‘Harsens Island Revenge’ Scout Trip + ‘Silent Night In Algona’ Home Video Prep and More…

(Michigan beauty on our scout trip)
INTRO and HIR SCOUT TRIP:
A Monday morning hazelnut coffee hello! For those loyal followers – most saw my FB post that I was up North location scouting Harsens Island Revenge, with part of our advance team. The trip had a few goals and they were achieved. First, we’ve had good development work and enthusiasm but this weekend we had synergy starting to work. Our director and AD team was shown the many great locations we previously found and got approval. We also have enough of our locations found to put together a first schedule. That is underway and once we have that it will allow to move forward with car and boat needs and also giving cast their scheduled days. We also were able to weave together a few moments/scenes after existing in the locations. Lodging and catering exploration has also started and we’ll be locking that in the coming month. We also have several reads coming in from MI agencies on a few key roles. We are also soon to announce our first sponsors coming on board to help this project get made with more ease and comfort. BIO-CLEAN is once again on-board to assist with the heath and safety on our sets. They have been with us for several projects and we are appreciative to have them with us again. We have some good opportunities to have several products and services promoted with our film. This week we’ll digest all the information and put it into action.

(Dir. Anthony Hornus and composer/sound designer Dennis Therrian at final home video audio mix)
SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA: The final film watch on the improved digital effects and color correction was happening this weekend. Last week we also watched/LISTENED to the new improved audio mix for the home video delivery. The theatrical run allowed us to see a handful of things for us to correct. The added sound design and audio mix had us all so excited. The home video audience will see and hear an even better film this autumn. We will be delivering all elements including the wrap book that I have to get digitized this week and all marketing assets. I’ll be looking into our ongoing theatrical to see if it will continue or if we’ll bring it to a close. It was playing last week as folks keep requesting it and the bookers keep booking it. I’m excited to have millions be able to watch it from the comfort of their own home. Yes. DVD’s will be for sale!
Misc. Film Updates:
- WILD FAITH last month was the #1 film on Encourage TV for views per hour. And last week was Encourage TV’s top viewed film being watched 110k times. You can watch Encourage TV or Tubi free with ads or any of the numerous other platforms from Amazon, iTunes, Googleplay and more. We are working on some new positioning to see if we can get season 1 funded and green lit to move forward.
- KNIGHT CHILLS – Blu Ray – The distributor is trying to tie up all the extras for this project mid-month. We have been trying to get interviews where we can. It will be the best version of this film that has ever been to market. We have some cool fan art that we got permission to use either on cover or menu.
- FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH 2– We are exploring several avenues and individuals for sponsorship on this next doc in our series. We will be doing a sit down soon to see where we are with things. We’ve got the foundation paperwork in place so now we’ll start moving into the next stage.
- My first starring film IN THE WOODS, is getting a new remastered life and to go with it will be some great merchandise and swag. I know a new theatrical will be planned so get ready for that. Blu-Ray, streaming and action figures? Just maybe:) Check out the Making of book and script on Amazon.

(“Harsens Island Revenge” scout team locking up locations)
WRAP UP: This month we’ll be highly focused on getting everything on SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA delivered to our distributor. Once they check and accept everything they will set home video release dates and start work on release art. My goal this month on Harsens Island Revenge is to lock all our main cast and get our schedule set. At the same time I’ll be working to get the homestead cleaned up and looking zen. My planted clover is coming up nicely and if we are past any freezing the veggies and plants can be started. I’m excited that this week is our first soccer match and I’m going in as healthy. We have to play the dethroned champs first game out of the gate. We will see how that works out. Last year we lost to them during the season but won in the finals. We are exploring the new deck and some wood splitting for next winter will be on the schedule. I’m also going to talk to our tree folks about a few trims around the office. As the new growth starts also allow new energy and motivation to find its way into your endeavors. I’m looking forward to an amazing Spring and Summer leading up to telling our next CDI story. Until we meet again next Sunday, have a great week.

(A quick photo by the water- putting in the prep work)
Coffee Cheers!
DJ
SPRING CASTING NEWS and FILM UPDATES

Good morning and welcome our new readers from S. Korea, Bolivia and Norway! I’m sipping the hazelnut coffee on a chilly Michigan morning. Our weather has been bouncing between warm (including record highs) and cold. But I’ve gotten some good clean up down in the yard and my clover planted is starting to come up. The new hops are already growing and many flowers have come up adding some color. I’ve got a few things that I would love to do including privacy fencing, tree trimming and lastly a new deck. I think we have an idea of what kind of patio deck design I just need to do a blueprint.
The birds and squirrels have been busy at work and I love to watch them. Our chickens are producing eggs steadily and so that means wonderful breakfast meals. I love watching the interactions between all the birds and watching them has become a fun pastime. As a matter of fact I’ve used ‘birdwatching’ as part of the back story of my character in our next film. Our dogs have been enjoying the Spring allowing them to explore and enjoy the outdoors.
Before the heavy heat of summer I will be working on splitting and stacking wood to prepare for the winter ahead. I also need to rebuild our compost bin which is made of pallets and has seen better days. I’ve also got some plant seedlings germinating but need this cold to pass before planting.
On the personal – I’ve been working steadily while occasionally dealing with a tooth pain. I’m a person who stays up on all that even doing dental cleaning three times a year vs two. I had a few bad days and was happy when the dentist found the crack. It was on the backside of a back tooth. You think you’re tough until you get tooth pain. It can be very humbling but I’m happy to report the fix has happened and all seems well. Just in time for soccer season! Soccer and martial arts have put me on the receiving end of a few blows that could have caused damage. Or less thrilling it could have been a seed or nut. But my service warning to young folk out there is this- do not neglect your teeth.

FILMS-
Before I get into talking about our films I want to mention something as a proud uncle. I’m actually very proud of both my niece and nephew who are just so fun to watch grow and gain new interests. They are both playing soccer together and are into Star Wars, Superheroes and Dungeons and Dragons. They are both into playing and make believe too. At a bowling party recently my nephew was thrilled with a stormtrooper outfit we brought him and he had to wear it immediately. Bowling with a Star War’s stormtrooper. My niece age 9, recently (last night) participated in a short proof of concept film for a filmmaking buddy. It was filmed at a great turn of the century mansion where we shot SMOKE & MIRRORS. She was playing a ghost girl. I went up to visit towards the back half of the shoot not wanting to be a distraction. When I first arrived, I sat away from set and listened to her work for a while. She is confident and fearless. She was asking about backstory and character motivations. She was enjoying working with these adults. My favorite thing I heard her ask the director was, “How many other actresses did you interrogate?” I think she was looking for audition or interview but either way I got a good laugh. At that age we had build our own spaceship cockpit with pillows and such but this was not just free imagination but directed work. I wonder if all that could infringe upon the passion of make believe and just being a kid. Her mom is an amazing actress in her own right so she has it in her blood for sure. But as I’ve stated the artist road is a hard yet rewarding road. I don’t want to encourage or discourage and so this was a nice test run. I saw where she was tired towards the end and losing some focus. But she listened and did what she was suppose to. She has a part where she sings a child’s song and it was downright creepy. We took a great picture together but she was in her ghostly get up so I’m not going to post it unless I get permission from production. NOTE TO TALENT. Anyway, I was a very proud uncle. I also got to see a few old filmmaker friends. Zoie Dye (Best Years Gone) also played a part and Gals and Ghoul’s Dayna Green was doing the awesome make up work. I’ll be curious to see how it all comes together and the hope is that they can turn it into a feature. But either way it was a great experience for my niece and it put a big smile on my face.

SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA – The film continues to play in theaters and even more are requesting it. I think it will keep playing until we are close to the home video release. We’re about to master the new home video version of the film that has greatly improved VFX. It is being being proofed carefully before we marry it to the improved sound design and mix. New credits and subtitles are also being inserted. Just things that we saw on the big screen that we could improve upon and we had the time to do it. This is the difference between CDI and some companies and artists. Good enough is not a term our folks like. We want our best efforts represented on the screen. So if you enjoyed the theatrical showing know the home video version will be even better.

HARSENS ISLAND REVENGE is the next CDI film. We are preparing for our second big scout next week to start locking in our locations and finding the final few. We will have our AD team there to start gathering the info for basecamps and a schedule. Our director, DP and Art Director there to start looking over sets. We are starting to put together lodging and will explore catering but I will say this- the cast and crew will get to work in a beautiful place at a beautiful time of year.
We were going to go Sat and network at a Model T club gathering but had a rain out. We’ll have some cool boats, cars and maybe even a plane in this next film. Props are being gathered and soon with our cast getting closer to being set, wardrobe. We added John Demarco aka Johnny D to the cast as a styling club owner Bob Jansen. We have reads coming in from the various agencies in our state. I would think our cast will be set by the end of May. Crew is also getting closer but we have a few places we are still working. Positive attitudes and a willingness to give BEST EFFORTS is what we look for. Storyboards, teaser poster and more are all being worked on. I’m enjoying working on character development a little bit each day. I truly love that process and will bring a new unique personality to the story and screen.

DEVELOPMENT
Speaking of posters, we have one being designed for the upcoming FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH 2 poster. We have some meetings coming up for WILD FAITH: Hastings TV show and I’ll be checking in on the supernatural themed associated film SHJ looking to film in the spring. Next month is also a meeting over the SPIRIT LAKE MASSACRE which could move slow or quick pending the meeting’s outcome.
We are working to restore and re-release some of the classic CDI films. WICKED SPRING, a Civil War film we shot in 2000 has had that treatment and is available on Amazon Prime. If you enjoyed WILD FAITH, it might be a good one to check out. It is a lot of time to pull these together when my time is split between the present and future films, but I keep plugging along. I really do love the 1800’s in my storytelling.

