Tuesday BLOG Catch Up from SUNDAY NC Trip!
(The man, the myth, Robert Bradley)
Hazelnut coffee cheers! I’m sipping the java and decided to give you a brief update. On Sunday instead of the blog I posted several videos from our trip to Maggie Valley, NC. It was to surprise our dear friend Robert Bradley on his 80th bday. I met Robert when we were in development on what is now known as “Dean Teaster’s Ghost Town” the Smoky Mountain western. We were reconnecting with the old gunfighters from the theme park and scouting locations. It is on this trip that I met Robert Bradley known widely across those mountains as ‘The Apache Kid’ by most. It is there that I met Raymond Fairchild, Little Rufus, Tick Rich, Popcorn Sutton, Harry Valentine, Herbert ‘Cowboy’ Cowards and more. All colorful unique characters to be sure. But Robert and I kicked it off right away. He was much akin to the 10 year old in me and he would have been one of those after school buddies to come over and build a fort or explore in the woods. Even after Ghost Town filmed and released he stayed with the CDI Tribe working in the art and transportation departments and often being the armorer when needed. With 80 being the new 60 we plan to have Robert riding along with the circus for a while. Dane Deford our head of transportation has been working close with Robert for the last several films even rooming together. He and I decided to to a surprise run and attend a surprise party they were having for Robert. We did surprise him! Below is the first link of Dane and I on the road to Maggie Valley.
TRAVEL TO Maggie valley
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1188767748797303
The next video link was Dane and I on Sunday morning driving the Maggie Valley strip and visiting the theme park entrance and monument. When we arrived there was a young man there with his motorcycle parked nearby. I thought maybe he was a groundskeeper and he looked very comfortable in the place. Come to find out he was a local from a few towns over who had gone to Ghost Town in the Sky as a boy. He said he comes there to find peace and collect his thoughts. This place left a strong impression on people. He told us of a movie they made and that he had just watched it and how much he and his friends loved it. He said the town was captured perfectly. The new owner had taken him up before and the town is in need of serious work. When he realized I was ‘Will Burnett’ from the movie he was tickled and was sure he was meant to come there that day and meet me. We took a few pictures and I tried to get a movie review but he was a touch overwhelmed I think. He has an ankle tether on and said we didn’t want his review. I said our films are for all people lawbreakers or not. We talked about how for some the heroes in a movie are as close to mentors that some get. It was a great experience. This next video is a mix of photos and footage from the lodge where we surprised Robert. A band led by Blake Anthony Ellege was rocking with several Blues Brothers classics mixed with old country. They had cloggers and a special presentation and it was truly a beautiful day.
WATCH HERE: https://www.facebook.com/reel/830934611796514
For those that want to see the new remastered Dean Teaster’s GHOST TOWN streaming free with ads click here🙂 https://tubitv.com/movies/616519/dean-teaster-s-ghost-town
I’ll keep an eye out for new platforms. We’re also signing a deal this week that will have AN ORDINARY KILLER streaming end of the year December 15th and also the Two Average Joes Media HD DVD Special Edition will be released. Proceeds benefit veterans and their family’s via The Red, White and Blue Project. I’ll have that link for you soon! Do not miss out on owning this one!
SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA – A release to UP Faith & Family is coming soon in July. This powerful drama is going to be reaching even more audiences as we start to flow out into broadcast and more streaming. Thank you to the thousands who purchased DVD’s. This is one you want to have on your shelf. DVD’s on sale here for $10 BUY HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Night-Algona-Anthony-Hornus/dp/B0CL7DFYSK Also you can stream if that is how you want it.
