Clawing My Way to the Middle
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Hello everyone out there! I’m just about to pour a second cup of coffee this fine morning. It has been a busy week and I have a few announcements. Let me see, next Sunday not this coming but the 14th of Feb at 7:00 pm the TV premiere of “Book of Ruth, Journey of Faith” will play. I’ve seen that on amazon it has been floating from the #2-#4 spot in top buys for Faith films. I did an interview for POPEATER.com on the film but the interview hasn’t been published yet. Bottom line is that I’ve heard some great response to the film and I’m sure the TV play will expand that audience.

On the RENOVATION front I’m hearing exciting things about the new trailer and a website that is almost ready. I wanted to pass that along but it must not be quite ready. They were doing some color correction as of Thursday. I’m excited to give folks a first look. CDI is happy to be partnered up with the fine folks from Yuma!

Talking about partnering, the big update is that the ink is dry and CDI www.cdiproductions.com is now in association with At Risk Entertainment. They are another company from Michigan and will are excited to be working with them. Next weekend will see cameras rolling on the thriller “Locked in a Room” with Larry Simmons directing. Larry was a 250 finalist in the “Project Green Light” TV show. We have about completed casting and most of the talent is from Michigan including some of your favorites from the CDI troupe.  The film is a thriller/horror film will some great twists and turns.  (See poster)

We are in heavy post production on “Outside the Wire” with Tony Hornus and Dennis Therrian really working hard to tweak the picture. I think we are going to have an incredibly moving doc film!

The CDI slate is packaging up nicely with some surprisingly big names starting to look at projects. CDI is slowly moving the “Sherwood Horror” into packaging. This is a project that director John Regan (The Flock) approached me with and I optioned the property to produce. John will be another director that will join the CDI tribe and we welcome him. Right now we are looking at location and finance.

I’m in hopes of having some exciting WILD MICHIGAN news soon but I will remain hush, hush on that project until we get further down the line. That project became the hardest to launch after a major set back in funding. The issue is a legal one being dealt with in CA and I’m happy to say that we have made sure that this won’t happen to others. Unfortunately it had happened to some others and we are aligned with a group of filmmakers who also had their projects disrupted by lies.

Karma balances…speaking of, I’m working to try and bring “Karma: Crime, Passion, Reincarnation” here to the USA. A few of our movies are being evaluated by STARZ network and across the board we are working hard to make these movie open to audiences around the world.

So soon we will see some new first looks from RENOVATION. RUTH on TV. If you have not watched AN ORDINARY KILLER or BLOOD TIES that came out in Oct please do.

http://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Killer-Terence-Knox/dp/B002FG9N8M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1265470826&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Ties-Jason-Carter/dp/B002FG9N8W/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1265470884&sr=1-6

Enjoy your weekend and have a safe Sunday as you watch the SUPERBOWL.

DJ

It is a touch past noon and I’ve been up since early but all morning I’ve been fighting a sinus headache. We went from warm in Michigan back to bitter cold. I’m getting ready to dive into a list of things I need to do. I have a few good announcements that will be coming next week.

In current news “Book of Ruth, Journey of Faith” has been bouncing between #3 to #5 on amazon’s Top selling Faith films in the US. It also is scheduled to play on Valentines Day on TBN (Trinity Broadcast Network) at 7:00 or 7:30…pm

I’m also doing a great interview for POPEATER on “Book of Ruth” so I’ll give a heads up on that. So far the feedback has been very positive. You’ll never get all positive but some people seem really moved. I’ve seen people laugh and cry while watching the film and as a filmmaker/actor can you ask for anything more?

I’m working on adding a few new Leading Ladies on Pepper’s fan site. We have a few RENOVATION actresses up now and a few more coming soon. I’m also told we are VERY close to having the trailer and website.

Several projects in various stages of development and some are getting just wonderful attention. In speaking of development I completed my 1st draft of FACE THE THUNDER which has been locked in my head for many years. A STATE OF HATE, HOLLY, JINGLES and CLYDE, SHERWOOD HORROR, TIMBERWOLF all pulling together. WILD MICHIGAN will rise from the ashes as recently the story itself has really touched some readers. 2010 is really shaping up to be a year of moving forward.

