Be Alarmed: The Black Americana Epic, Movement I - The Visions
(completed 2014)
The film Be Alarmed: The Black Americana Epic, Movement I – The Visions introduces the main character, The Haint, portrayed by actress Danielle Deadwyler. The Haint is a spirit who that is a mute, except for the few times that she speaks, which is in a "screwed" tone, otherwise she communicates through the use of film subtitles. Her primary communication is with The Heroine, who is portrayed by McClodden. The Haint embodies emotional and physical characteristics of the maternal, paternal, and spiritual elements of McClodden’s personal and familial history. By presenting a series of minimalist trailers, scenes, and film press kit displays McClodden hopes to encourage the viewer to ‘fill in the blanks’ in regards to the larger narrative of the idea behind the work.
Smoke, fireworks, and a series of light patterns are used within the film to represent cleansing, portals, and announcements throughout the film. Movement I, The Visions is set in present day North Philadelphia. The exhibition features artifacts that McClodden has sculpted that reveal more of the overall films narrative as well as McClodden’s personal and familial biography.