# How I Built Resilience: M. Night Shyamalan

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2021-02-04
- Length: 48m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-02-04-how-i-built-resilience-m-night-shyamalan

## Summary

Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan discusses his journey from a hobbyist kid with a Super 8 camera to a blockbuster director, explaining how he manages self-doubt by focusing entirely on the creative process rather than external outcomes. He details the logistical challenges of producing his film 'Old' and the TV series 'Servant' during the pandemic by creating strict safety bubbles in the Dominican Republic and Philadelphia. Shyamalan also shares his philosophy on protecting creative space, the importance of specificity in storytelling for underrepresented voices, and his concerns about the future of theatrical cinema versus streaming.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-02-04-how-i-built-resilience-m-night-shyamalan#t=0) Introduction: M. Night Shyamalan and Early Filmmaking
- [7:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-02-04-how-i-built-resilience-m-night-shyamalan#t=471) Overcoming Self-Doubt and the Immigrant Mindset
- [15:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-02-04-how-i-built-resilience-m-night-shyamalan#t=952) Protecting Creative Space and the 'Two Columns' Philosophy
- [28:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-02-04-how-i-built-resilience-m-night-shyamalan#t=1724) Producing 'Old' and 'Servant' During the Pandemic
- [34:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-02-04-how-i-built-resilience-m-night-shyamalan#t=2047) Advice for Writers of Color and the Power of Specificity
- [44:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-02-04-how-i-built-resilience-m-night-shyamalan#t=2663) The Future of Cinema vs. Streaming and Final Advice

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- The Sixth Sense (product)
- Unbreakable (product)
- Split (product)
- Old (product)
- Servant (product)
- Apple TV Plus (company)
- HBO (company)
- Universal (company)
- Warner Bros. (company)
- HBO Max (company)
- NYU Tish School (company)
- Sundance Film Festival (other)
- Drexel University (company)
- Fantastic Fest (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 093: Change is hard](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-10-21-episode-093-change-is-hard) (Making It)
- [416: Ichabod’s Big Boy Pants](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2023-10-27-416-ichabods-big-boy-pants) (Making It)
- [Episode 127: Jimmy is a giant goldfish](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2017-07-14-episode-127-jimmy-is-a-giant-goldfish) (Making It)
- [Episode 147: You never know, you never know…](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2017-12-08-episode-147-you-never-know-you-never-know) (Making It)
- [Episode 177: A lot of hats that you shouldn’t wear](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2018-08-03-episode-177-a-lot-of-hats-that-you-shouldnt-wear) (Making It)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-02-04-how-i-built-resilience-m-night-shyamalan. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.