Back in the USA since yesterday I started my fine morning with my beloved hazelnut coffee. I’m happy to report that while in the Philippines we had a coffee sponsor. I even got to drop the product placement in the film “Darkest Night” featuring our coffee. That coffee being MAGNIFICO! (Ding) The DING being the sparkle, thumbs-up after your first sip. They actually use brown sugar in their coffee which is quite good.

For those unaware, I had 19 days shooting on the gothic horror film “Darkest Night” in the Philippines. I will try to explain the experience here in these lines but I’m sure it will still fall short.

It all started when I decided I needed to find that next international project. After “Karma” in India I knew I wanted to give my existing audiences another unique film experience. I  also wanted to expand into additional foreign markets and gain new fans in far away places. The right project came together in a Russ William’s script about an American being taken back to the Philippines to meet soon-to-be wife’s family at Christmastime. What happens after that? (You wish!) Audiences will have to tune in to find out but all I can say is that it isn’t pretty. Well pretty frightening!

The trip started with a 20+ hour flight through Japan to Manila. It was my 1st trip to Asia and all was good when writer/producer Russ and director Noel Tan found me in the crowded airport. A drive through Manila at night that reminded me of Bombay India but with much better roads. The highway was extremely nice and well-kept due to almost all roads being toll roads. They also drive on the same side of the road as we do and the 1st thing I noted was the humid heat. I got to know this heat intimately over the course of the trip.

So after two hours of driving sometime after midnight we arrive at these giant gates down a remote dirt road. The house is large and imposing and looks like the perfect location for a horror film.  When I find my room I find the air conditioner is not set up yet and I’m told the plumbing is being worked on tomorrow. DOH! The story is that the owner and her family live in the guest house and they had rented production the main house. Exhausted I sleep beside a fan that reminds me of my Costa Rica trip.

I awake early to a quiet house. I go in search of…anyone awake. I find the art crew set building and they direct me to the housemaid of the owner named Regina. She understands me enough to bring COFFEE! Step one in the right direction. By noon they have the shower up and running. NICE! The water is luke warm but in the extreme heat that is just fine and a shower is so refreshing after the long trip.

I also move to a master bedroom with a nicer bed. It’s large and flat – Japanese style. Best of all the room had a large air conditioner! After a few eggs and sausage for breakfast I start meeting more crew as they come in. Soon smiles, laughter and music fill the air. The first thing I can say is that the Philippine people are a happy people. They are a musically gifted people with beautiful voices and amazing talent with guitars and such. Here I am on the other side of the world with a foreign film crew in full action just like back home.

The pool cleaners come and start to prep the pool which will help cool a few hot days. My 1st co-star Justin Chan from Malaysia arrives and with me having the main air-conditioned room – the first steps towards hosting the DUDES DORM was taken. As my new co-star’s came in we invited them in one by one and almost immediately we all banded like brothers. The ladies set up in another couple of rooms and that afternoon we had a wonderful rehearsal. It was amazing to have everyone all together and start hearing the words flow off the page.

My 1st scenes were actually the opening scenes of the film with my character Ken arriving and meeting the family. Everyone was so open and inviting to the experience before us.  We all blended into a tight-knit cast and the scenes started to get knocked down one by one. It was amazing that we had all just met.

We survived a blackout, two Typhoon’s, the steady heat, long nights that almost always saw the sunrise. But by the efforts of all involved we finished the shoot a day ahead of schedule. We earned some amazing footage for our hard work. For the second time ever I lost my voice for a half a day due to the intensity of some of the scenes. Actually the entire 1st week was INTENSITY followed by INTENSITY followed by more INTENSITY.

Week two allowed more of the drama to flow and glue everything together. I’m so excited for those that know me and my work to experience the talent I worked with both in front of and behind the camera. CDI has a formal agreement to develop/produce films with GPI (Gothic Pictures International) and so we’ll see more mutual projects from us produced in the Philippines. This was CDI’s 1st International associated project and that makes me proud as a company owner. This is truly a new benchmark for us and will open up more doors to talent exchanges.

The film is slated to premiere at a Manila festival in Sept and will follow with a theatrical release in a chain owned by the shopping malls across the country.

More PR will be rolling out with photo releases, BTS videos and more – so STAY TUNED!

“Darkest Night” Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Darkest-Night/165453413505485?ref=ts

A website is also under construction

This week I’m going to follow-up on our films that we’re working to place with distributors. I should have release date info and more relating to the projects currently in post and recently completed.

LOT OF PROJECTS in motion so hold onto your seats!

Happy to be home but missing all my new friends who were just MAGNIFICO!

“It’s a small world after all”

DJ

A surprise of a nice day yesterday and we can hope for more of the same today. The seedlings we planted indoors to go to the garden have started to sprout! Little leaves turned towards the sun. A few weeks ago we talked sowing seeds and so I hope some of you have done that. It doesn’t just have to be in your career. A smile, kind words, helping the needy are all seeds you can plant.

On this day respected for love I wanted to speak on hate. I was born into an ivory tower as I look back. I was taught to like or dislike someone by their actions not their age, gender, race or religion. I also LOVED people who were different and had their own cultures and customs. Old fishermen in Hornbaek, Denmark talking about the old Norse Gods. Eating squirrel and training martial arts with Mong friends. Painted, sacred cows that walk as they please in India. As long as hate isn’t part of the equation I think it is a beautiful thing. Much like the variety of flowers in a garden they are all different and wonderful in their own way.

