Black History Baddies: Daylight

An unassuming vigilante saves generations of Black women from extinction.

  • Tracee Loran
    Writer
  • Tracee Loran
    Director
  • Tracee Loran
    Producer
  • Tracee Loran
    Cinematographer
  • Stacey L. Holman
    Consulting Producer
    Making Black America: Through the Grapevine; Black Patriots: Buffalo Soldiers; The Black Church: This is Our Story. This is Our Song; Dressed Like Kings; Reconstruction: America After the Civil War; Mirar Mirror; Tell Them We Are Rising; Red Heeled
  • Tracee Loran
    Editor
  • Jason Pereira
    Music
  • Tracee Loran
    Costume Designer
  • Tracee Loran
    Key Cast
    "Aunt Polly/Various"
  • Alex Carney
    Key Cast
    "Vicious White Man"
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Web / New Media
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 32 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 15, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    1,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital - Filmed on an Android
  • Aspect Ratio:
    9:16
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Tracee Loran

TRACEE LORAN is a versatile writer and performer. A penchant for comedy, she penned and hosted a popular web series called TV Quickie with Nikki. Later, she worked as an on-air reporter for ESPN Mobile, covering major sporting events like the Super Bowl, MLB Playoffs, and Wimbledon. She's also appeared in several national TV commercials for brands such as AT&T, Arby's, HBO, and FedEx.

HBO previously commissioned Tracee to pen several multi-platform campaigns for HBOGo (now HBO Max) that featured Rutina Wesley (Queen Sugar), the late Michael K. Williams (Lovecraft Country), and other notable performers.

Tracee's TikTok channel has garnered over 1.2 million views with content like her popular BLACK HISTORY BADDIES series, where she pays tribute to Black female trailblazers past and present. Tracee has produced 32 episodes mostly solo, taking on every role from writer to cinematographer to production assistant. Yes, she fetches her own water.

BLACK HISTORY BADDIES: DAYLIGHT is Tracee’s first foray into film.

The proud Chicago native with strong Mississippi blood is a former high school homecoming queen. Curtsy not required.

All social media platforms: @traceeloran

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

In 2017, I began splitting my time between Brooklyn, NY and Bogue Chitto, Mississippi where I care for my now 95-year-old grandmother, aka Boss Grandma. My career was already in a rut, and I thought that spending half the year away from the bright lights of NYC would put it six feet under. But that was a sacrifice I was willing to make because my grandmother is EVERYTHING to me.

One day in November of 2020 I looked out the window at the vast, beautiful land my great granddad left Boss Grandma, and I decided it was time to utilize it.

That fall, I taught myself how to edit and started making TikTok videos. A few months later, on the eve of Black History Month 2021, I was inspired to pay tribute to Black female trailblazers. The result was my digital series BLACK HISTORY BADDIES. After the first video was a hit on TikTok, I scrambled to research, write, and produce a new episode every day during Black History Month solo, all while taking care of Boss Grandma.

After two seasons and nearly one million views, I was totally exhausted and couldn’t fathom repeating a 3rd time. But I received a surprise financial gift from my dear friend Michael T. Weiss with the note: I hope there’s a season 3.” I was shocked and so grateful for his generosity. Then I panicked. Producing 16 episodes solo (again) seemed like a gargantuan hill to climb. But with the attack on Black History, I knew I had to continue telling our stories in my unique way.

I pitched an idea to my brilliant friend Stacey L. Holman to “do an easier version of BHB.” Thankfully, she didn’t let me know until it was too late that it was NOT easier and that I was actually, “Making a movie, Tracee.” It was a long 2 1/5 months, many tears, and moments of me saying to myself, “This ain’t gonna work. What were you thinking?!”

But it did work. So here I am with BLACK HISTORY BADDIES: DAYLIGHT, The Movie, inspired to go even further. What I thought would be a career-killer, turned into a Mississippi Renaissance.

NOTE: The film is shot in 9:16 aspect ratio because it was originally made for social media, specifically TikTok, which prefers that format.