Harsens Island Revenge – The music and sound design are underway in full. The trailer is getting closer to being released. The music is being composed and narration is being worked on. Also we’ll be on the look out for a new theatrical poster. I’ll be talking with our director Carl this week and getting the latest and greatest. The MAKING OF VIDEO: https://youtu.be/wvvof3U4Sss?si=Lr95A2kWpr41DNdE
KNIGHT CHILLS – I’ve been working on the new trailer and artwork for a fall streaming release. I hope to lock that up this week. The Blu Ray is an awesome special edition which all fans should own. I love the documentary film that they did. BUY KNIGHT CHILLS Blu Ray: https://vinegarsyndrome.com/products/knight-chills
IN THE WOODS 25th anniversary PRE ORDER NOW! https://www.terror-vision.com/store/in-the-woods-1999-blu-ray
DEVELOPMENT: We have two projects lining up that we plan to shoot this year. One is a comedy horror film called ROM COMES MUST DIE and the other is WILD FAITH CHRISTMAS a heart-warming side adventure in the Wild Faith world that takes place 5 years after the last adventure. We have roughly half the commits we need to make these two films and this week I’ll be talking to others. I’m excited to have these two projects coming together. We have already started some scouting and casting and we’ll be doing more as things come together.
WRAP UP: I’m going to wrap this up and finish unpacking. The heat is getting up there so if it is affecting your area be safe. I do have a soccer match Sunday in the heat. Sunday is my bday and I plan on being quite chill. The following Friday I’m excited to do a belated Bday trip to Greenfield Village in Detroit area. We went to the museum part inside a few months ago and it was so inspiring. I’m looking forward to the old village and seeing the craftsmen.
I’m also going to use the heat outside to keep me focused at the desk. I’ve got disbursements to get to this week and as noted above development and post-production work. I hope everyone had a great Sunday with their father’s or in memory of their father. I got together with my daddy on Friday before leaving town. I’m so appreciative to have him here to still guide and give his opinions on things. I love him very much.
Until Sunday when I’ll be back on my normal schedule, be good to one another.
DJ
Happy 4th! Crazy 8 Updates (NEW Trailer)
(Gil Gilles and Sylvia say have a Happy 4th and don’t drink light beer!)
Good morning and Happy 4th to you all! I’m sipping the hazelnut coffee as the morning started chilly but is suppose to get warm today. This day is about the Independence of the ole USA. A pretty incredible nation has been created but it was messy and not an easy task. The trials and tribulations continue but I will say having traveled many places in the world that we have it good. I didn’t say ‘perfect’ but good is something many of us have been able to build upon. This past week we had some storms bad enough with tornado sightings that many took to their basements. I’ve been studying WW2 for our upcoming Nov film and can’t imagine dealing with air raid warnings and yet many countries still do. The great thing is that anyone can grow up to make a change. That opportunity, not promised but it can be earned, found, imagined. I have to admit to liking the competitive space race amongst the private sectors. Add a dash of national space race and I really think I might get to enjoy space travel in my life time. Instead of just sitting on their earnings they are pioneering and that is exciting. The UFO report was released minus the national security aspects given to congress. That is also promoting much talk and speculation but I think the good thing is that the mystery objects could now provide recognition vs ridicule for scientist.
It has been good to be engaging in family and friend get togethers again. Catching up on missed birthdays and such gatherings. I hope all of you have enjoyed some of these gatherings and better appreciated the company of one another. Our own property has hosted a few gatherings and I enjoy keeping it rustically groomed and harvest the bounty of berries and such found on the property. But the other day after mowing 1/3 the yard the mower and I got caught in one of those downpours of rain. It just did not want to start after that and I tried all kinds of “online” tricks and such. I literally pulled the start cord 300 times trying to get it started. I got a little obsessed followed by #@!#^%$ which had my arm feeling like I had down super sets in the gym with one arm. That morning after a few sips of coffee the challenge set in again. I marched out and with my left arm (fresh and strong) but 50 increasing pulls yanking the rope out of the machine with a roar. Mechanics and technology are not my strong suit. Apparently wrecking shit is. The long short was a decommissioned mower whereas maybe the motor kept for a go-cart but a new mower was ordered. It is sitting here and I’ll be putting that together. It is an electric vs gas after going that direction with my weed whipper. The gas one always had be tinkering vs whipping weeds.