Bad business and greed will continue to corrupt until we adjust our value system. I’ve had people frown because of how spiritual I am to my approach of everything. For some they don’t understand how they go hand in hand. I’m here to tell you all your actions stem from who you are and what you believe. I like free market competition but the dollar should not be all-mighty. I’m trying hard to not be all preachy but I see the many flaws in man’s many attempts to harness divinity. The working cycles of the Creator continue despite failed attempts by man to lay claim over them. Ask Japan, we do not hold claim over much of anything save the small shelters we erect.

Again I’m not an actor trying to be all opinionated but an artistic soul living in the same world. I think the Middle East conflict(s) are  a progression. A resonating truth that nobody truly has power over us that will don’t allow, give or grant it. Fears that a militant Islamic faction will just take over where the dictators left off I feel is not accurate. People want freedom to speak  and to do and whomever oppresses that need will fall to the masses eventually.

EXAMPLE –

On my wonderful trip to India I heard 1st hand that the conflicts with Pakistan were fading. The youth doesn’t want to hold old grudges and certainly not in the name of religion. Controlled grudges in cricket or soccer (futbol) may continue to exist but they all collectively belong to a group that loves healthy competition vs war and conflict. I may be wrong in my recall but even the Olympics were used to settle certain disagreements. Single champion combat replaced massive loss of life in some situations. I say paper, scissors, rock for the Gaza strip:)

OK. Solving world issues here. Let’s address the need for women returning to a status of equality. This is something that needs to happen. Why, how, when this removal of power happened can be debated but the lack of female balance has been felt. Many countries not putting equal value on female children is OUT OF BALANCE. Allow me to illustrate.

Birds + Bees = new birds & bee’s

On this day of reflection we’ve taken a look at a few world issues through the eyes of one person clawing his way to the middle. This title/term is used in reference to my movies career but it is applicable to all areas of your life.

– Responsibility of actions.

– Love of difference.

– Freedom to disagree.

We’ve all allowed this imbalance to maintain. The world needs to change. Storytelling illustrates our common hopes, fears, dreams as one race. Movies can be escapism but it can also be used for eye-opening enlightenment. I try to strike a balance between the two and also seek to convey a message in all the stories I help tell. Some are cautionary tales that over-illustrate the horrific results. But again they are often nothing compared to actual events. Yesterday I was recalling to others the lack of impact “Blair Witch” had on me because upon turning the VCR off the news had a story about a S. American serial killer that was many times more horrific than a stone piling entity that made a few teens disappear in the woods.

I also think that “story reporters” need to take a better role in how they inform people.  When you have a reporter asking a security defense person in the wake of 9-11 if someone dropped the ball – Duh! Stupid answers to stupid questions. On days like this I often think about friends and family now passed.  Take away all the BS that goes with organic human existence and what do you have left? We all hope to transcend our mortal shortcomings but maybe some of that can start here and now – in our time. (PR plug:) That is wisdom.

I think we’ve had enough esoteric pondering. So my last final ramblings – Garden earth planted by hands greater than we are. We have no true ownership we just exist for a period of time upon it. Divinity exists in ways beyond us and continue despite any human actions using it to justify their personal agendas. The illusion of this ownership compounded by the insecurities of individuals, allows greed and corruption to grow. Actions make one great not possessions. Do. Do good.

MOVIES

On this day I’m happy to report that “In Our Time” is back on track. New web sites are going up to promote the film. I think this will be a powerful film that attempts to cut through all the BS and gets to the heart of a teaching. I sometimes feel that one savior dying for the sins of mankind has given many people a cop-out. Looking back on it all I’m not sure any favors were truly done. Great acts of kindness are deserving only when not taken for granted. I know from martial arts that something earned is always better than something given. Would Jesus make the same sacrifice today given a choice? Maybe he would keep his mouth closed, content in his knowing and finish the oak coffee table he was working on. Just something to think on.

My bags are almost packed and my affairs put to order. I’m excited to meet new artists and a new culture that I’ve only read about. I’m excited to let them know who I am. What I represent and maybe change a few hearts and minds about Americans. We are what we are. The good and the bad. We don’t judge by someone’s station in life or ethnic backgrounds as harshly as I’ve seen elsewhere. We judge more by individual ideas and a simple freedom to explore those ideas. In a trade of cultures I feel we have something to offer. I’ve always learned from others. It will be good.

I will continue to update here from the Philippines and pass that along to all of you. Feel free to watch http://www.cdiproductions.com for some updates as well. I’ll be back to more movie driven news here soon enough. Enjoy the spring day and don’t take anything for granted. While we may one day discover that we are not truly unique in the universe we are unique in the here and now. This is our story. This is our record of civilization. Perhaps one day we may become a world of peace. Maybe that will happen when faced with an endgame situation of some space rock on a collision course with Earth. Maybe that will be the day all guns are dropped, enemies hug goodbye and trivial battles/arguments/wars over resources, land, religion will cease. If all people knew that they may be judged at a set date perhaps we would be better people. It would be a shame to have to wait for that day.

If you really want something in this life, you have to work for it –Now quiet, they’re about to announce the lottery numbers! –Homer Simpson