Set Construction, More Casting, Premiere Updates and More…
(Looking forward to working with these two dear friends and our entire creative tribe!)
A very good morning to you all! It was a damp but cooler morning here in the Michigan. I’m sipping my favorite hot morning beverage – hazelnut coffee. I was alerted here that many new readers have been joining our circle. I saw S. Africa, Ireland, India and more joining in on the reading. I’ve had a great week on several fronts which we’ll discuss here. The plants in the yard are really doing well. I harvested more herbs this weekend and I share those with many friends. I might package up some as little Christmas gifts. I sip some herbal tea daily usually in the later day to early eve. I also love to read on each one that I’m drinking. You will be surprised at the health benefits of replacing sugary processed drinks with a healthy earth-grounding tea that often strengthens the immune system. Fresh eggs have been coming in on a regular basis and I’m appreciative for that. I enjoy watching them move around the property doing their thing. I was surprised it brought out in me the little kid who loved dinosaurs. I’ve also been prepping for the old deck to go and a new one to go up. We had to change course and look at a few other options but we’re getting closer to moving on that. Always projects but like many folks I have to tackle them just one at a time. I would love a covered front porch with mud room and a carport but all in good time. Speaking of building let’s get into some movie updates!
WILD FAITH CHRISTMAS – The secret is out and folks now know that the follow up sequel to our popular WILD FAITH movie is happening. We are in pre-production and we just about have our crew in place. We’re using a few more crew hailing from the area we are shooting in for cost reasons. Casting is well underway and we announced on IMDB.com some of the returning characters from the first film and the first new character. That character being Dugan Dunkirk played by East Coast actor/producer Sean Ward. He is the owner of the Dunkirk Mining Co that plays heavily into our story. We’ve had a team of construction artists led by Mark Balko building the mine set. Heavy equipment and a lot of dirt moving. We have lots of pictures of this process up on our Facebook site. Actually all the CDI films have a Facebook site and that is a great place for updates, behind the scenes and release information. So seek those out! I think this is the Wild Faith Christmas one here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563211191981
Harsens Island Revenge – We are targeting a Nov 1st cast and crew premiere in Alpena, MI followed by as many days run as the community will support. Due to smaller theater size we might have to have a day of premiere showings with a near all day afterglow. We have some amazingly cool things planned but nothing is cooler than the film itself. I have my big debrief tomorrow with our director but I have been meeting with our composer and post supervisor Dennis Therrian. Music is full speed ahead and we’re polishing/mixing the sound design as we move forward. I know we have two “telephone” calls that need to be recorded and put into the film. I think we’re done to working on one tricky VFX scene and color correction should be getting close to done. After the Alpena theatrical we want to explore one near Harsens Island itself. One in Karl Manke‘s home town of Owosso, MI with our friends at NCG. And Lansing’s premiere will be either the NCG or Celebration Cinema or both. We will work to get this film into many of the theaters across the midwest who enjoyed our last showing of SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA.
With Christmas season fast approaching our best window for SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA is approaching. We are so proud of this film for many reasons but the fact that it is a true story is surely one of them. We did not go back into the theaters last Christmas because it would have conflicted with the launch of our home video. But know that it is out there to rent/buy at home we might do an event screening just before Christmas with all the theaters who showed our film previously. That will be part of our discussion moving forward. Mid 2025 the film will go to ad-based video on demand where you can watch it for free with ads. That is a popular distribution avenue right now but because of our TV/broadcast deals those ad-based platforms are on hold. This story can be enjoyed during any season but it is extra special to watch around Christmas. Anthony Hornus directed a great follow up movie to his previous MAN’S BEST FRIEND (MBF).
The above mentioned MBF was recently watched by a career actor whom I respect greatly. He has worked with the likes of Denzel Washington and Kurt Russell. He first reached out wanting to know where he could watch the film which is pretty much all streaming platforms. A few days letter he sent a note saying in was one of my very best performances. “Flawless, understated work…No false moves…Congratulations.” It really made my day. I’ve said before that Paul Landings in that film was one of my hardest. It was also hard upon wrap of the film because I got to return to my life and other wounded warriors do not. Matter of fact we still lose 22 vets a day to suicide. I’ve been asked about a sequel to this film and if I ever do it will be for those warriors. I’m thankful for my involvement in Anthony Hornus‘ non-profit to help veterans and their families. Check out The Red, White and Blue Project Inc. online.
To comment further on the above non-profit our 5th feature with CDI was AN ORDINARY KILLER. It is getting a special new release to benefit this non-profit and their mission. I have a podcast on Tuesday with TWO AVERAGE JOES MEDIA to discuss this and make a few announcements. I’m proud that this gifted film is now being used to help military families. For those that don’t know FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH the doc on the history of grappling was also produced with this non-profit. Check out the documentary film and in a week or two the podcast will release with some exciting news on AN ORDINARY KILLER.
