“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ― Sun Tzu

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Take Care of You – Exciting Updates

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Today I’m getting a touch later start to my blog because we went out to the flea market. It is great when character building for a role. I seek little things that the character might carry. The items may never show on screen but that trinket pocketknife or lucky coin can add a lot.

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We’ve had a few nice days that are more summer-like versus winter-like but today is suppose to be rain storms. It was a busy week in the film business while the background noise was upset GOT fans. Not all of them but some of them. This business of petitions to re-write or re-shoot films or seasons is just silly. I use to think I was reading The Old News Boy or The Onion, both of which are comedic news. Fact is funnier than fiction in some off these cases. I say, don’t watch something if you don’t like it. Raise money behind a script and tell your own story. I personally have really enjoyed this season of GOT. I also really have enjoyed the newest Star Wars installments. I did not like the prequels, so I don’t watch them. I don’t discuss them. They are just…not worth the energy. If not your cup of tea, move on. But so many have been brought sheltered from the world. A world where opposing priorities can exist without anyone being wrong. Those conditioned to getting their own way are having huge issues coping with disappointment or things out of their control. Adult tantrums that result is little change and lots of anxiety. I’ve seen it in people and in their desperate outcries. I’m “offended” by lots of this but I choose to just ignore it. I don’t give it any power over me. If I don’t like certain music it doesn’t find my ears. I don’t read books I don’t like. I don’t watch films that don’t interest me. If I don’t like social media spewing or whining, I scroll on, or disassociate myself with it. People tend to trigger themselves. It goes against the basic goal of KNOW THYSELF. As with any artists – he or she that earns the right to tell the stories via hard work and business.

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Now some people take on the anxiety of trying to change things like – SAVE THE RHINOS or CLEAN WATER – all good. But spending time to change other artists art is well…silly. Wasted time. So instead of trying to put a square peg in a circular hole – just find your square. Violence offends you – don’t watch it. Too sexy offends you – don’t watch it. Unhappy endings ruining your week – watch something else. Take care of YOU. Watch your world improve as you take care of you. As you stop triggering yourself and trying to change what others enjoy – happiness might follow.

OK. Onto some film updates?

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MBF: Man’s Best Friend – I’m not sure how much I covered this in last week’s post but I’ll explain. Our distributor for our family/faith content BMG partners with myCinema on select films. With THE CHRIST SLAYER and WILD FAITH the home video was already in place and the theatrical had to dance around those dates. Now with MBF they can set the theatrical and follow with the home video set up. I’m happy to say that upon review of our work-in-progress, myCinema will be rolling out MBF. I think this film with themes of military and adoption dogs will play well to audiences nationally. I also got to watch the film with first passes of sound design done. It is looking and sounding great and the theatrical company thought so too.

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WILD FAITH – If you find our Facebook page, we’ve been updating with pre-order DVD retailers. Right now you can digital purchase the film from Amazon. On June 24th you can digital rent and July is the DVD release. If you’ve seen the film and enjoyed it please share a few lines of review at your favorite retailer or IMDB site. We’ve been invited to screen at two western festivals and I’ll be following up on that this week. One festival in AZ and one in VA, so stay tuned.

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“I didn’t hear no bell” – Rocky

FORTY NIGHTS, CHASING THE STAR and THE CHRIST SLAYER are all released and can be seen back-to-back. Enjoy this adventure series that brings classic stories to life by presenting them in a new way. The Quest Trilogy is worth checking out when you get a chance.

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BTS of “40 Nights” – the camp of John the Baptist

DEVELOPMENT 

LOST HEART is going to be moving into Official Pre-Production this week. We’ve had good discussions with our team including director Jesse Low. Our production meetings will be on a regular basis and this week we’ll also start discussing crew. We’re all very excited to shoot this movie in July. It will be another wonderful ‘Made in Michigan’ movie brought to you by Collective Development Inc. (www.cdiproductions.com)

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Knight Chills 2 – some very interesting discussions here.

We’ve got a good slate of possible projects. It all depends on how development rolls. But you start chipping away. Little by little. It all starts to come together.

I’m going to leave this all here until next week. Lots of work to be done but things are all moving in the right direction. Soccer, darts, yard work have been filling in the gaps between all the meetings and work related tasks. I hope you all had a great weekend and carry that over to the week ahead.

DJ

Happy Mother’s Day – May CDI Updates

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Happy Mother’s Day to all the nurturing ladies out there. It is a slightly chilly Sunday coming off several wet days here in Michigan. The lawn needs a second mowing and I still have to till the garden ground.

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This past week has included lots of development work on LOST HEART our next film. We have the last three units to assign before we move into full pre-production. We’ve had several talks and I think the last three will get claimed soon. It also helps that we will be dispersing money back to previous investors. For me, once we lock up the business we can focus on the creative. I had some schedule discussions this week with our 1st AD. It looks like we will shoot July 16-Aug 1st in N. Michigan. In about 2 weeks (or sooner) we’ll start bringing on cast and crew. The bank account is open and I’m awaiting the check book. Once we green light to pre-production the ball will really start rolling. We’ll also be announcing some of the great companies and businesses supporting us with sponsorship. It will be an exciting week ahead for LOST HEART.

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We have also had some development discussions on KNIGHT CHILLS 2 which has been in talks for a while. This would be a collaboration and I’ve been working to set up the distribution aspects of the film.

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Original KNIGHT CHILLS poster – “Scream” style.

THE QUEST TRILOGY – The entire 3 film series in out on Amazon Prime. You all can now watch all three back to back. FORTY NIGHTS. CHASING THE STAR. THE CHRIST SLAYER. Please do enjoy this extended biblical adventure. I’ve said before that the style was influenced by the Star Wars original trilogy. I look forward to hearing from more of you that have seen all three. They do stand alone but create a greater picture when all three are viewed. Congrats to part 3 THE CHRIST SLAYER for taking 2nd place BEST FILM at the International Christian Film Festival in Orlando, FL.

  • I have several sources talking to me about a new series of biblical adventures. We will see what the future holds.

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WILD FAITH is now out on Amazon and other platforms for digital purchase. In June we’ll see digital rental and July will be the DVD release. Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Family Video and several outlets will be carrying this fine film.

  • Again talks are happening about the possible TV series

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MBF: Man’s Best Friend is finishing up color correction and sound design. A work-in-progress link was sent to the theatrical company for evaluation. I was watching the film now with all the dialog balanced and it is really engaging to watch. Music will be starting soon and we’ll also begin working the new full trailer.

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This week I’ll continue my conversations with the possible agent for literary and talent. I’ve also had a few independent script writing opportunities arise. I will be exploring that. I’ve been pulling together my materials both as a writer and as talent. I’ve enjoyed the response from all of you to mountain man Ben Lily and of course ole J.C. from THE CHRIST SLAYER. I’m looking forward to making a deal so that some of my future negotiations concerning acting and script can be handled by a 3rd party.

I’m asking my readers here to take a watch and leave a review. You can comment here as well. I’m going to wrap things up here. Eat a little something and we’re taking the mother’s to the zoo today. I look forward to a fun day of family stuff before back at it tomorrow. I have to work on writing out checks and dispersing to our backers. I really do love writing checks. To our artists, our backers – it always feels good. Again I don’t think I’ve ever been able to pay an artist their true worth but we do compensate and create.

Keep plugging along and we’ll chat again next week.

DJ