Finishing the Year Strong! CDI Tribal Updates Entering September 2025!
Here we are again my friends. I’m sipping on the hazelnut coffee and reflecting on my busy week. We had a surge in readers from China this week. Welcome. This past week has been eventful. First at the semi-final stage our soccer team’s season finally ended. We started strong but at the end of the day they capitalized on a few more opportunities. What a great season and a great work out. My abs are killing but not from soccer from being on a ladder and putting a new gazebo together on the freshly stained and sealed deck. It is a lovely reddish color and will give a wonderful place to make calls from and relax. I’ve been harvesting mint, sage, oregano and more from the garden. I’ll be doing some trimming and cutting more firewood soon. I’m going to have some builders look at closer the office rafters in to keep the birds out. Aside from that it has been collecting eggs and organizing the under deck. Always something to do but those little improvements are well worth it.
To the movie updates-
- Harsens Island Revenge is playing until Sept 3rd at the Riverside Cinema and now in Grosse Pointe at the Okulski Theatre until Sept 4th. It is coming one night only to Forest Theatre on Sept 19th. We are working to try and get dates in Algona at Fridley’s for all our friends there. Emagine said if anymore openings they will try to slide the film into some additional slots. The film is being submitted to a few festivals via our home distributor. We had a great meeting with their marketing team and in September the marketing campaign will really heat up. It will be available on DVD and streaming on 10/6/2025. It is also up for several awards on Sept 13th for The Red Letter Awards. I think you can tune in online!
- Wild Faith Christmas is needing a last look on credits before it is mastered for theatrical. It is being submitted to the Wild Bunch Film Festival. The original cleaned up with like 13 awards at the AZ festival in October. We will be meeting over theatrical and our partners will start pitching to theaters. We hope to get it in where they will take it. It is a powerful story and we are excited to bring it to you. We will be doing the MI run for sure with Lansing, Alpena, Owosso, GR and Detroit. From there we’ll go to as many theaters as we can.
- ROM COMS MUST DIE is at the sound studio and we’ll be doing a watch through soon. We’ll get our director Travis Hayward in there to discuss music beds. The first teaser trailer is going to come out this week and I’ve been working on the PR release materials. I’m really proud of this comedy gem and Adam Towner makes a good debut in his first co-starring role. We might be looking at a premiere at the end of the year pending how progress goes. But 2026 will be the theatrical and home video release. Be ready to laugh!
- The Secret of the Kingdom Chip (TSOTKC) is moving full steam ahead on several fronts. I’ve been collecting biz paperwork and funds and fine tuning our budget. We are still assigning a few pieces of that to parties and we’re still bring sponsors on. We’ll be welcoming an Aussie company Three Cuts Gin to the film. Several more will be announcing and we are so thankful to them. Actor reads, set building, camera tests and more are all underway. We start rolling cameras in 18 days! All very exciting developments and we cannot wait until audiences see this story. I was given a great compliment on the script from Mary Badham who said it had a Rod Sterling flair to the writing. I’m a big fan of Rod Sterling so that made my week.
- IF you are excited about some of these new releases there are some CDI films you can watch to be ready. If you haven’t seen Harsens Island Revenge yet and want to see another film adapted from a Karl Manke book by Wild Faith Christmas director Shane Hagedorn watch BEST YEARS GONE. If you are awaiting Wild Faith Christmas make sure you watch part 1 WILD FAITH now streaming! If you are awaiting the Secret of the Kingdom Chip watch our 3 part The Quest Trilogy (Forty Nights, Chasing the Star, The Christ Slayer) and get some hints to the follow up story. Wanna see Tony Hornus previous directorial stories watch MAN’S BEST FRIEND and SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA. LOST HEART, GHOST TOWN, AN ORDINARY KILLER, KNIGHT CHILLS, BESTSELLER…the list goes on. As the cold sets in make sure you catch up on the Tribe!
DEVELOPMENT: TSOTKC will be my last feature film for the year. After we have lotta roll our showings and events in planning. We are working on a few film series consisting of dinner and a movie plus a mixer with Q&A and more. I’m finally to the agreement stage of a writing project that is pretty exciting. I will be finishing up MBF2 this winter also. We have some major meetings ahead on film projects as we have many working to try and take the CDI productions to the next level. The Hastings, Wild Faith TV series will get another push with the sequel release. So many stories to be told. I’ll be circling back to some contacts in Iowa trying to help launch a few stories there. I have a few associates with proposed collaborations that I need to dig into more. Both are westerns.
I’m full of ideas for moving into the future. Right now I’m focusing on the projects sitting square on my plate. We will have a great production in 3 short weeks and I’ve got a good amount to do between now and then. I’m going to go get ready to eat some of those delicious eggs. I’ve still got some business to wrap up to help get a jump on the shorter week ahead. If you again want to join us on this next story adventure feel free to reach out. We have a few more crew and a cast or two to lock in but we are looking good.
