Finishing the 2026 Year Strong and Looking Ahead!
I woke right up today filled with energy. I was up to greet the new day with coffee in hand. It is no secret that I enjoy my hazelnut creamer but I will be trying pistachio flavored later in the week. I had a lot on my mind last week with balance being the goal. I have to say with the days are tough bring your focus in and just knock down each day as it happens. I’ve been dealing with an ill parent and navigating the system can be a true challenge. But, progress has been made. We have a one month follow up coming up this week. At that time we will access several things pertaining to outside help or care. It is easy to become overwhelmed but slowing things down and following one path of information has helped. I am happy to say we are experiencing improvement and much of that is because of taking a hard look at medication. Doctors are quick to add but not to subtract without some prompting to reevaluate. I don’t want to go any deeper on this but you have to try and pay attention and ask questions.
Dealing with other people dealing with anxiety or depression makes you evaluate your own feelings. I think I’ve always had anxiety in some form because it steps from not wanting to make mistakes in a new process. Luckily I have more courage and passion version anxiety. If you accept the worst that could happen and move ahead you often find that those issues never arise. And if they do they are often much more navigational than originally conceived. Every year should and will bring new unsure challenges but that is the excitement of life. So many things in my life I might not have experienced if I did not push forward. Traveling around the world to film with more or less unknown folks as this was before Skype, Teams or FaceTime. India, Philippines, Mexico, Canada and so many states in America to work with other storytellers. So embrace the challenges the rewards can stay with you a lifetime.
Let’s examine a few film updates-
- ROM COMS MUST DIE is streaming and on DVD. I’m starting to hear from people enjoying a watch diring this spooky Fall season. It is fun to read or watch reviews pertaining to the film. So if you’ve enjoyed the film give us your thoughts and any frustrating artists stories that could make you join team Amos and Clem. You can buy the DVD or stream here: https://www.amazon.com/Rom-Coms-Must-Die-DVD/dp/B0HCXXQYMZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=X8UUY5LE7A76&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8dwmiRr6bKlk4mL0ZRtVH1ZoPIuUiWRW1F4-Pb2_hk3BLdL8zOT4P581MzjSaCKlstZ6Z8L0mkn2MOzeS6l7SmMmYDHomJmmkVH3Js56vHguCHajle-cX9qJ5aALdauCQDpI2ej5jresRg0fGM2oeRzSonruyGvAxs4N5KGHpPvtI5MCrWUsQKeBlw3Lc6hjB_JJGZHQZ0aYPAQCtvC11AuZBkLs1zCe7ZhDH_cfd9s.9hN0RzWwz-oa9VNqcOPT4sP2goE3E6gXziRIvXUvRHM&dib_tag=se&keywords=rom+coms+must+die&qid=1792326736&sprefix=%2Caps%2C105&sr=8-1
- Next week I’m guessing the PR rollout will begin on AI JESUS: The Secret of the Kingdom Chip. I’ve been awaiting the DVD pre-sale site to appear and on 10/30/26 the streaming rent or buy will kick in on Amazon Prime and other participating platforms. This film marks the 3rd time I’ve played Jesus. To see the other two performances watch FORTY NIGHTS which is part 1 followed by CHASING THE STAR part 2 which I am not in, And Part 3 is THE CHRIST SLAYER, a clever play on words as we examine a famous biblical event from a unique perspective. All can be found streaming on multiple platforms.
- I will be going at the end of the month to attend the WILL ROGERS AWARDS for WILD FAITH CHRISTMAS. I’ll be accepting for the screenplay and as the supervisor of our incredible producer team. Lastly CDI is being recognized and we will be in some great company of writers, musicians and actors.
- Speaking about WILD FAITH CHRISTMAS which will release on DVD and streaming on 11/3/26 had a great interview with our friend Isaac with FAITH ON FILM Youtube podcast featuring Shane Hagedorn as their guest.WATCH here: https://youtu.be/QAJJTgqlI80?si=Wk2w5ysLcFU6vjZj
- My first starring role in the creature feature IN THE WOODS is playing a few more NYC dates at The Spectacle Theaters. Look them up for times.
- In Post Production is DEVIL’S PASS the stylistic western with a supernatural twist. We had had some great meetings over the flow and I’m exciting to say that the first cut is almost complete. I’m excited by this collaboration because it flowed and that is due to everyone being professional and communicating respectfully. I’m excited to see some first poster art and teaser trailer. So many cool things to say about this film but I will let it speak for itself. If you follow the Facebook page (All our films have FB pages, are you following?) you will be up to date on all things Devil’s Pass.
