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

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Happy Father’s Day! Losses and Wins for the Week!

I’m awake early on this chilly Michigan Sunday sipping the hazelnut coffee and giving the dogs outside time. Poor Finn, my furry boy is adjusting to the loss of our 18 year old kitty Lulu Belle. Face kisses and snuggles was part of his daily nightly rituals with her. We were all there with her when she passed including Finn. I think it is important that they get to say goodbye versus they just disappear. But he has been visiting all their spots and I can tell he is missing her. We will all miss the queen.

Onto happier news, Happy Father’s Day! I’m so grateful to still have my father with us and that he is healthy. He did provide and gave us everything we needed to survive and thrive as adults. I will see him laster today with a few little love gifts. We’ll also be hitting the flea market down the road in a while. And tomorrow we celebrate my nephew’s Bday with family that will be fun.

I’ve been bouncing between film work and yard work all week. I’ve been working with a pair of 40V electric chainsaws and they work really well. My mower is also now battery powered and it is like vacuuming my lawn with no cords, easy. If I had a huge lawn I would need to get one of those trick 360 turn mowers but mine works fine. The trimming is also prepping the wood boxes for winter.

Let’s move forward onto the film updates-

  1. I completed the first draft of ‘Harsens Island Revenge‘ and now I’m polishing it up and reexamining dialog. The film will shoot in the second half of 2023 in Michigan.
  2. BESTSELLER which released May 31st has been selling out on DVD and streaming is expanding. It is a great look at the haunting beauty of Michigan. If you had a chance to watch it please take the time to go to our page on http://www.imdb.com and vote plus leave us any comments you might have. I hope it gives/gave you some edge of your chair thrills and chills.
  3. We met over promo on the upcoming July 5th release of BEST YEARS GONE. This occasionally heartfelt and often humorous film might play a few more festivals but soon audiences can stream or add the DVD to their collection.
  4. SMOKE & MIRRORS – We have a few regional festivals we’ve submitted to and even had a few reach out to us. So we’ll be showing/premiering this really cool and stylish short in the coming weeks.
  5. FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH – We’ll know in early August if this documentary will be playing Toronto Film Festival or not. We’re also awaiting release dates for home video which should be soon.
  6. SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA is closing in on our picture lock. It has been coming to our director in large chucks so that tweaks and evaluations can be made at the same time. Dennis Therrian has started building our sound FX library for this project and started playing with musical themes. Theaters in Iowa are being contacted to speak with them about runs after the premiere which as of now we are targeting for Dec 10th. Next week we’ll start talking the theatrical trailer and also we have a VFX behind the scenes and some new poster art underway.
  7. Waiting to hear on the Peacock releases dates for MBF: MAN’S BEST FRIEND and WILD FAITH. As soon as we know we’ll pass that info along.
  8. Development on HOT ROD LOVE continues with us targeting a Sept/Oct film shoot. We’re soon to start a script breakdown for scheduling. We approached several new possible partners last week and we’ll follow up on those. I’m excited to story tell in the 70’s, soon!
  9. HASTINGS (Wild Faith TV series) development continues to move forward. Patience is required and I will do my best to line all the pieces up properly.
  10. A new “highlight” video for Collective Development Inc. is underway. It is primarily for the website for when folks visit they can see all the wonderful stories that have been told at CDI.

Many updates to celebrate and I’m sure I overlooking a few. I have a Bday coming up this week as well as the first soccer match of the second part of the season. We lost only our first match which was our first as a team. We also were missing some forwards and were a tad out of shape compared to now. Touching back at the forthcoming Bday on the 23rd, it makes me think of our friend and CDI amigo David “Pappy” Pappenfuss, who passed when we were in pre-production in Algona, Iowa from Covid. My Bday get-together on a patio over drinks was my last time I saw him. He always brought me a musical card and sometimes a bottle of booze. I’ve missed his humor and I will surely be toasting this friend loss.

I saw many people commenting on the Texas holiday of Juneteenth that has grown into a more Nationally recognized day. I was disheartened to see so much negativity from some about this day that Hallmark and marketers fully embraced. If it isn’t for you, keep moving. But I saw some straight up hateful remarks and that’s sad to see. I had a thought as I pondered some of that hate I saw posted. Much of that hate comes from lonely, frustrated, and unhappy people. The cruel joke to these individuals might be that the perfect soulmate -the perfect partner to bring that warmth, love and peace to one of these individuals just might be wearing a skin coat of a different color. How sad to live a life and hate, blame and unbalance all because of hate blindness. Try love, compassion and understanding and you too will reap the rewards.

Be good to one another!

DJ

Posted by  |  June 19, 2022 | Categories: Blogroll | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TOP TEN Updates on this Beautiful June Sunday!