Let’s look at some of the top ten updates from the films here at CDI
- Plans might be soon underway to have ASHES OF EDEN joining BESTSELLER with a new BMG Global campaign. This was the first CDI collaboration with Shane Hagedorn who recently directed the upcoming BEST YEARS GONE. Did you see the trailer? Did it grab you? Make you laugh? Join us and follow us here at the FB site and watch the trailer. https://www.facebook.com/Bestyearsgone/videos/942523879863374
- More WW2 casting sand crewing choices and we will look to start putting agreements under folks end of July/start of Aug because we have an Aug scout trip to Algona coming together. We met over the agreements because film projects are really a web of interconnecting agreements. SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA follow along on Facebook for all the new updates.
- BEST YEARS GONE premiere events are forming up and I have theatrical talks in the next couple weeks. We are going to do a badass spectator drag race and outdoor screening of the film SEPT 11th you are getting advanced notice. A theatrical premiere will also happen in Owosso, MI at the NCG and I will let you know on dates soon but it will also be in Sept maybe the 18th, 25th? Not sure yet. Stay tuned! We plan to film and broadcast this all out at a later date like we did with the LOST HEART premiere at the Double JJ Resort.
- BIGFOOT, UFOS and JESUS – A fun title for a fun film that also includes some serious drama. That said, it will leave you feeling uplifted by the time the credits roll. Take a look for yourself because seeing is believing:)
- MANS BEST FRIEND the surprise awards at the ICVM were talked about last week but yesterday at a family gathering I was sitting with a just retired motorcycle mechanic. Nearly 7 feet tall (really) and use to be with a biker club and is polite as you get. Often quiet and soft spoken he told me he saw my movie MBF. Now his best friend is his dog who hangs in his garage as he creates and fixes. He said it really got to him and that he thought I did a really excellent job as Paul. I told him while the law might often regard dogs as property, dog owners know better. They are family that make each and everyone of us better. To be frank, that one kind comment letting me know our story had touched his heart was better than any award. The awards do tell me that many have enjoyed our story and been touched enough to recognize it. We are thankful and for those unaware, the next WW2 film in Nov will be directed my MBF director Anthony Hornus. I know once again we will create something special with a small army of artists and supporters.
- SMOKE & MIRRORS VFX should be almost complete. I hope to see something final soon. I’ve also been finding some time to work on this feature. After doing the short I broke apart the feature script and I’m reworking it based on some things I saw while filming the short derivative.
- FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH – Some of you know my life long love and practice of the martial arts. Inspired by my education of Catch-Can by Curran Jacobs we set out to trace the origins of the art. And to showcase the branches of the art as it extended into college wrestling and professional wrestling. Also the doc showcases the colorful factions that are reviving the art because of their love of it. Today at 1:00 pm the 1st trailer will be released to the public. It will release on the ‘For the Love of Catch’ Facebook site and Curran Jacobs (our director) social media sites. It will go PUBLIC at 1:00pm is my understanding. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkISvIrv4hU&list=FLDu-wRzCwru4EOPLvW0HClg&index=2 I’m very proud of the work that our team has done on this documentary. So enjoy the sneak peek.
- WILD FAITH / HASTINGS – So I watched this film for the first time in a while as I polished up the coverages of the TV series. I was reminded of the beautiful camera work and music and the wonderful world we created with the Murphy family and friends at the heart of it. The TV series brings many of those beloved characters out more while introducing new ones. I’ve set up and had a few great conversations that has brought things closer. I have continued talks this week but I think my goal of having the series green light by the end of the year just might happen.
There you go – your Crazy Eight Updates! I have a new mower to assemble and I’m going to do a few yard things. Okay maybe nap in a hammock. I hope you all continue to have a good time with family and friends. Be thankful for being able to spend time with them again. Relax. Laugh. And after a good rest get back to your tasks with a renewed focus. Just keep walking your path and you just might surprise yourself with how far you travel.
Until next time.
DJ
DJ Perry's Official Blog 'Clawing My Way to the Middle' 