M. Night Shyamalan is a filmmaker worth studying. He’s had some misfires and spectacular flops, but when he’s good…he’s really good. In this video, we’re going to examine what makes Shyamalan movies tick and how the twist endings are just the beginning.
After one unseen indie and a harmless family film, M. Night Shyamalan broke through the pop culture stratosphere with The Sixth Sense. Then, a series of critical and popular hits like Unbreakable, Signs, and The Village. Lately, Shyamalan has been making films that mark a clear return to form — The Visit, Split and Glass remind us that the filmmaker phenom he once was still has more to say.
M. Night Shyamalan has made some amazing movies…and some real duds. Love him or hate him, there’s still a lot we can learn from his work. Like any true auteur, Shyamalan has a very distinct filmmaking style and that’s what we’re here to explore.
This journey through Shyamalan’s style will cover his entire filmography and 7 main areas of his formal technique. From his use of multi-plane storytelling, expressive music cues, fascination with colors, his tendency towards long takes, and his dynamic camera movement, we can see that strong choices are being made.
Great directors have a command of all these areas of filmmaking — and they’re able to make them all work together to present a singular vision. For us, Shyamalan meets this criteria. What’s your take on Shyamalan? If you’re on the fence, watch this video and give us your answer in the comments.