Youth, Experience, Wisdom and Loss
(Finn waiting for his buddy Jake to race)
Hazelnut coffee cheers from your artist friend DJ Perry enjoying a cool non-humid morning. My furry boy woke me early to go do his races with his buddy Jake. A lady walks her dog daily and they meet at the fence and do a series of “bop and go” runs. That is one barks GO! And they both bop the fence with their snout and run down and back along the fence line. I was proud of him because he hates fireworks, even the word. But even after a morning barrage set by some young yahoos likely not even to bed yet, he still returned to run. Usually it was one BOOM and he’s done. Let’s follow this conversation with yahoos.
I was once a yahoo which is a young foolish, self-centered, invincible-acting youth. We use to have a massive 4th party at my buddies house whereas so many fireworks were set off. This was not a country house but in a neighborhood and I can’t imagine the amount of distress we caused homeowners pets. And now I live in the karma. Also since last Monday my week has had a sad background to it all. Dear friends of mine that I actually introduced and who celebrated 30 years together recently lost their son. I knew this young man since he was a baby on up. He was like a nephew before I had a nephew. He had a ultra loving home and he was a well mannered, kind and humorous soul. But much like myself and many other’s he occasionally sought a BUZZ to be more social. Not all buzz’s lead down a dark place and for many it is just a phase. For some it can lead to a tragic ending and that is what happened here. This new generation seems to have much more dangerous substances too readily available. I’m not saying alcohol isn’t destructive because it surely can be. It can cost friendships, marriages, health and life either in bad decisions or eating your vitality. I will mourn this loss for a lifetime because it came way too soon.
I use to drink too much in my younger days but it was by choice, boredom and to deal with some of the early setbacks and failures of trying to get ahead in the film industry. I see the battles many young actors and filmmakers are going through. I feel for them because their passion is like a disease. It can be devastating to believe you are meant to do something without the means to do it. But keeping a clear head and trying different avenues is slowly revealing a path to success. After several wrong turns through the maze you start to gain ground. Experience teaches you and prepares your emotions for rejection. I told someone recently, you know me for my 30-40% of success but not of my 60-70% of setbacks. I’ve been dealing with those setbacks even now. I get something in place and it unravels. I put a piece in place and another falls off. But that is the way.
My belated birthday trip to Greenfield Village on Friday gave me many of the same inspirational insights to success only after many failures. Henry Ford didn’t fall into success. Nor did Thomas Edison, Walt Disney or Milton Hershey. Poverty. Fires. Bankruptcy. Ridicule. The greats all faced it unless handed down the money and those individuals were usually a pale version of the visionary who suffered to create. I’m thankful to be alive with the opportunity to try to climb the mountains.
I’m ready to get back to work tomorrow and try to get the new projects on better ground. We have some amazing wins this year already but I’m trying to prepare to do that again next year. We are fighting to film more stories this year and do it proper. Let’s look at some film updates-
- The first Harsens Island Revenge trailer is almost done. I’m awaiting the final version so I can upload to CDI Films Youtube site and we can premiere it. It is really good and only a reflection of the powerful film but it will be a great teaser to get folks ready. I wanted to release it on my birthday (June 23rd) but we were waiting on new voice over. And I wanted to try and have it released by week’s end or even today/now but the full audio was being remixed with the new narration. We have artists who deeply care about the story and final product and it shows. I would not be surprised to see if come across my desk today sometime and if it does we’ll all have a glorious Monday kick off! Additional trailers and poster art will follow!
- This week I’ll also be sending the new HD trailer of KNIGHT CHILLS, CDI’s 1st feature film, to a few distributors. Adam Towner did a bang up edit job and it is such a joy to see the work from all those years ago being presented again. And with the popularity again of Dungeons and Dragons and fantasy role playing games I believe it will be a hit. The Blu Ray sales on the special edition were wonderful. Now we want to bring it right into people’s homes. Follow the film on Facebook for all the new updates including the new trailer!
- AN ORDINARY KILLER sales link for the special edition HD DVD is still being put together. The streaming deal on this dramatic and touching film will be signed this week. It will stream in December! Now that Adam Towner has finished the new Knight Chills trailer the AOK streaming trailer might be next on deck.
- Dean Teaster’s GHOST TOWN is now streaming and kudos to Brett Frame for his trailer for the new release. Go to TUBI to watch free with ads and it should start appearing some other platforms also.
- Work on “De-Noise” and Up-Rez on the other classic CDI films is underway. I want to get a sales site up for the double feature DVD’s of HEAVEN’S NEIGHBORS and FIGURE IN THE FOREST. FROM VENUS artwork is being worked on and I’ll be having more talks on that film also.
- FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH the documentary on Catch-Can wrestling and the world champion Frank Gotch is being developed as a feature film biopic. We are making some ground there with UFC champion Randy Couture attached to play the famous trainer Farmer Burns, ironically related to our production designer GW Burns. We are working hard to try and align the financing on this story.
- Also in development is ROM COMS MUST DIE, a parody on the state of art in this day and age. Also the much awaited and anticipated sequel to WILD FAITH is aligning its financial pieces. It is a Christmas adventure with many of your favorite characters. If all goes as planned we’ll film in November of this year.
WRAP UP: I’m sure there are a few more updates I’m missing. But with the weather so nice and cool I have a list of things I want to get down on the property. I’ve been harvesting berries, mint, sage, red clover and more. I was given as a gift a beautiful metal owl that blows in the wind. I think I’ll attach a picture of it on here. The chickens have been gifting us eggs and they’re still a joy to watch strut around looking for food.
(Bubo the Owl)
I think I have an interviewer for a book coming to the fort/office tomorrow to discuss a past project. So I’ll go do a bit of straightening up there also. As noted above, this has been a hard week for many people who knew the young man who passed away. Our time here is limited and so make the most of it. Chase dreams and help others. You unfortunately can’t help everyone but that is why I love our stories. They reach tens of millions of people and spread that positive good energy. I’ll wrap this up here but I’ll look forward to chatting again with you next week. It will be the 4th of July weekend ahead so please do be safe. Until next time we meet, coffee cheers!
DJ
(Wright Brother’s homestead – true dreamers)
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
DJ Perry's Official Blog 'Clawing My Way to the Middle' 