Q&A: Director Rich Ragsdale on Filming in Thailand & Working with Scout Taylor-Compton for New Movie GHOST HOUSE

Going off the beaten path on vacation can be a picturesque experience, but it can be a perilous one as well. An American couple accidentally disturbs a deadly spirit in Thailand in the new horror film Ghost House, and with the supernatural thriller out now in select theaters from Vertical Entertainment and on DVD and VOD platforms from Lionsgate, Daily Dead caught up with director Rich Ragsdale to discuss filming in Thailand, the presence of ghosts on set, and working with Scout Taylor-Compton and James Landry Hébert.

Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us, Rich and Kevin! What attracted you guys to the story of Ghost House and made you want to tell this story on screen?

Rich Ragsdale: Ghost Houses (also known as spirit houses) are ubiquitous in Thailand, but are pretty much unknown in the west, so we thought they would make a unique and exotic centerpiece for a supernatural horror film.

Ghost House stars Scout Taylor-Compton, who I believe was incredible as Laurie Strode in Rob Zombie’s Halloween movies. What made Compton the right fit to play Julie in Ghost House?

Rich Ragsdale: Scout was the first actress on our casting wish list! We loved her in Rob Zombie’s Halloween films. Her performance in the second installment in particular showed us she could really bring it when it comes to being tormented by unnatural forces. Conversely, she can be cute and sweetly endearing, which was another important element of her character. She is so talented, it was joy to watch her work! We were lucky to get her.

Ghost House also co-stars James Landry Hébert, who really made an impression on viewers with his roles in projects like Carnage Park and Westworld. What was it like collaborating with Hébert?

Rich Ragsdale: James is another amazing talent. He's normally known for playing villains, which is ironic because he may be the nicest guy I've ever met. He is very focused and serious about his craft. His approach is very different from Scout’s. She slides in and out of character effortlessly, while James inhabits his character, really living in it. He's very method! It created a very interesting dynamic on set. They had just made a film together right before signing on to Ghost House, so there was already a familiarity there, which was very helpful.

What was the shooting schedule like for Ghost House, and where did filming take place?

Rich Ragsdale: We shot for 24 days on location in Thailand. It was very intense because we moved locations almost every single day. This was hard on the cast and crew as we shot six-day weeks. Also, it was quite stressful because it left no room for error. If we didn't make our day every day, we wouldn’t have a movie! There wasn't the time or the budget to go back and reshoot anything!

What was your favorite or most challenging scene to shoot?

Rich Ragsdale: There were a number of challenging scenes to shoot, but the most difficult was probably the ending sequence. It was very technical and required a lot of planning. It had a lot of stunts and practical effects work, and we only had two days to shoot it all. Complicating matters was the fact that the actress who played the witch doctor in that scene began having difficulties delivering her lines. When we asked what the problem was, she told us she was scared because she was seeing ghosts everywhere on set. We were shooting inside an abandoned temple next to a Buddhist cemetery, so we had done a purification ritual in the morning to help clear the set, but I guess it didn't work! As a result, a number of crew members got really spooked!

Do you have any favorite films—supernatural or otherwise—that inspired you while making Ghost House?

Rich Ragsdale: Stylistically, the earlier films of John Carpenter were a big influence on Ghost House—not so much narratively, but rather in the look. We shot with vintage anamorphic lenses and used a Mövi stabilizer to keep the camera moving like he did with Panaglide in Halloween. (Also, the score has several analog synth style cues that are indebted to Carpenter, Goblin, and the like.)

What type of scares can viewers expect to experience in Ghost House?

Rich Ragsdale: There are several different types of scares in Ghost House. There are some drawn-out suspenseful moments and some "jump out and scare you" bits, too. We like to think our ghost is very creepy looking and if you like practical effects we have lots of those. We even built a life-sized prosthetic puppet head version of our ghost so we could contort her face in inhuman ways!

With Ghost House now in theaters from Vertical Entertainment, what projects do you have on deck that you can tease, and where can our readers follow you online?

Rich Ragsdale: We are wrapping up a little horror project that we can announce soon. We also have several projects in the hopper, but it's too soon to discuss them. You can follow the Ghost House Facebook page or KNR Productions' profile as well. Also, look me up on Instagram @richragsdale. Our official website is knr-productions.com