Mentors, Movies and Making Beer…
The coffee is flowing nicely this morning as I relax into this update. It was a good week overall and one of my highlights/low-points was a lunch visit with one of my business mentors. He has been part of CDI for 15+ years and now at 86 years old he is in failing health. He was a partner in our editing facility venture for many years and our weekly lunches always brought be insight to issues. It was great to see him but also touched with a little bit of sad. That said, I feel blessed for the years of insight and business wisdom. Remember those around you and be open to those bits of advise. That said, onward to the updates!
I’ve spent some time reviewing the producer work copies of “Darkest Night” and “Locked in a Room” both I think are going to be exciting projects. The first will have a Hollywood distributor screening in June and the latter a Michigan May 3rd premiere at the Canton Emagine theater next week. I will be attending and there are some exciting theatrical possibilities happening with this project. As a fan of “found footage” type horror films I think that “Darkest Night” could really be the next big thing. It is an amazingly fresh dive into the genre and much of it is because of the beautiful Philippine artists involved. I’m very proud to be associated with these films via CDI and my onscreen work.
I also hear final sound mixing on “7 Stones” is about complete and we will hear soon if we will play in the Waterfront Film Festival. It would be my 1st time attending and I’m sure it would be a rich experience. “7 Stones” showcases what I feel to be some of my strongest drama in a while. I will keep everyone updated about this powerful film that is also a CDI association.
August will see “Deadly Renovations” come out nationally. Also some of the CDI library will be coming out this fall and so overall it will be a busy year. Also new productions could start moving forward as well. We have a few film projects on a joint slate that are part of a film fund. We might even move into pre-production on the 1st title in May here. We also a slate of Michigan films that might be getting close to moving into pre-production. Also development work on our 2nd Philippine project is underway and “The Beast” will go into pre-production late this year or early next year. I will co-star in that film and I’ve also recently given my interest in a few other film projects as talent. These projects range from dramas to westerns to even a romantic comedy. So lots of promotion of the product hitting the market and a slew of projects prepping to shoot.
Again we are making some strides in our commercial area with providing extras material on a few studio projects. Large or small if you have a need for commercial services contact me and join the tribe! CDI TV/Internet division is close to a launch with CDI pushing a couple of pilot projects out and at least one planned shoot on a new pilot. I’m excited to see where all this leads us.
As of late getting lots of presentation materials together on the films. I’ve got planned talks with many distributors who are coming out of the walls almost daily now. We are planning to work again with a few companies that have already been proving themselves. That means providing reports and payout. With the social networking it is getting harder for companies doing bad business to maintain. I think this is a very good thing because most will find that honest deals can create a long-term flow of cash for both producers of content and distributors. Sadly that is not always the case and legal is not nearly as productive as creating and selling product. We’ve got one attorney that just works collections. The BIZ of SHOWBIZ:)
Well tomorrow will be our 1st outdoor league soccer game of the season. I’m looking forward to it and so I’m sure I will be a sore individual come Monday/Tuesday but I actually enjoy that feeling. I’m also going to be looking into prepping my 1st home-brew batch of beer this week. We’ve done lots of wine but now we will try something a little different. I hope each and every one of you has a great weekend and next week it will be back to clawing my way to the middle.
DJ
Your Friend in ART – Updates
WOW! Friday came this week and I was ready for a little mind rest. The week has been jammed full with following up on paperwork to make sure it is straight on a couple of projects heading into distribution. Also reviewing projects heading out to distributors soon. Several distributors have come forward to look at our slate of films coming down the pipeline. A couple of development projects are getting some legs under them with distributor support. I’ve had a small flood of possible acting roles which I’m looking at to see what FEELS right. I will ramble off a few updates in no particular order and I’m sure I will forget a few.
– “Dean Teaster’s Long Road Home” has some distribution paperwork forming up underneath it.
– Some additional biblical era films in the vein of “Book of Ruth” are getting close to greenlight.
– My long-standing efforts to put “Wild Michigan” back on the tracks continues. Three different paths being worked on this project and one of them should go eventually.
– Several films have open foreign rights and those are being shopped and interest is forming up nicely.
– “Darkest Night” has pushed the dist. screening in L.A. to late June to avoid a couple big festivals and also business in the Philippines is required as we prep for our next associated venture entitled “The Beast”. Several new promotional trailers have been released on this film.
