Kit Harington moved into directing because he had a "growing need" to step behind the camera.
Game of Thrones star, 39, has taken charge of his first movie project - a short film called Psychopomp which debuted at the Raindance Film Festival in London this month - and he's now explained he tackled the project after he decided to follow his "instinct".
Kit told Variety: "I’d be on set as an actor and thinking about how I would shoot a scene, what notes I would give to an actor. You can’t suggest a shot to a director or give a note to another actor on set, and [that] was a growing need I was feeling that told me that I had to make my own thing to see if that instinct was the right one to follow."
The short film follows a desperate man named Harry - played by Harry Melling - and hired assassin Liam - played by Ciaran Owens - as they take a road trip together and Kit explained it tackles themes of "male depression, male friendship [and] male vulnerability".
He added: "There is only so much dinner table chat you can personally handle before you need to explore it in a different way as a creative".
Kit said of shooting the first scene with the actors: "I slightly freaked out as they played the scene and they were perfect.
"It was a real joy to actually just watch actors do what they do from a completely different angle and admire them. Sounds odd but It was the first time I really realized what an amazing craft it is. It took seeing it from the outside in."
Kit concluded: "It’s been more relaxing than when I’m an actor. Maybe it’s because I’m in control of it. I feel less exposed.
"I love that people are coming to see it, I love audiences for taking the time to do that and also I feel I care less about the reaction. I’m just happy people are watching it when they are."
Psychopomp has been nominated for Best UK Short at the Raindance Film Festival awards which will be handed out on June 26.
