Matt Eskandari believes filmmakers learn by doing. While making shorts like “The Taking,” he was chosen by Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg to participate in the Fox Filmmaker Competition, On the Lot. Soon after, he filmed a handful of Indies, like ‘Victim’ and the contained thriller, ’12 Feet Deep.’

Now, Eskandari is working directly with Bruce Willis on two films: ‘Trauma Center’ and ‘The Long Night.’ The first is about a woman trapped overnight in a trauma center, while two men are out to silence her. In the second, Willis stars as Frank, a disgraced doctor held hostage by criminals on the run.

In this exclusive chat, the writer-director talks about creating your own opportunities as a filmmaker, how making shorts unveils strengths and weaknesses, why film school is all about relationships, when to put a project aside, and how to create internal monsters in cinema.

If you enjoyed this interview, look for the print version on Creative Screenwriting’s website, and join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5