What a week! It is Sat. afternoon and with a slight chill in the air the rain has gone and the Fall is back in full effect. I awoke a little stuffed up but told myself to enjoy this experience of transition that comes once a year. In a little over a week I’ll be back into the tropics where I’m usually too hot. I’m a Celtic dude whose ancestors stomped around in the Highlands of Scotland. I do better with cool BUT it will be a nice change. With the ways of Michigan I’ll probably come home to snow. Let’s see on the personal level this week we racked the green tomato wine to the secondary and I will say the sample tasting was surprising. It taste nothing like tomato at all. It was dry with complex spicy taste that likely stems from the clove and ginger root that is in the mix. The peach wine seems like it will also be kicking. I had to deal with my car just getting it ready for winter. NOTE to artists out there and maybe the sharper tools in the shed already know this BUT if you go to work on a film set you can downgrade your car insurance to STORAGE until you return. With all my trips over the years away from my car I shudder to think of how much money I could have saved with a phone call.

Luggage is another artist/actor thing I have to prep for – the last two international trips killed my luggage. India and the Philippines sent me back bags that look like elephants walked on them. Luckily I packed well and all was good. I’m waiting on the premiere date which will be released on Nov. 3rd at the press conference. They are putting media kits together and it will be a nice experience. As the films are getting larger I’m needing to do more and more media events. It is all a good thing.

I’m happy to say that the deal on RENOVATION is done! It is a worldwide rights that includes a small limited theatrical. We did a home town premiere and small theater run in the Yuma area but I really want another premiere in a major city. I’m waiting to get the 1st press release okayed that outlines the deal. I can say that while the film is being prepped now for international sales the theatrical run, home video and TV/VOD will all be in early 2012. There will be many more releases to come. Find and join the RENOVATION Facebook pages as they will be posting updates and watch http://www.renovationthemovie.com that will also be updating often. Congrats to all the hard-working cast and crew of the film!

Also working to pull in the other offers on OUTSIDE THE WIRE and Tony is working on new showings in Texas. The film locally will be playing at the East Lansing Film Festival in a showcase on Sat. November 12th, at 1:00 in Wells Hall (Hitchcock Theater) so check it out and educate yourself.

Development talks abound this week with “Wild Michigan,” “Holly, Jingles and Clyde,” “Secondary Heroes,” “Pandemonium,” “Face the Thunder,” and I could go on and on. I really follow the flow of the river. Opportunities, talks and discussions open up over a project and you flow with it. Networks, studios, executives it is all a different game from the pirate filmmaking of the past. It moves slow but with larger budgets comes more artists. Many of the budgets are being asked to be trimmed. In some of these cases it may come down to the artists working less expensive or no film. Usually there are artists ready to work but producing in this economy is hard OR I don’t know all the right people…yet.

I read a few scripts/acting offers this week and always nice to get lost in a world. I truly love writing and I will have finishing a few new scripts in 2012 on my goal sheet. Goal sheet you say? Yes. I think it is a good thing to establish goals for the year. It has been fun to look back at past years and see what came to pass and what did not. Data of DJ:) So try it. It makes you take a true TIME OUT from everything else and crystallize on you and your career path. Try it. You owe yourself that solid 15-30 minutes.

“Benjamin” PR is about to go full-blown here. Their media kit was sent around. “7 Stones” finished their last pick up shots and is racing through post. “Darkest Night” is in final FX and trimming for runtime. I’m told that after the mainstream release there might be an extended version. I’m excited to see any version! “Locked in a Room” is as secret as the title suggests. Very little is being released but I can promise you a very interesting film. I’m sure more info will become available soon.

I think that is going to wrap up the reports for the week. I want to once again thank everyone for following CLAWING MY WAY TO THE MIDDLE. I’m truly doing just that and I’m here to say that dreams can be achieved but the determination, persistence and focus needed in immense. But if passion is not just a word to you but a well from which you draw your strength – you too can find your place.

Have a wonderful weekend and go MSU! Go Lions!

DJ