyl.” She’s just an amazing voice.

I like to listen to music on: Bowers & Wilkins speakers, which I have everywhere. I have a couple of DM604 S3s in my office. They fill the space in such a way that I feel like I’m in a concert hall.

I use Pinterest to: put together feelings and ideas of cabins and interiors for “Knock at the Cabin.”

My advice for aspiring actors is: be present. Don’t chase the outcome. Even if you loved what happened in take three—that happened in take three. Please have courage to allow take four to be its own separate thing.

My advice for bosses is: you set the tone with your value system, so be very clear about what your value system is. On my sets, I hope you can’t tell the difference between how I treat the production assistant and how I treat the lead actor.

I have movie posters up in my office for: “The Exorcist” and “Jaws.” “The Exorcist,” for me, is the mother of all scary movies.

The place for worry is: when you can analyze and take action. When you’re hanging with your kids, that’s not the best place to solve what’s going on at work. Pick a place when you’re sitting down and going: “Now I’m going to worry, and this is what I’m gonna do about it.”

I read Stephen King because: of his ability to put characters in supernatural settings and still come across as grounded in reality. I don’t know if I read him because he’s scary.

I’ve only recently felt: like a filmmaker. We all feel impostor syndrome. It’s a version of coming through your life journey to believe that your specific limitations and attributes are amazing and what’s needed in the world. It’s hard for us to accept and be happy with that combination.

—Edited from an interview by Chris Kornelis