WRAP UP
This week will be reaching out to some potential sponsors and looking at some incoming reads and reels from actors for HIR (Harsens Island Revenge). I want to acknowledge the loss of a talented photographer from MI film scene who passed away, Dan Irving. I only know him from as the still photographer from the 7 STONES film that you can watch that on Amazon. Way too young. RIP.
I’m going to close this blog up and get a few things done. Maybe a few eggs. We have a birthday late lunch or early dinner today and that will be fun. I’m still trying to set up and get to know my new iPhone but that is all set and good for the next three years. I hear the camera on the phone is amazing so I’ll have fun playing around with that.
We talked about young people exploring their passion for the first time and others having their journey ended too soon. We’ve talked about the work behind projects working their way out to the world and others just coming together. Life is short in the overall scheme of things so don’t wait until tomorrow to start working on yours. Even small steps of progress will have you feeling good. You are heading in the right direction.
In addition to the film development work, I’m going to be seeking someone who can do book layouts in the Lansing, MI area. We might also start explore soundtracks (LP’s) and even audio books along with more movie merchandise. Always something to do. And now that my tooth is feeling better maybe I can return to some creative script writing. I am again thinking of literary representation and maybe talent. I’ve considered a few acting gigs but they have to make sense business and time-wise and most of all-I have to connect with a role. I do appreciate those who have reached out and continue to do so.
The coffee is about gone so I’m going to go get some breakfast going. Until next week-
Coffee Cheers!
DJ
SNEAK PEEK B4 PR RELEASE- Official Pre-Production, Updates (Silent Night in Algona) and more…
Spain, Ireland, Iraq are where some of our readers hail from. Hazelnut coffee cheers from chilly Michigan. Fall is in full effect and I’ve been working to get the property ready for winter. I’ve been using the wood stove for meetings already so chopping and cutting wood has been a priority. I’ve been trimming the mulberry trees which grew out of control. Last night I used the smoker and cooked venison steak and acorn squash. The steaks were awesome and there is much left over which will be used for steak and eggs and/or venison steak chili. The egg production has slowed but not stopped as the weather has gotten colder. I had the pleasure of watching my niece and nephew play another soccer match together. They are getting the basics of the game down and it is fun to watch them. I will likely do one final mow of the yard once the leaves all fall. They are still hanging on and many changing into beautiful colors. I truly do love this time of year. My alumni MSU is having a hard go of it this year in football. Let’s see how the Detroit Lions do this week. Okay, onto some film updates.

FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH – We had a most excellent premiere showing in the NCG theatre in Owosso, MI. After was a great fall afterglow at Romas. Excellent pizza and hard cider were on deck. Some pictures were taken and everyone really seems to have loved the film. It played awesome on the big screen. 10/4/22 is the date when home video could start releasing. The DVD pre-sale site for 11/1/22 is up on Amazon but we are waiting for the streaming rent/buy link to go live. Several DVD pre-sale sites are popping up at many other record/DVD shops, just search “For the Love of Catch” and “DVD” and BAM! If you had a chance to watch the film at the premiere feel free to post a review on the http://www.imdb.com (For the Love of Catch). Hoopla which is the national library system for streaming films is carrying the documentary. We have been waiting, not-so-patiently for the Amazon release.

Another great update is that we met the other day about what will be next for the FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH, and I think we have a great idea for the next documentary film. I’ll be gathering a few choice sponsors over the winter and we’ll plan to shoot in the Spring. Who knows, documentary might not be the only thing we are planning. Stay tune and definitely check out the film when time allows. You will not be disappointed. Educational and entertaining to be sure.

SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA – One more film to release this year. Our WW2 Christmas film is now in music and sound design. The color grading is complete and the VFX are still be worked on. We’ll see a hint of that VFX work in the new theatrical trailer, being edited. We’ve been working on setting up the premiere in Algona, Iowa, the 2nd weekend in December. We plan to have a special premiere screening in Owosso, MI again at the NCG Owosso. Likely another afterglow although not on a patio, a tad cold by that time. The Iowa showing will have the theatrical run starting there immediately after the premiere. We plan to meet and greet folks at the VFW and share in their excitement.
I plan to start looking at a few event showings for the film. A few select festivals, but some might not like that we’ve played, or we are playing in theaters. I really want to see it play in Germany. We’ve been having the German dialog translated for the subtitles. I got some of the best news possible by the older German folks helping with this task. The thing is that for many Germans, that time period is not something they enjoy watching. Over and over they’ve been painted as all being Nazi’s which is not true. This film doesn’t sugarcoat anything but it also gives a fresh and new perspective. But the film brought tears to our translator and that speaks volumes about the story we have.
We’ve been in the studio enjoying the new sound design and music which just takes everything to another level. It is truly amazing that we took history and we truly bring it to life. In mid November our editor/VFX supervisor will be coming into Michigan to work with our team in assembling the final film. We will book into as many film theaters that will have us and once we ride that into 2023, as we said prior, we’ve play a few festivals. After that, it’s the big run up to the home video 2023 release. A truly powerful film that will likely become a classic.

WILD FAITH – Speaking of classics in the making. We’ll be announcing a new benchmark with our family classic Wild Faith. In 2020 we tried to work with the distributor to add up/estimate the number of views (minus broadcast TV which is in full swing). They estimated 20 million views, with the distributors Encourage TV having about 4 million views itself. Well that number now is 6 million views! So just that one platform has been getting about 1 million views a year. If all these platforms increased we could be looking at 40 million plus. We will continue to try and put the pieces in play for the WILD FAITH: Hastings TV series, but we’ve got several projects lining up in front of us.
THE QUEST TRILOGY (Forty Nights, Chasing the Star, The Christ Slayer) – Speaking of classics in the making. Starting Nov 1st we’ll be pushing this amazing series of films. The three films have been growing year by year increasing their audience. They are not preachy and just try to give a unique perspective to events often described in a few short sentences. They are inspirational and uplifting and provoke us to deep thought and contemplation. For many the watching of the three films has become a tradition. Make it one of yours.
This is also down syndrome month and I’m so proud of my brother from another mother Josh Perry. You can see him in THE CHRIST SLAYER where he is absolutely a gem. And as if he couldn’t get any better, BAM! LOST HEART also known as BIGFOOT, UFOS AND JESUS really showcases the comedic talents of Josh Perry. If you have a child with Down syndrome I would advise watching these films. I’ve seen the look in the eyes of a young child with DS admiring Josh and his work. You can see the mental limitations melt away and that is a beautiful thing.

Thank you to the fans of MBF: Man’s Best Friend who have made their love of this film known. To answer a common question I get- Will there be a sequel to MBF? First, I’ll say with how we left Paul, he’s just doing his time and it is not on the books. I’ve only played one character twice and that was JESUS in Forty Nights and The Christ Slayer. But, I will say that a rough treatment for a sequel does exist. Currently, I have my hands full with writing endeavors and CDI is about to officially announce the pre-production of our next feature film.

Here is the advance promo teaser for CDI’s next feature film. Adapted by your’s truly from another truly special book by Karl Manke. We will be releasing this pic and PR about the new project. Our team is location scouting this next coming weekend. I just might have some great pics to share next Sunday. I won’t write too much here and just leave it as a tease since we have PR releasing this week.

SPIRIT LAKE MASSACRE – This is the powerful story I’ve been researching and putting into script form. I’m well into the first act of this story and I’m very happy with how it’s flowing. A few scenes so powerful, I had to walk away for a bit after writing it. I’ll be looking to have a teaser poster created for this project so I have a battle flag of sorts. It is just such an honor to be able to save this event in history and ultimately bring it back to life on the screen. I’ll be done with a first draft in a few weeks. I’m just really enjoying the journey.
WRAP UP – I hope you all continue to enjoy the fall season. We’ve had several folks respond to the CDI treat, not a trick- of the full short SMOKE & MIRRORS, being gifted to all of you. Take a watch and let us know your thoughts. It will be a great feature film in the future.
I’m going to go do a few things around the yard. We are planning to attend a flea market. Watch the Lions battle. Maybe some more writing on Spirit Lake Massacre and a locations list for Harsens Island Revenge. It’s the full moon so watch out:) I’ll chat with you all next week. Until, be good to one another.
Coffee Cheers!
DJ
LOSS, WINS and UPDATES – End of Summer!

A beautiful Sunday morning to sip coffee and reflect back on the past week. I want to start with a tribute to a wonderful woman who was like a second mom to me when I was a wee lad. Marie DeFord was my daycare while my mom worked and my dad was in the National Guard. She was my Monday-Friday from when I was a little baby until about five. She had two older boys Jon and Dane, whom I interacted and learned from. From them my interest in model cars, Universal Monsters, music and cartoons grew. Marie gave me my love of books and animals. While many young children fight nap time, it was always exciting for me. I would sleep surrounded by cats and dogs. At 88 years of age Marie passed peacefully. I’m beyond happy that I have reconnected with both Jon and Dane, and the latter has joined us on a few filmmaking adventures now. I attended a wonderful service and lunch where many shared the same kind of special stories of Marie’s love of people. One person said it best, she spoke to children as if they had something to say. She had that special ‘something’ that Mister Fred Rogers had. She loved everyone and was always there to listen, help and nurture the people in her life. So many special memories that I will cherish and again so happy to have had her be part of my early upbringing. I also discovered only at the memorial that she too was a Sexton Big Red graduate! RIP Marie.