I have several films being looked at for television and foreign sales. So it is my sincere wish to get our films out there to even wider audiences. I will type more when my head isn’t sporting a dull pain.

DJ

It is a warmer Saturday here in the Michigan. So far month one of 2010 has been very productive. I’ve had great talks with several new companies about existing and future product. That could lead to some exciting announcements very soon. “THE BOOK OF RUTH: Journey of Hope” has been getting some nice feedback and for those who don’t add this film to your collection you can still see the film on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14th) at 7:30 pm on TBN (Trinity Broadcast Network) http://www.tbn.org/watch-us/our-programs/book-of-ruth-journey-of-faith Also on Pepper’s page www.djperryfanclub.com we have a new featured actress from upcoming “RENOVATION” so go to the link below and meet Tracilyn Jones. http://www.djperryfanclub.com/TLJ.html I know first hand that a trailer and new website will soon be on the way. In development we are having all kinds of star interest in our upcoming projects. As you know CDI is expanding the tribe bringing a few new directors and their projects inside to CDI. John Regan (The Flock) is getting us great interest with SHERWOOD HORROR in development now.

First I want to welcome everyone to 2010! For many it has been a cold start and Michigan is no different. Bone chilling and beautiful is how I like to describe it. I had to shovel for the 1st time yesterday and slowly all the holiday stuff is being put away and the food from our gatherings almost gone. Last week business started off with a bang. I’m working hard to line things up and manifest the best year yet.

I will start with giving an update on a few CDI affiliated projects. New foreign, TV and domestic deals underway on several early CDI films. Also several can be downloaded immediately on amazon.com ON DEMAND. Working on a major release for “The Patchwork Girl of OZ” and looking at getting domestic DVD releases on a few others. They can all be gotten on amazon.com or indieflix.com as well.

I should have some updates on AN ORDINARY KILLER which came out in Oct. 09 with BLOOD TIES and so I’m happy those films are getting out there. Dec 15th was the release for THE BOOK OF RUTH, JOURNEY OF FAITH and Jan. it will be for sale on amazon and other national rental/retailers. I’m also told that Trinity Broadcast Network will finally premiere the biblical film on Valentines Day Feb. 14th at 7:30 pm so check your listings.

I also have seen rough footage and images from our Yuma thriller RENOVATION. All the tapes have been captured and a trailer and new website will be coming forth very soon. I’m excited about this project and I’ve been talking to several distributors about the project.

Last week was also a good week of work on our doc film being led by Tony Hornus called “OUTSIDE THE WIRE: FORGOTTEN CHILDREN OF AFGHANISTAN.” I think this will be a wonderfully powerful look at our soldiers from around the world and showing humanitarian work.

Wild Michigan update. The LLC  business around the film has been dissolved, account closed and we are going after the guilty party with criminal charges. I’m happy to say this entity was exposed for lies (not in Hollywood) and their offices on the studio lot closed!  Since we have new friends who want to see the movie made. Some commits have been made but not enough funds yet. We will reopen once it is ready to roll. It was just costing us money to sit and we might have foreign partners so a whole different LLC might have to be formed. Any way you look at it that damn film will get made. The script is well liked and recently went through a studio greenlight process and got 4 of 5 stars so it is only a matter of time. It was just tough because we were on the ground, prepped and spent investment before being left high and dry. Live and learn! Oh, also torpedo their company so they don’t FU$#@#$ anyone else and press charges. It will all work out and that company will be sad they didn’t just go along for the good ride.

So much good energy as we sail into 2010! Many projects in development and I know a few will find their way into production.

Watch the www.cdiproductions.com for updates…

Many new additions to the Texas based www.djperryfanclub.com ran by Pepper. If you want to see something or have stuff to add let her know. We have a new group of Leading Ladies being listed with new most recent being Nathalie from “RENOVATION” so check it out!

Also for 2010 I invite you all to join “Clawing my Way to the Middle” blog which I also post to Myspace and on the fan site via Pepper.

http://djperryblog.com/

Best to us all in 2010!

