What’s in Yuma?  CDI!  We’re currently filming the thriller RENOVATION in association with Pisaeno Productions and Rampant Entertainment.  DJ Perry, Dean Teaster and Tony Hornus are all contributing their acting talents, and if you know DJ, you know that he’s almost always producing. It’s a movie-making adventure in Arizona!

We know, we know, we’ve been pretty quiet the last few months.  Never fear, we’re still here and making progress on many fronts.  More updates soon…  (And if you’re into fear, RENOVATION is going to be right up your alley.)

It’s a good time for independent film!  Two CDI projects, HEAVEN’S NEIGHBORS and FIGURE IN THE FOREST, are now available on Amazon VOD through their partnership with IndieFlix.  [Note: if you're not running Flash Player 10, Amazon VOD provides a quick and easy link to upgade.]

Triumphant Entertainment, the parent company of Triumphant Pictures and its newly launched genre division Gutter Films, recently acquired domestic rights to AN ORDINARY KILLER.  This true-crime drama  is slated for limited theatrical release during the 3^rd Quarter of 2009 with a 4^th Quarter DVD release through Triumphant’s New York based partner, E1 Entertainment.  You can even add AN ORDINARY KILLER as your friend on MySpace.  (And while you’re at it, you can add CDI too!)

But it’s also been a sad time as the entertainment industry mourns the loss of two of its great stars along with the rest of the world.  To say that Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson each made such great contributions is an understatement.  While we take these moments to reflect again on how momentary this life can be, let’s take in the celebrations and fireworks of the upcoming holiday in a true spirit of gratitude for our independence and all it brings.

Wishing you a safe and happy 4th of July…

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and CDI's Anthony Hornus

When Anthony Hornus (producer, writer, director, actor) talked with Michigan’s Governor Jennifer Granholm a couple weeks ago at a Michigan Notable Authors event in Lansing, they had a chance to talk about the status (and future) of the film incentives.  Granholm reinforced what we’ve been hearing in the media lately — the incentives aren’t going anywhere under her watch.  As the state’s economy continues to struggle, one of the bright spots is the growth of the film industry right here in America’s heartland.  We’re happy to be a part of that growth.

We’ve got other good news coming in regarding the status of WILD MICHIGAN, but until things are finalized and official, we can’t say more than that.  We know, we know — we keep teasing you with updates that WILD MICHIGAN will soon be filming.  But, rest assured that things are in fact moving along and that a formal cast list and start date will be announced in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, FIGURE IN THE FOREST has enjoyed some late night show times on TBN despite being bumped out of its initial time slot due to scheduling changes at the network.  Isaac Hernandez at TBN Programming says, “FIGURE IN THE FOREST is a film that is sure to bring hope and peace to those who have experienced a tragic loss of a loved one and further appreciate the time we still have with those that are still with us.”

CDI’s Tribal Chief DJ Perry has also been busy with interviews related to multiple projects.  Check out his interview related to the May 5th release of the special edition of THE 8TH PLAGUE with First Fright — DJ Perry Has an Axe to Grind.  Another interview with 28 Days Later Analysis focuses on the March release of GPS — GPS: An Interview with DJ Perry.  But whatever you do, don’t miss the big interview with Rogue Cinema that covers a whole slew of projects!

So, stay tuned for more updates coming soon and don’t stop moving toward your goals.  They’re right there, at your fingertips, if you’ll only keep reaching for them.

CDI is pleased to announce that our family film FIGURE IN THE FOREST is playing on TBN. Below are the times for the first showings in April.

April 25, 2009 (9:00 pm)
April 28, 2009 (11:00 pm)
April 29, 2009 (12:00 am)

You might see some of our other family fare go out on this network. It’s wonderful to bring our stories to a wider audience.

In other news, we’re continuing to take steps to lock in casting for WILD MICHIGAN. Please stay tuned for more to come on that soon. We’re looking forward to the green light on this project as much as anyone!

