Published on October 23rd, 2024 | by Dr. Jerry Doby
0Jared Asher Harris: The Visionary Director Shaping Fantasy-Horror Comedy
When I sat down with Jared Asher Harris, it felt like I was sitting across from a young visionary whose storytelling is poised to disrupt the entertainment industry. Jared’s rise from a tumultuous childhood to becoming a director and writer, known for his unique blend of fantasy, horror, and comedy, is nothing short of remarkable. This is the story of how a young creator took his personal challenges and turned them into something powerful. You can watch our full conversation after my summary of this impactful yet fun (we cracked jokes…ok, I did and he did me the courtesy of laughing) interview which elevated as expected.
Jared Asher Harris – Press Photo
Growing Up Through Challenges
Jared opened up about his early life, painting a picture of a kid who faced a lot of adversity. As a child, he dealt with chronic illness and personal loss, which isolated him from his peers. “I was a really depressed child,” he shared, explaining how his struggles with undiagnosed ADHD and misdiagnosed conditions put him on medication that made things even harder. But in all that, he found a passion for storytelling.
He recalled moments as a kid when he’d write scripts on his parents’ computer, convincing other parents to drop their kids off early for a “film rehearsal“—a project that never actually got made. These glimpses of creativity were early indicators of the director he would one day become, though it would take years and several detours to realize that.
Finding His Path
Jared talked about a pivotal moment in his career when he almost gave up on his dream of directing. After taking a job at a production company in development, he found himself in a creative rut, stuck in post-production work and away from the director’s chair. “There was this moment where I thought, ‘What happened? I was supposed to be a director,’” Jared confesses. That wake-up call pushed him to take a risk, leaving his steady job behind and jumping back into directing music videos.
The turning point came when a last-minute opportunity opened up after another director dropped out of a project. Jared stepped in, and that’s when his first real music video was born. From there, his work started gaining traction.
Hozier’s “All Things End”
Jared then shared the process behind one of his most notable projects—directing the music video for Hozier’s “All Things End.” It was a surreal, creatively risky project. The concept involved the artist dying within the first 20 seconds of the video, defying the usual star-centered marketing strategy. “I pitched the idea, and I couldn’t believe they just went with it,” he said, still sounding a bit in awe of how it all came together.
At the same time, Jared was dealing with personal turmoil—his grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. This dual experience of life and death became a subtle influence on his approach to the video. He didn’t set out with the intent of making it autobiographical, but in hindsight, he recognizes how those real-life emotions seeped into the work.
He also talked about how he used surreal elements, blending reality with a haunting dream sequence where the music cuts out to the sound of a heart monitor flatlining. “I wanted it to feel real, but also larger than life,” Jared explained. And it worked—the video became a hit, with audiences and the label embracing its unique, emotionally charged narrative.
Creating “Meat Cleaver”: From Personal Challenges to Festival Success
But it is his, “Meat Cleaver” project that allowed Jared to flex his directorial muscles in new ways. Describing it as a “fantasy-horror-comedy,” he explained how the film, his first fully self-generated project, has been taking the film festival circuit by storm. Winning Best Horror Film at the LA International Shorts Festival, “Meat Cleaver” combines everything Jared is passionate about: Dark humor, fantasy, and deeply personal storytelling.
What makes the success even sweeter is that “Meat Cleaver” was born out of a challenging time. When the writers’ strike hit, Jared found himself with time on his hands. “I had this realization—if there was ever a time to make a short film, it’s now,” Jared mentioned. And so, he poured everything he had into this project. From the script to the direction, this was his baby.
The response has been overwhelming, not just from festivals but also from audiences who’ve connected with the film online. He recounted reading comments like, “This is hilarious” and “I want more of this,” which reassured him that he was on the right path. “It’s funny—people are calling it a horror film, but to me, it’s more of a comedy with horror elements,” he laughed.
The Art of Balancing Dark and Light
We then dove into Jared’s philosophy on storytelling, and it became clear that his ability to blend dark themes with humor is at the heart of his work. He explained that while his films deal with subjects like death and pain, there’s always a layer of absurdity and lightness. “I’ve gone through a lot, and the last thing I want to do is make something overly dark. There’s enough of that in the world,” he said.
Jared’s approach to art is deeply tied to his own mental health journey. He spoke candidly about his struggles with depression and how creating films has become a form of therapy. “I can take the things that I thought were the worst parts of me and turn them into something people love,” he relates, reflecting on how he’s learned to channel his personal experiences into his work.
Handling Criticism and Success
I asked Jared how he deals with the inevitable feedback and criticism that come with putting his work out there, especially as someone who’s relatively new to the spotlight. He admitted that he still grapples with imposter syndrome, but the success of “Meat Cleaver” has helped alleviate some of those doubts. “It’s wild to think people are responding to something that came entirely from me,” he reflects. “But I’m always cautious. I don’t want to just make a sequel for the sake of it. I need to know what people liked about the first one before I move forward.”
Jared also touched on the importance of knowing when a project is done. “As a director, it’s easy to keep tweaking and adding, but at some point, you have to step back and ask, ‘Is this serving the audience?’” His hyper-awareness of his audience, combined with his perfectionism, is part of what makes his work stand out for me and others.
Moving Forward
As the conversation wound down, Jared shared his excitement about what’s next. He’s heading to FilmQuest, one of the industry’s biggest genre festivals, and while the future holds plenty of unknowns, one thing is certain—Jared Asher Harris is just getting started. “If people thought “Meat Cleaver” was cool, wait till they see what’s coming next,” he teased, leaving me (and, no doubt, his fans) eager to see where his vision takes him next.
Powerful Presence
Reflecting on our conversation, it’s clear that Jared’s strength lies not only in his creativity but in his resilience. His work, deeply rooted in personal experience and fueled by a passion for authenticity, speaks to a generation that craves stories blending light and dark, humor and horror. As we wrapped up, Jared made one last important point:
“What I used to think were my weaknesses, I now see as my strengths. And that’s what keeps me going.” ~ Harris
You can catch our full conversation below!
Jared Asher Harris is a name to watch—both in music videos and on the big screen—and it’s safe to say, we’ll be seeing a lot more of him in the future.
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