From the classic CDI films (The first 6) #1 KNIGHT CHILLS has been remastered. A new trailer is done and a new poster for streaming is being worked upon. Artwork and restoration work is being done on #2 FROM VENUS, #3 HEAVEN’S NEIGHBORS and #4 FIGURE IN THE FOREST. AN ORDINARY KILLER is #5 and DEAN TEASTER’S GHOST TOWN is #6 and is re-released in HD with Ammo Content!
Our collaboration on the animated feature THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ has been remastered to HD and is up on Encourage TV on Youtube! Watch it free with ads now! We would love your support as we explore further animated content and video games. Stay tuned!
ADDITIONAL NEWS/WRAP UP:
ROM COMS MUST DIE is being scheduled and casting is still underway. A few decisions have been made already. Once we finished shooting Wild Faith Christmas and enjoy the holidays we’ll move right into filming Travis Hayward‘s debut feature film! I would love to do a holiday table read so we’ll explore that as we get a bit further down the road.
I’m excited about getting a promo copy of my first starring role in a feature film. A creature feature classic called IN THE WOODS. It has both the HD classic version and a new director’s version. Both have fun commentary if you want to watch it and learn to trials and tribulations of indie film making. And talking of table reads, I’m told a read of IN THE WOODS 2 is right around the corner.
I forgot to mention up top that the WILD FAITH TV series HASTINGS is getting a new boost. I’m in the process of adjusting the season one to go after the second film versus in between them. The series was meant to take up one year after the original but it is easier now to put it in the wake of WILD FAITH CHRISTMAS. But I’m almost done with show number one and it is going great. I forgot how powerful the shows are and audiences will love to keep the story of the Murphy family and friends going.
I’m going to get into some breakfast now after refilling ye ole coffee cup. The Detroit Lions pre-game season starts this week which will be fun. We had a bye week in our soccer so this week is our final regular season game and after the playoffs. It has been a fun season and whipped me into great shape. I’ll have to look into indoor play over the winter. I want to wish happiness and strength to all of you struggling to follow your dreams and urge you to just keep moving forward. I went through a short season of mild frustration trying to make things line up. But once you get to the other side you’ll be happy you persisted. Hard work done smart pays off. Work smart. Work hard. And the fruits will come to you. Funny note: I had a conversation last week with another friend close to my age with a blog. Is CLAWING MY WAY TO THE MIDDLE as my blog name fit? It is funny and clever but I do feel upon reflecting that I’m past the middle. Any good ideas? I leave that right there. Coffee cheers my friends!
DJ
Filters of Attitude = Finding Your Balance
The hazelnut coffee taste so good on this chilly Sunday morning. We got a record setting 13 inches when the snow storm came through. We might get a bit more later in the day. I for one love the beauty of the snow but I’m ready to move on to Spring. We had a “Viking” day chopping wood to keep the wood stove roaring. I’m excited to implement many new improvements to the property this year. Our moving of veggies and herbs to raised beds and turning the garden into chicken land has been fun. They are fun to watch like little Dinosaurs.
I want to say that everyday that I read about someones untimely passing it reminds me to love what I’m doing and the people I’m doing it with. That is professionally and personally. I know friends and family that have lost pets, parents, grandchildren and even one past film peer was announced to have passed away. I was not extremely close with him but exchanged communications over the years when either of us has a new success. The sad thing about the last mentioned loss was that it may have happened by their own infliction. I’ve had a few friends over the years that fight real mental battles with themselves. I think on some levels we all do but some cope poorly where others eventually find their way out of the forest.
I’ve had dark days in my past whereas my parents divorced after 30 years putting me in the middle and my acting career was struggling. Michigan’s film scene in the late 80’s and into the 90’s was lacking. I see folks complaining about a lack of opportunities today and chuckle. Today is like a sea of opportunity versus the 90’s. Also post tax incentives the term filmmaker became legit to the common everyday person. Much of my darkness was knowing what I wanted but not having any guides or mentors in that field. My dearest mentor, my father, was rightfully concerned. I had essentially came home and told my father I was going to be an astronaut. Again something made more realistic thanks to the billionaire space race. But he knew how easy life could be if I took the easier road, the practical road. His concerns came after several years yielded very little, in his mind. Failure can affect people different.