DEVELOPMENT: I
When I returned from filming I spent some good time organizing and getting ready for the end of the year. That means end of year disbursements to investors of the films. It also means getting all the end of year accounting stuff ready for taxes. And it also means looking ahead to 2027 and what projects to focus on. We are in talks with our GA friends and the McGraws on future collaborations. And internally we have two films that we are starting to make some moves on. The first part of the year I would like to film a who done it starring David Gries and Melissa Anschutz which has almost launched two other times but got replaced by another film. And we are making some good strides in putting this funding together on RETURN TO ALGONA (Working title) the follow up to CDI’s SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA. We’ve been in talks with organizations and brands to help support the new endeavor. We will be talking to private investors also once we get a few more of the pieces in place. This would be a 4th Q 2027 film shot in Iowa.
Additionally, I’ve been writing and researching daily on a 3rd WILD FAITH adventure hence WF3. As the 2nd film enters the market we’ll have a few talks on the TV series but if the offers don’t make sense we’ll roll with a 3rd feature film. I am also getting close to my first draft of MAN’S BEST FRIEND 2 which I’ve been working on. I do enjoy the writing and once I get these two finished I will see what I want to focus on. I had a few different talks about screenplay writing or turning someone’s book into a screenplay but those talks did not go beyond that.
Since filming on DEVIL’S PASS I’ve had daily pitch letters on scripts, stories, etc…and I try to respond to most of them. But without financing committed it will not replace anything on the CDI slate. I do know and admire the process. It is hard and I firmly believe that a good blue print is the key to a successful shoot. To some it is only a box to check but I think it is the start of everything. But I am biased when it comes to writing.
WRAP UP: This week ahead I have a good mix of things on my TO DO list. I’m still settling the few action points on my DEVIL’S PASS wrap up. I’m feeling pretty organized and accomplished moving into the end of year. My mind has started to drift a bit to the holidays. I do love the time with family and friends. The cold has had a few nice fires in the office wood stove. I’ve been doing Fall clean up and soon it will be winter prep.
I’m going to wrap it up here and we’re going to stop at the last flea market of the year down the road. We have a family birthday party to attend and that will be fun. I might also need to get after a few eggs. The chicken egg production is slowing down as it gets colder. I thank you all once again for stopping by to read and engage with our circle of artists. I look forward to talking with you next week. Coffee Cheers! DJ
Take Care of You – Exciting Updates
Today I’m getting a touch later start to my blog because we went out to the flea market. It is great when character building for a role. I seek little things that the character might carry. The items may never show on screen but that trinket pocketknife or lucky coin can add a lot.
We’ve had a few nice days that are more summer-like versus winter-like but today is suppose to be rain storms. It was a busy week in the film business while the background noise was upset GOT fans. Not all of them but some of them. This business of petitions to re-write or re-shoot films or seasons is just silly. I use to think I was reading The Old News Boy or The Onion, both of which are comedic news. Fact is funnier than fiction in some off these cases. I say, don’t watch something if you don’t like it. Raise money behind a script and tell your own story. I personally have really enjoyed this season of GOT. I also really have enjoyed the newest Star Wars installments. I did not like the prequels, so I don’t watch them. I don’t discuss them. They are just…not worth the energy. If not your cup of tea, move on. But so many have been brought sheltered from the world. A world where opposing priorities can exist without anyone being wrong. Those conditioned to getting their own way are having huge issues coping with disappointment or things out of their control. Adult tantrums that result is little change and lots of anxiety. I’ve seen it in people and in their desperate outcries. I’m “offended” by lots of this but I choose to just ignore it. I don’t give it any power over me. If I don’t like certain music it doesn’t find my ears. I don’t read books I don’t like. I don’t watch films that don’t interest me. If I don’t like social media spewing or whining, I scroll on, or disassociate myself with it. People tend to trigger themselves. It goes against the basic goal of KNOW THYSELF. As with any artists – he or she that earns the right to tell the stories via hard work and business.
Now some people take on the anxiety of trying to change things like – SAVE THE RHINOS or CLEAN WATER – all good. But spending time to change other artists art is well…silly. Wasted time. So instead of trying to put a square peg in a circular hole – just find your square. Violence offends you – don’t watch it. Too sexy offends you – don’t watch it. Unhappy endings ruining your week – watch something else. Take care of YOU. Watch your world improve as you take care of you. As you stop triggering yourself and trying to change what others enjoy – happiness might follow.
OK. Onto some film updates?
