CDI Updates! Don’t take any of it for granted, get busy DOING!
Good morning! Hazelnut cheers my friends. So my week started with some unexpected events. My day was winding down early this week and I got an email from a person I don’t often communicate with. It was to inform me that my friend and artistic collaborator Greg Zivic had been found passed away. At first I had hoped it was a hacked email account spreading a vicious lie. But 24 hours later that was found to be the truth. I had been in conversation with Greg as we were looking to sit down with another friend of his over films. We had settled on St. Patrick’s Day. He was an artists who did many other things including ER doctor. He had owned a gallery prior that was a showcase for artists often with food, drink and music. He had various ventures with other close associates from real estate to medical R&D. He was a doer, a dreamer and a damn fine fellow who I never saw angry. I know he helped family, friends and of course the wounded who came into whatever ER he was working. It is hard to say goodbye to such people but as we get older that goodbye becomes more often. So RIP Greg.
We had a few really nice days of sun and warmth before winter made a return. Cold with even a bit of snow. But the signs of Spring are everywhere from little sprouts coming from the ground and lil buds on the trees. I need to do a trim on the mulberry trees while it is still cold. The chickens are almost at full production with 4-5 eggs a day. I enjoyed a few days of working the property save maybe all the dog poop pick up but it had to be done. The upside has been a few more fires in the wood stove before the season is over. Every year we make a few small improvements to the property. I have a few in mind for this year.
Out of respect for above mentioned Greg, I did not release some of the PR we had planned. I will do that this week. I did spend a few days catching up on all kinds of desk work. The streamlining has been moving along and I’m happy to be evolving. I had to get our next wrap book digitized. A wrap book is a book of all the agreements that are executed for a movie during production. These are required for distributors to take your film on especially if they are presenting to 3rd party companies. So WILD FAITH CHRISTMAS is almost all delivered and now ROM COMS MUST DIE is almost done as well. I would say by month’s end for those two films.
OTHER UPDATES:
- The poster for ROM COMS MUST DIE is done and we have a meeting Monday about getting that ready for our theatrical run. We are still in talks about where the premiere will be which might tie into the first local theatrical run. We are going to try and target fewer theatrical with more precision. Also the film will be traveling to some festivals as well. More on that as we know.
- AI JESUS: The Secret of the Kingdom Chip – is moving down the post production line. We will be listening to the dialog mix with sound design this week. Once that is locked up the composing of music and mix will start. The home video distribution team has been already preparing and it looks like we will be tying the branding of the posters together since it is a short window of theatrical to home video. Art is always subjective but in the home video world you have seconds before someone decides to RENT/BUY by pressing play.
- WILD FAITH CHRISTMAS got done in time for a bit of Christmas play but we will be going back into theaters before rolling into streaming and DVD Q4 2026. We are up for a few awards at various event shows and festivals. ICFF has us up for many of them. The RED LETTER AWARDS will be announcing nominations soon. Interesting talk on the future of the franchise. The original film has been successful for us and the follow up should reach the same success even faster due to the built in audience. I do have eight shows for a TV series written and we will explore a few funding possibilities. But it needs to be done right which means creative control. The social media funding path was brought up again which I’m not a fan of. Is it my ego? Is it that I’ve been taught to pitch and partner? The path of THE CHOSEN is always used as an example but you never hear of the thousands that never make it. We will make a good go to set up the TV series. I have also been working on another stand alone feature film working title WILD FAITH 3. Any way you cut it we will be continuing the adventures of Emmett and friends.
- I’ve been also working in my free time on the sequel to MAN’S BEST FRIEND. Right now just the working title MBF2. But the script is shockingly powerful and I’m over half way through it maybe 3/4 pending how it flows. I’ve got a handful of scenes written for a LOST HEART follow up that I’m tinkering with as the mood hits me. I think as these films grow in their fanbase and people fall in love with the characters they want to see more. I’m also working on another follow up script that might have a path to production. The ink will be dry on this writing endeavor this week but writing has already started in good faith. I will be talking about that more next week and some PR will roll out.
- One of the PR announcements I’m looking to release is the CDI development with Katharsys Pictures of three genre films to be directed by Lynn Drzick. He directed the first feature film I starred in. A creature feature called IN THE WOODS. Get the Blu Ray and watch the old version and the updated version. One of the films on the slate is IN THE WOODS 2.
- Speaking of old school, I’m looking forward to seeing some restoration tests on CDI films 2, 3 AND 4. The hope is that we can release back into the marketplace at some point in time. I’ve also been playing catch up on data entry on IMDB and getting some of our short form projects listed such as Making of’s and Special Events. It all takes time.
- The development direction with GOTCH did not pan out as we had hoped. It is not fair to just share the successes without the setbacks. One of the issues on this or any project is control of the funds. As the supervising producer and manager of the project I need to know that every agreement I make has the funds locked up to support that. A couple of earlier career burns has taught me this important lesson. So even with promises of big money, if it’s not set up in a way that you can protect and assure your team of being paid, that’s a hard pass. Now we have some great things in play on this script and we really got everything tight and ready for pre-production. We just need to make the right deal. In the meantime, I want to do a follow up to FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH documentary. We will have some talks on that soon.
- As I’ve almost put the last little business piece in place on our AI JESUS we are starting to look ahead. The project it pushed was a great little comedic ‘who done it’ film set at the turn of the century. It might be what we do next with our friends and collaborators the McGraw’s. We will see once they are back from LA/Hollywood visiting family. We’ve had two great collaborations with them and we hope to make a third very soon.
WRAP UP: I covered quite a bit of development in the above list. I’m gonna send out a last few business emails and maybe do a bit of script writing. I hope the week ahead doesn’t bring any sad news like last week. I went from disbelief having just talked with him and made plans. To sad and mad at why such a great person would be taken so soon. Although he truly did pack two lifetimes into one. To now being motivated that I am still here and can keep creating. One day people may remember my doings fondly but not now. So don’t take any conversations or visits for granted. And don’t be afraid to go after your dreams. I will talk with everyone next week and I hope you have a great rest of your day.
Coffee Cheers! DJ
The journey. The adventure. The wins. The setbacks. The Growth!
I’m sipping the hot hazelnut coffee on a snowy Michigan morning. I’m feeling much better this weekend from last. I was under the weather last week which in part I feel was due to my gut being off from antibiotics. I had my first of two upper wisdom teeth removed and I think the meds threw my balance off. But a few probiotics and I’m feeling much better. It is odd how so much is tied to health. It has been a theme so many times that health is wealth. I stand by that. They say the coloring of the mood is controlled by the gut. And the gut can be greatly influenced by what you eat and dental health. I talk to my young people all the time about staying on top of that. It can easily be one of the things that gets overlooked when times are tough financially. But I’m a person who tries to really keep up on all that.
I have to say while I was still slightly below par last week it was still a very productive week. I’ve been working to streamline things and prepare for the next five years and beyond. Accountants, bankers, legal are all important parts of the filmmaking process. If your start up organization lacks these things it might be part of what is holding your growth back. Filmmaking is so much more than just playing with a camera. Those production skills are very important but what will lead you to the bigger projects is good business.
FILM UPDATES:
- Today I will be meeting with one of my oldest collaborators Lynn (David) Drzick from Katharsys Pictures. They manage the literary part of CDI. We are publishing scripts/making of’s and novels of CDI films where it applies. Next up is the re-release of the Ghost Town novel. And I’ll be handing materials off for the beginning layout of the Making of KNIGHT CHILLS including the script. This movie has had the book by David Hayes released and is now available on BluRay and streaming! It was CDI’s first film. We will be discussing more literary endeavors because I truly do LOVE books.
- I will also note that we’ve been developing a few films with Lynn and Katharsys Pictures with one being IN THE WOODS 2. We are a few drafts deep and some early development is being done on that. It is always fun to talk films and Alex, Wayne and Al just may be fighting monsters again in the near future.
- I was talking about books and one of the books we are really wanting to do this year is THE QUEST TRILOGY coffee table book full of great pictures and interviews with key production members. I have 1 of the 3 director interviews and need to push for the other two.
- The last three films in the CDI Classic Collection are being evaluated for restoration and I feel fairly confident that we will have some success with these films. You become a guardian of these stories and keeping them in the public is work. But I want to see these stories live on as they are part of the CDI history.
- Rom Coms Must Die is completed and this past week we entered several film festivals that might embrace this film. I will be having talks this week over theatrical and we are actively working to set up a premiere showing. A new theatrical poster is being worked on by Adam Towner and this dark comedy will be releasing wide to streaming and DVD in Q3! You can check out a Making of on IMDB and look for promo clips coming soon.
- AI Jesus: The Secret of the Kingdom Chip is having all the dialog worked on plus music and sound design. We’ll start hearing parts of this very soon. Based off some initial concept art our theatrical poster is being polished up. The plan is to be in theaters this Summer and Q4 home video. A BTS is being planned and the trailer is getting more eyes weekly. We are raising the last little bit of marketing money on this unique film and cannot wait to share it with the world.
- Wild Faith Christmas is entering thew second half of its festival run. We just found out we were nominated for BEST PICTURE at a great awards show. We’ll be announcing that soon but you heard it here first. We are waiting to hear on several more festivals and at the end of Summer/fall this film will reenter the theatrical market before a Q4 home video release. Home video artwork is underway and this will be a great gift to the fans of the first film. It was very well received in theaters thus far and we have plans to try and launch the TV series again.
- I have been doing some writing on two different scripts both follow ups to popular CDI films. I had the goal of finishing at least two films this year and I’m on track to do just that. I’ve dropped hints on which scripts in past blogs. One is the most requested sequel of all the CDI films. It is always fun to be in the world with these characters beloved to so many people. Do you have any guesses? Or do you have CDI films you would like to see follow up’s on?
DEVELOPMENT: Technically the about update on scripts is considered development but I will leave it up there. We have one film that could launch this year but it is time sensitive. We have a few weeks to tie everything up or else it will be pushed into the next year. These are hard talks when you want something so bad but it also makes sure you have the amply time to do a great job. I want this to happen this year but that is all up to a few moves on the chessboard. We will see very soon.
We have a project that was developed quite a bit before we switched gears to AI Jesus due to the timeliness of the story and subject matter. I also have a script to read this week that we’ve been asked to consider co-producing. Before I get a slew of scripts sent to me, it is funded. But that isn’t an automatic in for us. But we really like this group of filmmakers and we are experienced in this genre. So I’m looking to have a good read and see what happens with the other project that has verbal interest but has not yet gone to contract and deposit. Both could be done pending filming timelines. I believe that I’m led to do the projects I’m meant to do.
WRAP UP:
I am looking to sit down with a filmmaker I recently worked with on a short film shot on 16mm. It was fun to go back to my early film days and the day we shot was truly special. And what a great group of passionate folks looking to carve their own name in filmmaking. I had it hard. All us early Michigan filmmakers had it hard. Lynn Drzicks, Mike Kallio, Rich Brauer, Charles Cirgenski, Jim Bonner, …the short list could go on but go back and read the old MICHIGAN VUE magazines. We didn’t all love each other’s projects and occasionally you might encounter competition over the scarce resources. But that was a respect that we were all going through hardships. Some were better funded versus others and it was still always a challenge with money only being part of it. Now with social media and brash attitudes filmmakers are brutal to one another. We also had our TROLLS who were born when the internet arose. You could now be rude without any real consequences. That has become worse in that many don’t hide their identity but they just blast one another. Some may deserve it partially but my philosophy has also been to just let them burn their own bridges. It doesn’t take long to figure out who the BS’ers are and who is stand up. Sadly, when some burn their own bridges they cause damage to a region which with social media can spill out everywhere. Investors, location owners and such who get burned can hurt many. Because not all filmmakers are alike. But the owner of a nice location doesn’t always know one from another.
I try to be grateful for every opportunity I’m given. In turn, try to give opportunity where it is earned. People who really know me have said at times I’m too nice. But I do have limits and boundaries to be sure. There are a handful who know this to be true. Even in some of those cases I just don’t believe this is that path for them. Or if it is they need to mature and develop on their dime. I’m not writing this with anyone in mind so if you felt it, you might want to self examine. But as sad as I am anytime someone is left to follow their own path it always means a new opportunity for someone. A chance to step up whereas perhaps their appreciation will run deeper. I really do mourn those whose attitudes hold them back and celebrate those who rejoice in being given an opportunity. I am good at turning the cheek as they say a first time but the second strike will be met with redirecting force, out the door. So try to be your best self. Don’t let your negativity isolate you and set bridges ablaze. Enjoy the collaborations. Understand the accountability of others. Flow like water. (Thank you Bruce Lee)
I’m going to go get ready for my meeting with an old friend. One who I did part ways with at one time long ago. I won’t say one of us was more wrong than the other it just was what it was. Call it creative differences to be fair but I’m also pleased to have rekindled that friendship and the work between us. So the beautiful thing is that if everyone keeps growing in a positive direction maybe nothing is permanent. I’m always considering the friendship first but I will be direct to action on business. As I’ve noted prior, sometimes the friendship leaves when the opportunities dry up. You can feel used and unappreciated but I don’t let that jade me. I recharge when new opportunities are given and appreciation flows from them. New friendships can be formed over collaborating on art. That again is the real key. The journey. The adventure. The wins. The setbacks. The Growth!
Keep moving forward. Coffee Cheers!
DJ
DJ Perry's Official Blog 'Clawing My Way to the Middle' 