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It’s not every day that a documentarian shifts focus to scripted horror, but that’s exactly what The Lazarus Effect (2015) director David Gelb did, joining the ranks of crossover directors like Werner Herzog, Bennet Miller, and James Marsh. Gelb is known mostly for his wonderful documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011), the story of Jiro Ono, one of the world’s top sushi chefs and owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a three Michelin Star sushi restaurant in Japan. The documentary was widely praised by critics and is a beautiful, engaging story about a man and the art of his cuisine, even for people who aren’t fans of the food. It’s also the only other feature-length directorial credit on Gelb’s resume. So how does someone transition from directing a well-received documentary to a low-budget Hollywood horror film? For Gelb, it’s all about a desire to tell stories, no matter the form.

“My goal has always been to make the kinds of films I would want to watch,” the filmmaker told Zorianna Kit of SSN Insider. “I love documentaries, I love sushi, and I’ve always loved horror films since I was little.”

He continued to say the main reason he launched his career in the documentary sector was because it’s the easiest way to break into filmmaking. “We’re in a generation now where all you need is a camera and a computer. I can shoot something and edit it. If doesn’t quite work I can reshoot it because the subject is still there, living his life.”

Gelb had to submit a huge amount of speculative ideas and treatments to Blumhouse’s Jason Blum, the producer of The Lazarus Effect and other horror successes like the Paranormal Activity and Insidious franchises, as well as hit dramas like 2014’s Academy Award-nominated Whiplash (2014). Blumhouse isn’t afraid to give people their first opportunities in the director’s chair, and apparently Gelb’s pitches were enough for them to give him a chance in a new genre. The success of Jiro Dreams of Sushi likely didn’t hurt Gelb’s ability to bag some well-known names for his horror project, either, pulling in the likes of Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass, Donald Glover and Evan Peters, all whom have sizable fan bases.

The Lazarus Effect won’t be a one-off in Gelb’s filmography, nor will Jiro exist as his only documentary. He intends to continue working on any projects that speak to his interests. From MoviePilot, “I absolutely would love to do more horror films. My taste is pretty eclectic so I will continue to make lots of different kinds of things. Later this year my documentary on the Ford Mustang, entitled, A Faster Horse (2015) will come out in theaters and currently my food docu-series Chef’s Table (2015) is playing on Netflix. Hopefully I’ll be able to get started on the next narrative feature later this year.”