I’m back from a flea market whereas a VHS of BLACK BELT JONES starring Jim Kelly so that’s a $2 WIN:) I LOVE looking for props both for our worlds and my own characters within them. We are working hard to get the 70’s drag race film fully fueled up. We had a good meeting with Nate Robertson this week to debrief from the previous shoot and talk about the upcoming. We try to get feedback from people especially concerning people in their departments or just the department as a whole. We always work from the inside out starting with story to script to producers to director to cast and crew and the ripples move across the creative pond until we have a finished film. But I can honestly say that materialistically I get more excited by the VHS find or the Bear recurve bow estate sale take versus all these items whereas YOU are paying for that marketing campaign. Luckily I love a cabin as much as a castle, and a driving a vehicle with character versus high value. I recall as smaller flip phones were the vogue, the jokes in Hollywood about my ‘yellow brick’ Nextel construction phone. The whole CDI group was on walkie talkie. I made some good deals on that phone. I’m not against nice things at all I’m just saying simplify your materialistic wants. Many purchases don’t bring the happiness or added skill. A golf pro could still take most golfers with basic sticks whereas the opposition could be playing with clubs worth several thousands. A car that goes faster than you’ll ever drive. More square feet or acres that you won’t put to use. Many use it (coins, property, stamps, paintings, gold) as an investment to hold or increase value versus some conventional savings. Often it can be a good process. But you just don’t want to get caught overreaching to impress or project an image. Only negative things usually follow that kind of advertising. I like to keep things real and you’ll often find all walks of life at our table. This nice weather had some of the meetings taking place outside. The yard is green and in full swing. I’ve been working to get some trees trimmed and prepping new firewood for the coming winter. The clover in the yard we planted as been really starting to take over and it is beautiful. Irish beauty was one deception of it this week. Do take the time to create your ZEN place. If you live in tight quarters maybe try some plants. Nature is great for balancing one so you can better focus on your TO DO’s.

FILM NEWS:

  1. I have some PR that will start going out on BESTSELLER this week. It will essentially be talking about my start in the thriller/horror genre and follow my diversifying into more genres. BESTSELLER is one of my most intense roles and I’ve had several. Plus I love the author and this work really captures the haunting and moody atmosphere that is Michigan. Have you seen it? If so please do go to https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16421224/reference/ VOTE and leave us a review.
  2. BEST YEARS GONE will start rolling out on July 5th both DVD and digital. Providing you still have enough fingers from your drunken 4th bottle rocket / Roman candle war to press play on the DVD or navigate the remote – you need to settle and watch our tale.
  3. Aug 3rd is the date when we should know the Toronto Film Festival’s decision on acceptance of FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH or not. We would love to hold our premiere there and so we’re remaining optimistic. We should also have our home video dates from Deskpop Entertainment very soon.
  4. SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA – The rough semi-polished first draft is almost done. It will be reviewed and that point by our team and any suggestions will be put forth. We are looking to picture lock in July which will move us to music and sound. Both of those are already in motion as sound FX libraries are being gathered and music beds are being played with. We hope to provide a great behind the scenes of our model and VFX team on board.
  5. SMOKE & MIRRORS has been submitted to a few festivals and we’ll await response. Once we have word it will be a nice eve with the CDI tribe celebrating this fun endeavor that will develop itself into a feature film.
  6. WILD FAITH and HASTINGS – the momentum continues and on a few fronts we are so close but sometimes you have to relax and let things work themselves out. If it does well at Peacock perhaps they will work with us to order up the first season.
  7. LOST HEART aka BIGFOOT, UFOS & JESUS is a great summer film. We are looking at some different marketing campaigns including new poster art for Lost Heart. I still want to do tee-shirts of the BF, UFOS and Jesus artwork. We’re looking into selling iron on sheets so you can put some great artwork on your favorite shirt. That is 70’s and 80’s style right there. I think I had a DARTH VADER LIVES tee shirt that was an iron on.
  8. I’m waiting on word to see how the HD file of KNIGHT CHILLS is coming along for the upcoming Blu-Ray. We have interest in a digital release from Deskpop Entertainment and we’ll still probably do a DVD of the CDI Classic Collection Double Feature of KNIGHT CHILLS and FROM VENUS. And we have the video game which I think I want to call KNIGHT CHILLS: DICE DON’T LIE – what do you think?
  9. This week I’m set up to record another book chapter for the audio book series FOR GENERATIONS TO COME that I’ve been doing. Look it up on Amazon under author Ronnie Lee.
  10. This past Friday, I met in person with several CDI folks mainly over FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH. I could have taken the day and likely ended with my first draft of the new script HARSENS ISLAND REVENGE. Instead I enjoyed the beautiful day and spent some time outlining. One of the rainy days this week I’ll finish the first draft. I’ve had a wonderful time working on this amazing story and looking forward to bringing the script to an exciting end.

I will no doubt start working on another script soon after I finish the one I’m working now. If I don’t have a script for hire on deck which I just might, I have a few scripts that were underway. We made more steps on HOT ROD LOVE and we are about to start scheduling work soon. Chipping away at what needs to be done in order to get this film green lit. It was a great week for soccer again and our team brought another win. Either way it is still about the battle that keeps you mentally and physically strong. I do have another bday in a few weeks (23rd) and I’m not sure what I might do to celebrate another journey around the sun.

I’m going to wish you all well. I hope that you have or have had some clarity this weekend, that will allow each of you to have a very productive week ahead. Be good to one another.

Coffee Cheers!

DJ

Posted by  |  June 12, 2022 | Categories: Blogroll | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment