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

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‘Take Care of Our Global Crew’ and CDI Updates!

(Mom on her Bday with my niece)

The coffee is flowing nicely. I had to get it early again because our furry babies do not like the fireworks. Once those big booms start they will not go outside to do a final potty. And when usually they go out just before bed it results it early morning potty breaks. At least this one was only an hour before I normally rise. I want to wish my mother a happy birthday. We all went out to dinner last night and to her house after. It was fun to be with several family celebrating her day. I had coconut shrimp which was nice. I haven’t had that in quite a while. My father’s birthday is tomorrow and we are having a party for him today. My sense of days is all messed up and I’ll be happy to be back on a schedule tomorrow. But I’ll enjoy another day of family and friends before I’m back at the movie tasks. I again want to thank all our readers from around the globe. We had a lot of new readers and from new places which is always nice to see. I like something I read recently that said every 100 years we have a new batch of us humans living upon ole planet earth. They stated this is our crew, almost like your high school class just on a global level. Be good to your crew. In a 100 years a new group will be running the show. This is our time to make the best of things. As I enter my 3rd decade of storytelling I already feel this turning of the wheel. So happy birthday to my mom and dad and I even recently added a new year onto my age. But age is just a number.

(Big daddy who’s Bday is tomorrow but celebrating today!) * On Set Wild Faith

When I return to filmmaking work this week it will be back to the funding stage. I’m not as good at raising capital as I am managing a film crew. I do okay because we have a strong track record. We get things done on schedule, on budget and with good quality. We have all the films in the marketing earning and that allows us to keep moving forward. This year we’re doing two smaller endeavors as we prepare for a few larger endeavors next year. This is allowing some who normally cannot invest to invest. It is a unique thing to be part of storytelling, something that will outlast ourselves. I’ve been putting together ROM COMS MUST DIE, a funny slasher that is clever in the examination of stereotypes and the trails and tribulations of artists. The other is a Christmas sequel to our successful WILD FAITH. We have given the prior backers the first opportunity to be part of the second film, which some did. Now we’ll be opening it up to new investors. The original film has many fans in the tens of millions and so we’re going to bring them a new story with some of their favorite characters. While the sequel is smart because of the ready made audience it is not a money grab. The script and story live up to the first and will be a great second chapter in this saga. We have been doing casting on both of these and I’m happy to say having some success. CDI consists of actor/producers and so we take that part of the process very serious. With the first project we’ll be announcing the director Travis Hayward and director of photography John McGraw this week. I’ll be sitting down with them this week and we’ll be discussing schedule. We got some great news on the WILD FAITH sequel on a location and we’ll be returning to Alpena, MI in November if everything stays on course.

This leads in nice to my updates on Harsens Island Revenge. First the official trailer has released and the response has been wonderful. I’m happy to say that the sound design first pass was almost complete as of Friday. This week will be a review session with our director and more music plotting. The post process is moving along nicely due to the software improvements. That is where AI can assist in guessing where an artists is going. Now we will not ever use AI music as I believe the human touch is best here. I use to say stock footage is like a suit you take off the rack. It can fit good but seldom if ever great. An AI is just stock footage created for your footage. So again AI can increase the speed at which an artist can perform his or her task. But AI will change our industry just like the digital revolution did as we transitioned from film. Actor/Producer Shane Hagedorn has been in Alpena over the holiday exploring options for the premiere. We will access the film at the end of the month and try to rough in some dates for a premiere. VFX and color correction work is underway and even a new poster of the director’s choosing. This will be a great story added to the CDI collection. You can watch the trailer below.

Harsens Island Revenge trailer: https://youtu.be/EC8_9S58nIk?si=6kcN–qsuwEhP0QW

THE MAKING OF Harsens Island Revenge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvvof3U4Sss&t=21s

SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA started a run on UP FAITH & FAMILY and can still be bought on DVD or streamed on many platforms. PREVIEW HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s03pzBaG3rs&t=30s

(Jackson Kennedy with the special edition Blu Ray)

CDI’s first feature film KNIGHT CHILLS is celebrating 25 years plus and recently released on Blu Ray. It was fun to read all the positive comments about the film on the distributors site where the special edition sold out in 6 days. You can still get the classic Blu Ray but it showed me how a cult following has truly grown. So it will be coming to streaming late this year and we’ve cut a new promo trailer. Great job by our Adam Towner! WATCH IT HERE: https://youtu.be/00bNxQ84b-I?si=ngvS1z-w2xc2SDpA With all the growing success we might see Sir. Kallio ride again one day soon!

(HD DVD coming this month!)

Knight Chills is not the only classic CDI films heading back into the market after restoration. AN ORDINARY KILLER will be heading there with a HD DVD release this month and a wide streaming release in December. That deal will sign this week! This film will be the next trailer that we likely put Adam Towner’s talents on next.