MBF: Man’s Best Friend – I’m not sure how much I covered this in last week’s post but I’ll explain. Our distributor for our family/faith content BMG partners with myCinema on select films. With THE CHRIST SLAYER and WILD FAITH the home video was already in place and the theatrical had to dance around those dates. Now with MBF they can set the theatrical and follow with the home video set up. I’m happy to say that upon review of our work-in-progress, myCinema will be rolling out MBF. I think this film with themes of military and adoption dogs will play well to audiences nationally. I also got to watch the film with first passes of sound design done. It is looking and sounding great and the theatrical company thought so too.
WILD FAITH – If you find our Facebook page, we’ve been updating with pre-order DVD retailers. Right now you can digital purchase the film from Amazon. On June 24th you can digital rent and July is the DVD release. If you’ve seen the film and enjoyed it please share a few lines of review at your favorite retailer or IMDB site. We’ve been invited to screen at two western festivals and I’ll be following up on that this week. One festival in AZ and one in VA, so stay tuned.
“I didn’t hear no bell” – Rocky
FORTY NIGHTS, CHASING THE STAR and THE CHRIST SLAYER are all released and can be seen back-to-back. Enjoy this adventure series that brings classic stories to life by presenting them in a new way. The Quest Trilogy is worth checking out when you get a chance.
BTS of “40 Nights” – the camp of John the Baptist
DEVELOPMENT
LOST HEART is going to be moving into Official Pre-Production this week. We’ve had good discussions with our team including director Jesse Low. Our production meetings will be on a regular basis and this week we’ll also start discussing crew. We’re all very excited to shoot this movie in July. It will be another wonderful ‘Made in Michigan’ movie brought to you by Collective Development Inc. (www.cdiproductions.com)
Knight Chills 2 – some very interesting discussions here.
We’ve got a good slate of possible projects. It all depends on how development rolls. But you start chipping away. Little by little. It all starts to come together.
I’m going to leave this all here until next week. Lots of work to be done but things are all moving in the right direction. Soccer, darts, yard work have been filling in the gaps between all the meetings and work related tasks. I hope you all had a great weekend and carry that over to the week ahead.
DJ
‘ROCKY’ Could Have Been A Faith Film and Other Coffee Ramblings…by DJ Perry
The chilly fall has settled into Michigan making sipping coffee or hot cider even more enjoyable. Now is when I have to start thinking of the winter ahead. The stuff that will have to be put away and stored. The firewood for the coming snow. Even the change of clothes to heavier layers, is a normal process in Michigan. I think last week we discussed something which was the delay in shooting our next feature by a quarter. The funds are there and so many would want to rush to production, the fun part. But, we’re putting the icing on the cake for a wonderful distribution deal on WILD FAITH. It has been a touch slower since I’ve had the joy of working with the Hollywood agent system. But, in the end it will be worth it and will directly have an effect on the TV series. Upcoming 2019 will see the major organizing of the release and push on the series. We are planning to shoot in Michigan. Likely a series of shows shot in a tight production block. It’s new waters for me so I’m learning something new every day.
Tomorrow we’ll announce via PR our recent Crown Award and the Burbank International Film Fest win for ‘Best Faith Film’ and while I would have loved to have it gone against all the films – they work by genres. But WILD FAITH is just an accurate look at 1870’s life. As the screenwriter I did not add any overdue FAITH. People we’re just more living in tune with their faith during that time period. Life was more wooly and I think people had more life and death encounters be it disease, drought, famine, bear attacks – you get the point. I love the faith and inspirational themes. ROCKY being one of my favorite illustrations of that. On his way to the fight – the father priest throws down and few blessings. Yes. ROCKY could be a faith film and it would have surely won ‘Best Inspirational’ as I’ve seen it inspire masses and I’ve been inspired by that film. My point is, I’ve never set out to make a ‘Faith Film’ and I’ve never set out to not make a ‘Faith Film” – I’ve told a story. Characters in almost all stories are confronted by a situation that tests their faith thus the relatable conflict.
Dorothy in The Wizard of OZ must find her faith. Indiana Jones fights to keep his faith versus his scientific reasoning, Men vs shark in JAWS, puts faith out there to be chewed upon as a topic. I think every film made about mankind has faith woven into it. So, is it that the content must have X amount ‘faith’ in it? Judges in chairs that spin around and hit a button if your film has the required ‘faith’? I appreciate it mostly, the acceptance to our films. But because the story, characters, situations, lessons were all something that were touched upon. That shed a bit of light on our faults projected onto a screen, so we can better understand ourselves. Deep. I know. Occasionally, I feel quite grand with my profession, pride like a good woodworker, or any other artist. Mostly, I still feel like that kid, make believing with my neighborhood friends living out our own STRANGER THINGS life.