– “Donors” the follow-up to “Deadly Renovations” (Aug 2012 domestic release) is moving along nicely.
-“Locked in a Room” is prepping for the May 3rd Michigan screening. I’ve watched director Larry Simmons work and refine the film and I think audiences will really dig it. Some good stuff looks to be hitting the editing room floor but that is sometimes needed to move the story.
– “7 Stones” released a new poster and the last pick up opening was shot last night and so just a little bit more tweaking and it will be complete. Festival play is next for that powerful film.
– New location photos for “Secondary Heroes” just arrived and so we will be reviewing those this week.
I will spend some of the weekend reviewing a few distribution deal offers and researching companies who have come forth wanting to talk business. I’m waiting on a few other large deals to close and I’ve been nicely informed as they move forward. In my normal everyday life I had a few fans of the work pop up and be surprised that I’m chilling in the Michigan. When not working out-of-town that is how I roll:) So many things in process and I hope to give more exciting news in the weeks to come. Otherwise I think we might finally bottle a batch of wine and pick lilac flowers to make another batch of that. Yard work and maybe till the garden may lie ahead today. I’ll relax and try to get some stuff done because next week is going to be a busy one again.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Your friend in art,
DJ
Week Updates and Going Western (Again)…
As Morgan Earp
It was a long week so I retired early and woke early. I have the coffee flowing and I am happy to send out some updates to the subscribers out there. I’ve been streamlining some CDI company biz in anticipation for some upcoming work. It is funny how the path opens up new adventures simply by walking it.
I got word that “Book of Ruth” will be going to Wal-Mart and other retailers that have yet to carry the title. The film has really done well and in the wake of that we’ve got several other biblical films going up. Three are with Reel Frog and two moving right along are in the CDI stable. It is a growing marketing for us and nothing wrong with entertaining and adding a good message. Watch IMDB and here for some updates very soon.
In the past I’ve been a paid speaker – most recently at Michigan State University as a Key Note Speaker for a creative arts forum. I don’t normally do these events usually because of the plan time and also to schedule around films. Enough people have asked so I have agreed to let MP Talent in Grand Rapids book me into these speaking events. (TO BOOK: malinda@mptalentagency.com) It is a take off on this CLAWING MY WAY TO THE MIDDLE program of mine. It really focuses on bringing a business mentality in with the art. In our industry it is the SHOW+BUSINESS. The focus is NOT – how to act or how to do this or that although those answers can be provided. It is really about getting the straight forward no B.S. advice based on actual trial and error. I attended a film fest mixer in town on Thursday and I really enjoyed seeing some of the younger artists pushing their dreams forward. There are many pitfalls in this business and in life. I know some of this info will greatly help individuals as it already has. So I will be looking forward to sharing.
I think one of the weeks most exciting developments was that I gave interest in playing the legendary cowboy Morgan Earp in a western this fall called “Storm God Rides”. I’m excited that we will likely be filming back on the western set in Mescal Old Tuscan outside Tombstone, AZ. Some of my fellow western actor amigos have also put their materials forward and been cast. I know that my friend and associate Dean Teaster is playing my oldest brother Virgil Earp, so that will be fun. More as this develops but I’ve had fun with the camera tests and I’m ready to ride.
I’m still looking at projects for May and I’ve had a few good projects cross the desk but nothing locked yet. In the meantime I’ve been getting myself ready for soccer, winemaking and getting the garden prepped. It is beautiful here in Michigan and I think it is going to be a great year.
I hope you all have a relaxing weekend.
DJ
Easter Sunday and Good Advice
It was a long week of business and this weekend has been spent largely helping someone move into a new home. The Full Moon shone bright through the trees Friday night and I think it helped to recharge the batteries. Outdoors the beauty is everywhere as everything seems to be in process of bloom. I’ve been working the yard and enjoying a fire in the pit. The garden is being cleaned and prepped for new growth and that is how I’m taking the day. We should all till our earth to our own gardens and prepare for that new growth. My mind is trying to relax away from the many deals that are in works but not quite complete. Last night on TED (A series of lectures by experts) I saw a good talk on trial & error. It is a process of tweaking that will eventually distill a process or product down to a sound effective piece/process. That is a lot like our own business model in filmmaking. Every project we’ve done has had good and bad elements that come into play. Both are important in gaining experience that will eventually take you to greater heights of success. I look at how much I’ve learned via the projects and I smile. Life is funny that way, it often rewards the fool and the courageous – they are often the same person.