DJ

Whoa! Holiday festivities abound! I’m nursing a small headache thanks to a small mason jar from Maggie Valley, N.C.! I had a buddy and his brother come by last night that I had not seen since 1990 or so. He was in some of the 1st video “movies” that we did in high school. Fire work FX, one take shots, location music were the production elements of the day. He recalled that I only kind of was interested in school but when it came time to film I was all organization. He is a math/science back ground and had not seen any of my films. His brother had and they wanted to see SOMETHING. First movie I found was JUDGES. I haven’t seen that film in a couple years. It was the first film from director Stephen Walker who just directed “The Book of Ruth” movie. It was kind of cool but sad because two of my friends (Paul and Russ) who played Sonny King and Father Kane are both passed.

I’ve also been seeing Randy Godwin in the theatrical trailers for “Youth in Revolt” and he also is now passed. For these friends, 2009 with all the hardships and ups and downs played no part.  It is funny as I’ve stated before I saw many good things come from this year. People pulling together and helping one another and also people spending time with one another versus paying for other distractions. So 2009 gets good marks in my book and I’m ready for whatever 2010 has in store.

Onto movie updates…

Pepper is doing some revamping on her fan page www.djperryfanclub.com and again I want to give her a big thanks and a solid shout to all her friends in Texas that have taken the time to enjoy our movies. We have a revamp on the Leading Ladies section and I have another “Renovation” co-star up now!

Leading Ladies homepage: www.djperryfanclub.com/LL.html

Nathalie’s page:  www.djperryfanclub.com/NBK.html

Also the “Book of Ruth” feedback has been good. I enjoy the feedback good or bad and so feel free to post on IMDB.com. It is in most Christian retailers and is expanding in Jan. 2010 to more mainstream outlets and will also see TV in 2010.

“Renovation” trailer is underway now and we will have something to tease you with very soon. So everyone have  a great and safe New Year’s Eve and I look forward to journeying into 2010 with you all.

Peace.

DJ

Bright sun, snow and of course my coffee…

I’m looking at a small redwood tree that my brother brought me from N. California. He’s now living in the Michigan and is looking like a healthier “Charlie Brown” Xmas tree. As my industry crawls to a stop and the “Out of Office” emails return I’m thankful. I hope that the families, children and friends of us artists get some good quality time. Artists on a whole tend to be a bit self absorbed or focused if you are looking positive at it all. Over the years I’ve seen myself slowly create a more structured work flow. It is important to make that time to clear your head. Soccer, wine making, guitar plunking and garden work are all activities that I feel put myself in a better place to make wise choices. Family and friends also can be a good grounding force in an artists life. I love going to things where I get to meet appreciative fans but nothing beats a dog(s) that is just happy you are home and has never watched a wink of one of my movies. My soccer team doesn’t care what my sales units moved on a picture are they just want the damn ball to stay out of our goal. I LOVE that! So this year all you artists rediscover other loves in your life. Do the work, submit, audition but after you’ve done what you can do, let it go. Watch pot never boils. Take some of this holiday closeness and apply it to your life in March or August. Watch the changes!

I don’t know exactly how many folks follow this blog as it started on www.djperryfanclub.com (New Upgrades for 2010!) Also look at our new leading ladies on there each week. From there I started posting it to Myspace and now this official blog site. I do want to thank Pepper for convincing me to express myself on here. Recently I expressed myself to an online fanzine and here is the link for that.

http://www.28dayslateranalysis.com/2009/12/dj-perry-and-karma-exclusive-interview.html

December 15th, 2009 saw the release of “Book of Ruth Journey of Faith” and I’m proud to have done a film in this genre. I’m only sad because I know that this film would have been LOVED by both my deceased grandma’s. I will warn my hardcore action/horror fans that it is a “biblical chick flick” but if the holiday spirit has you craving a dose of all that with yours truly involved…get it! Good watching for a whole family for sure. The film has gotten good reviews from a few official sources and many word of mouth folks. I say make up your own mind. It was a step in that whole period drama. I like those type of films and I look forward to some great future projects.

(A few reviews)

http://www.dove.org/MovieReview.asp?Unique_ID=8085

http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/2009/12/14.CARMAN%20STARS%20IN%20NEW%20BIBLICAL%20FILM%20FROM%20PURE%20FLIX%20ENTERTAINMENT.asp

http://www.christiannewstoday.com/Christian_News_Report_448.html

This is a National chain with maybe 300 stores and so if you are in the Lansing, Michigan area I know this store just stocked up to handle local requests. They are on South Cedar and I know many other rental/retailers will soon be carrying the title.

http://www.familychristian.com/

On the hard edge ‘Blood Ties” (Horror) and “An Ordinary Killer” (Crime Drama) are good titles to check out. Look for “Miracle at Sage Creek” western playing ABC stations across the country.