(Badass Blu Ray “IN THE WOODS”)

The IN THE WOODS, Blu Ray is now shipping so google it up and order it from your favorite online retailer!

(Giddy up to Ghost Town!)

Already back into the market is the CDI smoky mountain western GHOST TOWN or known as Dean Teaster’s Ghost Town due to it being about family history. Watch it on TUBI or various other platforms. Watch the new HD trailer by Brett Frame here: GHOST TOWN TRAILER: https://youtu.be/Z1eubAgHvOY?si=U1wjIwP6Zg5BGmle

We are still experimenting on the restoration of FROM VENUS, HEAVEN’S NEIGHBORS and FIGURE IN THE FOREST. A film look filter but on the early films soften the pixels and and when we up-rez them now it blurs them our so we need to sharpen or de-noise the films before we up-rez which is taking us a bit to get that correct. But as you can see the entire CDI catalog is being addressed. I love the job that Steve Young did making our PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ film HD. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/qLaw6zOAsw0?si=wgtuG7svTpRPwFTz

In other development new a GOTCH film is in development spinning off from the documentary FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH which you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLjMjIxZuk0

I was also so pleased to hear from fans over the long holiday who enjoyed our trilogy THE QUEST TRILOGY (Forty Nights, Chasing the Star and The Christ Slayer) and MAN’S BEST FRIEND, LOST HEART, WICKED SPRING, Best Years Gone and WILD FAITH. I truly appreciate all the fans who reached out with kind words. The films all have an ever-growing audiences and if you like one film from the CDI Tribe try some of the others. We put the same heart and soul into all our endeavors.

(Just me- 2024 headshot)

We’ve been approached about producing another feature film next year which is being evaluated. Again if you have your funding this is something we’ll consider. I look forward to reading a rough draft of the script and see where the project is at. It sounds unique from other CDI properties and I love that. I also got approached about acting in a TV pilot being filmed and I’m excited to read that. Plus add in the two CDI projects coming together for 2024 and I will be artistically fulfilled. I did see another project casting in Michigan that had a role that jumped at me. I sent off an email requesting sides and we’ll see what becomes of that. I’ve been playing around on instagram doing promo videos and like I said in a recent one IT’S NEVER EASY:) It connects back to Facebook and you can watch it here: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/mYsJiRqwwcviM6ia/

I’m going to refill the coffee cut and get a few eggs going. I might even put a mow on the yard if it has dried some. I’m looking forward to the BBQ and seeing my brother and friends this eve. Tomorrow it is back to budgeting, scheduling, casting, funding and promoting – all the fun work that goes with the business! I hope you all got a recharge with family and friends and you’re ready to get back at chasing your dreams and goals. I’m also looking forward to soccer on Thursday. I’ve been enjoying watching the matches on TV. In a few short months it will be football time! Go LIONS! Remember that every person walking the earth right now is part of our crew. look out for our crew and be kind to them all. Yes, even if they have differences of opinions. I appreciate you all!

DJ

Posted by  |  July 7, 2024 | Categories: Blogroll | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Youth, Experience, Wisdom and Loss

(Finn waiting for his buddy Jake to race)

Hazelnut coffee cheers from your artist friend DJ Perry enjoying a cool non-humid morning. My furry boy woke me early to go do his races with his buddy Jake. A lady walks her dog daily and they meet at the fence and do a series of “bop and go” runs. That is one barks GO! And they both bop the fence with their snout and run down and back along the fence line. I was proud of him because he hates fireworks, even the word. But even after a morning barrage set by some young yahoos likely not even to bed yet, he still returned to run. Usually it was one BOOM and he’s done. Let’s follow this conversation with yahoos.

I was once a yahoo which is a young foolish, self-centered, invincible-acting youth. We use to have a massive 4th party at my buddies house whereas so many fireworks were set off. This was not a country house but in a neighborhood and I can’t imagine the amount of distress we caused homeowners pets. And now I live in the karma. Also since last Monday my week has had a sad background to it all. Dear friends of mine that I actually introduced and who celebrated 30 years together recently lost their son. I knew this young man since he was a baby on up. He was like a nephew before I had a nephew. He had a ultra loving home and he was a well mannered, kind and humorous soul. But much like myself and many other’s he occasionally sought a BUZZ to be more social. Not all buzz’s lead down a dark place and for many it is just a phase. For some it can lead to a tragic ending and that is what happened here. This new generation seems to have much more dangerous substances too readily available. I’m not saying alcohol isn’t destructive because it surely can be. It can cost friendships, marriages, health and life either in bad decisions or eating your vitality. I will mourn this loss for a lifetime because it came way too soon.