Other insights from the week…
The art of prepping and packaging – finding the right partners to work on the right projects. I’m exciting about some communications this week whereas deals have been moved that much closer. I’ve also been disappointed in others about their communication skills. There are a few individuals I’m close with and if they contact with a business call I respectfully respond in a day or so if not sooner. I’ve had a situation as of recent whereas I called to help correct an issue and I’m still waiting from a Monday call. Now when the issue becomes larger and is a real problem I’ll likely get that call. COMMUNICATION! This has been an issue on a few of our associated films. What I have to remind myself is that they are greener and growing but I wish folks would listen to me sooner. Eventually it can and often will end up being my issue to fix whereas COMMUNICATION could have solved it early and immediately. I’m not going to go on and on with this. They will need something and I’ll get a call and yes, I will likely respond in good time and help where I can. I cannot alter who I am based on others shortcomings. Or have they always been like that and it is my expectations that are let down? Unfortunately, these expectation are what I have learned to be needed in moving forward. These communication issues apply to several people in my circle of business. OK. In summary – COMMUNICATE and TOGETHER ADVANCE and by TRIAL & ERROR success will grow in your given endeavors.
Some of the week was doing tax stuff – working on a CDI theatrical film series and a spotlight retail for our product with a major retailer. These deals are all moving forward step-by-step as all journeys do. CDI is growing a new TV/Web Division due to new Network contacts we’ve developed. There will be some new announcements in the weeks to come about all this.
Also I’m putting together my program for speaking engagements. I’ve been paid to be a key-note speaker at Michigan State University, speaking on SHOW + BIZ. After many interested parties asking would I speak here and there I’ve decided to go beyond my blog and do more speaking engagements. I would also say I’ve been inspired by some of these TED talks:)
Interested parties can contact MP Talent: malinda@mptalentagency.com
“Darkest Night” theatrical cut is DONE! PR will go out this week likely but again you heard it here first. We are getting a great list of distributors who want to attend a late May screening of the film in L.A. area. If you are a distributor out there drop me an email and I will see about adding you to that list. New promo material will be hitting very soon!
Other than that – working on getting producers rep agreements on both the above film and foreign rep for “Deadly Renovations” which announced an Aug. 7th release domestically!
I was contacted about a few acting projects. As I stated before looking for a solid May project before I get thrown into a larger multi week shoot that spans a few states. CDI is also playing a part in all that by providing all the EXTRAS (Making of, behind the scenes, interviews…) and so if you out there are about to film your movie and need marketing…CDI. Also if you have a chunk of money and want to make a film you can communicate with me and we can discuss an association. I cannot fund your projects at this time because if I have funds open they are directed to the tried-and-true tribal projects. If you bring your own funds and want to glean upon our experiences both good and bad – please do. Scripts, castings, distribution are all areas that will have strong contacts in and that not everyone can immediately step into. So if you have the will and the worth but not the experience it might make a good collaboration.
I think in summary we are open to working with others but these are a few simple rules to remember
1) If I’ve never met you and we’ve never done business – I can’t recommend you on LinkedIn,in-person and so on. Facebook friend does not = friend often it is peer or associate
2) This above statement applies also to getting through phone doors. You cannot say I’m friends with “DJ Perry” off a blind accept on social media built for fans, friends, family and peers – Can you say Godfather, Godmother calls? Also a friendly reminder – REMEMBER the folks who do open the doors for you. Going around people will usually screw you at some point. For many it is when I get a call asking “who is so and so” and I respond “I don’t know” …deal blown.
3) Don’t use acting roles with me to try to bait producer action – 9 out of 10 times it will not happen especially if you are bringing nothing to the table. Our production funds are invested within the Tribe – period. Want in the tribe? Bring something to the table…
We can start with those three little rules:) Feel free to explore more at the http://www.cdiproductions.com site. I’m excited by some of the future projects and I do hope to expand the tribe. If you possess respect, loyalty and hard work and know how to stand accountable – maybe we will see you in the future here at CDI.
Have a great Easter and be good to one another.
DJ
DJ Perry's Official Blog 'Clawing My Way to the Middle' 