Movies, Life and Everything In-Between- CDI Updates!
Ah…the sip of the hazelnut coffee. It was actually a chilly morning. That means fire season is not too far behind. Today is also my furry son Finn’s 7th bday. It is hard to believe that since he still acts like a puppy often. I’m sipping the coffee and thinking back on my week. We’ll get into the movie biz developments soon enough. In the yard the berries are finally coming to an end so I’ll be trimming back those trees. The apples are getting ripe but most are squirrel food. We are still harvesting veggies and herbs. Today should be the last day of stain and seal on the deck. I did the touch ups and now a finally coat on the steps and we can call it done. The new gazebo will be going up once we find an outdoor rug we like. The chickens have been kicking out the eggs which is always good. The outdoor zen has been in full effect.
We had our first play off soccer match and won 1-0 in another epic match. The other team fought right to the last seconds. I was a tad stiff in the legs yesterday but I’ll be ready for our next match on Thursday. I love the intense workout and I’m in really good shape here at the end of the season. I really do love the game and so happy I am still able to play at the level I am. My next big work out will be log splitting, moving, stacking and such. I’m also looking into having the outdoor rafters at the fort enclosed to keep birds out and finish it off properly. Okay, now onto movie updates!
- Harsens Island Revenge (HIR) is now playing both the Emagine Macomb after they had some first night tech issue but that has been resolved. And the Riverside Cinemas where those from in and around the actual Harsens Island can watch this throwback in time movie of the Purple Gang trying to put their thumb on a group of WW1 vets. We hope that Emagine will move it around to other theaters in September we will see.
- Home video release for Harsens Island Revenge will be 10/6/25 and we have a marketing meeting this week. Also in the planning are a few event showings w/ dinner and mixer after the home video release. We will have some cast on hand to sign DVD’s posters and such. These will be fun to put together. We will keep you posted on when and where.
- HIR will be playing one night only at the Forest City, Iowa location on September 19th where part of SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA was filmed. We are still trying to lock down a booking for Algona at Fridley’s so CALL the theater and request Harsens Island Revenge. If you did see the film please feel welcome to go to our http://www.imdb.com page and VOTE (10 is best) and leave a review of what you enjoyed in the film. This helps us overall.
- Wild Faith Christmas is in the final polishing stage and once we do a big screen check we’ll master it for the theaters. We are looking to start rolling it out in November starting in Lansing, MI and up to Alpena, Owosso and across the state before expanding to other states. The film is exciting and heartfelt and it just might be the jump start we need to produce the eight shows for season 1 already written. Again we will see.
- ROM COMS MUST DIE the dark comedy about filmmaking has headed into the studio in the pines to start work on the musical score. I think we might do an end of the year premiere or two before we start rolling to theaters first of the new year. This film is a true joy to watch and I think it will be well received. The trailer was meant to be out by now but the last few tweaks are being done on the preview trailer.
- We are in pre-production for THE SECRET OF THE KINGDOM CHIP. We are still assigning the final investment units and bringing on board sponsors. We have some great brands joining us in telling this story. Many are following the FB page and watching the art team developments and the addition of cast and crew. We just added a great talent after she read and loved the script and that would be Mary Badham, nominated for an Academy Award for playing ‘Scout’ in the classic To Kill a Mockingbird. I enjoyed our conversation over the story which is unique and powerful. I loved when she compared my writing to Rod Sterling of The Twilight Zone. So this week will be more follow up as we pull all the resources together to film later next month. If you want to explore getting involved as a sponsor or backer please do reach out. Beyond production there is always marketing and various ways to assist.
- I love to write especially in the winter time but I did get inspired and I’ve been working on a first draft to the sequel to MAN’S BEST FRIEND. I get asked about this film often and what happened to Paul the lead. It is probably the most requested sequel behind Wild Faith, which fans will get in a few short months. I don’t have any immediate plans to film MBF2 but I’ve had the story for a while and so I’m getting it out of my head. I have some other writing projects looming for the winter.