Other activities are working some deals for some overseas sales and other possible TV play. I’ve also finished the 1st draft of a script I’ve had in my head for a few years. I’ve been reading a few scripts from producer friends of mine who are looking at me acting for them again. So really it is a good time to just look back at the year in review and also look ahead to 2010!

So keep your stress small as things don’t need to be perfect (Is there a perfect) …you just need to spend time with those you love. NOTE: If you have not seen the “Trailer Boys Xmas Special” (R rated humor) I recommend you do so.

Peace, love and all that stuff!

DJ

The weather outside is frightful but my hot coffee is delightful…

Actually it is pretty but it was bone chilling the other day when I was out running errands. I love the cozy hibernation feeling that comes with the wintertime. Saw on the news about a couple of icebergs the size of Manhattan so they can argue global warming but something is going down. I would think that the sun is suppose to eventual expand to a red giant and so even a small increase combined with us effecting the atmosphere even if that is slight could cause some major changes in a delicate ecosystem.

I’m not going to be one of those preachy actors but I do have opinions. I gave a few opinions last blog on networking in Hollywood. I hope that some people put that into practice because I do wish everyone to follow their dreams and nobody needs any additional stumbling blocks. Let me do my rambling thing and try to give a few updates.

- A new Leading Lady for you to check out at www.djperryfanclub.com Ms. Chandra Wood and it will be followed by the other ladies of “Renovation”… Chandra is our 1st crew person to be added on here.

- New website for “Renovation” coming but in the meantime the director Robert Gwinn will be doing a blog and some updates

http://www.rampantentertainment.com/renovationthemovie.html

I’m sure that I have a few more updates in me but I keep on getting new business stuff popping up so this one will be short and sweet.

“Book of Ruth” PR is starting top move and I’ve seen all kinds of release dates from Dec 15th on Pureflix site to Jan 2010 for amazon and TBN. I will try to get better updates.

Be good to one another.

DJ

The hazelnut is flowing and outside it was snowing. After shooting in Yuma, AZ it was a return to MI and walking right into Thanksgiving and now Xmas season is here! I was so busy in Yuma that I had little time to shop and thankfully since I got stung by $120 over weight fee with United Airlines. That is in addition to the $20 bag fee each way. So I have to explore 1) take smaller suitcase 2) buy socks, underwear and such there and leave them and 3) ship all gifts home at a fraction of price. All lessons learned.

We are now in post and footage on “Renovation” is being logged, sound sync, and passed to Flint Frame for a trailer cut and FX work.  2010 will bring some major marketing. Meanwhile Cecil Chambers and I have been trying to clean up after the old “Wild Michigan” set up and prep for a new set up. “Holly, Jingles and Clyde” with Michael Valverde is building strength and additional packaging for “A State of Hate” and “Timberwolf” are also underway.

On IMDB I’m looking at the projects listed and I am going to make some choices and respectfully bow out of a few projects. Either time conflict with other projects or the role is not really worth landing in the middle of a larger project/role. If they work out fine but with financing being hit and miss we will just have to see.

In additional to the www.cdiproductions.com I’ve got a couple of movies in 2010 about set. One is an acting gig which I cannot talk about until I get out from under the NDA (Non Disclosure) and they hit with 1st PR but it is a studio pic. Same with the 2nd movie but I actually had a hand in writing several of the early script versions on the 2nd project.

I was also told that on one of the projects people (actors) were using my name to try and gain access to casting. Most of these folks I had never met, maybe exchanged an email, maybe a phone call or we were shared cast mates on a yet to be shot film. Either way the producers contacted me and I had to explain. See in the old days the PROPER way of doing things was via the “Godfather” and “Godmother” calls. You called in a favor and someone “set the table” if they wanted to back your name. But in this new age of social networking where people have a thousand “friends” (Why they are not called associates is beyond me) it makes it easy for folks to fib and say “so and so are my friends” and that leads to these new issues in this age.

