Strong Week of Developments
Cool photo that I found inspiration in this week.
Hello my friends. I find the blog worldwide breakdowns very interesting. These are the countries my leading readers are hailing from. 1) The USA. I would hope so but you never know. 2) Australia. Hey Mates. I’ve never been down under but would love to one day. Mad Max/Kings Road/Miller…I’m looking at you. 3) Denmark. I LOVE this country. Always will. 4) Germany. I’ve had a lot of releases here. Wonder what their favorite is? 5) India. Namaste. Thank you. 6) Philippines. Like family. Great hospitality. 7) Ireland. Never been but will one day. Irish/Scot blood runs through me.
Okay. I was just enjoying where everyone is tuning into from. It has been a good week. Okay. That is modest, the week felt ultra productive. I think once you set a destination it becomes easier. A target to focus upon. In our business it starts with a solid blueprint (script) interested key talent and crew to make your proposal package. I think many chase money and when someone does say YES, at that point they start looking at details. I look at the details first knowing if they say yes, I can do this. I have the team that can make this happen. Again I see too many people saying yes, to endeavors they are not qualified to handle. And if they mess up it just becomes one more poisoned well. I personally would love 3-4 Michigan film entities making films and a few TV series rolling. That might lead to some good roles and guest star moments. So I really do wish all those around me the best. I’ve just seen over 20+ years so many good contacts ruined by bad business. I’ve actually reached a point in my career where the bad business makes us look better. But some drop out of the film game all together and everyone loses. So DO THE WORK. GIVE YOUR BEST.
Let me see where to begin.
The new CDI website is under construction. I will be uniting all the films and product to a central place where audiences can find what they are seeking. This new platform will eventually help other filmmakers out there. It will explain itself in time – stay tuned as THE TRIBE is on the move.
Here is the interesting side note… I was just having an unplanned chat with one of our vet members going back to the late 90’s. I was trying to explain where I was with everything. There is potential all over the board and I’m looking five years down the path and trying to chart the best course. But it actually feels fun. The final product is actually making it fun again. Make the wrong alliances, associations, partnerships or agreements and you lose time. Time is LIFE. The saying Time is Money is smaller in value to the other. Time is LIFE. I work as concise as I can and encourage the team to do so because another story is always in the womb. I have no less than two films I’ve given myself as a role in a world created by artists. The management in both cases – WAIT. Accountability – I’ve also WASTED time in my journey so refrain from a defensive stance. I’m saying IF you’re truly doing it for the art don’t hinder the endeavor with people who are not serious. How serious you say? Serious to me is when actions speak and words are not even needed. So be more careful with your foundations. Work out all the details before you accept investment. I know artists whose years have become consumed with production entanglements and endless legal loose-ends. That will rob you of your time, your LIFE. That space & time dance where you can create art for audiences if you choose. Just make good choices. Allow it to be fun.
Knight Chills
OK. So when CDI was a tribe consisting of three crazy artists – myself, Jeff and Juanita Kennedy – we hatched many great ideas. Much inspired by our mutual love of classics especially in the fantasy, Sci-Fi, Horror, Pulp genres. See STRANGER THINGS was my childhood. The love of the vibe that is that Golden-Age of Nerds whereas by playing Dungeons and Dragons you could also be a Rebel. Because much like young Rock and Roll, they (mainstream) did not understand it and feared it. “Knight Chills” is a classic tale, an urban myth almost of the bullied nerd. Retold in a world that now people are trying to recreate. STRANGER THINGS does that and my amigo Myke Michaels is up for an Emmy for his work on that show. But the film was shown in many circles over the years including Special Edition releases and box sets. It was released legally and not in several foreign territories. The film was common talk on Comic Con circuits. Hey, I didn’t believe “In the Woods” truly had a drinking game until I saw a theater full of people doing it Rocky Horror Picture style. So my vet of the Comic Con circuit David Hayes was a fan of the film. We joked about him doing a book until finally we made it happen. I wrote three other scripts that all took place after the first. Each one a small budget likely as we tried to harness and contain our imaginations. BUT graphic novel and comics…
Some of our early content is a perfect fit. KNIGHT CHILLS is the first and it will be for order in stores and also E-Book I believe. I know they are going to be selling on the Comic-Con circuits and we’ll be doing some cool promo. PR will go out next week but for all of you. Here is our new front cover.
I also think this could be a jumpstart for the original film for new licensing and the sequel script is written and director talks have taken place.
THE QUEST TRILOGY
Forty Nights continues the roll forward as Chasing the Star enters the home video orbit. DVD’s were being mastered to prep for the warehouses and Sept. 5th release. Now this Friday following a development meeting we were all treated to the first teaser to The Christ Slayer with temp sound/music. What the…! Holy…! Speechless… Play that again please. And another time. It pummels you with emotional power. What moments given by the cast and what power captured by the crew. I’ve been feasting on the Summer Movie Trailers so my taste are high. (Production Value)
I’m proud to once again have our collective names put on a story invoking much emotion. Right now its being used just for a few business things but audiences, cast, crew will get a first strong showing of the Official Teaser. But the few who’ve seen it can attest – it makes all the hard work worth it. It almost makes it fun again.
