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

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Mother Nature and a Week in Review

WOW! Mother Nature is showing who the boss is and it is not the tiny ants fondly known as human beings. I was having a great conversation yesterday with a friend of mine who is Native American. The topic was about taking environmental issues serious. Now global warming scientists may not have it all correct but certain actions won’t help the issues. Many choices are all about financial and lower EPA rulings to better exploit valuable resources. When out of the norm storms wipe out the child home homes of some of these lawmakers maybe they will look at things differently. You can’t lobby mother nature or buy your way out of the path of a storm. Again it brings me back to what I use to teach at the Ebersole Center (A nature camp for city kids) about Chief Seattle and the web of life. Basically it talks of how everything is interconnected and the balance is vital to our continued existence. Well I feel very bad for all the folks out there dealing with such destruction.

Today I want to try to oversee some changes to the CDI company site. We’ve got so many good things moving and grooving and I’ll try to hit on a few major updates here.

– “Ghost Town in the Sky” the location of our “Ghost Town” western is set to re-open after a mudslide caused issues a year or so ago. So go check out the locations and get your special edition release.

– CDI Co-Production “Deadly Renovations” will be heading to the Hong Kong film market this month and we are awaiting a new sales trailer from our international distributor.

– CDI Co-Production “Donors” is now in post and has been getting some good PR buzz out there including distributors coming at us early.

– I’ve been working on a few Corporate programs for CDI product one with a major beer company.

– We know that New Video is releasing some of our titles (Figure in the Forest, Heaven’s Neighbors, An Ordinary Killer) late 2nd quarter and I’m working on hard dates now.

– The sequel to “An Ordinary Killer” is packaging with an updated “Race to Judgment” formerly known as “A State of Hate”.

– CDI The highly anticipated Co-Production “Darkest Night” is getting a lot of press and fellow producer Russ Williams is now in the Philippines overseeing the final post for the theatrical cut. Screening for distributors in LA will likely happen in April.

– Development on “Secondary Heroes,” “Soul Eater,” and “Long Road Home” continue as well as a handful of associated CDI projects

– CDI Co-Production “Locked in a Room” has announced a May 3rd Michigan showing.

– CDI Co-Production “7 Stones” is in final post polish and is slated to be done this month and several festivals are targeted.

On a personal acting level I’m waiting to see if a deal happens this weekend on a film in NYC. I also am waiting on a 2nd project that if we agree would film in Texas in April. I also have a project in June that I’m awaiting my deal memo on as well. The snow is starting to fall here and I’ve been a hint under the weather. I will likely do some reading and perhaps bottle the “Green Goblin” our batch of Green Tomato wine.

That is enough of an update for today. I wish safety to all those in the path of these great storms. Have a great Saturday.

DJ

Film Updates and Winter Fun!

A beautiful white snow is spread across the landscape. The steamy coffee tastes good on a morning such as this. I did a special mid-week blog based on a fan email I received earlier in the week. It was one of those emails that just deserved a response. I’m happy to see how woven our Civil War film “Wicked Spring” is into the fabric of films in that genre. How schools are using the film to stimulate discussions among the students. I encourage my weekly readers to go back and read the previous blog.

Our 1st look at the “Donors” teaser poster was released this week. We also announced the addition of more cast onto the project such as the beautiful Anne Gauthier whom I shared the screen with in “Darkest Night” and Lana Wood, a legend. Post work is underway and I think a 1st trailer will be following soon.

“Deadly Renovations” is being prepped for Hong Kong film market in March and our DVD/Blu-Ray extras are being delivered this week. I’m excited to see what countries are interested in our thriller.

I’m still trying to get exact street dates on our New Video titles. I’m told that the Michigan showing of “Locked in a Room” will be in May. I also hear that “7 Stones” will be polished up and submitted for showing at the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan. I still have no dates on “Benjamin” showings yet. “Darkest Night” will be ready to shop at its theatrical run-time in April. Development continues and progress is being made on the various films.

Verbal talks are underway and I soon may announce my involvement in a film next month. I will hint by saying that it would be the 1st sports film I’ve ever done. I’m also close to closing a deal on a film in April. There is a chance that one of our films may go up in that month if I don’t do the April project. I’m also close to signing a deal memo on a June/July film that shoots in 3 states including Michigan so that would be great.

I’m also waiting on news on “Supermodel Showdown” the TV show I worked on in Costa Rica. Creator Joe Murphy was supposed to take a look at it and get back with me. I think it is coming out on Telemundo/NBC here soon. We use to roll with Big Cat to Night of a 100 Stars on Oscar night and perhaps I will attend again soon but not this year. I’m sure Hollywood is buzzing with excitement and I know the artists there will party hard.

Well I’m going to do some work this morning followed by some domestic activities. The dogs love the snow so that might be in the future. Also might run to go get bottles for the next batch of wine that is to be bottled.

Have a great Sat!

DJ

This is the 1st teaser poster on "Donors"