Creative Endeavors in Motion
In one hour my alumni MSU will kick off against the Fighting Irish. I will take some moments to eat and enjoy the Michigan fall day. The last four days have been dealing with past, present and future. It is a delicate balance between it all. I’ve been working to establish my home base for work and creative endeavors.
My projects have become numerous and I’ve got folders and files at three different locations. I’m going to unify all that once and for all and increase the efficiency of my operations. It has been a great couple weeks as we work on final development for a new film “Ashes of Eden” and deals are underway for several of the CDI library.
I’ve been dealing with a few small issues on one of the films. It is funny how at the end of the day it really only requires good communication to work these things out. I often play the part of the guy who keeps his cool and just looks at the options and choices are made. There are many emotionally charged folks in the entertainment business and that can hinder if allowed. While I consider my passion for the arts to be charged I also think I save most of my high energy for ACTION:)When it comes to business it is usually a step by step deal. So this weekend I’m helping one associate deal with a film issue and we have been wrapping distribution items up for delivery on another. Every week is revising “TO DO” lists and crossing stuff off!
After much back and forth a few TV deals may be looming. These deals are only for a few of the films but you will have to wait to hear more on that. I also know “Outside the Wire” is getting ready to make some announcements and updates. We do have a couple of films heading to big festivals for audiences to enjoy. (Benjamin, Darkest Night)
Additional development work has been steady and I can see a busy 2013 shaping up. This year has brought some good filmmaking and artistry to the screen. I’m looking forward to bringing more of these stories to you all out there.
Tomorrow is the start of soccer play offs so that will be fun. The cool Sept winds have been wonderful for inspiring my morning hazelnut coffee:) That sounds like a good idea:) I’m going to sign off likely to have a beer and watch MSU but coffee might still be good!
Have a great Sat.
DJ
“The Beast” Casting Call, Michigan Woes and More…
My mornings are still coffee but my days have been water and cold green tea. We’ve been going through gallons and gallons. I just went out to water the garden and even at 10:00 am it is HOT! I use to think as a young man I did well with the heat but I think it was because heat always brought the sexy girls out and about in their sundresses and bikini’s. Now I have to say I enjoy the cool temps more. I can always throw a sweatshirt or coat on and boy do I have a collection of coats. I guess I have a sickness like women and their shoes.
The entire week save a few meetings have been watching Daphne recover from her surgery (Going great) and getting organizational work done. Many deals that have been being worked are looking to be close at hand. Let’s explore some of that but first I want to talk about MICHIGAN. The Woes of Michigan…
I am without a doubt a huge fan of Michigan. Born and educated here and full of pride. I like to think we are known as industrialist folk with a direct friendliness. Our film industry was forever at the near bottom of any lists for productivity in film. Than we had the incentives and that was a rush as the larger entities took an interest in our State. Many rushed to suck upon the teat of the new industry. A big complaint is that local talent on both sides of the camera was not respected. I think that lack of respect is even heavier when it comes to MICHIGAN talent. Now I want to be very clear that as talent I’m national, I’m international BUT because I choose to live here among my lifelong friends and family some use that to try to reduce my value. I work more out-of-state or country unless it is usually a CDI project. As someone who communicates daily with entertainment folks from other states/countries, I often try to raise up our image. I know I can speak for our teams of people in saying that we are a unified team and we work towards a unified goal. I see that many casting people here in-state don’t fully recognize and respect the talent. This leads to insecurity in talent that manifests in bad egotistical ways. Agents also are so afraid of rocking some boat that they don’t push or sell their talent. They are playing a numbers game to try to steal crumbs from the floor. It seems the term working smarter vs harder is not in the vocabulary around these parts. I work in production and I know the in’s and the out’s of this business. The worst deals I ever make are in our own state because again some people don’t realize that one bad talent can tank a scene. Sometimes it can be worked around in post and often it cannot. It has even happen in our films before and you learn. I respect the people who are artists seeking longevity versus 15 minutes of fame. I have to say the last few years the Michigan scene has been very disappointing. I can say that! I am Michigan through and through. I’ve spent countless hours self teaching/studying the business. I’ve taken on mentors and picked their brains for insight to their success and failure on endeavors. It is horrible when I encounter people who are working in positions that are clueless to the process they are expected to execute. Michigan has a long way to come and I’m not surprised many people from other hubs were brought in. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have talent it is the fact that the talent (both sides of the camera) are not being packaged and sold properly. DP’s reduced to 2nd AC’s, AD’s working as production assistants and talent grouped together and sold as a one size fits all. Until these internal workings are corrected the industry will still stumble. In this pool of understated talent I see many struggle for pecking order in this small pond. These are all just observations and opinions but I think I’m about to use a pair of terms in talking about Michigan that I’ve NEVER used. Lazy and Uneducated, it hurts to even say them. I damn well know that is NOT everyone and if it doesn’t apply to you – you know. And you have the work to prove it. I did say WORK not No# of LIKES or BS popularity STARMETERS. Work! Show me the movies! We at CDI cast off reels and most producers do. So next time you hear “They don’t want to see reels”…OK. Red flags! I cast and get casted and it is almost always off REELS.