A certain amount of punishment and failure can break some and force them into a secondary or pie-life. Pie-Life is when you work X amount of the pie to earn shells and beads ($) so you can freely enjoy the remaining part of the pie, your life. A few years in the real world and most have sufficiently built a standard of living prison around them that forces them to stay the course with the survival job, pie-life. For others of us that have “it” (passion) bad and refuse to let go no matter how much rough ground they’re dragged over. I felt like Indiana Jones being dragged behind that Nazi truck hauling the ark. (Raiders of the Lost Ark) I climbed hand over hand up the whip, climbed on the truck’s bumper, over the side, kick in the doors, punch and throw the driver out and took over the truck. BAM!
If someone can do something else occupational and be happy living the ‘pie life’ or even something close to contentment, do it. But if you are stricken with that passion that will not leave you, embrace it. By that I mean stop being half-ass and whining and do those things you were afraid to try. Pull your confidence, self-worth and inner fire from your own personal well and don’t just try to pull energy from people. When people feel your personal geothermal-like creative energy, they will be drawn. People who draw energy from the masses is a slave to the masses. Now artists create for the masses but often to show a perspective. Life is all about perspective and perception. What we perceive can be seen via positive or negative filters. A failure might be seen as negative but in deductive reasoning it can be a positive. An elusive goal might have just been made easier to obtain as certain roads are found to be dead-ends. No more time wasted or spent. Although some will get caught in that loop, beware.
So the negative of loss that I see each day ever since we’ve all become so much more inter connected as a society, can be a positive fuel to live and pursue dreams and goals. I’m so proud of one of my associates who set out to write and take a few children’s books to market and he has. Tomorrow isn’t promised. A beautiful and haunting statement. Life is a mysterious and short phase of existence and so I would ask that those out there questioning, stay the course. Ride life and learn whatever lessons you can but best of all is learn to be the best you. I’ve said this before, the path to your dreams sometimes lies in helping others with theirs. I know some people will say I’ve helped their journey immensely and others will say, I have not. The truth is you can’t help everyone. You can inspire by your actions to pass it on. I’ve had mentors and I try to mentor. But I come from that martial arts background and sports. To take valuable time from some teachers you have to be prepared and focused, ready to learn. You can apply that lesson to teachers in school. Respect that they are there to try and teach you.
Let’s bring this around to movies, my favorite medium. It also includes some of my favorite artists, filmmakers. Last week we were treated to the announcement that BEST YEARS GONE was multi-nominated and won a few awards. The biggest award being BEST PICTURE which is great because it embodies the collective effort.
SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA is soundly in post. A BTS (behind the scenes) video is being worked on and the first look teaser is being outlined. Meanwhile the feature is being cut with the first rough being done by mid March. We’ll keep rolling out some new photos while we wait for these first videos.
HOT ROD LOVE is the next CDI picture and we’re looking to prep in May and shoot in June. It’s a heartfelt comedy that has many classic 70’s and 80’s influences. We’re putting our investor/sponsor presentation materials together, but the truly exciting news coming this week is the announcement of a director and Dir of Photography- Mr. Shane Hagedorn and Travis Hayward. This re-teaming is building on the previous chemistry of BEST YEARS GONE, coming to home video starting in June. Our #1 goal with BEST YEARS GONE was to have fun filming. The Covid lockdowns had beaten everyone down and the humor and fun making the film translated to the final product. That laughter is the big take away from the theatrical playdates thus far. The world needs more laughter right now.
WILD FAITH: HASTINGS – More great discussions on this TV series spin off. I have follow ups first thing this coming week. It is going to happen, I’m just trying to follow the best road to production that keeps the integrity intact. Have you seen the feature WILD FAITH? Take a watch. Leave a review on imdb.com or the film’s amazon page and let us know if a sequel interests you. I love the idea of how many folks will be involved should the tv series happen.
The WEEK ahead-
This week is wrapping up end-of-year tax materials for the films. I actually got almost all my personal tax stuff around. This year has been quite smooth so far thanks to our amazing team. I’ve also been keeping my daily screenwriting happening. I’m deep into another comedy script from a treatment I’ve been bouncing around for years. I’ve got my next work-for-hire script/production coming up. It is an adaptation from a book, which I’ve almost finished. I’m really excited about the time period and the storyline. One other work-for-hire script/production is in discussion. Everything in their own time. But I find these cold days are the best for screenwriting.
Last week we talking about video game development and more which haven’t advanced too much in the past week. I got buried in numbers for a few days. But several projects including animation and a music video are in development. It is a busy time but as we discussed prior, get doing- if that is your calling. I have lots to work out in the coming weeks as we’re also in some serious production talks that could be a multi-year commitment. I laugh, because it’s all really a multi-year, lifetime commitment. It’s all a process to try and streamline funding and production. Balance. It’s all about balance. I’m going to bring this to a close. I have some writing to attend to and a few things to do around the homestead.
Be good to one another and coffee cheers.
DJ
DJ Perry's Official Blog 'Clawing My Way to the Middle' 