While we’re moving forward with WILD MICHIGAN casting, our excitement doesn’t stop there.  Sounds like there is other good news afoot in Michigan where films are concerned.  Here at CDI, we’ve been thrilled by the opportunities coming to our state, and look forward to being able to employ and train many artists and other professionals in the coming weeks and months.  As an employer in a state with a struggling economy, we’re anxious to put people to work!

We know there are people out there who would like to be retrained, students who would like real world experience to put on their resumes.  Believe us, we want to give that experience to as many as we can.  Keep your eyes on filmmakers in Michigan.  We’re really going to put our hand on the map.

Randy and DJ - Ghost Town screeing, Howell, MI - Oct. 14, 2008

Holidays have a way of making us stop and reflect.  As a child, Valentine’s Day is more about friendship than romance–little cards with Snoopy and Woodstock or a group of Smurfs, conversation hearts with sayings like “Be My Friend.”

Many of you have already heard about the loss of one of CDI’s friends, Randy Godwin, who passed away on Dec. 19.  We were shocked and saddened to hear the news.  Today we’re thinking not just about those who are still beside us, but those we’ve lost.

For those in the CDI network who are still anxiously awaiting news about the progress of Wild Michigan, we’d like to thank you for your patience.  We continue to take steps forward daily, and are looking forward to giving the good news of a green light soon.

CDI is happy to announce that a TV deal for Figure in the Forest will soon be bringing that feature to a small screen near you.  More details on that will follow when we find out air dates, etc.  Overall, progress on projects like TimberWolf; Holly, Jingles & Clyde; State of Hate; Obsidian; and Ace are keeping all of us here at CDI on our toes.

But, don’t let our Valentine’s Day post fool you.  We’ll be taking time off today to spend time with our loved ones, and taking advantage of the opportunity to remind them how much we care.  And to you we wish a day filled with love and friendship.

CDI is welcoming the new year with the final steps to kick production for WILD MICHIGAN into gear. We’re waiting for official word from our Executive Producers to start the engine.

We enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting a few new ones at the 2008 CDI Holiday Party and look forward to growing the CDI network in 2009.

Snowy WILD MICHIGAN

The holiday season is upon us, and tonight in Michigan we’re anticipating a winter storm to hit as we sleep. Whether or not we like to shovel it, scrape it off our windshields or slide around in it, it’s hard to argue against snow’s beauty. It’s been a cold and snow-covered December here as we’ve moved forward in our preproduction for WILD MICHIGAN. This extra time has allowed for broader casting choices, and has provided an unexpected new opportunity…

The chance to film TIMBERWOLF and WILD MICHIGAN back-to-back.

A first draft of the script is completed and undergoing a budget analysis. Concept art and project summaries are in the works. Here at CDI, we’re excited at the prospect of three Westerns in a row. Looks like Santa’s got CDI on his “nice” list this year!

But even with all that we have to be grateful and joyful for, there is no denying that this is a somber holiday season. With the economic recession, layoffs, shaky ground under the Big 3, bailouts and financial scandals it’s hard not to pause a little longer this year when appreciating the year behind us and looking toward the year ahead.

Best wishes for a holiday season filled with peace, joy, laughter and love. Here’s to a new year of new beginnings and new opportunities for friends old and new…

The art department had the sets prepped and ready, but everything’s now in storage until January. Never fear–WILD MICHIGAN is still a go, but crews were sent home until mid-January for a February shoot. Pre-production was well underway when the decision was made to delay production until after the holiday season. We’re excited about the work that’s been done–including some great CGI work–but even more excited to have this reprieve to take some additional time with star casting.

We wish everyone a season filled with holiday joy and send many thanks to everyone who’s already been working on WILD MICHIGAN as well as those who will be here in the new year! We’re grateful for all of your hard work and support.

With financing secured, we are in full pre-production for WILD MICHIGAN. We’ve brought a line producer, production coordinator and special effects supervisor onto the team. We’re currently working on contracts, including attaching star talent. While we can’t say more about that yet, we can say that we are excited about this wonderful next step for CDI.

Take a peek inside WILD MICHIGAN…