M. Night Shyamalan is having trouble writing his next movie after Remain, and he nearly gave up on its outline. The filmmaker told Instagram followers that his notebook has plenty of ideas, but he has yet to turn them into a clear plan for the story.
Research has eaten into his work as well. He spoke with people who know the places and topics tied to the film, using phone calls and Zoom chats to gather details. The talks helped, yet he felt they had pulled him away from his creative ideas.
Then came a trip to Los Angeles. Shyamalan showed Remain to his new bosses, and the visit went well. But the good mood did not change one fact. He had spent far less time writing than he wanted.
His take on that lack of progress was quite harsh. Rather than give himself a poor grade, he felt his effort was closer to missing class entirely. Busy work did not count as a fair excuse in his view.
There was a personal point behind that frustration. His career, home, and daily comforts all came from his work as a writer. He felt he had lost sight of the task that made those things possible.
Still, he has picked a path forward. Shyamalan plans to keep working on the story outline through the rest of the year, then move to the full script after Christmas. That gives him a clear goal after a rough spell.
The director has built his name on films with strange events and surprise turns. His career has also earned him two Academy Award nods, two BAFTA nominations, and a Golden Globe nomination. Even with that track record, getting a fresh script off the ground has proved hard.
Research has eaten into his work as well. He spoke with people who know the places and topics tied to the film, using phone calls and Zoom chats to gather details. The talks helped, yet he felt they had pulled him away from his creative ideas.
Then came a trip to Los Angeles. Shyamalan showed Remain to his new bosses, and the visit went well. But the good mood did not change one fact. He had spent far less time writing than he wanted.
His take on that lack of progress was quite harsh. Rather than give himself a poor grade, he felt his effort was closer to missing class entirely. Busy work did not count as a fair excuse in his view.
There was a personal point behind that frustration. His career, home, and daily comforts all came from his work as a writer. He felt he had lost sight of the task that made those things possible.
Still, he has picked a path forward. Shyamalan plans to keep working on the story outline through the rest of the year, then move to the full script after Christmas. That gives him a clear goal after a rough spell.
The director has built his name on films with strange events and surprise turns. His career has also earned him two Academy Award nods, two BAFTA nominations, and a Golden Globe nomination. Even with that track record, getting a fresh script off the ground has proved hard.