I hope you all are enjoying the slow transition to Fall. MSU won their first game and that was nice to watch. The LIONS are on deck and that is something I always enjoy. I’m going to work in the yard some today and start that transitional clean up. Maybe a fire outside and maybe even a first fire in the office stove. Push on everyone and lets make this a great year. I cannot believe we are in September already with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner. It feels like the Christmas tree just went down. That is how the wheel turns and so keep a smile on your face and be kind to everyone. I’m deeply appreciative to everyone who has supporting our artistic endeavors this year. My heartfelt thanks.
DJ
NEW ‘Releases,’ NEW Production Direction, NEW Growth!
(My first starring role as monster hunter Alex Kerwood)
Friends,
Coffee Cheers! I want to welcome all our new readers from Germany, Brazil, Philippines and more. I hope you all are having a great weekend. We have some rain this morning that came last night. We had a few perfect warm yet cool and not humid days. I’ll have to put another mow on the yard start of the week. I did a lot of herb harvesting the last couple days. Mint, sage, chives, bee balm, catnip, red clover and more. The power of many of these herbs as tea in not commonly known. We are aware of the taste profile in cooling but many of these have powerful benefits. I drink my coffee in the morning but from noon on you will usually find me sipping a tea infusion.
I had a great soccer match later in the week that we dropped to last year champs but only by 2 goals (6-4) and we capable of taking the match had a few things gone differently. I have learned to love the other steel that sharpens my blade so to speak. My running shape is great and I’m very pleased with that. Add in some archery and my martial arts training and I’m keeping my body busy. Fuel your machine with good eats and push yourself weekly and you’ll be able to turn back that wheel of time a little. I also had a partial tree that broke off maybe fifteen feet up or so. It is really just a squirrel condo these days but the branch shoots started growing out of it rubbing the side of the house and roof. I got a ladder, a pole saw and some motivation and gave it a major cut. I created some more firewood to season ands now we’ll be ready for the July porch build.
I great week of business as we enter my birthday month. First I’m going to announce here that we tried to get up a big hill with HOT ROD LOVE, our 70’s drag racing comedy. We will not start something we cannot finish so the decision to shelf that film for another season is at hand. This is not an easy decision but one just based on facts. What we are looking to do is produce two smaller SCOPE feature films. Smaller is scope means fewer locations, characters and more local casting and crewing versus flights and lodging. As I’ve noted before those are some of the major costs. I’ve written three of these smaller scope films this year so far. I just finished one of them last week and I’ll be polishing it up Monday. The other is a smart comedic horror film that really has a lot to say about the state of our industry now. It would also be the launch of another director from within the CDI family. These smaller scope films have been developed working with our main distributor.
The second script I don’t want to discuss too much yet as I want to discuss the script once polished with our previous director. I say “previous director” because this second project is a sequel to a popular CDI film. If a deal cannot be made we will still move ahead but we’ll see how it all falls together. Currently were processing checks to return to our investors. At that time we’ll invite past investors to travel with us starting with those who backed the first film. One of the investors already got wind and has committed with excitement. Both these projects are exciting because they are diverse in flavor. The 3rd smaller scope film is being looked at by Carl Weyant, our Harsens Island Revenge director. It would film early in 2025 if everything came together. But right now we’re going to focus on the two films in front of us.
(Director Carl Weyant and Dennis Therrian composer/sound designer)
FILM UPDATES:
Harsens Island Revenge is in dialog clean up and I’m told that is going amazing thanks to the artists who captured it, the technology of the recording and the post software now available. Also I’m going to be meeting with director Carl this week and I hope to set a release date for the trailer of June 23rd (My birthday).
(Shane Hagedorn in Silent Night in Algona)
SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA is on the run up to the UP Family & Faith tv release which I believe is July 1st. I’ll be in talks with the distributor this forthcoming week. I hope they made some licensing deals with foreign territories at the film market in Cannes. This WW2 film should play well around the world and I’m excited that this year we might do some theatrical event screenings around the holidays.
Recently we’ve been remastering and getting some of the CDI classics remastered and ready to re-release. I’ll be sending the KNIGHT CHILLS screening link to our possible new streaming distributor. The Blu Ray release has been good but the streaming will be gold. The film is now in HD and looks great in all its dice rolling action. If you love role playing games this classic Blu Ray belongs on your shelf. The book and making of script release is also being worked on and will go out with the streaming release.
(Throw back to a Japanese release of ‘In the Woods’)
The above film was CDI’s first feature film but even before that I had a handful of film releases and my first feature role was starring in IN THE WOODS. This film was born of passion and we fought hard to fund the film and make it. We faced all kinds of challenges but ended up with a monster movie that found its way into Blockbusters, Hollywood Video, Family Video and mom and pop video stores across the land. It released in many foreign countries and it gave us our first footholds in this crazy and wonderful business. It was great to watch the podcast announcement as Terror Vision announced the new Blu Ray release. Both the remastered classic and a new streamlined director’s version that plays much better. That is what many years of hindsight can do for you. But we’re proud of both versions.