Since maybe about the age of 5 or 6, I’ve been playing the game of futbol/soccer. The ‘teamwork’ aspects is one of the things that this great sport has taught. I’ve played overseas and club soccer most of my life. My detour to the community college before attending Michigan State University hindered my soccer journey. I likely did not possess the skills to make it to the highest level of the game but I’ve always loved it. It is one of the special things I get to share with my brother. He convinced me to play this year in the Over 40 league versus the Over 30 which I’ve played since I was 29. This was my second year in this age bracket and had us joining the ‘Williams’ brothers over to their team. We ended up placing 2nd in the season and we WON the championship beating the one team that had defeated us twice. Old man soccer is no joke. There is nothing more aggressive than a bunch of older gents trying to prove they still got it. On the rainy Thursday we came together and became the new reigning champs. I wanna thank all the warriors in that league who help one another stay active, in-shape and competitive.
FILM UPDATES–
- The final FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH artwork is being approved for the 10/4/22 DVD and streaming release. We’re all really excited to have this roll out to all of you. I think we’re doing a 10/1/22 premiere in Owosso, MI just waiting on final approval.
- SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA is moving down the post-production line. Music and sound design are being done while color grading and VFX work also gets worked upon. A NEW theatrical trailer is being worked on and we’re starting to line up participating theaters. We plan to premiere in December in Algona, Iowa followed by a theatrical roll out. We’ll also be setting up a premiere in Michigan, likely in Owosso. We’ve already got the interest for the film to come to Lansing and Grand Rapids. We will work on getting it to Detroit as well.
- BESTSELLER and BEST YEARS GONE will be going to Broadcast and ad-based video on demand 9/1/2022 but both can be seen now on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes and more! We would love to hear your thoughts so please do post to imdb.com and/or any review platforms. We have a few upcoming reviews coming on both films.
- SMOKE & MIRRORS might get a FREE release to our CDI Youtube that has many great videos. Trailers, behind the scenes, promos and more…I think this just might be the spooky treat for October from your friends at Collective Development Inc.
- Following the Halloween season we’ll be heading for the holidays. The Quest Trilogy always enjoys a nice increase in family watching over the holidays. Have you seen FORTY NIGHTS, CHASING THE STAR and THE CHRIST SLAYER? The films take a great look at some of the stories from the Bible from a unique perspective. It is not heavy handed and many non-religious folks have really expressed how much they enjoyed the thought provoking stories.
- HARSENS ISLAND REVENGE – This story will film in 2023 and we’re already starting advance development work. Location scouting has started and will get more serious in the coming weeks. We’re looking to put in place a few major creative pieces before we start casting and crewing. It is another awesome period piece and CDI will again rise to the challenge. A teaser poster will be worked upon in the coming weeks also.
- I’ve got ‘Screenwriter’ paperwork in process on another ‘period piece’ that will just be epic to film in 2024. I’ve been researching the history for weeks now and I’m excited to write this story in the weeks to come. I want to do a teaser poster for this film also and we’ll do some PR once the ink is dry.
- 2023 is also going to see some of the past CDI library coming once again to market. Right now we’re doing some prep on GHOST TOWN, our smoky mountain western that will be coming next year. We’re about to have the film uprezed to 4k and a new trailer cut. That will go out this week and we’ll start to get our delivery elements together.
- I need to circle back and see how the Uprez of KNIGHT CHILLS, is coming. We have an arrangement for a BluRay release likely in 2023. We will also be releasing to streaming with DeskPop Entertainment. Audio book, video game, sequel? Lotta cool things in development with CDI’s first feature film.
- Rounding out the 2023 Uprez and releases will be FIGURE IN THE FOREST and AN ORDINARY KILLER. Each one takes a lot of work to prep for re-release so we’re tackling a little bit at a time but we’ll get there.

I’m going to get after a few things in the yard. I’ve been harvesting the hops which have grown in great abundance. Our squash, pumpkins and such are growing nicely as well. I’ve been splitting wood in anticipating of winter. I want to have a professional tree trimmer come in and trim the trees around the fort/office. I need to put a trim on the mulberry tree that has taken off like gangbusters. The squirrels have started their gathering for the coming months. I love to watch them work especially a few of the young ones new to the area. I’m going to refill my coffee cup and get after some of these outdoor tasks. Until we meet again next week I wish you all the best. Remember to keep working hard and following your dreams!
DJ
Home Video Release Dates, Festival Premieres and More…

Hello my friends. I’m writing a bulk of this the night prior due to an out of town family breakfast. The picture up top is from SMOKE & MIRRORS. It is a fun steampunk, Houdini-inspired short film taken from a feature script. It reunited director Nathaniel Nose and Director of Photography Jesse Aragon from ‘The Christ Slayer, ‘ shot in Yuma, AZ. This upcoming weekend Sat 30th, it will play as part of a block of shorts (Will start 5pm or shortly after) at the MotorCity Nightmares convention in Novi. It is a cool film and gives a wonderful preview of what the feature film will be like.
SPEEDING into lap 3 (week 3) and BEST YEARS GONE seems to be picking up speed. Today was yet another great character interview featuring the one and only Melissa Anschutz. She is talking ‘Mandy,’ and her experience in filming. If you liked her sass in “Lost Heart” you will definitely enjoy Mandy’s um… toughness.

Join us on Facebook and watch all the interviews – here’s Melissa
https://www.facebook.com/Bestyearsgonemovie/videos/3373143639674946
Alright – more updates…it has been a busy week.
FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH – we are still hoping for the Toronto Film Festival premiere. But while we wait I can tell you that a hometown showing in Owosso, MI is in discussion after the Toronto dates. But for those who won’t be able to attend our handful of event showings we have good news. Deskpop Entertainment has confirmed that the Transactional VOD (buy/rent digital) date is Oct 4th, 2022 on Amazon Prime and many major platforms that we’ll announce in the coming weeks. Ad-based VOD starts Jan, 02, 2023 which is like Tubi and other watch free with ads. I need to circle back about DVD’s and see what the plan is there. But, very soon the world will see an entertaining and highly informative documentary featuring true pioneers, diverse, but united in their love of the art of PUT UP or SHUT up. The fragmented history of grappling is pieced back together and will be used to preserve the tradition and history for generations to come. I am very proud of this project. Poster art for the release is also starting to be discussed.

BESTSELLER – Join us at the Facebook site – this film holds a special place for anyone who has written and worked the steep slope of mainstream submissions and literary agents. That is the only hint I will give but it blurs the lines between protagonist and antagonist. This is a watch a night film, enjoy. Amazon Prime easiest place to watch but several are out there.
https://www.facebook.com/BESTSELLERTHEMOVIE
If you watched the film leave a review at http://www.imdb.com page or the platform (Example: Amazon)
MAN’S BEST FRIEND and WILD FAITH have been adding new platforms such as PeacockTV. I’ve had questions on sequels to both films. Speaking of MBF I think I will be seeing the one and only Austin Two Feathers. He played my cell mate Buddy. He’s a brilliant actor and a great friend. WILD FAITH will likely experience a sequel as a TV series, WILD FAITH: Hastings. We’ve had some initial interest and are in talks on how all the pieces would work.

SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA – The film is looking so incredible. I’ve been working to digest everything after watching the director/editor cut of the film. After very few notes, we’re soon to head into a final polish before we have a picture lock. What this means is that the timeline of edited scenes is locked so that music and sound design can begin. Color correction can begin but we might wait until the VFX scenes are complete. My exact words were, “I’m impressed, but not surprised” -upon watching the film cut. The dedication that went into every performance and crew best effort could be seen on screen. I felt on the edge of emotion in several places (Bohdi) and laughed often, but beyond that, I saw real history being passed down, recorded within a story.

As the screenwriter it was one experience – the pride of capturing this town’s wonderful event. Also enlightening Americans and Germans alike to the history of the PW’s in the heartlands. As a producer, you work with your team tirelessly. Most times, cast and crew busy capturing the onset magic don’t know of the problems solved, nor should they. Distractions equal time wasted and when fighting for daylight- giddy up. Listen, our CDI crews from what I see, are proud of our stories. They’re proud to have participated in that particular adventure in storytelling. Our artists work hard, mentally too because we’re often creating other time periods. You have to be part historian not just an artist. As an actor, I saw my dad, in my role. My hair is now longer and my face shaggy, so the clean-cut, example-setter for the PW camp, Col Lodell, was quite shocking to me onscreen. But EVERYONE really brought their characters to life on-screen. I love watching actors soar. They need a strong script, good set environment and they need equally dedicated and passionate artists to live the scenes with.

