M.Night Shyamalan is busy promoting the upcoming thriller The Visit — he was at the San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday, where they screened the film at the Gaslamp Theater. Deadline picked the talk between Jason Blum of Blum House (helping M.Night Shyamalan to produce The Visit) and Night himself. They talk in-depth how to scare a crowd, how they got together and initially, which film Jason offered Shyamalan to direct. It’s a fun, informative piece to go over.
Below are some of the excerpts:
Blum was dogging Shyamalan to team up on a feature project made by Blumhouse standards: Director’s visions at a low budget, with zero studio interference. “He would listen politely and hang up the phone,” said Blum. The producer even flew to Philadelphia to pitch Shyamalan in person at his studio. Blum soon realized why his pitch to The Sixth Sense helmer fell on deaf ears: “Because he was already making big budget movies and no one bothered him!” said Blum.
Shyamalan on negative criticism:
“It’s not my job to comment on the commentators. I can’t control how the universe plays out; only that which I have control over…How everyone responds to the song is not where I should put my energy. I become less focused on being loved, hated, success or money. What tortures me is when I don’t know how to frame the character properly. If I put my energy there, all the other stuff works out.”
The Visit opens nationwide on September 11, 2015. Are you excited?