I’ve changed some in my screenwriting, I’ve noted. My earlier self was darker, heavier and nihilistic. My mom often questioning, why I kept dying in my films. Now, I’ve always had a funny, lighter side to my personality, ask anyone who really knows me. But, most of my writing came in my moments of solitary. Also writers in Michigan benefit from our long winters but the end result is often PSYCHO or THE SHINING writing in nature. Those previously mentioned films are two of my favorite for the season. Another side note: I do want to do another horror film but it has to be good. By good I mean story. Creating horror films in the handful of story formulas is like a rite of passage. The lovers of that genre cannibalize the artists with dastardly reviews. But meet them in person and they’ve always been very nice. Maybe because they saw you on camera foaming at the mouth and swinging an axe. Anyway, I was saying that I enjoy the laughter and smiles. I recall many showings of WICKED SPRING whereas people wept in the theater. We did that with our story. But I see so much negativity and anxiety with people not coping to our new world. A world where we’re more communication-connected than ever before BUT we’re not. FRIENDS have a new definition thanks to FACEBOOK but my definition stays the same. I want to be part of making people think, smile, laugh and still occasionally cry, if that comes with an enlightenment.
The ‘Faith Film’ anti-goodhousekeeping seal of quality is being shattered as more storytellers (without labels) are returning to tell stories that their grandmother, mothers and fathers would enjoy. Ben Hur (The Original) and Ten Commandments (The Classics) were always on TV when we had our family Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter gatherings. There are great organizations that are rising to recognize and award this kind of content. I always worry about censorship, we can choose to watch what we want. But if a demand is there, look at the rise in METV, Heroes & Icons, and the rise of the faith market. People are casting their votes with their rentals and purchases. I feel most honored by the online communications from viewers having powerful emotions invoked from our stories. It is a dream to have holidays where the films play and families bond over a watch. My goal is to make a few classics. All of them might not make it but we’ll give our ‘best effort’ every time.
I was reminded yesterday when inquiring about a director whom a close associate had worked with – their last film isn’t done. It hasn’t been completed in a matter of several years. As an actor, I’ve got two films shot in recent years, one a co-starring role, not finished. I’ve got a call, meeting, catch up with a director friend who’s trying to finish one of two projects we did together in the very distant past. It bothers me occasionally talking someone’s new project(s) when those people have loose strings to tie up. There are many films about that don’t interest me as a viewer, but I always tip my hat to finishing. Finishing is a skill needed in this industry, without it, suffering. But it sounds like my old friend is trying to finish, so that’s a good thing.
This week I finished my first solid draft on our next script with BMG entitled LOST HEART. In meetings with our distributor, they really liked a concept made easier that I had written something in the same vein. But I wanted to apply some of the growth I had made mentioned above. Same log line but different script. I had a wonderful time creating this story and it became so alive with characters and a world, other’s will long to visit. Jeff Kennedy and I, my partner in CDI, semi-retired – always had that as a goal. To create a world and invite people inside it. The CDI first five – really helped hone this craft. You have to BELIEVE in the world. Another 2019 goal is to get Jeff Kennedy back into a director’s chair. I have a few good ideas but they will require a good pow wow or two.
MBF has been in editing. They shot a few pick up establishing shots and transitions this week. Always good to do this once you get into the edit and really see what could be added. This film I’m so proud of. It showcases and pleads for better treatment of our war vets and dogs, that can heal us. We continue to release official stills from this film. For now the spotlight is given to…
THE CHRIST SLAYER!
Find our social media site on Facebook – lots of updates.
https://www.facebook.com/thechristslayer/
Part 3 has a bold name. But the title has a meaning that audiences will discover, maybe not what they thought. I’m excited to say that Part 3 of The Quest Trilogy is coming all together. I watched a recent 5k work flow version with 98% VFX. Color Correction and conforming still lie ahead. ADR, music and sound design are steadily under construction. I’ve been working with the distributor and their marketing team as we prepare for release in early 2019. I was really happy with the story, smiling throughout. I love watching artists friends give moving performances. That’s what we want deep down. To captivate and transfer that emotion via story. This will be an exciting watch and so again, catch up – parts 1 (FORTY NIGHTS) & 2 (CHASING THE STAR) on Pureflix, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Christian Cinema, Parables TV….and so on. To our cast and crew, it will be worth the wait.
Okay, time for a pumpkin spice english muffin and another coffee.
Have a great Sunday!
DJ
