A very good morning to everyone out there. I’m sipping on the hazelnut coffee and I’ve been already doing quite a bit of film work. I am luckily able to turn it off at night and sleep very soundly. But first thing in the morning my brain starts chewing on the things we are trying to fix, solve or find. We are 10 days from filming starting tomorrow and we are looking good. Last few castings, crewing and still bringing on a few backers and sponsors. We will be announcing more like ETC sponsoring a meal for our crew and more! Films bring communities together and we love that. Everywhere we’ve filmed we have so many friends and some almost like family.
On the home front we added the gazebo to the new deck and added some runners and rugs. It looks so nice. I’ve continued to harvest and my wood processing is about to kick into high gear as the first fire in the fort might be tonight. I’ve been harvesting my herbs that will become my herbal teas. I’ve gathered enough berries and rhubarb to do a winter batch of Frankenberry Wine. I missed soccer this past week with our season over but my body has been recovering nicely. I’ve held off on the end of season mowing because the bees are stilling gathering from the flowers they can find mostly red clover and the tops of mint.
Last night was goulash made with venison which was so good. That heavier food is good as the days and nights become colder. This next film will be nice because most all of it is inside and no all-night shoots. Okay, I hear you. Enough of the homestead updates get to the artistic endeavors.
THE SECRET OF THE KINGDOM CHIP (TSOTKC) – So as I mentioned the sets are all close to being ready. We only have a cast or two we’re in talks on. A few crew as well and we’re still lining up a few business things but we are about ready to start rolling. We will be having an extra call this week for the 18th and 19th of September in Owosso are the two days with extras. I’m pretty excited as I’m doing something I haven’t done yet and after 30+ years that is hard to find in this industry. I’m playing an AI character (maybe) which sounds confusing but it will all make sense to those who watch the film. I went into the studio and performed all my scenes to be used in the movie. It was done in advance so that the actors can play directly off it. It will be the backbone of the performance but I still have some scanning to take place both with and without my beard.
This film is a loose modern day follow up to our series The Quest Trilogy which includes Forty Nights, Chasing the Star and The Christ Slayer. In there I played ‘Jesus’ is parts one and three. This film had me digging out a few wardrobe pieces and becoming a version of that character. But it is different. There is something unique added and on review of the footage I was satisfied by what we captured. The final Avatar ‘skin’ will be put on after the actual shoot. But it is funny how the wardrobe along put my mind back into the headspace from those other films. We considered filming this in Yuma, AZ but the added cost of flights and lodging had us choose a closer location. Actually most of it is in our director’s home town.
Wild Faith Christmas – Speaking on playing characters again, I was so happy to bring Ben Lily alive again on screen. I like this because in the first film they were the visitors and now you get to see them somewhat at home. Meanwhile, Emmett (Shane Hagedorn) and Edmond (Dean Teaster) are now the visitors. The movie which was also a test run for the TV series came out great! Our theatrical rep LOVED it and it will be pitched to the theater chains starting very soon. We plan a Nov- into 2026 theatrical followed by a dark window with maybe a few festivals followed by home video for the holidays 2026. Get ready for more 1800’s Michigan adventure! Watch part one again and get ready!
ROM COMS MUST DIE – This highly entertaining story of filmmaking cousins doing almost anything to get their sophomore feature off the ground after a lackluster first film. The script has lots to say about the world of acting, writing, filmmaking, distribution and more. The film is at the Pine Studio preparing to have the score produced. The first PR announcing the first peek at the teaser trailer was met with many good laughs. We will look to have an end of year premiere and follow that with a theatrical and home video release all in 2026!
Harsens Island Revenge – The film was extended for another week (Until Sept 11th) in the Riverside Cinema in Marine City, MI and the Okulski Theatre in Grosse Pointe, MI. It will arrive ONE NIGHT ONLY at Forest Theatre in Forest City, IA on September 19th! We also are up for multiple awards at the Red Letter Awards on the 13th. We are working hard to try and get Fridley’s in Algona, IA to do a week run. We hope this week they will book. We plan to keep booking right up to our 10/6/2025 home video release! An exciting time for this film to be sure.
Development – I’m not going to go on about much development here. I’m going to focus on what is on my plate BUT development is always underway. I’ve had a few great conversations about future projects and over the holidays I’ll have some productive conversations I’m sure. I have one script I want to finish up on and I’m about to sign on another writing project. I’m considering a literary rep again to option/sell a few of my screenplays.
WRAP UP: I’m about to go throw down on a few eggs and some buttermilk pancakes. Today is a beautiful day to get some work done outside. MSU won their second game last night and the Lions kick it off tonight. I might see a bit of the game before I have my brother and a few friends over. The wood stove might get its first fire of the season tonight. We’ll be bouncing work emails back and forth today and already I’ve been getting our budget onto our software. This coming week we’ll be really putting the final things into play. I’ll be working on cast and crew agreements. Securing some of the final business needed and on the 18th cameras are going to ROLL!
I do feel good having gotten the bulk of my performance out of the way. I’ll be there to assist alll the actors who might need it if they have any timing issues. Much like ROM COMS MUST DIE we are required to film part of the film in advance so actors can respond to it directly in real time. That frees me up to handle many other things during the shoot. Once we get this film in the can I think that is a wrap on feature production. We have some great releases theatrically, home video and premieres and maybe even a fest trip. So we’re going to get this amazing story shot and it will give our team something to work on during the cold months in Michigan.