Wild Faith sits in a good place right now. Strong interest as business talks keep moving ahead. The talks are centered on the first season of the TV show. The interest is there on a few fronts and once we have the additional trailers and final film to show I feel that the tv deal is a real possibility.
Looking forward to working with this guy as an actor again on M.B.F. – The last time was ‘An Ordinary Killer” a few years ago. Mr. Anthony (Tony) Hornus is our director.
Man’s Best Friend is Officially going to go by M.B.F. – we’ve had a surge in business since announcing this project. The foundation of the house is almost in. Another great meeting this week is showing us a clear path. The response to the script has been on-point, luckily:) Some people are being reached out to about availability. Casting Calls will be going up. I’m excited about telling this story. I think it will strike a chord with many people.
Okay, I’m off to eat some lunch and I have to get ready for a soccer match in this balmy heat. The garden has been kicking and I’ve enjoyed the results. I had fresh BLT’s yesterday. I didn’t grow the bacon:) The masses have enjoyed the Irish Stout and I’m soon to make my batch of mulberry/rhubarb wine.
Have a great Sunday and rest of the week.
DJ
Fun, Sun and Getting Work Done!
(This is how my boy Luke helps with the tree clean up * Sorry no thumbs)
Welcome readers from Costa Rica and Hungary! Another week down and we had a few beautiful days last week with a mild breeze. Even today which is heating up to be a scorcher has a nice breeze. It will be low 90’s during the peak of the day at 4:00 pm about when the whistle will blow on our soccer match. So I’m taking in water and catching up with all of you. This past week our dead elm started dropping more branches and it is right over the path to the office/fort. So when getting a bid this week they offered to return within the hour. Ruby’s Tree Service did a great job and they chipped up 80% of the branches at no added cost. Everyone else wanted a major bump to chip up the branches. After they left I worked for three hours moving some 300lb+ pieces about. I had to leave a few until I recruit an additional lifter, but I got lots organized Friday afternoon and Saturday. I did feel a bit beat up on Saturday from my lumberjack efforts. I eased up until Monday since I have this game today. But I am happy that I have no fear of falling limbs and the garden is getting a major additional in the sunshine department. This tree adventure replaced my bottling of the Irish Stout so that will happen this week. Okay. Let’s look at a few film updates in no particular order.
Accounting Paperwork went our to Forj Digital and putting together the agreement for the ‘Chasing the Star’ soundtrack. NOTE: ‘Bestseller’ and ‘Forty Nights” soundtracks are available on iTunes and other music outlets.
This week PR on the DVD artwork for ‘Chasing the Star’ was released and so Sept 5th will be the national roll out. Some pre-order sites will start to appear in the coming weeks. Also artwork for the above mentioned soundtrack is also underway.
PR from this week
DJ Perry as Jesus in “Forty Nights”
“Forty Nights” keeps rolling with more disbursements to our backers. I was also sent this review of the film this week. I don’t agree with all of it but that is why it’s a review:) Thank you Dr. Jeff Krupinski for your watch.
https://drjeffkrupinski.wordpress.com/tag/40-nights-faith-vs-fear/
Third in the trilogy “The Christ Slayer” will be reviewed this week. We have a first cut and to say I’m excited to watch it is a true understatement. We’ve got big things in motion on the VFX and we’ll be doing some PR on that in the coming weeks. We had a heck of a time trying to get a piece of equipment from New Zealand but that should finalize this week.
(Lana Wood & Darby Hinton in “Wild Faith”)
“Wild Faith” watch through was exciting and as the film moves towards completion we keep pushing on the business end. The film is exciting to watch and I’m happy to once again be working in this genre. I do LOVE westerns!
I was able to get quite a lot of writing done and I’m closing in on a first draft of a new screenplay. I’m also working a few deals that could have me selling or doing work-for-hire writing. I really do enjoy the writing experience and enjoy seeing how the story gets translated from page to the screen. If you’re looking to hire a writer feel free to reach out and discuss.
I’ve been keeping my eye out for that next character/story that captures my attention. Rolling out in the near future will be Jesus (The Christ Slayer) and Ben Lily (Wild Faith) so I’m seeking. If I don’t find a role that I connect with well, that script is almost complete.
(Old release poster “Knight Chills”)
This week we did another pass on the temp website for CDI and discussed more on the roll out. Also a few of the books I want to release are getting closer. One exciting book project is the novelization by David Hayes of the “Knight Chills” script. I’ve seen the cool cover art and they’ve been typesetting. It will be a hardcopy in stores and on the Comic Con tour with Source Point as well as an Ebook. I’m excited by the possibilities here including talk of a graphic novel and the sequel script which is complete. Sir Kallio rides again. Pretty cool:)
Well USA is about to challenge both Norway (Women) and Mexico (Men) and at 4:00 we take the field. I love the game. The garden is doing great for those who asked – actually eating lettuce on our sandwiches as I finish this. I hope you all have had a good week/end and that you have a great week ahead. I know a few people dealing with hardships and losses so appreciate each day and keep chasing your dreams.
Be good to one another!
DJ
DJ Perry's Official Blog 'Clawing My Way to the Middle' 