It's not every day that a horror movie actually manages to stand out. For the past few years, it feels as if most horror movies have blended together into one dull, gray mess — unless it's something outlandish like 2014's Tusk, or artistic like Guillermo del Toro's Crimson Peak, most horror films just aren't that memorable.

That's why The Visit was so surprising: not only was it a relatively simple horror-comedy hybrid, but it was also one of the best M. Night Shyamalan movies of the past several years. It was so simply executed — and, according to the director himself, that's one of the reasons it was so much more successful than other, similar movies released last year.

In this exclusive behind-the-scenes clip, Shyamalan discusses why the scale of a project like The Visit makes such an impact on his creative process, as well as the ever-evolving artistic process of writing and directing films:

After so many years of making larger-than-life blockbusters, it makes sense that Shyamalan would want to change things up a bit. The combination of Wayward Pines' success and a smaller, more focused production like The Visit seem to have helped get the director back on track.

If you missed The Visit in theaters, or just want to watch the movie for a second time, you're in luck: The Visit hits Blu-ray and DVD on Jan. 5.