Meet and Greet - Ashen Jackal (Horror Director and J-Horror Fan)

Elbowing through the hordes of hopeful Youtubers for a moment in the spotlight is a battle of passion, skill, and luck.

For director Leo Kraska of Ashen Jackal Films, staying true to the essence of horror, pursuing an interest in Japanese urban legends, and weighing in the constraints of finances and time, the battle has been entirely uphill. 

An Interview with Leo Kraska
 8 Questions About Being a Horror Director

What brought you to
​Hiding from Japanese Ghosts?

I have been looking for ideas for my next film.
That is what brought me to ​
​Hiding from Japanese Ghosts.

Where do you draw your inspiration for the ​themes and concepts of your stories?

Most of my inspiration for horror film-making comes from Japan; it leaves a lot up to the imagination of the viewer to connect the dots. I love how exclusive this makes the films because they don't cater to as many demographics as possible.

How did your childhood influence your ​love of making horror films?

My childhood was rough - divorced parents, moving all the time, bullying for being new, and rarely made friends. What I did have in my life as a constant was movies - horror being my favourite.

Who are your favourite directors,
​and why?

I gained a huge respect for horror directors in pursuing what they enjoyed creating regardless of what their peers thought. Sam Raimi and Clive Barker are my two biggest inspirations for becoming a horror film director.

Sam Raimi

Clive Barker

Which of your horror films do you like ​the most?

Red Room Curse is the film I enjoy the most.
I think it is my best film so far.

Which urban legend scares you
​the most?

Honestly, 赤マントン (Aka Manton - Red Cloak) is a pretty frightening urban legend. Silly to think about, but how terrifying would it be to actually have him knock on your door when you're so vulnerable?

Red Cloak (赤マント)
When sitting in the last toilet stall of a bathroom, a voice will offer a choice of red or blue paper.
'Red' will earn a death by being sliced apart.
'Blue' will cause suffocation.
'Yellow' will have a face dunked in the toilet (also known as the safest option with the highest rate of survival).
Answering with another statement to outsmart the asker will be a one-way ticket to the afterlife. ​

Do you accept
​film requests?

I am always open to short film requests, but there are limitations. To make a short film there are budget and time restraints; it usually takes me four months to make a complete short film that isn't a sketch. Along with props, actors, time off work, and then tons of hours editing, I have to evaluate what is possible.

What is a future goal for
​Ashen Jackal?

I'd love to get a budget and have the time to do a feature length horror film. Every film I've made so far has had only one or two shoot days, and is entirely funded by whatever I can scrape up. Because of this, it takes months of planning and saving just to make a short film.

Leo Kraska's newest clip (Onryo) mentions the yellow, triangle house near Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. 

Known as a demon-like force of spite and hatred, onryo are spirits which psychologically manipulate and curse those who enter their territory.