The chill is on in the Michigan! Today is another fall festival day with family over for food and watching the MSU game before a fire outside. Yesterday we harvested the huge amount of green tomatoes from the garden. We’re going to follow our peach wine with green tomato wine. Yes. You heard that right. I also plan to explore the various dishes one can make with them. Our little puppy Luke is gaining in size and is now more or less potty trained with him now able to climb down steps. Yesterday for the 1st time he took himself outside with neither of our other two dogs with him. He is well-adjusted to the home and is also the color of my hazelnut coffee with cream:)

Okay onto the film updates. I was a little bummed at first that I might have to be in flight to the Philippines on Halloween. I love the fall and such but realized it’s time to get back to film work. The work on this mission is seeing old friends, networking and doing PR news conferences/press leading up to our Asian premiere of “Darkest Night”. I spoke to the film editor yesterday via IM and he was saying how spooky the film plays. I’ve got no doubts that the film will bring a little fun/terror into the lives of audiences.

On the downside it looks as if I will miss the 1st festival showing of “7 Stones” at the Michigan Film Festival also in November. I’m not sure when “Benjamin” and “Locked in a Room” will show but I hope to be able to attend the premieres of these two fine films. The cast and crew of “Locked in a Room” are having a Halloween party but I will be unable to attend again due to my return trip to Manila.

New “Outside the Wire” screenings are being set up and we’re collecting interest from distributors. On this same topic we’ve just about got all the fine tuning of the “Renovation” deal done. I was swamped this week and so it took me a day or two longer to get my notes over. (Sorry Charles) Also another large deal might be looming for Collective Development Inc. in regards to distribution of existing product and launching new product. I’ve been working with my LA attorney to put this in order so I hope it comes to pass.

This week we announced that horror icon Tom Savini, has given his interest in the film “Secondary Heroes”. This is a horror/comedy that CDI is producing with director Stuart MacDonald at the helm. Several projects are in development talks and we’re looking for those final pieces of the financial puzzle. (Aren’t we all) I think this end of the year will really help move many things forward. I’m also clearing many projects off my plate of post prod and into distribution so that will free up some time.

I need to take a meeting next week with B4Tyme over the “Jesus” project “IN OUR TIME”. This will follow another film of theirs in the Spring centered on the historic figure of Madam CJ Walker. Ray N. and I who produced “Book of Ruth” have a pair of new biblical dramas that are slowly coming together with interest from the distributors. I’m also in negotiation talks as the lead in a sleek, trippy ROCK N ROLL script that shoots in the Spring. I just had an LA buddy send me another script to read for acting that also shoots in the Spring. Add the Philippine follow-up “Shadow of Death”  as a Spring/Early Summer shoot and all in all – it will be a busy 2012 ahead!

I’m just blessed that the work keeps coming and I can make a living doing what I love. It was VERY hard in the beginning but believe in yourself and work honestly and diligently.

Have a wonderful weekend!

DJ

Hello artists,

Another beautiful fall day in Michigan and after a long week of phone calls, emails, contract reviews, script reviews and premiere prep. Tonight we’re having the hometown Lansing showings of our humanitarian/military doc “Outside the Wire” which centers on efforts being done to help and assist the children over there. They will be the future and while the radical views of many adults may never change – children will become the new torch bearers. So I will be attending the 8:00 pm Riverwalk showing tonight to shake some hands and watch many people gain new insight to this important issue. There are also two showings on Sunday at 2:00 and 4:30 and tickets are $10.00. I do believe that includes an afterglow tonight of wine and cheese.

As stated above I will be there tonight but tomorrow I will not as we’ve advanced to the next round of our soccer league playoffs. I’m excited to see how we do. We’ve been playing good as a team and if we win that will take us farther than we’ve gone before in the playoffs. So here is to wishing Michigan State, Det. Lions and our team Ballsy Ballyhoo victory!

We had some announcements this week including the article on “Soul Eater” the prequel to “The 8th Plague”. We also have more updates coming on “Secondary Heroes”. The poster for “Benjamin” was released and can be seen on IMDB. The premiere should be this Fall. We’ve started discussions about my return to the Philippines to do my PR campaign there for “Darkest Night”. I’ve got the premiere followed by development meetings on our other CDI/GPI slate and to talk with a few agents about commercial representation. “7 Stones” is doing final pick ups next week and I’m trying to find info on “Locked in a Room” progress.

A deal on “Renovation” is close at hand as paperwork is being reviewed. If you’ve missed that site/trailer see http://www.renovationthemovie.com

I’ll wrap this up as I’ve got a busy day ahead of me. This is a beautiful time in the turning of the wheel. I’ve got peach wine in the 2ndary fermentation and it is going great! Have been harvesting tomatoes from the garden, burning leaves, shooting archery and spending some time with family and friends at the end of long days. I hope you all do the same and balance your business with quality time.

Enjoy the day!

DJ