I hope all of you have had a great year. I know many people have had challenges, myself included. But that is life, facing the challenges, creating and enjoying the company of friends and family. I’ll have to swap out my Summer for fall clothes this week and that is always fun. I have more cold weather clothes I like versus warm weather. I almost see the bottom of the coffee cup so that is my cue. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your day. Have a great week and we’ll talk next week!
This entry into the old blog outlining the journey is unusual in that I’m typing it first a day late. To be fair if you also follow me on social media’s Facebook, you knew I was traveling back from Iowa on Sunday. But I’m here at 9:30 pm drinking some hot tea and eating trail mix, recollecting on my last few days. A whirlwind to be sure. Members of our production team traveled to Algona, Iowa almost 80 years after a group of German PW’s gifted something special to the small town. German PW’s, you say? Yes. For many in the USA and elsewhere abroad, they were unaware of the large amount of German PW’s kept in camps across the midwest. Most ran by WW1 officers pulled from civilian life and the injured American soldiers taken off the front lines and sent to homeland MP duties. At this one camp in Algona, Iowa something special happened. A unifying endeavor of captives gifting captors, while the world is at war.
This story, SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA– was meant to be told now. Based on true events, this film was created by our hardworking CDI tribe. A group of artists that I hope will be recalled for their contributions to preserving history and storytelling – entertaining and occasionally educating. Education by offering perspectives, often unseen, causing rifts in people. By looking at multiple perspectives, a more full picture can be established. A better understanding could be achieved.
This first set of premiere screenings were the most important because it was accomplished with the help of these folks and it was their history. The laughter and the crying followed by more laughter, I loved that. Someone described it as a rollercoaster of emotions as you bounce between perspectives. I’m just very proud of it. We had a killer opening with added theaters and expanded screens. There are good folks watching the film as we type this. I love that feeling. Out storytelling is happening with communities of people. This is the added joy of a theatrical watch. We have many new updates on screening opportunities. We have theaters reaching out and that is because of all of you. Thank you.
The Bitter of life– Someone very close to me, a mentor for sure in several areas, has been eagerly awaiting this film’s release. A lover of history and WW2, he always wanted updates on the film. Somewhat unexpected, he started having complications when we were in studio mixing SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA, and had a stay in the hospital for tests. A BEAUTIFUL Iowa snowstorm the night before our premiere, made Algona into a winter wonderland. Radio, TV and newspaper interviews in the morning followed by a great hearty brunch. An afternoon to prepare and rest a few beats before the activities start. Two hours before we unveil this inspirational and joyful film to the town where it all happened, a call. Unbelievable news. He’s gone.
Perspective. I greeted many beaming faces that night and sincerely enjoyed the glow of pride emanating from these wonderful people. The loss I was reeling from was also an artist in percussion and woodworking. He would often share stories of ZZ Top, Chicago and more, often ending in- the show must go on. It did go on. I was bathed in the good energy of all these people, inspired by the actions of their own past citizens and relatives. The SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA project and I had suffered an emotional hit a few years earlier with Rance Howard’s passing. He was passionate about 1940’s farming. Hours talking about farming- and many other life things, from that era. He loved the story, but sadly passed before we went into production.
The film will travel to Michigan next week- a premiere showing in Lansing and GR, with a TBD afterglow for folks to mingle and talk. I will not be at the premiere next week. I am going to be with family putting someone special to rest. But I’m very proud that we’ll be showing our cast and crew and our home state in this wonderful story. It will start playing next Friday –
One of my favorite questions to some of our oldest in attendance, was asking if we captured the time period. Their overwhelming squeal of delight, the confirmation I care about. Not perfect, motion picture is an illusion, best when the audience lends its imaginations and opens their minds. After watching it a few times on the big screen, we found even more to polish before home video (DVD, streaming and broadcast TV) later in 2023. That is how the artists at CDI roll. I’m just proud of the artists and the stories being preserving and assuring it is not lost. This movie is the next Iowa ‘Field of Dreams’ as special things do seem to happen in Iowa. But many states have their own stories that deserve to be remembered.
It has been a long few days and still much to do this week. IF you have recently watched our SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA in the theatre please go to http://www.imdb.com search our film and leave your feedback. We’ve had so many people reaching out who had heard fragments of stories from a grand parent or great grandparent, about German PW’s. I’m excited for Germans to see this film and we will be targeting to show somewhere special in Germany in 2023. We will do a Hollywood showing next year as most of German actors are out there. It will be fun sharing this film around the world and in time for Christmas 2023 you can own it.
If you watched Silent Night in Algona and enjoyed it, you can watch others by our troupe/tribe like BEST YEARS GONE, WILD FAITH, LOST HEART, MAN’S BEST FRIEND, WICKED SPRING, ASHES OF EDEN, FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH (Iowa) and The Quest Trilogy (FORTY NIGHTS, CHASING THE STAR, THE CHRIST SLAYER) – You can explore http://www.cdiproductions.com and we’ll be updating even more for the first of the year. MERCHANDISE?
And while you enjoy, we also will be preparing more stories to tell – casting and crewing up in 2023
Also strong development meetings in Iowa on the new script SPIRIT LAKE MASSACRE, looking to shoot in 2024. Just blessed to be able to do what I love to do, affecting millions, with the power of a story. I have another talk this week on another film that would have me reuniting with a filmmaker from my past. Truly, a special weekend in Iowa and I’m just sad, one special person did not get to see it, or-
Keep following your dreams. Die creating, reaching, growing and giving. I’ve been inspired by both the comedy and tragedy of life. Don’t take people, time and kindness for granted. Until next Sunday-
DJ Perry's Official Blog 'Clawing My Way to the Middle' 