“It all started with a pill. This pill has a mysterious effect: you can take it, go to sleep as you listen to music or some other audio that conjures up a memory, then, as you sleep, you will relive that memory in your dream.”
This is the premise of a film anthology entitled Subliminal Songs and was imagined by Judson Clark, a local filmmaker with an active imagination, a DSLR camera purchased with COVID stimulus funds, and a fascination with film anthologies like Black Mirror.
In 2023, “Forsaken,” the first episode of Subliminal Songs, premiered at the Cameo Art House Theatre in downtown Fayetteville. After the success of that film, he sent the idea of “the pill” to other writers and creatives he knew and asked, “Can you find a story here?” Some of the responses have led to more stories being crafted and produced. On Aug. 10 at 6 p.m., there will be an exclusive screening of the fourth and latest episode, “The Ghost” at the Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County on Hay Street.
In “The Ghost,” we meet Adeliaide Conroy, a young stand-up comedian who is dealing with lots of difficulties, such as past trauma and temptation related to substance abuse. “The pill” is the common through line of all the episodes of Subliminal Stories, but explaining fully how it impacts Adelaide would give away too much, so no spoilers! Adelaide, played by Fayetteville native Carsyn Harkey, is haunted by voices and visions from her past.
There are a lot of things that make “The Ghost” a unique film. One is Clark’s dedication to using all local talent, both onscreen and in production roles. In all four episodes of Subliminal Songs, the cast and crew have been from the Fayetteville area. In fact, in the first film, “Forsaken,” everyone involved in its production was working on their first film project.
Another unique feature of these films is where the filming takes place: “The Ghost” was filmed in a few locations around Fayetteville and in downtown Clinton. Clark has a personal connection with Clinton, having started his acting career at Sampson Community Theatre in downtown. There is also an art piece on Main Street that has always fascinated the writer and director, who found the perfect opportunity to incorporate “Milling Around” into the landscape of this project. He said it was a big ask to have the actors and crew drive that far for a day of filming, but everyone was accommodating. The other three episodes that have already been completed were also filmed locally. Clark states that he not only wants to showcase local talent, but he also wants to highlight the beautiful and interesting vistas in the Fayetteville area that often go overlooked and under appreciated.
Clark’s vision of the entire project is encapsulated in what he refers to as “maximalist production.” Yes, the films are short projects and they’re filmed by local artists, some of whom are brand new to filmmaking; and they’re filmed using simple equipment; and they’re filmed in Fayetteville, which is not considered to be a big market for filmmaking. But the project is still a big deal.
All the artists are compensated for their time and work; they may not be members of SAG-AFTRA (film actors’ union), and they may not get rich making one or more of these films, but they will be paid fairly. Care is taken in how the filming takes place to ensure that the simple film equipment captures high-quality picture and sound, and the acting is compelling.
The films are shown on a big screen (well, not "The Ghost," but there’s a reason for that; more on that shortly). They are available to stream on Amazon, or will be soon, and have an IMDB page. These factors help lend to the credibility of the work; these are not just hobby projects, they are real, professional, high-quality short films.
The exclusive, one-night screening of "The Ghost" on Aug. 10 is a free event, but seating is limited. It is held in the basement of the Arts Council at 301 Hay Street. The location for this screening is significant, first because the Arts Council provided a grant that helped pay production costs for the film. The Arts Council basement is a location for a pivotal moment in the film. Watching a film in a setting and then actually seeing that setting onscreen is a unique experience. Finally, Clark thought that this movie in particular would best be viewed in an intimate setting, through a projector, as opposed to seeing it on a big screen.
There will be a question-and-answer session following the screening of the film. People will be able to ask questions of Clark, as well as some of the cast and crew.
Subliminal Stories is a project with no specified timeline or finish line.
Clark says, “It will keep running as long as the stories keep coming.”
He is excited to continue to grow the network of creative people involved in the anthology and invites anyone who is interested in being involved to reach out via social media channels or attend the screening on Aug. 10. Clark additionally extends his love and gratitude to everyone who has played a part in "The Ghost" or any of the other films in the anthology.