(‘In the Woods’ promo card)
First here is the Official Facebook page to follow along: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560335641893
(The 2024 Blu Ray Cover Art)
And the Terror Vision pod cast look at the hour 13 min mark WATCH HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a4wAh0zces
The NEW 2024 Blu Ray Trailer: https://youtu.be/iXsSR67108w?si=ubmu0n3UIzc8yp_m
BUY THE Blu Ray HERE: https://www.terror-vision.com/store/in-the-woods-1999-blu-ray
There is talk of an event theatrical screening in Kalamazoo where the film was shot. Discussions of a few Horror Con visits have taken place. And there is real talk of a sequel which would be a great full circle moment.
(Terence Knox and DJ Perry star in AN ORDINARY KILLER)
AN ORDINARY KILLER – We’ll be cutting a new trailer for streaming (Looking at December) in a few weeks but the classic movie and trailer has been remastered and will soon be available on a collectors HD DVD. I hope to have a link for you to purchase from next week thanks to Two Average Joes handling the fundraising efforts for The Red, White and Blue Project.
Dean Teaster’s Ghost Town – This film is now streaming on the first of many platforms. You can watch it free with ads. Watch the 2024 trailer here with this PR: https://www.prlog.org/13021607-western-ghost-town-immortalizes-ghost-town-in-the-sky-theme-park.html NOTE: The film has historic violence. You can WATCH THE FILM HERE: https://tubitv.com/movies/616519/dean-teaster-s-ghost-town
In addition to the re-release of Knight Chills, Ghost Town and An Ordinary Killer– restoration efforts are underway on FROM VENUS, HEAVEN’S NEIGHBORS and FIGURE IN THE FOREST. It has been a joy to bring these films to new audiences. The DVD Double feature of Heaven’s Neighbors and Figure in the Forest will be going back up for sale soon!
WRAP UP:
To date, only Jesus has been my repeat role in both part 1 FORTY NIGHTS and Part 3 THE CHIRST SLAYER. It’s a compliment to even consider bringing some of the other characters back to the screen. I really look forward to that possibility. IF you have not watched these three films in The Quest Trilogy please do. Just google up ENCOURAGE TV and watch in order with part 2 being CHASING THE STAR. I had some talks about returning to the biblical at some point.
We have some on-going development on a pair of films to film in Iowa. We are taking steps on one and the other is moving a tad slower. We have a few meetings coming up and perhaps we might be rolling cameras in 2025 in Iowa.
This week is full of meetings and look for some announcements on the new CDI film slate. I’m going to go have a little breakfast and get some things done around the homestead. I hope you all have a great end to your weekend and a great start to your week.
Until next week, 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
Welcome 2014 – Looking Ahead
Welcome one and all to “Clawing My Way to the Middle” first blog of 2014. It was a wild Christmas holiday with the ice storm and even now we prepare for another Arctic storm to come. I had a good friend come and help me cut up the fallen elm tree which I stacked up. I will say that once it has dried I will have a good amount of firewood. I had to do a little make shift fix to the fence until we can really address it. There was a lot of business that finished at the end of 2013 and some that was just on hold. Let us look at the year ahead so top off that coffee cup and let’s take a look.
In December I was filming later than usual in the year with my acting on “Dead Quiet”. It was a cool okay COLD chance to film with some dedicated folks. I’m curious to see what we created although the first look at dailies brought good feedback. I’m also curious to see the Christmas film I did locally renamed “Small Town Santa” which ties into my next announcement. I had almost sold/produced a Christmas script of my own several years ago. It banged around with some majors and would have easily been the largest script sale I’ve made. I had Hollywood try to do a commercial tween rewrite. I was willing to sell but truly hated that version. When that deal did not go through I put that version in a dark vault never to see light of day again. I kept my version inspired by THE WALTON’S versus the AfterSchool special mess. I held onto it in hopes that either I could do it right or that someone else could. I finally had a studio read MY version and loved it. The option/purchase agreement was made and it is very likely that it will launch this year. A press release is being put together so I will hold on details. I’m starting to look at a few scripts that are not acting vehicles for myself and I might consider a sell. Many like the visual style of the writing and so 2014 will see me put some effort in this area. My agent wants me to look at scripts to sell via them also so I guess I will consider. So if you are in need of a script in a certain genre reach out. You better bring your checkbook though.
I’m starting to continue distribution and studio talks that started at the year’s end. I’ve got some legal meetings this coming week over properties. I’ve got a few scripts to read – one being the proposed follow-up to “Ashes of Eden” with director friend Shane Hagedorn. Post work on ‘Ashes of Eden” is almost complete and “Bestseller” is about to dive into editing. This year will see “Donors,” “The Terrorist” making 1st distribution pushes along with the two films above. CDI will look at more associations and continue the tradition of storytelling. The chances are good that I will be doing a follow-up project “The Beast” with Russ Williams (Darkest Night) and the western “Rifle” with Carl Barbee (Resurrection).
As for acting – the hair got a sizable trim and I’m ready to tackle some new roles. I love the family of folks in front of and behind the camera. In 2014 we will create more stories.
Cheers!
DJ Perry's Official Blog 'Clawing My Way to the Middle' 