(Inside Emagine Macomb sent by one of my cousins)
WRAP UP: I want to thank all of you who help support these film endeavors. Funding is not easy. Production is not easy. Delivery is not easy. Promotion is not easy. But if it was easy everyone would do it. A phrase we’ve used and I recently had told to me. I have to keep seeking storytellers at heart to help us move these stories along. We have a few remaining weeks to hit it hard and pull everything together for The Secret of the Kingdom Chip. We’ll be positioning Wild Faith Christmas to follow HIR into theaters right after HIR has moved into streaming and DVD. It is a wheel or creating art and keeping it moving. I was having a day where I wasn’t happy with the productivity for the day and I realized how well we are truly doing. Three films moving down the pipeline with another soon to film. Everyone of them a handcrafted story made with love and care.
Today I’ll do a bit of work on the film stuff along with some property work. Tomorrow I’ll be hitting it first thing and ready to have a great week ahead. I do have a funeral to attend for someone in our family circle who went too early to a horrible disease. That is why I don’t take any of it for granted. It can all change fast and for now I’m doing what I love and what is in my heart. I hope I can do it for many more years. But do use the losses in life to help yourself be fearless. Don’t fear failing fear never trying. I love our tribe of people and we’ll keep on telling the stories. I hope you keep after your dreams as well. As these last days of summer draw to a close embrace them. Soon the leaves will fall (some already are) and the cooler weather will be upon us. Until next week, be productive and be kind to one another.
DJ
2024 is Underway and Here We Go!
Coffee cheers on a snowy day in Michigan that is actually looking like winter. I want to welcome our new readers from Sri-Lanka, Philippines, Brazil and more. Note all those places are warm. Speaking of that last one Brazil, I had a chance to speak with our director of Harsens Island Revenge in Brazil via FaceTime on my phone. What an amazing jump in technology from just a few years ago where I would have given anything to say hello to loved ones at home when in the Philippines or India. It was occasionally jerky but clear as day we had a good meeting over the film progress. We might as well jump right into that but I hope you all are having a great start to your new year.
First our director Carl Weyant will be staying an extra week and coming home the first week of February. The edit so far is at 1 hour and ten minutes and moving quickly towards the end. He’s over the moon with the performances and the film even before color correction looks great. The film really sucks you in and keeps you engaged as the story progresses. The relationships are strong and we just really talked also about our journey getting to this point. He credited the script strength and the performances and I acknowledged his positive attitude, preparedness and his creative eye. Carl and I first met above the cloud line in India in a place called Ooty. A place unlike the hot and humid lowlands. A place high above set in the mountains where great pine forests lie. Here the British built palaces and the tea fields grow vast fields of the precious stuff. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Gem set at the top of the mountain. The film was called Karma: Crime, Passion, Reincarnation and is a great spooky thriller that is just beautiful. There is talk of trying to bring the film to the USA. We tried several years ago but what they wanted $ wise did not match want distributors wanted to pay. But maybe this could be the year. It really is a gem of a film. I loved the experience save the getting in and out of the country itself. The airports are a bit chaotic and communication was not what is is now. From there, Carl who was the leading man and I was the supporting detective became fast friends. Over the years we’ve guested in each others films. I went to NYC to play an FBI agent in THE ACTOR (On Amazon) and he acted in ASHES OF EDEN (Also available to watch). After that he was our lead as the blind centurion in part 3 of our biblical adventures in THE QUEST TRILOGY entitled The Christ Slayer. (All three can be seen and should be seen in order Forty Nights, Chasing the Star and The Christ Slayer) CDI had some exciting short form projects like music videos opening up to us and I paired he and Travis Hayward and it was magic. Those two work so well together and we’re soon to start another music video. Carl was invited to Iowa and played Lt. Grant in SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA and from there he was awarded the drivers seat on Harsens Island Revenge.
Relationships are everything in this business. I use to ponder that statement in our business of “it’s all who you know.” While really it is “who do you trust.” Trust to give 100%. Trust to appreciate all the effort before they came onboard. Trust that they will be that sail not an anchor to a project. To trust requires one to know. That is a big part of my job to look at a story and the pool of trusted creatives and pull together the best trusted team. When I’m successful I build that trust with my team. I’ve surprised people on several occasions with my outside the box ideas or the choosing of a certain person for a certain role or position. Bret Miller as the director of Chasing the Star was a surprise to some but he was the right person. Josh “Ponceman” Perry as Albus in The Christ Slayer. Carl Weyant was one of those surprise choices as the Harsens Island Revenge director but I dare say in all three of these examples the right choice was made. I’m so damn proud of our always growing tribe of creatives. I encourage you to watch all these films and follow the history of CDI. One day I do want a doc made on the company and now that we’re about top have easier access to the films footage it will happen eventually.
