'M. Night Shyamalan is a very calm presence on the set': interview with actor Steven Dennis

I was teaching a university directing course at the time of shooting. So I watched Mr. Shyamalan very closely, hoping to bring some observations back to my students. He’s a very calm presence on the set, which is quite valuable in what can be a rather chaotic and stressful environment. From the moment he introduces himself, there is no pretense – we are all in this endeavor together. He’ll use casual contact – a hand on a shoulder, a pat on the back – to keep his actors at ease. Many film directors are more gifted at the art of creating cinema than they are at helping an actor find what the performance wants. Not so with him. He is equally effective at working with actors. He’ll ask a great question about why your character might be doing something in a scene, which stimulates the actor to make a specific choice. He’ll then share another possibility, but leave it up to the actor to try what’s best for them. He’s what some call an actor’s director.