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

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Film Showings & In-Praise of the Digital Age

The day of yard and garden work may be halted due to the approach of the storms outside. It has been another wild week of business, business and more business. A lot of time is being spent on promotion of the projects now coming out. Some are coming out to audiences and some to distributors. Let’s take a look at a few…

LOCKED IN A ROOM – Had 1st Michigan theatrical and setting up a few more. We’ve been getting distribution offers but will likely wait until July to make any final assignment of rights.  I feel this film is a small stepping stone to bigger things for the director Larry Simmons.

DARKEST NIGHT – Just finished final mixing in the Philippines and is prepping for a showing to distributors in June. If you are a distributor in the area and want to see a damn scary film give me a holler:)

7 STONES is also now complete. A new trailer is showing how strong this project is. It will play a test run in the theatre next week in Grand Rapids, MI. Following that many festival and screenings are being planned. I think this is some of my best drama in the last couple years.

DEADLY RENOVATIONS – They are prepping the domestic artwork and I know they are in discussions with Redbox, Blockbuster and other retailers. I think this film will scare and entertain. Again a great 1st step for some new filmmakers.

OUTSIDE THE WIRE – This film is gearing up for additional showings across the US. I also know that plans are underway for additional military docs by director Anthony Hornus.

I don’t have any major updates yet from SplitVision Ent. on the status of BENJAMIN. I think this film will be greatly enjoyed by audiences when it comes out. Seek out some of these films on Facebook, IMDB and such to see some preview trailers on these projects.

CDI/Myself are involved in the pushing of two slates of films forward. One is geared towards projects to be shot in Michigan and the other includes locations outside of Michigan. I also heard yesterday that we might be sharing an office on the 20th Century Fox studio lot. I’m not planning on moving to LA but it will make a nice visit from time to time. I’ve been learning from some more experienced mentors in our business. I think we all need those mentors.

As for acting I’ve been in discussions and doing a few reads on scripts. I also did a follow-up read for a director on a drama. I really like technology in the sense of my cell phone camera. I never liked going to casting offices to be treated like cattle. Thankfully those times were few and far between as I almost always get cast off previous work.  I recall those casting days where at the end I felt like I gave a sub par read usually due to a forced read with someone from the casting office who could not “give”. Add in a casting director who really has no credit/resume to back up their attempted “directing” – often I would have been better just staying home and working in the garden. Now I can be relaxed, mull over the character, do a read on my phone, email it off…DONE! Back to my day. I don’t often credit technology but in this aspect I love the new digital age. No stamps, no printed headshots, no B.S.. Face to face discussions are a great gauge of mutual VIBE and understanding of character and their place in the story. When location is an issue SKYPE works well. It has opened up the world in many ways and my international filming trips attest to that.

I’m sure I could ramble on about a few other topics but I think I’ll go grab another cup of coffee.

I wish you all a safe a wonderful weekend.

DJ

Posted by  |  May 12, 2012 | Categories: Blogroll | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Past, Present & Future – Embrace Them ALL!

I want to start with sending my wishes to my long-time acting amigo Terry Jernigan who lost his father last night. He and I spoke a few days ago about the loss of parents. It is a journey we will all have to make at sometime. I don’t think we are ever ready for such a thing so I just hope he keeps the strength. That is why friends and family are so important and so remember to be a good friend. I didn’t know any of the Beastie Boys but I was raised on a steady diet of them from high school and into college. The death of one of them puts a solid pillar of age before me. I didn’t feel it really with MIchael Jackson or Whitney but this surely did. I have their newest CD in my vehicle at this time and was so impressed and looking forward to the next. It will never be the same. That is a theme as time moves past – enjoy the present because it will NEVER be the same.

I’ve recently been re-watching some of the past films as I negotiate deals to get the library out there. It was fun to re-live those moments and see the beauty of adventure of the storytelling. The other night I got to see “Locked in a Room” at the multiplex and watch audiences be scared. I LOVE watching others watching the work. There was about 150 people there and I know more showings are planned.

PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE…

We have two slates of films that are firming up – one that is based on Michigan films and the other primarily outside Michigan productions. Development is really starting to gel and I hope to have many artists to work soon.

I’ve got a few scripts/films I’m in talks about working on as talent. One shoots in Paris, France and that would be interesting as I’ve never been there before.

I’ve also got a mystery package from the UK that postal tried to deliver when I was out so I need to maybe swing by and pick that up today. I’ve got a few connects in the UK but was not really expecting anything.

Another film that is from a Mexican production company has been talking to me about acting and so I’ll do a little more communication on that project this week.

I’ve also been getting emails from some fans in Norway and other foreign places in South Africa and such and I recently realized that it is from “Book of Ruth” that is playing in about ten countries as well as a half-dozen US TV networks. I think Ray N. and I are close to launching a few other biblical dramas and so that will be fun. I love period pieces and so I’m sure I will be producing many in the near future.

I’ll leave this all here for now – I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

DJ

Posted by  |  May 5, 2012 | Categories: Blogroll | Leave a comment