Old Hollywood frowns on this fib way of networking. If you say someone is your friend they damn well better be. And it would be so much better to have someone call, email and set the table if they truly are your friend.  So I’m going to ask the new group of actors, filmmakers to be aware that there is a PROPER way of conducting biz in Hollywood and if you get caught in one little fib it can ruin you in certain circles.

My name was used and I understand the desire to get ahead in a very tough industry but it must be done properly. So I told some of these producers I would address this in my blog here that gets read by many aspiring actors and artists. So there it is. Also I’m told that Hollywood doesn’t really use the STAR METER to pick to many folks now because actors with a slew of extra credits are finding ways to list on the major films and reducing their IMDB rank. This “Scam” is on Hollywood radar and so they are now heavily looking at distribution for that actor.

Okay enough of the lecturing…just trying to help and pass along some info from the inside.

Fun links

Wild Michigan visual synopsis (For investing purposes)

http://web.me.com/dennistherrian/site_2/Wild_Michigan_Promo.html

Upcoming site of some “Behind the Scenes RENOVATION”

http://www.channel1yuma.com/yumanlife.htm

Pepper will be starting a new series of Leading ladies from “Renovation” featuring Chandra Wood our hardworking hair/make up key on the film. I thought since she did such a wonderful job and had such a great smile that I would add her to our Leading Lady section. She surely was a star to all of us actors.

See www.djperryfanclub.com Leading Ladies next week!

Here is a 1st wrap of “Renovation” PR! More to follow…

http://www.joblo.com/arrow/index.php?id=19512

Look for a trailer maybe around Xmas.

In wrap up let me just say that I hope everyone is having a good season spending time with friends and family and being thankful for that time. I know as 2009 comes to a close and 2010 opens, new opportunities will be born and new stories (movies) will find their way into being.

DJ

3:10 to YUMA baby that was the address of the Hilton Garden where I stayed during the filming of the thriller “RENOVATION” and WOW! Outside my window I could see the territorial prison an old western hell hole that they tried to take Ben Wade to in “3:10 to Yuma”…

From the moment I was picked up at the small airport where my bag made it to the baggage claim before I did (Never has happened) and the airport was a ghost town… (No pun intended) I knew this was gonna be fun. The director Robert Gwinn was playing NIGHTWISH in his car when he picked me up (Great rock Opera music featuring friend John Two Hawks) I saw that as a sign. We went to the Hotel Del Sol and before entering we had people from the Union Train station walk over and ask if we were going in and talked about the shadow people that they see if the closed historic hotel now owned by the city.  Maybe cats, bats or rats but sounds of shuffling, knocks and footsteps can be heard. A murder in room 202 might play into it all. Any way you look at it the hotel was a great place to make a movie. They had used it in the movie THE GETAWAY some years earlier.

The 1st week consisted of shooting at many of the non-hotel locations such as a prison, newspaper, library and so on with many of the Hollywood talents. Terence Knox, Lana Wood, David Borowicz and Fred Griffith in action along with Tony Hornus and Dean Teaster making appearances and Johnny Dark a seasoned comedian best known from the David Letterman show who became a close friend.

Week 2 and 3 brought in the Vegas crew and that was a wonderful energy of rising star actors and some that are already well known on the Vegas strip for their work. The latter two weeks were full of action inside the hotel. I think personally as an actor I hit new highs with intensity and I think this is a great new film where fans will see some new sides to DJ Perry plus get what they have come to expect and enjoy.

I also have to say that our crew really brought it filming in less than perfect conditions as this was not a set but an actually location. All power came from generators and they put up with dust, darkness and some long hours. The city and businesses also really stepped up with open arms and helped to provide where they could. I will be talking more in depth as we go forward. Leading Lady profiles will be done for the www.DJPerryfanclub.com page ran by Pepper and new updates will start coming to the film myspace and facebook sites. A first look trailer will be coming in good time.

I will  also be posting other movie updates here soon. I know the BOOK OF RUTH TBN dates for Nov. are being pushed as they are still trying to work a theatrical window in. AN ORDINARY KILLER and BLOOD TIES are released and I’ve had some fan drops here and there. Working hard to bring some updates on WILD MICHIGAN as we were hard at work at AFM to try and fire that engine back up. More soon. I’m back and unpacking and looking forward to the holidays approaching.

Much to be thankful about!

DJ