Post 4th of July Updates- Back to Business!
Good morning! I’m back to sipping the hazelnut coffee. I do enjoy the coconut flavor as a change but it is so nice to be back to my true love. It has been a crazy week with a lot of good business. The heat has been hindering at times but the plants love it. I feel bad for the victims of the floods and having been a camp counselor in my past I relate. A time meant to be a fun memory becoming a nightmare. The 4th of July Celebration is great as I do love and appreciate where we all live and call home. I use to enjoy fireworks as a child and young adult so I try to be understanding. But my reality now is having one dog who fears the loud noise. Once they start sometimes before the sun goes down my furry boy Finn is done going outside. He is restless in bed with several nights the huge BOOMS going until the wee hours. That also means him wanting to get up really early to go potty. So I’m up late and rising too early. I don’t love fireworks like I once did. Snakes, sparklers, jumping jacks, M-80’s, Roman Candles and more have been replaced by major explosives. I got out of the game with all my fingers, toes and both eyes so I’m good.
Harsens Island Revenge
Currently we are in a holding pattern with Harsens Island Revenge to see if theaters will give us dates. We just finished a run at the Wells Flame and are ready for more. We are still waiting on dates from Emagine and Fridley who ran SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA. We might start planning some dinner and viewings that a few places offered but we wanted audiences to see it on the big screen first. We know 10/6/2025 will be our home video release on DVD and buy/rent streaming services.
We received word from the Red Letter Awards that I talked about last week saying that in the last category of Best Supporting Actor we had two nominations. I received a nod for playing WW1 veteran Axel and Dean Teaster for playing ruthless Abe Axler. Those two characters are polar opposites and even have a run in at the climax of the film. I think Axel was a cool cat and I loved the role and he was an extreme version of myself. As for Dean his role was way outside of his true personality and add in the accent. I would love to see Dean win for the role but I have no control over that. Matter of fact you can just run down our cast list for people I believe could have been nominated for Best Actors or Actress but I am biased. I love the Best Film nomination because it reflects on everyone. Any selfishly I do hope to win Best Writer as it is something I truly love. I even had talks this past week about agent or management representation for literary. I would love to sell off a property a year.
Wild Faith Christmas
Now that the holiday is about over director Shane Hagedorn will be getting together with Dennis Therrian for last listens on music and sound design. The VFX are being dropped in and we are working on end credits. This film will be wrapping up soon and we’ll start to work on the theatrical placement for the run up to the holidays. For those eagerly waiting theatrically will be the only way to see it this holiday season. 2026 will have the film releasing to home video with the theatrical window running into 2026. Again if you have not seen the first one join the tens of millions who have and meet some of the characters in advance. I’m excited for a listen through that will be forthcoming.
ROM COMS MUST DIE – Monday we have a studio watch through to do last looks on the edit, color, VFX and sound design. Once we lock it up we’ll prep it to move over to Dennis Therrian’s studio for music and mixing. This film is just straight up fun and pokes fun at ourselves as filmmakers, actors and artists. I think the goal here will be to do a premiere in Oct. maybe even an event at the McGraw studio or in a theater. After we’ll run it in theaters for 2026 and end with a fall 2026 release to home video. We might do some horror fest showcases in-between.
SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA – Many have been stopping at one of the ad-based video on demand sites like Encourage TV, Roku, Xumo, Tubi, etc…to watch this WW2 home front drama. I did a watch on the 7/1/25 the release date and it was pure joy to watch this story again. This was directed by Anthony Hornus who we are about to talk about in development. Yes. He is getting back into the director’s chair to tell a very unique and timely story.
DEVELOPMENT:
THE SECRET OF THE KINGDOM CHIP – While this film stands on its own it also falls into a story that fits after The Quest Trilogy. For those unaware of the trilogy they are biblical adventures told with a Star Wars-like vision. Good vs Evil and the Heroes Journey play into the three films FORTY NIGHTS, CHASING THE STAR and The Christ Slayer. I really thought that I had put on the robe for the last time as I’m not funded on the level to tell of the return of J.C.. But this story pulled from the news and given a SciFi (For now) spin is a great follow up. The film has been hailed by several readers as the very best of my scripts. I’m not sure on that but I’ll take it since most all the others have been recognized for the script and/or film itself. I always say that the script is not just a box on a check list of development it is EVERYTHING. We are still in talks over the last few pieces of the funding but the finish line is in sight. We are almost done with the casting save a few that we will be doing some reads for. We have the development crew in place and the schedule is being worked on. We’ve landed on our locations and I’m very excited about the shoot end of September.
Misc. Development-
We have a handful of other film projects that are coming together. That can include script, rough schedule, concept art, budgets and such. I will be following up on more of these projects as we get others out the door. I will say that I did over the weekend start work on a highly anticipated sequel script. I’m in no rush but if it comes out how I imagine it will be very powerful. A hint can be found in a short video segment I posted this weekend. I even put a little Metallica music behind the clip for fun.
WRAP UP:
I see almost daily of artists taken while still in their prime. I’m painfully aware of the friends I’ve lost both in the filmmaking world and outside of it. It makes me really appreciate each day as a gift. The sun, rain, birds, squirrels, my loved ones and my beloved work family. I hope I’m blessed with good health to keep doing what I do. I hope my friends and family also enjoy this good health. Even watching some of Black Sabbath and Ozzy perform one last time due to Ozzy’s health issues made me pause. What if I could no longer do the things I love? I would hope I would find new interests and purpose. I joke when I get frustrated about our biz that I want to go bartend at the Moose Lodge down the road and just tell stories. But I know I would miss storytelling on the grand level that we have taken it. I was doing accounting breakdowns this weekend preparing to report and do payouts to our investors. I really appreciate all those good folks who have supported storytelling and the arts. I’m going to wrap it up here. This week will be fun with birthday gatherings, film mixing and more. I hope you all have a great week ahead. Thank you once again for stopping by and sharing a few moments with me.
Coffee Cheers!
DJ
The Rock is Heaviest at the Top of the Hill – Keep Pushing
“Making movies requires faith in yourself, your team and something higher”
I’m sipping Michigan Cherry coffee this morning and trying to wrangle cats over here. Anyone who says producing is easy is lying. We might make it look easy at CDI but it isn’t. Well the raising of funds isn’t. We have a good deal of funds committed to our next film endeavor LOST HEART but we have a little to go. It is hard because you cannot just advertise that you are looking for investors in violation of SEC laws which most filmmakers are unaware of. Also getting investors to understand the timelines and how you’re trying to make windows work. In Yuma, AZ it was the desert and the fact that past a certain point it was 100-120 degrees. In Michigan shooting especially up North its dancing around Memorial weekend and the 4th of July weekend. The schedule of stars and key elements required. I am eager for the studio production deal. I have a few that are in talks and that would essentially have us producing with studio money whereas they own the copyright. I’m game for that if it means not having to slog through the funding process every time.
“The payoff for all those painful, stressful times can be immense”
EVERY independent filmmaker knows this issue. 99% of the contact with filmmakers is that have an idea, maybe a script but not the funds. They film on spec, they attend a slew of festivals in hopes of enticing that distribution deal. I use to do all that and it is hard. The festival trail is the Oregon Trail of indie film and the trail is littered with the bones and buried bodies of artists who had big dreams. I’ve made it to the middle of the pack whereas no more festivals required to lure the distribution deals. But the next step is even more exciting and we are getting close. But that said, it is still hard.
“Development can be draining but it is the foundation to every film story told”
I’ve learned to look at a story in a deeper spiritual way – that it will be what it was meant to be. The artists that were meant to be involved will be. If someone steps out of the flow that creates an amazing opportunity for new artists. I’ve been the replacement actor before. I like to keep teams of artists growing and evolving but again it is hard to launch a project. We do it often but every one of them has been a task, painful at times. I have joked on the last few projects at the hardest times, that I should just tend bar at the Moose Lodge down the road. I have some great stories that I could share for years with the patrons playing KENO and sipping suds.
“The beauty of Michigan will be on full display in LOST HEART”
LOST HEART will either shoot in May or July and I will know Tuesday by how the chips fall. The key is once you have enough fuel/funds that you also have enough prep time. We’ve done a lot of ground work but you are limited until you can make hard offers. I will be opening the bank account as now we have all our paperwork around. Our committed funds will start flowing in this week and the ship is getting prepped to travel. BMG will once again be distributing so no shopping of the film required. We have a small handful of roles to finalize but cast and crew will be approached once our film dates are set. I’ve talked to some of you and I look forward to creating with you. The point is lots of work go into the launch so appreciate that next time you are sailing along making a film. OK. I will hold off on retiring to the Moose Lodge to bartend:)
“Wild Faith is worth a trip into town, don’t forget to water your horse”
WILD FAITH – Thank you Grand Rapids and Biloxi, Mississippi for the cinema run. I’m told West VA might be the next place that our western can be seen on myCinema’s roll out. That film will start to appear for pre-order DVD on various sites. Here are just a few
https://www.christianbook.com/wild-faith/9781970139006/pd/145644
https://www.familyvideo.com/wild-faith-535405
Moving towards Easter we have a few films to talk about but this was a neat discovery. The film I helped produce and costarred in years ago BOOK OF RUTH, Journey of Faith is in one of my favorite midwest chains – Meijer. A good time to pick up a copy for your DJ Perry collection:) I saw it right over on Lake Lansing yesterday when picking up some ink.
“Dan Haggerty and I on Book of Ruth, RIP my ole friend”
BOOK OF RUTH Journey of Faith
Our Easter film THE CHRIST SLAYER is heading to select theaters with myCinema on April 19th. If the big screen is not your thing or getting out and about is hard, you can rent/buy on digital streaming or DVD now on various sites.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130801235?ean=9781945788888
It looks like Biloxi, Mississippi will also be playing THE CHRIST SLAYER on the big screen starting April 15th. I’m sure tickets will start selling soon. (See Below)
http://www.pccmovies.com/movie/290181/The-Christ-Slayer-_-AMARILLO-PREMIERE-Trailer-and-Info
We hope the film is made available to many more of you. Contact your theater and have them book via MyCinema!
If you are going to Easter treat yourself and your family by watching The Christ Slayer you might as well watch FORTY NIGHTS and CHASING THE STAR also. Again a great review of THE QUEST TRILOGY which includes all three films.
The Quest Trilogy Review
w.truemythmedia.com/articles/thequesttrilogy
MBF – dialog clean up is underway with the audio master Tricky T:) I’m really excited about this film because of the topics and messages within. VFX and color correction will be up next for the visual team. Follow us at –
https://www.facebook.com/MBFthemovie/
I’m going to close here. it was a great week of business and getting things cleaned up about the yard. I’m ready for the snow to say its final goodbye. Today my college MSU has a big game so I’ll likely be watching that. Good green! Keep chipping away at your goals and dreams. If it was easy everyone would do it. Talk at you next week.
DJ
DJ Perry's Official Blog 'Clawing My Way to the Middle' 