The crafting of the scenes is where Nathaniel Nose and Tony Hornus get all kinds of credit. The story is moving, powerful in its exploring of emotions from the perspective of the town, the guards, the PW’s and the Tietz family. I WISH Rance Howard could have been here to see this film done. Heck. He never saw the final THE CHRIST SLAYER. But what I always felt was a powerful story, a strong script – well executed under harsh conditions by an incredible crew. Daniel Chipman, gave us some amazing images, capturing those powerful performances. I will say that when I watched it, I was again proud that we’re going to release another CDI film with a lot of heart, truth and beautiful style befitting the times presented. We are looking at a December 10th theatrical premiere in Algona, Iowa. We’re working to extend the run at that chain and others across Iowa for the weeks that follow. We’ll likely do a theatrical run in Michigan also and beyond that we’ll have to see. It will play theatrical and festival for a few months into 2023 and we’ll start to prep it for a Christmas 2023 home video run up. Which usually means Nov 1st as soon as those ghosts and goblins kick off. I’m so tempted to share the official theatrical poster now but that will come this week with a press release. I’m going to call it good perhaps having missed an update or two. Today following last nights storm and no morning power put me behind. But have have a great week and we’ll have more to talk about next week.
Coffee Cheers!
DJ
UPDATES from Algona, Premiere Tickets and More…
Good morning from Algona, Iowa! I’m sitting looking over a small private lake with an abundance of wildlife. This state on the other side of the big lake is not so different from Michigan save being more flatland and corn. Our director and main producer team from our upcoming SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA film has been here on a scout. Our trip in was hampered by delays and a few mishaps that are almost worthy of a comedy film. But once we arrived our stay has been incredible with so much support from the community. Tonight we are having a special BBQ by an award winning chef with the mayor and area dignitaries. We have been also getting incredible support from the area businesses all excited to have us here. Smithfield Foods is one of our international sponsors and our host on this trip. I’ve learned a few new pork grilling techniques that I’m excited to try when I get back home.
We were curious as to the availability of props in the area and we were happily surprised that almost all the props required- right down to WW2 wheelchairs and more will be available to us.
Even the period vehicles are all falling into place. I’m going to keep this short as we are about to go scout more locations today.
BEST YEARS GONE is racing around the track and heading for the checkered flag and finish line. Here is your advanced notice that if you go to NCG Owosso website and your buy a ticket for one of the two shows. Tickets are just standard pricing. The afterglow party will be free for every ticket holder. We’ll be doing PR on all this when we return this coming week but I wanted to give you all the first announcement. We’ll be doing a producer watch soon and after will be the final mix.
As noted we’ve been all over this area of Iowa and meeting so many people that either have seen our films or after meeting us are excited to watch our films.
WICKED SPRING – the HD campaign is about to roll out. I saw an early draft of the thumbnail poster art and had some comments on it including incorrect rifles and clothes that appeared a touch modern. Some alternations were made but they rolled with the wrong rifles and such and I told them the re-enactor/living historian crowd would hammer that poster and they are. To the casual Civil War enthusiasts it might fly but to my friends that live and breath the era – not. So my apologies for the inaccurate guns but that distributor marketing is not all under my control. But I do hope that you watch and enjoy the HD enhanced film. It is still a favorite of mine to this day.
Next week I should also be seeing a first cut of our documentary ‘FOR THE LOVE OF CATCH‘ and our short concept film ‘SMOKE & MIRRORS‘ and I’m excited to see these both drive towards a finished film.
I might be missing a few updates but I’m going to wrap it up. I need to eat something quickly before hitting the road. But this is an exciting time and we’re very happy with the progress we’ve made every day preparing to give our artists the support needed to tell this amazing WW2 story.
Have a great week and we’ll chat next week.
DJ
Stoke the Inner Fire, the Art of Patience, the Circle of Producers
Coffee Cheers. I’m sipping a steaming cup of coffee and sitting here pondering the business from the past week. I’m a person who attacks things in private. You don’t or won’t find my nose stuck in a video game for hours. A five minute time out to play ROBOTRON or JOUST is an occasional occurrence. I fight everyday to gather the funds for new endeavors and to keep the business of all the other films moving forward. I’m feeling good about everything and had a few things happen this week that could be good lessons for whomever reads this.
First – CDI is not a company that pays just a few and seeks out free help in places that require highly skilled individuals. We hire as wide as we can afford which has been limited in the past few years. Increase in days expands costs across the board. We do things that others do not like lodging. Commuting when reasonable is okay but long trips on each side of a shoot day can burn someone out quick. Actors in the day before helps them to settle and focus before entering the ‘world’ we’ve created to film in. These are all costs. Over the years I’ve learned to simplify my life so that I could focus on the stories. Our money negotiated to the max with the help of many who love stories, including our sponsors, makes this possible.
Along these lines, we only can hire so many people. The producing staff often works much harder for less when and if hours are broken down. Often the effort is not worth it if the accumulation of shells and beads is the only measuring stick one has. Producers sport a point of two from the back end which is like a lottery ticket bought just in case the universe wants to reach out. It also is a badge of honor that they were part of a the “officers” who made the film happen. At CDI even an “associate producer” title is honored. Other outfits may throw around titles but at CDI is means something. For us at CDI is means representing the company. Attitude. Motivated. Experienced. As one who has coached here in the USA and overseas and as a martial arts sensei and still always a student – when someone is deemed ready they are approached. Filmmaking with tribeCDI is just that- a team, a community and a group of film warriors ready to problem solve daily to win the pieces of the puzzle.
My budgets restrict how many artists I can develop with a paycheck. Even the ones who would PA (Production assistant) free the costs are still additional with each person. We like to try and really feed people. I recall one set in Nashville in the 90’s that had a few loaves of white bread, a pack of lunch meat, mayo, mustard, ketchup and a stack of paper plates. This was for a large cast and crew. I ate it without any issues but I could see what certain actions did for a project. That one 15 min producer call that gets a sponsored meal from some great establishment is so worth it. My mind often is filled with ways to give our cast and crew a better experience. In return I just ask for their very best at their task on either side of the camera. The cast and crew can see the care and work we’ve put into our productions. Bottom line is we do care.
So in summary -I never once could demand to be on a team. I had to show my skills, develop my mind to the game and make them want me to start by my performance. In martial arts I focused on my skills and tried to effectively communicate to students below me. In time you become so valuable that they want you representing their tradition or organization. I see many lack the patience for many things of worth. It is a hard skill and one that I deal with still daily. Don’t let past failings or short-comings hold you back. That is your earned experience. Don’t be looking ahead too soon in hopes of being seen as more important. Be in the present. Be excited to learn the new lessons. Get to know yourself, your strengths and weaknesses. 2020 was a year to test that discipline and practice what I preach. Be present. Be patient. Become the best version of you.
Another example that provides me with a nice lesson to share is – When life gets you frustrated with all the external issues turn within. If I’m out-of-tune inside, everything I try to do fumbles. I don’t see the pokey dog bone which I kick. I can’t get a software to work right (I can’t get me to work right)…you all know what I mean. Meditation. Prayer. A nature walk. Thirty minutes on a heavy bag. Tai Chi – tend your inner fire. I DON’T HAVE TIME, some will scream. But you must or time will be wasted. Like in healing there is treating the symptoms and treating the source. Focus on that inner-fire and watch how everything starts to turn around. BALANCE is achieved and by stoking the fire of the internal the external starts to change. I’ve used all this solo time to really increase that fire stoking. Take 15 or 30 minutes to change your frequency and watch what happens.
FILM UPDATES
BEST YEARS GONE – The second pass now with director Shane Hagedorn‘s refining is underway. A few notes we’re passed from the circle of co-producers to our director. I’m more inclined that maybe the first look should have came after the second pass where the director is now engaged. A rough cut is built from director notes and editor’s eye. Now a large % of my notes would be stuff that our director will address. After the director and editor do their cut I will give it another look. I look for mistakes but recognize subjective versus a mistake. I have to have confidence in my directors. Their own subjective choices play strongest – the too many cooks in the kitchen issue can exist. I’ve seen it happen but if I respect the boundaries, it sets a standard. Sometimes the closer the role is the farther I might want to be from nuisance choices in editing. That is why you take the time to match the right script to the right director. The writer and the director work through the story fully. Do not underestimate the pairing of the right story and the right director. It is a skill unto itself.
As the edit moves along we’ve made progress on upcoming merchandise and the Battle of the Bands! Exciting stuff. More stills are being batched to release. Our own Dan Chipman is working a BTS so our cast and crew can remember the crazy year of 2020. Our fellow producer and AD Nate Robertson also has a special video being worked on. We’ll be having a story/interview coming out on all that very soon. This movie is heartfelt and extremely funny. In my talks this week with our distributor I was told how much they all enjoy the humorous offsets CDI scripts have gotten known for. Meaning serious topics are discussed and when it gets a little uncomfortable it gives us humor. They used the end of the Wild Faith trailer with Ben Lily and Hester hoping they don’t need God’s help today. I was happy to report that BEST YEARS GONE will have humorous moments. Yeah. maybe a couple;)
MBF: MAN’S BEST FRIEND I’m told has a new marketing campaign they are discussing. They want to get this film more into the mainstream. They feel it’s a great film that has a lot of play in it. The release was going to include theatrical and fest events but the Covid mucked that up a tad. But the film is being well received and has been seen by maybe a million of so people. It will find a much larger audience it just needs a bit more time.
THE QUEST TRILOGY is being treated as a series as it readies its run at Pureflix. I’m so proud of these films and I think general audiences will enjoy them. It’s a distilled down parable trying to remove all the white-noise and paint something where the dots are actually connected. Whatever your walk of life take a watch and I think you will find them vastly different from anything else you’ve watched/heard on this subject.
LOST HEART – If you want to read more on the actors from Lost Heart, see some BTS and read a few PR links please visit the new pages on http://www.cdiproductions.com – thank you David Gries. And if you still haven’t seen this film do yourself a favor. Have a laugh. Have a cry. It is truly a ray of light. Light? Strange lights in the sky? Watch the film and it will all make sense.
In wrapping this up – my week was spent doing end-of-he-year tax stuff for CDI and the films. Thank you to Dean Teaster, Melissa Anschutz, John Mashni and all the good folks at Davison & Associates. We also are working development hard. We only have a few final funding pieces to arrange on the WW2 film before full green light. We also have had more great talks on the Wild Faith spin off HASTINGS. Again it is not IF it is WHEN. We’ve been doing casting for our SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA German’s and our young lead. Are you 8-12 who plays young shoot me a reel it will get looked at. Speak fluent German? Send me a reel. We’ve been having internal casting talks and we’ll be announcing as soon as we move into pre-production. I’m also looking at portfolios for paint on glass or digital matte artists. Fun, fun stuff! Beautiful falling snow. Time for some more coffee. Have a great week.
Be good to one another!
DJ
The Weekly Round Up – Who is Ready to See ‘Lost Heart’ ?????
Flea Market Finds!!!
I’m fresh back from one of the local flea markets. I love to find past treasures that often end up as props either for a film set or a character. Not just for me but for others also. I’ve been just on cloud nine with the soon-to-release LOST HEART. I was really happy with the writing blend and even more on how Jesse Low and the cast and crew all performed and captured the story. I was heavily influenced by Spielberg when I was growing up. I think LOST HEART has a good mixture of humor and adventure and leaves you with a ‘feel good’ vibe. A film like MBF: MAN’S BEST FRIEND could not do that and keep the message strong. WILD FAITH had that uplifting ending as did FORTY NIGHTS and even THE CHRIST SLAYER. But CHASING THE STAR was written as the ‘Empire Strikes Back‘ of the biblical adventure trilogy. I’m excited that for this holiday window (Thanksgiving to Easter) they will be pushing the trilogy as a whole. They are best when seen all together. A new TRILOGY trailer will be edited by our distributor.
Back to LOST HEART you say! As I told our team – the film is done. The film is delivered to the distributor. It will be seen by millions around the world. So good job to our team. But we are now fighting for the icing on the cake. The theatrical events and premiere be in drive-in, theatrical or yes, even online. We are exploring a one night online premiere that would allow EVERYONE to participate in the event. The idea we have is a good one and would be DIFFERENT, but could be powerful. Its would include filming the pre and post party and broadcasting that with the premiere showing. The film will also be going to various networks to evaluate for ‘exclusive release’ or a period of time where the film can only be seen at this channel for a month or two. I would enjoy seeing it play on TV a while before the whole home-video release. We will see as talks continue this week. I don’t care how you all see the film we’re just looking forward to it being seen.
This month will be some investor dispersement as several of the films are earning steadily along. There is a fair amount of bookkeeping work that happens so that end-of-the year accounting goes smoothly. Watching the films and leaving reviews is a couple ways you can help small business. Many of you have been supporting us as shown by the numbers and the fan mail and we cannot thank you enough. You are why we tell these stories and we will continue to entertain you for many years to come.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE TRIBE at http://www.cdiproductions.com
OTHER TIDBITS
- More talks on the WILD FAITH TV series ‘Hastings’ including with possible partners in a western studio. I’m excited to see the on-going adventures.
- Putting presentation materials together on the new WW2 film slated for 2021.
- NEW poster art and setting up first interviews with our Catch-Can documentary.
- NEW poster art underway and audio evaluation with SMOKE & MIRRORS dir and post-audio.
- Announced make-up department for upcoming BEST YEARS GONE the ladies from Gals and Ghouls.
- Soon to announce some of the first sponsors working with us on the BEST YEARS GONE movie.
- Worked final edits on my new book contribution with editor on ‘Second-Chance Cats’ book and signing deal on the next book contribution which is a book featuring dogs. My story is about my Luke Brown who was my inspiration in the MBF film.
- This and a few other opportunities has me thinking about literary representation again.
- LOST HEART BTS is forthcoming – just wrapping up some paperwork.
Is it MSU football time yet?
I’m going to sign off and do a few things around the homestead and the office. This past week I got to peel off a day and go to a couple of lakes with family. I’ve been getting things around for the beer and wine making and I’m going to get one or both of those going. We have new fall crop in the garden and we’ve started taking tomatoes. We had a few days that reminded us of fall coming. I know that wood stove and chill will soon be in the air. I hope everyone keeps the course and try to have patience with one another. Coffee toast – we’ll talk again next week.
DJ
DIRECTOR Announcement, NEW trailers, UPCOMING book release and more…
New readers from Canada, UK, Belgium and Hong Kong – welcome! I’m sitting here with my hazelnut coffee after a very busy week. It’s March 1st and that is bringing us closer to our next project BEST YEARS GONE. The big news last week is that Shane Hagedorn will be directing. His last collaboration with CDI with him in the director’s chair was ASHES OF EDEN. Take a watch on the film on Amazon Prime if you get a chance.
This week we’ll be locking in more cast and crew and announcing some of those on board. I will say once again that when I have a new project to cast one of the first things I do is look over every previous actor and crew member. Many assume that I don’t consider previous artists when a project is announced as I get many of the random catch up communications. If an artist wasn’t an issue to production they are considered. If they did cause any issues, they are considered and likely passed on. This is a good thing to remember when you are on set. When I’m a guest I always try to bring what I need to take care of myself and my needs. I might politely inquire about something but again be a sail never an anchor.
We are a group of producer actors which means that some of the Tribe CDI folks will be ‘becoming’ in front of the camera. We will also have some new talents joining us and I promise you a funny, moving and entertaining story. So this week we’ll be announcing a few new artists joining us on this journey. You can follow BEST YEARS GONE on –
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11808308/reference
LOST HEART –
The most exciting news with Lost Heart was the release of the 1st official trailer. The film is funny and touching and has topics and themes that we can all relate to. I think this film will be well received and I’m so proud of all the artists involved. Take a few watches on the trailer and pass it along. We deliver to our distributor on June 1st and we should have release dates soon thereafter. We are having it looked at for theatrical but also looking at some exclusive VOD licensing. We plan to have screenings it the Whitehall area, Nashville and LA. Stay tuned and follow our Facebook and IMDB page.
https://www.facebook.com/lostheartmovie/?modal=admin_todo_tour
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9640414/reference
MBF: Man’s Best Friend
This powerful film is touching lives and impacting how people view TBI and other issues suffered by our military veterans. It also shows the positive effect that service dogs can have upon our wounded warriors. We’ll know more about events and festivals that we’ll present at. If you have not seen this film take a watch by purchasing a DVD or stream it from one of the many streaming sites. We might get some updated news this week! I am looking for any interviews or such regarding this film. I think it has very important issues at the heart of the story.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7403772/reference
THE QUEST TRILOGY
Forty Nights
Chasing the Star
The Christ Slayer
Please take a watch on all three films in our trilogy! On Amazon and other participating retailers and platforms.
Misc.
I see there is talk of the tax credits again. I’m all for it but I hope this time they put the focus on long time residents of Michigan. Maybe a film fund that awards filmmakers X amount of money to make a film. (4) 250k films a year. I’ll be curious to see what they come up with. We participating in one film under the rebate and it was a cluster#@#%@ so I’m not a big fan of the pre-existing program. So if TAKE 2 comes about I hope they grow from within vs just draw to attract outside films.
I saw the cover of the new book I participated in with Revell publishing. It is a tale of one of our cats and the adventure she had. I’m about to submit another story about dogs and Christmas that will be about our old dog Luke who passed.
Business tax season is about over just have to pay it all off. I have my second 1099 to forward after someone had an old address on their agreement. All things that you keep doing in your trek to move ahead.
We have several new tasks ahead for the week and I’m excited to attack them. I might work a touch on that next book story for a few before getting some things done around the house. I hope you all have a great week full of productive work. March lets get it on!
DJ
‘Man’s Best Friend’ Screens to First General Audience…
And where do I even begin to describe last night? If you are not up to speed we had our Michigan premiere for our recent CDI film “Man’s Best Friend” at the NCG theater in Owosso, MI the home turf of our director Anthony (Tony) Hornus. In all my years I’ve been to premieres where after a showing people have all kinds of polite things to say. What I’ve found is that the screening itself doesn’t lie. With 270 people in each show you had a sea of viewers. The crying, laughter and even the occasional murmur such as “Shits about to go down now” give truth. We sit in our little studio mixing and watching with our small producers group but to witness a full theater absorb and react is…an artists dream.
In many ways I am living my dream. I’m doing what always made me happy and what I feel confident doing. Last night I got to see many old friends and fellow artists. It was a joy to get beyond positive feedback from folks in the military and the general audiences. Nov 11th is the target date for theatrical in N. America. So if you have a film chain in your area reach out to their management and ask them to book the film. We will be pushing to get it to all the places that are being requested. It is a wonderful film to see on the big screen and kudos to our tech team for doing such a wonderful job. I’m still in morning coffee bliss after meeting so many of you last night. I’ve had several people tell me this was our best film to date and my best performed role to date. I will let all of you be the judge of that. I love them all but recognize the power in this role. I put in the work. I watched and communicated with many actual wounded warriors to create an ‘everyman’ like Paul Landings. All I can say is that I will never forget last night. It was truly special for me and to share it with all of those who came just made it that much more special.
IF this is your first CDI film please do work your way backwards through our catalogue and watch the growth and development of our company. Once again I’m just so proud to have worked with all the artists in front of and behind the camera.
WILD FAITH will ride into Wilcox, AZ this October. We just found out that another Hollywood festival (Hollywood Divine International Film Festival) invited Wild Faith, MBF and The Christ Slayer to participate after being submitted by our distributor. I will get more info out on that event soon. IF you like to stay up on the developments please seek out and join our Facebook pages for these films. I just opened an official folder at the MAN’S BEST FRIEND facebook site for the MI premiere pictures. In the next day or so the pictures will start being posted. So join us at our FB site and follow the CDI films as they rolls out across the nation.
Aside from all the film work we’re doing final music with the amazing Dennis Therrian on a CDI commercial project. We’ll finish that up and deliver to the client. I’m almost done with LOST HEART clean up. We’re about 15 minutes into the rough edit of the film. Jesse Low has given his adjustments and so this week will be refining and digging into the next handful of scenes. This film will be under wraps being worked on while we promote the finished projects.
One of the biggest questions asked of me last night was what is next? Development is underway – rest assured. Stay tune. I’m going to make this a shorter blog today. I’m going to let all this positive energy soak in. I so enjoyed seeing everyone last night. I was up past my bedtime:) Thankful for 11:30 pm coffee:) Speaking of coffee, time to refill the cup.
Have a wonderful morning.
DJ
Making Yourself A ‘Must Re-Hire’ and other CDI Updates
I’m sitting here sipping some hazelnut coffee from my Double JJ coffee mug. (See above) As of yesterday I’ve just about got all my gear from my last film adventure settled back in. Like I said before, when I go off I’m packing for myself personal, business and the character I played. I had almost as much stuff for ole “Niles Cass’ the role I played in LOST HEART.
I’ve been playing clean up on the project. A bit high on expendable costs and damages. It is funny how people think that everything is tied to a faceless corporation when it is not. It is a small group of hardworking actor/producers working to tell a story. We will be installing a policy ‘CDI welcome book’ for future projects. We had a few damages that were not reported as they should. So you get to the end thinking everything was smooth and you find a damaged walkie talkie here and a broken clamp there. That responsibility, accountability is what makes a true KEY in filmmaking. You can know the gear and how to set it up and break it down but attitude (A #1 CDI requirement) and pride in your work (A CDI goal) are so important.
Hard working CDI team in the desert of Yuma, AZ
I see the difference between someone who works with their own gear and someone working with rental gear unless they are a complete professional. By that, I mean treating others gear as yours and making sure that great care is taken because it is your name as accountable. Now I’m now talking about billing people for damages which would only be mildly satisfying. I really care about people and their development. At least in our area there are only so many professional outfits creating content under the proper insurance and conducting proper business. If you are lucky enough to get these opportunities you should always work to leave the best impression. I know that rule as talent. So few regional companies are paying for narrative feature film and if you get that opportunity you want to shine. That means repeat work and if you think that we don’t ask for and get recommendations, it happens all the time.
I was recently disappointed in a friend who does some work for us and must have misrepresented themselves. I got a call about his producer work on a certain project. The problem is that he wasn’t on the producer team. So when I got the call I was just honest but you could hear what the words did. It shot holes all in the credibility of this person and his words. What did it do to my opinion of this person?
CDI Crew working on set of WILD FAITH
So someone who comes up short might just need more development under a more experienced KEY. But poor communication and lack of taking accountability can end the possibility of something long term. It can also add the dreaded “but…” along with your name. Such as “He’s got all kinds of talent but…(insert the short coming here). I’ve also had to deal with gear with pre-existing damage that the responsibility is put upon production. It is why honest and long-sighted vendors are a must. Overall we had an amazing crew and some are on their 3rd or 4th+ films with CDI. Having a handful of those great relationships will assist cast or crew in maintaining a good career. These lessons go for cast too. If you get known for being late, bad attitude or being unprepared – your future is in jeopardy. So always give your best. Take accountability for mistakes. And always strive to increase communications.
LOST HEART is ‘in the can’ and editing is about to begin. You can read back on the previous posts to get all the gushing. It will be a heart touching and funny movie full of fun. I again thank all our cast, crew, investors, sponsors and supporters for making this story happen.
WILD FAITH is rolling out hard to Wal-Mart and other retailers. We had many people reaching out having gotten their copy of the film. It will play Sunday Oct 6th at the WILD BUNCH western festival in AZ. 3:15 is the start time and so if you are in the area you can see our film and many others in the genre. It is also being recognized at the upcoming CONTENT 19 festival for its themes and set design. If you have not watched this film yet – rent it. Buy it. Enjoy it.
Anthony Hornus our director of MBF: Man’s Best Friend is busy working to try and set up the premiere screening in Sept in his home town of Owosso/Corunna. Our tech teams are working to polish the film even further before the theatrical and home video release. The film is really powerful and if you have a soft place for our wounded heroes and/or dogs, this film will be for you.
The Quest Trilogy: Forty Nights, Chasing the Star and The Christ Slayer. I like to say most people get more holy around the holidays but these films are adventures. You can enjoy them at any time. The reports and checks from the distributor tell me that you all are enjoying the films. I am looking forward to having all three in the marketplace for the upcoming holidays. More people are discovering these hidden gems. Go ahead and take a watch and see if they are something to share with your family during the holiday season.
DEVELOPMENT: We are looking at various projects and discussing the best way to bring them to life. I’m about to take a nice 5 day break from the movies and clear my head. When you are filming you are going 100 miles an hour. Once in post things start to slow quickly to a nice steady pace. When I return we’ll have our in-depth debrief where we discuss all aspects of production. What worked well. What did not. What can be improved upon. Much of this crew building is for future projects including a TV series. We are looking for the right people to move forward with. Money does not buy the qualities and traits we are looking for – those come from within. Production doesn’t really decide if a crew member is a rehire or not. Their own attitude and actions does decide that. If someone is so positive and hardworking and cares about what they are doing you always want that person on board. We just look at what they gave us and make decisions based on that. We know who are the crew people working to be directors. We keep an eye on their development and one day…you might land in a directing chair.
Well, my lawn is finally back under control and things are running smooth. While doing some banking yesterday I stopped at a small garage sale on my way home and left with a couple Blu-Ray copies of ENTER THE DRAGON, KING KONG and the MATRIX trilogy for $2.00 – nice.
“It is like a finger pointing a way to the moon…Don’t concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory.” – Bruce Lee (Enter the Dragon)
Have a great week and as long as I don’t get eaten by a bear on my retreat we’ll chat next week. Be good to one another.
DJ
LOST HEART the Final Stretch and More…
I’m sipping my hazelnut coffee from my room at the Double JJ Resort. I’m close to being wrapped with my character of Niles Cass in the film LOST HEART. It’s been a great ride thus far with only a few small bumps in the road. Luckily, when you have a great team gathered you address and flow past those issues. We truly do have a great team of artists who are also problem solvers not creators. I was again so proud the other day when we had our new friends Susan and Norm out to set. They are the owners and until recently ran the Double JJ Resort for several years. That duty has largely been passed down but they are the ones who still care deeply for the resort and it’s on-going future. They know that keeping your word, taking pride in your work and maintaining excellent customer service is what keeps people returning. So again it was a pleasure to have them visit and see the ‘zen’ flow of how smooth our set runs. That night it was all chill save the occasional radio communication at basecamp calling the roll out. Like Susan and Norm, we’re making some great contacts and friends in this area and are seriously considering filming in this area again.
Our newest mid-western WILD FAITH, is really heating up now that the DVD’s are for sale including at the Wal-Mart. Here is fellow producer ‘Tony’ Hornus at the Whitehall store. If you have not seen the film please do treat yourself. After if you feel inclined to leave a few kind words please do so.
MBF: Man’s Best Friend is delivered to our distributor and is now being prepped for the theatrical and home video run. It will be great to get this story out there to audiences. Paul whom I played in the film is one of my most challenging characters to date. I wanted to properly represent the soldiers who have been wounded, sacrificing themselves to keep us all safe. A premiere is in the planning so stay tune for updates on that and also the other releases.
The Quest Trilogy (Forty Nights, Chasing the Star, The Christ Slayer) continues to expand and I’m exciting for the upcoming holiday season with all three films complete. I hope that several TV networks pick them up to watch together. All three are available to purchase or rent.
I’m going to go get ready to drop stuff at the office and have lunch with the crew. I’m back on camera tomorrow so I’ll be refreshing myself with those lines. I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday.
DJ
FINAL Countdown to Location Pre-Production and MORE…
Good morning everyone. I first want to start my wishing my mother a Happy Birthday! She has always been supportive of the journey I’m on with storytelling via film. She is spending time with her significant other and we’ll have a nice dinner when I return from filming LOST HEART. My brother and wife are overseas on a wonderful vacation to Ireland. Tomorrow is my father’s Birthday and we just had a nice dinner with him. I gifted him a 1 gal beer making set. I do beer and wine 5 gal at a time and often share it with family, friends and film amigos. He can get the experience of what I do but on a small scale. I’m lucky to still have both my parents with me on this life journey. A few close friends have lost their loved ones recently and my thoughts are with them.
My dad to my right and Johnny Demarco on my left
So I’ve been pre-packing all week so that I can travel north for a month producing and performing in LOST HEART, our next CDI film. We’ve been announcing new talent coming on board and still have a few to announce. Here is the amazingly talented singer/actress Taylor Dupuis and I guess I can say the same about Victoria Jackson. Many will remember her from her Saturday Night Live run and the slew of TV/films that followed. They both play wonderful parts in this comedy drama.
Once this is completed I will have a week of rest and to set post in motion before a week-long vacation up in the UP of Michigan. We will be taking the dogs so they can have a few adventures also. My young furry boy Finn has been my shadow, especially during the fireworks. I know he will do well as the little man of the house.
WILD FAITH is now out on all formats digital and DVD. I’m told that in the fall it looks like it will do an exclusive run on one of the Subscription VOD platforms. If you do watch the film and enjoy it please do leave a review at the site be it Amazon, Wal-Mart, BestBuy or wherever you purchased plus on http://www.imdb.com – All this is in hopes that we’ll be doing a sequel script or on-going TV series. Thank you to all of you that have reached out to tell me how much you enjoyed the story. Keep the word of mouth going as I think the film message is needed in this day and age.
THE QUEST TRILOGY – Ahead of us in the first season whereas all three films are released and can be seen together. It is meant to be watched as FORTY NIGHTS, CHASING THE STAR and THE CHRIST SLAYER. I’ve noted that some people who watched only part 2 where slightly confused because they had not seen part 1. It is a trilogy whereas the angels and devil create a story thread throughout the three films. Many films do not examine what the events do/did to the angelic folk. They are great adventure stories that can be enjoyed anytime of year. Treat yourself to the watch. I know Amazon has all three but can be found on many platforms.
MBF: Man’s Best Friend – This powerful film will start rolling out into select theaters with myCinema in August. Home video in the fall. I know we’ve been very focused on the other CDI films but I think this movie might surprise and grab audiences. Wounded military vets and adoption dogs are the main themes. I will say that this role scared me at first. That doesn’t happen very often but when it does that is a good sign. I play a wounded Marine Paul Landings. While I’ve played other soldiers in films, many of them are from past wars like the Civil War. I know this film was made with a lot of help from military vets and I wanted to represent them well. I think I did and I’m so proud of the work all the artists did on this film. We will be planning a premiere in the town where we filmed. It will most likely be in late August or early September when we host the premiere. I should also start to have theater dates from around the country.
NEXT Sunday my blog update will be from up North as we prepare to capture the LOST HEART story. Thank you all for following along and I will be sharing some great pics in the coming weeks. You can follow the LOST HEART facebook page or http://www.cdiproductions.com landing page for LOST HEART.
Have a great week ahead and be good to one another.
DJ
LOST HEART – Scout Trip and More
Happy Father’s Day! It is a rainy, cold Michigan day. I am lucky that I got to spend some time with my daddy this morning. I enjoyed a little breakfast of cornbeef hash and eggs. Today I feel pretty good having just returned from a whirlwind scout up North with our advanced scout team for LOST HEART. That is our next CDI film that will start filming in July. I’m excited about some of the beautiful locations we discovered and new friends we’ve met. Yesterday I was a touch under the weather due to multiple conditions but I didn’t get my full sleep due to a cabin loft bed that seemed more fun when I was 12 years old. Add in second day of soccer sore, less sleep and perhaps the sip of peach brandy and I was just tired.
A Northern location scout – the team seen here with actress Kim Harsch (2nd from left) who co-stars in MBF. Also from left to right Anthony Hornus, Shane Hagedorn, Melissa Anschutz, Me and director Jesse Low.
As I’ve stated before, getting our daily filmed footage is only one of my goals. The other goal/priority is creating a memorable experience for the cast and crew. I think the latter will help us get the best footage. The cast and crew on Lost Heart should be very happy when they see where they will be housed. Lots to do in their down time also but we’ll be announcing more on that later.
I wanted to announce Mr. Don Most will PR this week but we’re combining that announcement with another exciting one. That is the additional of Josh “Ponceman” Perry to the cast of LOST HEART. If you saw THE CHRIST SLAYER you got to see what an amazing talent he is. I’m looking forward to our time on and off screen. We also announced a young actress Cassie Dean who will be working with us for the first time. We will work to make her feel welcome.
Our cast and crew is lining up and we think this might be one of our best productions yet. The story/script has gotten some great reviews and I look forward to having it brought to life. We always are trying to make the best story with our limited budgets. Many people don’t have any idea how hard it is to raise production funds. I’m sure some of my fellow filmmakers understand that plight. It’s why most all film projects fail to launch. CDI is not some big faceless corporation it’s actually a small Michigan-based production company trying to tell some good stories. I appreciate the artists and it is one of the traits we look at in our hires, appreciation.
This week is going to be working to get the final funds into the account. Getting the commitment and getting the actual money can be a task in itself. Many investors don’t always understand our timelines and that can hurt a production. We will also be announcing a few exciting new sponsors. We’ve been targeting Michigan-based companies and we’re proud to align with them.
MBF: MAN’S BEST FRIEND – This film is now being mixed with a few final audio tweaks being done. We will deliver the film on June 30th and they are already gearing up the theatrical marketing. This week is putting the end credits together and soon we will have another completed film.
WILD FAITH – Our western is building its home video release. The digital rental on Amazon and other retailers will be June 24th. July 2nd is the official DVD release but some faith retailers were given a slight advance on the release. If you’ve seen the film please do leave us a review on IMDB.com or Amazon.com
I’ve gotten word the the legendary Lana Wood will be joining Darby Hinton at the HAPPY TRAILS VA STYLE film event in October I believe it is. I will keep updating everyone as I get more information.
A few of the discussions as of late have been about the WILD FAITH TV series. Once the film fully gets out there we’ll see if the characters in the film are a hit with audiences. If so we’ll be looking at bringing you a full season of the WILD FAITH story.
THE QUEST TRILOGY keeps adding audiences worldwide and I have enjoyed a handful of fans recognizing me from those films. Again if you haven’t enjoyed these films check out FORTY NIGHTS, CHASING THE STAR and THE CHRIST SLAYER on Amazon and other fine retailers.
This rain and cold is causing a postponement of my nephew’s Bday party and I too might have to reconsider a get together I was going to have for my birthday. Thunderstorms are not good for outside yard parties. But we did get the garden in and I also worked in some grass seed where needed. The rain is good for that. So this week will be more cast and crew agreements and working to lock locations. And…learn my lines. Yes. Even when you write the script you still need to work your lines although it is a touch easier.
I will let this end here and I’m going to organize my work from the scout trip so I can start Monday off right. Be good to one another and keep chasing your dreams.
DJ
Sprouting Seeds and Getting Rid Of Weeds (Although some weeds are very useful) – Film Updates
Doing some spring clean up with my buddy Finn
Good morning from Michigan, USA! While this past week has been a good introduction into spring with lots of yard clean up and arrangement, today we have icy rain and snow. It will disappear fast but I’m just getting use to the coffee and phone calls on the patio deck listening to the birds and watching the squirrels retrieve their winter stash of acorns. I’ve been doing a lot of wood cutting and it looks like the office wood stove will get a work out today. I was going to attend a first flea market of the season but with the snow I might have to pass. I’m sip my Michigan Cherry coffee and type with all of you.
My brother had a birthday and we got to spend time with family yesterday and a few days before that my niece’s birthday. My nephew Wes has the same bday month as myself. He is the 21st and I’m the 23rd so we’ll have that ahead. Aside from the family gatherings and the homestead clean up I’ve had lots of entertainment business abound. Let’s discuss a few.
I made my yearly visit down to the opening of the Capital City Film Festival happening now in Lansing, MI. In my early years I spent a good amount of time and energy working with the East Lansing Film Festival centering on the Michigan’s Own portion of the festival. It awarded films with awards and cash prizes. It took hours of watching films, meeting with judges and other planning so I know what goes into it. These days my schedule allows me to buy a ticket to spend a few hours supporting upcoming filmmakers in our area. The opening night was at Impression 5 museum which has been a favorite since I was knee-high to a grasshopper:) I had a lilac drink that intrigued me because we made lilac wine once. It was great but very labor intensive. I also enjoyed a local hard cider. I got to see a few friends I only see yearly at this event. I attended with fellow filmmaker Shane Hagedorn and had a good time. We did at least one red carpet photo but I did not see it so once of us broke the camera with our mug. He we are with a young actor/filmmaker who just happens to be the son of Mr. Craig Jones whom I’ve known since high school. How cool that they get to do film work as father and son.
Throwing some support at the Capital City Film Festival
Aside from supporting the local fest we’ve been very hard at work here at Collective Development and on a personal level. I started looking at literary representation mid last year talking with various agents and management companies. You want to get the right relationship as they will be dealing with people who value your art. I’ve had an agent at one of the largest agencies in Hollywood and it wasn’t a great experience. A few big deals were lost and while the agency inclusion did help with a few doors, the cons started to outweigh the pros. I’ve been riding with legal at my side making my own deals. Legal is good at dotting I’s and crossing T’s but they are not seeking new opportunities. But I finally had a conversation with an international agent that I find promising. They discovered my work via another studio executive and reached out. They are doing some additional reviewing of my work but I think I’ll be having a go at working with a new literary and talent agent. I’ll be putting a large focus on foreign projects as well as domestic USA films. Many of you know I’ve done films in other countries and that is always a great experience.
I’m excited to see what films we do over the next 10 years
I’m also in development talks on several projects with a few new collaborators. We have some great projects developing both in the family/faith market and outside that target market. It is an exciting time but don’t get me wrong, it is still HARD WORK. When people occasionally look at what we’ve accomplished or are accomplishing it occasionally sets off feelings of envy. You/they might be a better artist even though that is subjective but overall I just outwork people. Part of that is learning where not to waste your energy. Look for red flags and know when to say NO THANK YOU. Many do not realize that and spends lots of energy where their only reward is frustration.
Beautiful Northern Michigan
LOST HEART – This is what is front and center in development and fighting to move into pre-production. We have enough to make the journey but we are fighting to be able to add a few days of shooting ultimately creating a better product. We only have a few more pieces of this investment puzzle to remedy and move forward. A lot of development work is getting done now and so I believe strongly we will be rolling cameras in July!
Hester and Ben in ‘Wild Faith’
WILD FAITH – We just finished runs in Grand Rapids, MI and Biloxi, Mississippi and I’m trying to confirm West Virginia and other venues. The DVD will be rolling out next month and so all of you wanting to see this fine adventure tale will soon be able to. I will be checking on Amazon pre-booking which should start soon.
I will note that the TV series is one of the things being discussed in some of my development talks. I would love to play Ben Lily again and bring a series of stories to all of you.
Just in time for Easter
THE CHRIST SLAYER
The Christ Slayer just announced its first theatrical dates in Amarillo, Texas. We hope that myCinema will continue to book to the big screen. Those who want to watch in the privacy of their own home can watch it streaming or on DVD on Amazon Prime or other fine platforms. Thank you for all the fine fan(e)mail I’ve gotten. It warms my heart to see so many enjoying our stories. I know myCinema is working hard to get it in AZ but is having issue at Harkins because of Studio Commitments but call the theater and let them know. Yuma, AZ deserves to see it on the big screen.
HELLO Texas!
The film really goes perfect with the Easter season but perhaps you might enjoy watching the entire trilogy of Forty Nights, Chasing the Star and The Christ Slayer. The ending of part 2 makes more sense if you know about part 3. I think that is going to be a PR release on the lead up to Easter. Also I might discuss more about the trilogy as a whole.
CDI OG Mister Dean Teaster
MBF: Man’s Best Friend
In my post meeting last week it was noted that sound quality was really good and the dialog clean up was not as extensive as in the past. To be fair the locations were much more controlled versus being out in the desert like with our trilogy. Sound Design is happening at the same time and so once we get all this laid in MUSIC TIME. I will also be touching base with the visual team about VFX, Color Correction and a new trailer. Exciting times.
The Week Ahead…
This next week will be working towards disbursement of funds back at investors. Seeking a few new partners so we can move into official pre-production on LOST HEART. We are close and we could do the film with what we have now but I want to have the extra breathing room. It is easier on the cast and crew and ultimately might yield a better final product. Businesses wanting to talk sponsorship or product placement please do reach out.
Treat yourself to the book and movie
I’m going to go refill the coffee cup and organize for my forthcoming week. I have a friend coming in from Texas for a few days on family business so it will be nice to catch up with him. He was involved with the original KNIGHT CHILLS, CDI’s 1st feature film. KNIGHT CHILLS 2? You never know:)
Have a great Sunday and week ahead!
DJ
Theatrical Updates and CDI’s NEW Film
It is a chilly Sunday and even colder air and snow will soon be coming our way. I’ve got my Oswald’s Bear Ranch coffee cup full of piping hot hazelnut coffee. I want to welcome our new readers from Italy and the Philippines. This last week has included getting our http://www.cdiproductions.com site in line for the next 9 years. I’ve also been working with our team to get the end-of-the-year tax stuff around. A few remaining things to put forth to the accounting firm but getting close. Also my tech savvy associates are working to bring me into the google-age. These shared documents are really making it easier to archive and work with others.
THEATRICAL
We’ve done our own limited set ups in the past but now we’re involved in a new partnership program with our distributor BMG. I’m seeing 3/23/19 is when the platform release for Wild Faith is to begin. 4/19/19 is what I’m seeing as the release date for The Christ Slayer. Once I have a list of cities and theaters I will pass that along ASAP.
HOME VIDEO
Now with Easter Passover being the backdrop for The Christ Slayer the streaming and DVD will release prior. It is a film that is truly worthy of being experienced on the big screen. Feb 1st will see the film be available on Amazon. The DVD can be pre-ordered now at Amazon for a March 4th release.
Pre-Order here and streaming will be available Feb 1st
https://www.amazon.com/Christ-Slayer-Josh-Perry/dp/B07MG14J9H
https://www.christiancinema.com/digital/movie/the-christ-slayer
DOVE has awarded it their seal and you can read the review here –
https://dove.org/review/15069-the-christ-slayer/
WILD FAITH artwork should be releasing soon. This is the first time that we’re not directly in control of the theatrical. That is exciting but also has us waiting on info to pass along.
MBF: Man’s Best Friend – This film is close to the first cut as of yesterday. I’ll be doing a front credit breakdown so they can start timing that out. The movie will move to music and sound design last day in Feb. I’m excited to see this story come together.
LOST HEART – I’ve been speaking with directors as our team moves down the development pipeline. We’re putting our paperwork together so we can start bringing on our interested investors. Targeted casting has been taking place and we’ll be announcing those people soon. We’ve launched the film on http://www.imdb.com and we’ll be adding as we go. We’re targeting April to shoot in Northern Michigan. It is a great story and I know we’ll have a great time telling the story.
I’m going to wrap it up here soon. I might pour another hot cup of java and follow-up on some PR. If you want to do a story on either of the upcoming releases (The Christ Slayer, Wild Faith) let me know. Thank you all for your continued support.
DJ
Finishing and Beginning – A Cycle of Creating
Good morning from chilly Michigan. We have new readers from Canada and the Netherlands, welcome. This morning I spent an hour organizing and cleaning through emails and I still did not get through it all. I’ve enjoyed my little dude Finn this morning. He has brought major joy back into our household in 2019 and for that I’m thankful.
Let’s go with a bullet point update
- MBF: Man’s Best Friend – In two days 415k views of our promo piece with Animal Planet – of course a puking squirrel can get millions of views so…but we’re just happy so many of you are being exposed to this amazing film coming in 2019 from Collective Development Inc. and Bridgestone Multimedia Group. WATCH IT HERE: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalPlanet/videos/366247313928139/UzpfSTE5MTM1MDI2MzU1ODk3NDE6MjIyMTExMTY4ODE2MjE2Ng/ and we just might have a special surprise for you in the months ahead. What else happened with Duncan on his trip to Corunna/Owosso, Michigan to film? It would make a good show;) Editing on the 1st cut is almost done.
- Wild Faith – last month of western film was delivered with our celebrity narrator (preparing for a TV series) and a remastered picture. Keep an eye out for the various time versions of theatrical teasers for social media. Why? Wild faith will be riding back into theaters across the country in March. I think millions could benefit from this powerful film. I had a close friend of many decades tell me that Wild faith was their favorite film of ours to date. I have seen first hand the effects of this film on people’s hearts and minds. So I’ll hope that the number of screens is on the numerous end of the spectrum. I’ll have lists of when’s and where’s in the coming weeks. Be sure to follow our social media FB site for Wild faith and all our films. JOIN US HERE: https://www.facebook.com/WildFaithMovie/
- So you’d think that the above news would be enough to make one feel beyond humble and grateful but the good news continues. The Christ Slayer is complete and is being rendered all together for delivery. It was the biggest scope film in The Quest Trilogy consisting of Forty Nights, Chasing the Star and now The Christ Slayer. It feels great to have finished the film itself but finishing the three films is the realization of a longtime goal. They can be enjoyed as stand alone films but have a greater storyline embedded into the three films. I think Chasing the Star has a clearer conclusion if you’ve seen Forty Nights. And you could enjoy The Christ Slayer stand alone, but it will feel much more full if the other two films have been seen. There are some reoccurring characters in the stories that become richer if you’ve watched all three. So they’ve already cut theatrical social media promos and the movie will be on the big screen in April. FOLLOW US HERE “The Quest Trilogy” – https://www.facebook.com/The-QUEST-Trilogy-933210800141426/
- We’ll be forming the LLC for our next endeavor LOST HEART. We’ve got our first investor/EP excited to move forward so I have to play catch up. Our LOI to distribute from our distributor is now in place. This includes a full first look theatrical evaluation due to the partnership. We’ve got some returning stars from past CDI films and a few new faces too. We’ll finalize casting once everything is in place. I’m really excited about this next project and it will be fun, powerful and thought-provoking. Our PR on this will start rolling on this in a few short weeks.
- From the CDI vaults, a much-anticipated sequel has been getting some real attention. We’ve had a few exploratory development talks with a few parties but this is starting to gel. It would give a new director an opportunity to do his first feature that already has an awaiting audience. A director, a pair of new fresh-faced co-stars, a few nostalgic faces and the game could be afoot.
Josh “The Ponceman” Perry and DJ Perry – The Christ Slayer this Easter!
Additionally I’m happy to report receiving the first paycheck of 2019. Freelance or the art of creating a paycheck each and every year is not for everyone. As one year ends we all wonder if another year of income will materialize. So that first one is always nice. I’m happy to report this one is from a new client, a major book publisher. This book runner, which I assume is much like a show runner, went to see Wild Faith. From there she watched a few other films I had written and reached out. I was asked to be a contributor in a book of horse stories. Having done a good number of westerns, I have a few good stories. From those two stories I contributed I was asked about contributing to two other books. I’m enjoying all the writing. I’ve been having some discussions on literary representation. I’ve done past deals just off personal relationships and attorneys but having someone actively seek/bid work-for-hire or sell off scripts I have, but don’t plan to produce, would be perfect.
I saw a cool little saying burnt into a wood plank the other day- something like,
“If the winds won’t agree with you, pick up the oars”
2019 my friends. I hope the winds will be at your back taking you closer to your dreams and goals. But if the air is still and stagnant and your boat sits idle, pick up them oars and get rowing. Life is short so don’t be afraid to fail. But do give your BEST EFFORT, always.
Talk at you next week.
DJ