Fear is a key word in Manoj Night Shyamalan's dictionary.

The director of films such as The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs told ABC News the secret of invoking fear among viewers.

Shyamalan is currently working on another supernatural drama, The Village, featuring Sigourney Weaver, Joaquin Phoenix, and Adrien Brody. The Village revolves around an obscure town in 19^th century Pennsylvania, surrounded by a deep forest inhabited by mysterious creatures.

Shyamalan likes to create a suspenseful aura by letting the camera glide unpredictably. He also uses lighting to his advantage, so that shadows appear larger than life. And the less you see the ghost, the more scared you get, he believes.

For his forthcoming film, he almost got an R rating because of a really frightening sequence. Shyamalan, however, made amends to bring the rating down to PG-13 (parental guidance for children under 13 advised).

Is the director as mad as his movies? Shyamalan begs to differ. "I am very boring and normal," he pleaded.

Shyamalan's films may give sleepless nights to many. But which film freaks the India-born filmmaker the most? It's Steven Spielberg's Jaws. "It's really just brilliant!" he exclaimed.

Photograph: Getty Images

Related links:
Transcript of the M Night Shyamalan chat
What you should know about M Night Shyamalan
'I try not to do the wink, wink'