One of my goals I think I failed to mention was to become more present in a few of these industry mixers and open myself to discovering new talent. I’m a bit of an introvert by nature loving to listen to music, ponder and write. To take and make phone calls and in-person meetings. My days of “partying” are truly behind me having been there, done that and got that tee shirt. I like being productive and creating. But I can socialize and I do love getting to know people’s stories. I’m easier to get to know when I’m not on set with lots of responsibilities in producing and performing. So I’m going to make more of an effort this year.
Active development is underway for 2024 and 2025. Some projects like SPIRIT LAKE MASSACRE and WILD FAITH: HASTINGS are large and require more time and larger budgets. These two will be working towards rolling camera sin 2025. Active development in 2024 looking to shoot this year includes HOT ROD LOVE and a KNIGHT CHILLS follow up. This coming week we’re going to be approaching our pool of past investors with HOT ROD LOVE. A great film with much to say as most CDI films do but wrapped in humor and set in the glorious 1970’s drag racing world. Shane Hagedorn (Best Years Gone) will be directing and we hope to film late summer/early fall. We already have Pepsi signed on as a sponsor and will be talking with many others with this exciting film. A few of the film’s investor units are spoken for and as noted we’ll give first opportunity to those with seniority. After we’ll open it up any remaining opportunities to those new folks wishing to journey with us.
SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA had a great Christmas season and will continue the roll out march into our new year. This war time film can be enjoyed at anytime of year. We’re starting our marketing expansion and I hope many other countries get to experience the film. We had a very strong November and I’m sure December was even stronger. And this time next year I would imagine it available in many countries and playing on broadcast TV. Fans of free watching with ads will likely be able to see it in several months and with certain subscriptions. I would love to see it on HBO, which was always my go to for historical fiction.
BEST YEARS GONE, MANS BEST FRIEND, LOST HEART, WILD FAITH…so many good watches. It might be a first watch or just a chance to watch again and meet up with old friends like Hannah Sweet, Paul Landings, Chip or Emmett Murphy. We have so many films on Encourage TV that they gave us our own playlist so make it a watch marathon – WATCH HERE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2Tn2MhKrkFOCsmKZaxoZCT1R5GEOEL3E
WRAP UP: I’m going to work to wrap this up. I have eggs and corn beef hash awaiting me. I’ve been getting lots organized for end of year taxes both personally and the films. We broke an axe and sledge hammer while splitting logs last week and so I need to get replacements. We winterized the chicken coop just in time before this heavier snow flew. We still have our Christmas stuff up which I love but the tree will come down soon and Christmas lights will go into storage.
Our back up RAID for film storage is built and so we’ll be loading films onto that in the coming weeks. We’re looking at what older films from the CDI classic collection to remaster and get out to market. The re-release of KNIGHT CHILLS has been very fulfilling. To see where you started makes you truly realize how far you’ve come. One moment you’ve taking a rest at the Peacock Tree Farm in Bath, MI waiting for the fire department so you can blow up a car on Knight Chills and next moment you’re at the Old Lighthouse in Alpena, MI capturing magic hour for Harsens Island Revenge. 25 years plus in a blink of an eye. Don’t put off any dreams you might have. This past week a friend lost his dad after a full life and tragically I read about a 50 year old friend of friends who passed way too early. Don’t wait. Don’t be afraid to fail. Failing is learning. Learning is growing. Growing is what makes us truly feel alive. If you’re 80 years young and always dreamed of writing a book, do it. You’ve always dreamt of leaving the hustle bustle and have your own food truck, do it. You always wanted to share your music, do it. Okay, I’m off to eat and enjoy this wintery day. I so appreciate all of you for taking your time to stop by and read these words. I hope they offer you some insight and inspiration to your own endeavors.
Be good to one another!
DJ
DJ Perry's Official Blog 'Clawing My Way to the Middle' 