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
Casting, Crewing and Charting the NEW YEAR!
A beautiful morning it has been to kick off 2017. The sun is shining and the coffee is flowing and we just had a modest meal of bacon and eggs. Last night we rang in the new year with some family. I got to share some samples of white whiskey made by wonderful traditional distillers. Also a touch of Sanctuary Spirits HOP TONIC and a few crafty beers. Shepherd’s Pie made sure to soak up most of the bite from the libations. We just stepped outside into the glorious sunshine that is radiating. The dogs played a bit and we reminded ourselves here in Michigan what the sun looked like. Yesterday I completed some organizing getting ready for the new year. Let’s look at a few of the final developments in our film work.
as “Agent Michael Stilton” in THE ACTOR (photo credit: Wayfaring Photo)
The ACTOR was represented by Adler Ent. and I’m told they will have some news very soon about where this cool NYC based drama can be seen.
I still do not have any updates on DEAD QUIET – things have been dead quiet about the status of this film:) Maybe 2017 will be the year.
WILD FAITH is in editing and on the social media Facebook site we’ll start releasing some actual STILLS from the movie versus behind-the-scenes. We’ll be closing in on a first cut in the weeks to come. The interest is there in a series so those materials will be developed. I will be looking for more key crew members should this series start to take shape. So AD’s, coordinators and other such keys feel free to start sending me a resume to have on file to perrydj@aol.com – also if you’ve worked with any of our other crew members please note that. The feature will be done this summer and start showings this fall.
DJ Perry as Jesus in the biblical drama “Forty Nights”
The QUEST TRILOGY
This amazing set of stories starting with FORTY NIGHTS will be releasing this year with our new partners at BMG. The release for FORTY NIGHTS will be around Easter 2017. Look for new artwork and the film is getting a remastering before the new release.
“Chasing the Star”
CHASING THE STAR the second film in the trilogy released a powerful trailer at the end of the year. The film is close to be done as we move into credits, color correction and complete the VFX work. We’ll be doing some event showings leading up to the Sept 2017 general release. I’ve seen this film at various stages and I’m excited for us to share this story.
THE CHRIST SLAYER is the third film and as we speak the business paperwork is being pulled together. We’re going to once again travel to AZ in March to film this final chapter. We’ve settled on our director and we start story meetings on Tuesday. We’ll be doing a PR announcement this coming week once they have their bio materials around. We’re looking for a few crew members to fill in on this film and if you are an actor we’ll be doing a casting call soon. West coast talent is actually better on this film due to limited flight budget. We also might be announcing a few cast members soon since we’ve been casting internally for a year plus. I’m really excited about filming this third piece of the story. It should release around Easter 2018.
We’ll be looking ahead at other projects in development. Change in the new year can come from changing old patterns, especially patterns that have had negative consequences. Last year we had many positive things happening and I can only hope to build off those advances. We have a wonderful team of artists and I’m looking forward to creating with them again in the new year.
Happy New Year to all of you!
DJ