I use to drink too much in my younger days but it was by choice, boredom and to deal with some of the early setbacks and failures of trying to get ahead in the film industry. I see the battles many young actors and filmmakers are going through. I feel for them because their passion is like a disease. It can be devastating to believe you are meant to do something without the means to do it. But keeping a clear head and trying different avenues is slowly revealing a path to success. After several wrong turns through the maze you start to gain ground. Experience teaches you and prepares your emotions for rejection. I told someone recently, you know me for my 30-40% of success but not of my 60-70% of setbacks. I’ve been dealing with those setbacks even now. I get something in place and it unravels. I put a piece in place and another falls off. But that is the way.

My belated birthday trip to Greenfield Village on Friday gave me many of the same inspirational insights to success only after many failures. Henry Ford didn’t fall into success. Nor did Thomas Edison, Walt Disney or Milton Hershey. Poverty. Fires. Bankruptcy. Ridicule. The greats all faced it unless handed down the money and those individuals were usually a pale version of the visionary who suffered to create. I’m thankful to be alive with the opportunity to try to climb the mountains.

I’m ready to get back to work tomorrow and try to get the new projects on better ground. We have some amazing wins this year already but I’m trying to prepare to do that again next year. We are fighting to film more stories this year and do it proper. Let’s look at some film updates-

  1. The first Harsens Island Revenge trailer is almost done. I’m awaiting the final version so I can upload to CDI Films Youtube site and we can premiere it. It is really good and only a reflection of the powerful film but it will be a great teaser to get folks ready. I wanted to release it on my birthday (June 23rd) but we were waiting on new voice over. And I wanted to try and have it released by week’s end or even today/now but the full audio was being remixed with the new narration. We have artists who deeply care about the story and final product and it shows. I would not be surprised to see if come across my desk today sometime and if it does we’ll all have a glorious Monday kick off! Additional trailers and poster art will follow!
  2. This week I’ll also be sending the new HD trailer of KNIGHT CHILLS, CDI’s 1st feature film, to a few distributors. Adam Towner did a bang up edit job and it is such a joy to see the work from all those years ago being presented again. And with the popularity again of Dungeons and Dragons and fantasy role playing games I believe it will be a hit. The Blu Ray sales on the special edition were wonderful. Now we want to bring it right into people’s homes. Follow the film on Facebook for all the new updates including the new trailer!
  3. AN ORDINARY KILLER sales link for the special edition HD DVD is still being put together. The streaming deal on this dramatic and touching film will be signed this week. It will stream in December! Now that Adam Towner has finished the new Knight Chills trailer the AOK streaming trailer might be next on deck.
  4. Dean Teaster’s GHOST TOWN is now streaming and kudos to Brett Frame for his trailer for the new release. Go to TUBI to watch free with ads and it should start appearing some other platforms also.
  5. Work on “De-Noise” and Up-Rez on the other classic CDI films is underway. I want to get a sales site up for the double feature DVD’s of HEAVEN’S NEIGHBORS and FIGURE IN THE FOREST. FROM VENUS artwork is being worked on and I’ll be having more talks on that film also.
  6. FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH the documentary on Catch-Can wrestling and the world champion Frank Gotch is being developed as a feature film biopic. We are making some ground there with UFC champion Randy Couture attached to play the famous trainer Farmer Burns, ironically related to our production designer GW Burns. We are working hard to try and align the financing on this story.
  7. Also in development is ROM COMS MUST DIE, a parody on the state of art in this day and age. Also the much awaited and anticipated sequel to WILD FAITH is aligning its financial pieces. It is a Christmas adventure with many of your favorite characters. If all goes as planned we’ll film in November of this year.

WRAP UP: I’m sure there are a few more updates I’m missing. But with the weather so nice and cool I have a list of things I want to get down on the property. I’ve been harvesting berries, mint, sage, red clover and more. I was given as a gift a beautiful metal owl that blows in the wind. I think I’ll attach a picture of it on here. The chickens have been gifting us eggs and they’re still a joy to watch strut around looking for food.

(Bubo the Owl)

I think I have an interviewer for a book coming to the fort/office tomorrow to discuss a past project. So I’ll go do a bit of straightening up there also. As noted above, this has been a hard week for many people who knew the young man who passed away. Our time here is limited and so make the most of it. Chase dreams and help others. You unfortunately can’t help everyone but that is why I love our stories. They reach tens of millions of people and spread that positive good energy. I’ll wrap this up here but I’ll look forward to chatting again with you next week. It will be the 4th of July weekend ahead so please do be safe. Until next time we meet, coffee cheers!

DJ

(Wright Brother’s homestead – true dreamers)

Posted by  |  June 30, 2024 | Categories: Blogroll | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment