New Releases. New Castings Coming. New Development.
What a beautiful day in Lansing, MI today! It was a tad chilly but the sun was out and the apple blossoms are in bloom. Birds and squirrels are busy at work and our chickens were happy to be out and about. The hens have been kicking 4-5 eggs and day which has been wonderful. Yesterday we did a day trip to Holland, MI and saw the 1700’s windmill and the fields of tulips. I also had a nice Dutch sampler at a Dutch eatery. I have been to Amsterdam so I’ve had some of the local dishes but this was nice. I love experiencing new food, music and traditions. I’m thrilled that this week I will be putting up a new acting sizzle reel. I’ve not done a new one since 2020 because I’ve been busy acting so it wasn’t a priority. I’m very excited that soon I’ll be sharing films and my created characters with a wide audience as some of our films release. Let’s look at some of the updates and look ahead somewhat.
UPDATES:
- WILD FAITH CHRISTMAS the home video poster above which will release on 11/3/2026 but our partners at Dreamscape Productions will look to get it into a few more theaters before the streaming release. Next week we’ll see how the film does at the ICFF where it has a handful of nominations including Best Picture. The Red Letter Awards in August and I believe we are under consideration at a few additional festivals and events. We have the 8 show season 1 of WILD FAITH: Hastings on deck and I’m working on another stand alone film working title WF3 right now.
- I’ve completed my first draft on RETURN TO ALGONA which is the next chapter following SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA. I’ve got some great feedback from my main producers and our director Anthony Hornus. It will be going to the foundation and other associated entities to review soon. We have 1/2 the funding in place and will likely look to film in 2027 either early or late in 2027 as it requires a winter backdrop. We will likely start doing some advance casting out of Iowa working with friends there so get your reels and materials updated. Our production designer is in Algona today doing some advanced scouting.
- ROM COMS MUST DIE – This comedy horror film is having the first showing at the Sun Theater in Williamston, MI on May 18th. The box office opens at 6:30 with the film showing at 7:00. Tickets are $10 cash and have to be purchased at the box office. This will be a great first showing as we’re setting up for many other showings in other theater chains and classic theaters like this one. This was such a fun film to shoot and I think audiences will enjoy it. It is about following your dreams at any cost. I was inspired in writing the screenplay by films like WAITING FOR GUFFMAN, BEST IN SHOW, THIS IS SPINAL TAP and A MIGHTY WIND.
- AI JESUS: The Secret of the Kingdom Chip – We are close to having all the music and sound design put into the film. From there we will do a watch and we’re also assembling the end credit crawl which always takes a little time. I LOVE how this film presents and I think audiences of all types will enjoy it. It has a strong comedic tone but also adds real depth in various places. Monday I’ll be looking at a draft of the BTS video by Adam Towner. We will start to ramp up more of the PR once we get the film finished.
DEVELOPMENT: I’ve been loving the development work on several fronts. We almost have the business foundation in place on a film that would shoot in Michigan this Fall. I don’t want to speak on it until we are further down the road but the last two weeks have had hours of business development spent. I’ve said it before but for me/CDI to consider outside projects the funds have to be there. Otherwise we have a slate of films that the funds could be placed upon. Funding is only part of the equation but having the script in the right place and having the right team is what makes me say yes. Location also plays into it and how easy can I work with the other party. Because often the other party comes to CDI wanting to up their production game but in production value and the production journey. The last few CDI films have been extremely smooth sailing. That is due to having the right personalities and attitudes aligned. Negativity is a cancer in the film world and if you don’t really like the long, hard hours on set don’t do it. God, knows there are easier jobs that pay better but you pay the cost in other ways if you are not happy with what you do.
We have several projects in development all with various great things happening. This one we’re looking at for the Fall is a fun one for sure. We’ve got a great team lining up and a great battle plan. I like the acting role that I would play. It is a unique character that I feel strong about. I know I can bring something really cool to audiences and that process of character building is already happening in my head. So this week we’ll continue our development talks and I hope to announce something once we have dried ink as I like to say.
WRAP UP:
Today I’m going to do some property clean up and maybe get the grill around for Summer use. I’m looking forward to a great week ahead and I’m thankful for all the abundance of good things happening. I’m excited to see what some of the other parties involved think of the RETURN TO ALGONA script. It is be a great story to tell. I’m going to go make a few eggs and get on with my day. But I want to thank all of you for once again stopping by to have a read. If you can come out on May 18th to see ROM COMS MUST DIE I will be there as will some of the cast and crew. Until next week keep plugging away at your dreams and be good to one another. Everyone has their challenges and such they are dealing with. Coffee cheers, time to refill that as well.
DJ
CDI Film Updates- Lessons of Staying in the ‘Right’
Spring is officially upon us and today our clocks ‘Sprung’ ahead! The rain has taken the snow and the ground has drunk up the water. Small buds and bits of green can be found here and there. I want to do some trimming before growth goes full onward. I am enjoying the last of the wood stove fires as soon the temps will tip in the other direction. The added light has the chickens kicking out the eggs. I’ve started the property clean up from the harsh winter. I’m making my list of TO DO’s for the property and I think this coming week I am going to start a batch of Frankenberry wine. That is wine that is made from all the berries around the property with a little rhubarb thrown into it.
I’m about past tax season work with the films. I still have to organize for payment. We’ve worked to streamline some of the process which will help with check writing to investors and end of year tax work. Again I thank the CDI support staff from Dean Teaster, John Mashni and Gary Davison and his team. Filmmaking is a business and it takes a lot more than just what happens on set.
OTHER FILM UPDATES:
- The big news being ran through the PR machine is the nomination of Wild Faith Christmas for several awards topped with BEST PICTURE with the IFCC. One of the largest fests that recognizes family and inspirational films. I’m actually going to join Shane Hagedorn at a hit and run visit to Florida for the awards show. We want to try and have a few conversations about the funding of the TV series and/or a 3rd feature film.
- The Red Letter Awards which is a fast growing event that recognizes positive and inspirational art gave us advanced notice that WILD FAITH CHRISTMAS was up for Best Picture. I think we last won that with SILENT NIGHT IN ALGONA. The individual nominations will be forthcoming and that show is outside of Nashville.
- WILD FAITH CHRISTMAS is still up for recognition at several other festivals but will also be going into theaters again end of Summer/Fall before the home video release. I think we almost have everything submitted to TEG and this coming week I will start on the delivery items for RCMD. What is that you ask?
- ROM COMS MUST DIE! If you are fans of films that make fun of things such as Spinal Tap, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind or Waiting For Guffman you might really love this film. The theatrical poster is now complete and we are trying to set up the premiere. After we are planning a series of theatrical events. It will release to streaming and DVD before Halloween Q3. This is comedy/horror and will really hit a note if you work in or follow the actual film industry. You can pop over to the IMDB page and see the poster, watch the trailer or the making of.
- Speaking of Making of – I’m trying to catch up IMDB on the making of’s. These are interesting for the public but also a major joy for cast and crew to look back upon. The journey is a beautiful one. We are also doing this on the literary front with CDI’s collaboration with Katharsys Publishing. We are almost ready to re-release rhe Ghost Town book back to Amazon. We have a Making of Knight Chills with the director’s script and notes. We already have a few of these products out there but we’ll be putting many more out to market. Shane Hagedorn and I have been assembling everything for a beautiful book on THE QUEST TRILOGY. It will have great reflective stories from all the directors and more. If you have not watched FORTY NIGHTS, CHASING THE STAR and THE CHRIST SLAYER in that order you should. It will prepare you for AI Jesus coming to theaters and home video this year.
- I’ll give you the drop here early but we are soon to announce a CDI collaboration with Lynn Drzick to do a slate of genre films. One a detective slasher, a SciFi piece and a sequel to IN THE WOODS. I plan to get that PR around but development work is underway for the first film.
- AI JESUS: The Secret of the Kingdom Chip is in audio post and the first pass is done on dialog and sound design. We’ll review that soon before the musical score begins. We’ll also start the end credit creation. The front credits need a touch adjusting as we have a few new credits to add. I’m down to the last two marketing units on this film and I think we’ll wrap that up soon. The theatrical release will be Summer followed by the Q4 home video release. This film is very deep but also dressed in humor. The topic of AI is everywhere and this film looks at all angles of this emerging technology. You can watch the trailer online and we will soon have a BTS and final theatrical poster soon!
DEVELOPMENT – The Katharsys/CDI slate in development was mentioned above but that is only the tip of the spear. This coming week will be very telling on two different films where funding is concerned. I did a magazine interview this past week and I was asked the hardest part of making movies. That is easily the funding. I also mentioned the WILD FAITH franchise developing the TV series and a 3rd stand alone film should the series budget be too heavy to lift currently. I’ve noted before a few scripts that I’m working on in-between paid writing. One of them is MBF2. I’m not in a hurry to film this but I’ve had the story in my head for several years and wanted to get it out in script form. If you have not seen MAN’S BEST FRIEND it might be a good watch. I’ve got partial scripts for LOST HEART 2 and WILD FAITH 3. I love to write but funding as we stated is the hard part. The feature film version of SMOKE & MIRRORS could jump in the development line pending what happens this month on other film funding fronts.
WRAP UP: People who know me know that I like to build modest expectations and if we far exceed that projection – great! I don’t oversell or hype with unrealistic goals. To get BIG rewards you often have to RISK big. In the indie film circles one big risk fail can hinder you for years. It is why I’ve always chosen the slow and steady. I hear all the horror stories of promises made and promises broken. Deals without paperwork and people left out to dry. If it sounds too good to be true it usually is. People seeking short cuts and unearned glory usually drive these tragic situations. A face of success can be put upon it all until the bridges start burning. At that point, these filmmakers usually move away and disappear looking to use another market’s gullible. I urge you if you really love this industry don’t play the short game. Play the long game and build your experience to delivery creatively more than was expected. Keep your business tight and be known for your follow through. Unsolicited I had two different individuals speak into the shortcomings of an individual and group. It saddens me because you try to set good examples and give good advice to people but it doesn’t always stick. I think some people are just users and others use their own experience to try and develop people and give opportunities. I always want to stay on the latter side of being a giver vs just taker even if it makes me a fool in some eyes, it’s how I like to live.
If you’ve gathered your wealth by back stabbing and stepping on people it doesn’t make you great. It makes you sad and often lonely once you’ve burned all your bridges. My mind just jumped back to an individual like this who once he had burned all his relationships he killed himself. A loss that did not have to happen. There are filmmakers I know that I don’t agree with and most of them know it because we’ve said our peace. And that said, I know they work hard just a much different process and philosophy from mine. And I know toxic ‘users’ that I will not deal with and will give my truth if asked. But I don’t go out of my way to say anything because after all these years I know that these people burn themselves out. Now many do damage the industry as a whole because a ruined location. An investor burnt by a project never finished will not likely invest again. I’m proud to have investors that have been with us on many films and that should speak for itself. There is more than enough resources for many artists to prosper and I just ask that you all respect your business. People find out eventually that differences exist between production companies and how they run their business. I’m not perfect but I challenge anyone to say I don’t give my best efforts. I’ve dedicated my life to the arts and much to the medium of filmmaking. I deeply appreciate everyone in and associated with the tribe CDI. Slow your roll and do good business and good art.
I’m going to call it. I dislike lecturing but I dislike hearing about bad business even more. Especially if it is people I care about. Note I did not use past tense. I can still care about people even if we don’t have current business between us. But when the business dries up often the friendship goes with it. Maybe it is shame for actions they took. Maybe it is the fact that got everything they are going to get from me. I don’t know the truth of what lies in people’s heart. But I do know I have a wonderful tribe of people that want to do things right. If slower is right. If good communication is right. If good business is right. I can say that the extra effort to stay in the right is well worth it. Have a great week ahead.
Coffee Cheers! DJ
DJ Perry's Official Blog 'Clawing My Way to the Middle' 