What M. Night Shyamalan Told Daughter Ishana Before She Directed Her First Movie “The Watchers” (Exclusive)

Ishana Night Shyamalan, 24, says she "always" took the advice "very seriously"

Ishana Night Shyamalan took to heart what her Oscar-nominated dad M. Night Shyamalan advised her about pursuing filmmaking.

The 24-year-old makes her feature directorial debut with the new thriller The Watchers, starring Dakota Fanning.

At the New York City premiere on June 2, Ishana told PEOPLE her father, 53, has been "very supportive" of her following in his Hollywood footsteps.

She recalls, "He said at the very beginning, he was like, 'If you have any question that this is what you wanna do, don't do it. It's hard, and you need to be sure that you can't survive without it.' "

"I always took that very seriously," adds Ishana.

Two months after The Watchers hits theaters, Trap, directed by M. Night, debuts on Aug. 9. Ishana says it is "definitely not a competition" between them; instead they are both glad to share the father-daughter filmmaking moment together.

Related: Josh Hartnett Is Director M. Night Shyamalan's Latest Twist in Thrilling Trap Trailer

"We're both enjoying having a partner in this experience, this very intense thing," she says. "They feel very scary, so to have someone there that's right on the same line, I really appreciate."

Introducing her movie at the New York City premiere inside AMC Lincoln Square, Ishana thanked the cast and crew, as well as her family and father, who is a producer on The Watchers.

She said he has "led by example and continuously pushed me to become the best version of myself and the best possible artist."

"Your presence in my life is more impactful than you could know," Ishana said as her dad looked on in the audience, alongside wife Bhavna and their other two daughters Saleka and Shivani. "And because you have paved the path with such grace and fierceness, I get to do what I love."

The day after, the proud M. Night wrote on Instagram that his "heart was bursting last night." He added, "The audience at the premiere ... had so much love for her, the cast and the film! Thank you to everyone last night and I can’t wait for all of you to see it this Friday!!!!"

M. Night, celebrated for his memorable plot twists, is known for films like The Sixth Sense, Signs, Knock at the Cabin and more.

Ishana remembers hanging out on dad's movie sets growing up, with one fond memory from his time making 2006's Lady in the Water: "I remember there was a party scene and I was like a kid running around and stealing all the snacks. That was a beautiful time for me."

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Now Ishana is in the director's chair, and star Fanning had nothing but praise for her as a filmmaker and leader.

"She's such a cool person and a person I'm happy is a friend now," Fanning, 30, told PEOPLE at the premiere. "She's full of so much energy and life and creativity. And she had such a vision for what she wanted to do and was also open to collaboration with everyone."

"I saw so many qualities in her that are very comforting in a director," the actress added. "It was wonderful."

The Watchers is in theaters now.

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