Speaking of reels, CDI is entering into its 2nd associated project with GPI in the Philippines entitled “The Beast”. GPI is doing a National casting for one of the American female leads. I was the male star of the previous film “Darkest Night” and I count it as one of the best experiences of my career. Here is an article and the rules to submit. HINT! Get your reel ready!
http://alienbee.net/gpi-is-holding-open-casting-for-the-beast/
Some BIZ BULLET POINTS
– The “Benjamin” premiere in NYC was a big hit and if audience reaction is an indicator we may have a hit. A MI showing may also be upon us.
– “Deadly Renovation” can now be pre-ordered on amazon.com for an August release so GET IT NOW!
– We are looking at distribution offers on “Locked in a Room” and “Darkest Night”
– “7 Stones” is back in for audio re-mix
– We have several projects in development that might be moving into PRE-PROD.
– I’ve gotten a verbal deal on a film shooting at month’s end playing a rogue with a good heart. Paperwork should be all signed up this weekend. I will discuss more at that point.
– I’ve had a few scripts I’m reading that come with offers. The possibility of filming in France in August is getting more likely. Not sure how the end of the year will roll out but stuff is starting to really roll now.
I hope that everyone out there is taking the steps to beat the heat. Whoever said Global Warming is all myth should maybe take another look at that stance. I understand corporations wanting to squeeze more dollars by dodging EPA but come on! I loved a story I saw today whereas 90% of landfill garbage can be used in a plasma process to create energy. There is not an issue with profit just align it with something that benefits mankind. OK. I’m off my soapbox:)
Be safe and enjoy the weekend!
DJ
Happy Thanksgiving…DJ Perry
Friends,
I will bypass my usual rant about my Native friends who always have a slightly different slant on the historic aspects of the day but we will focus on the meaning. For me in this moment it is only a week since I left the circus in Yuma, AZ and my family of friends got larger. Much laughter and hard work and for a group of us we were doing as we were meant to do as storytellers. It has been hard with the way of things but yet we push on.
I’m looking at options to get a few future projects launched. I’m encountering the first wave of new situations that include conditions. The give and take that happens with participation. We are entertaining a few outside the US productions. That could limit my cast and crew and so that makes for some very hard decisions. I do appreciate that we are becoming international and that our possibilities extend around the globe. I will enjoy the holidays and see how these first chips fall and make the decisions that have to be made with the elder tribe’s input.
The wonderful part is that we have fires being lit under several projects. We had a major BUMP in the road on one project that stemmed from straight up dishonesty. I’m happy to say that dishonest entity is no longer doing business. A dishonest business or individual should be worried as our friends are many and our ability to quietly TCB is great. (TCB is Elvis and “taking care of business”)
I’ve been blessed with the Oct. releases of “An Ordinary Killer” and “Blood Ties” both selling their way into the market. Dec. 15th is the DVD release of “Book of Ruth” and my sincere hope is that Pureflix finishes all their wrap up business so we can all be happy in a project well done. I saw a rough cut and was very impressed by the work. Good work on both sides of the camera. BOR family I miss you all as well!
“Karma: Crime, Passion, Reincarnation” had a great festival premiere in NYC on the 15th but I wish I knew more of how audiences liked it. It is a cool unique thriller for sure.
The in-house slate of directors of Kennedy (Wild Michigan), Hornus (A State of Hate) and Teaster (Timberwolf) prepare for 2010 and we have a few new directors seeking a home with CDI http://www.cdiproductions.com Most recently Robert Gwinn dir. of “Renovation” by association joined the tribe and talks with directors Michael Valverde and Renee O”Conner could see future growth. Director John Regan “The Flock” has been talking to me about “Sherwood Horror” (Think Robin Hood and think Vampires) for several years now and so we are looking to see how we could best package it up. It really is coming down to what HIS name as a director can package up. Most likely that would be produced under CDI. You can follow updates here…
They also covered this project in the magazine Creative Screenwriting. Nov/Dec issue. It’s a cool article. Page 13.
Here are a few PR Links on “Renovation”
http://www.channel1yuma.com/yumanlife.htm
http://www.yumasun.com/news/gwinn-54052-yuma-money.html
http://www.yumasun.com/articles/film-50310-movie-site.html
We will be starting to feature “Renovation” Leading Ladies on Pepper’s fansite.
http://www.djperryfanclub.com watch for new UPDATES!
Well I have to slowly get around to go to Pa Perry’s for Thanksgiving. I hope each and everyone of you finds joy in the thankfulness of what we have versus what we do not. One day of health is priceless, remember that.
DJ
