The Lonliness Of The Long Distance Script Wrangler

Hello and welcome, Acting Fans, bloggers and people of the Internet, yep, it's time for another round of H&H news.

Okay, so here we go.....erm....uhm...oh, yes, it's coming back to me now, as you read in Wednesday's post we went about going the long way round in coming up with our next Actor's Log at our last H&H meeting. Afterwards it was my job to make those discussions and ramblings into a workable script. So I immediately got down to it, and then sat their looking, much like Chris mentioned (in terror, that is), at the blank screen trying to remember how to start it.

I suddenly remembered I had actually written down some notes this time (we are getting more and more on ball with this, honest), now if I could only read my own handwriting. (Hahaha, I'm not kidding either - I should have been a doctor). But, with sheer determination, I did manage to decipher it and Chris had also posted a reference post to my Facebook wall that helped jog the vlog memory. Okay, with the mostly-deciphered notes at hand and this post, I was ready right, right? Well, yeah, sort of, I just had to remember which order the lines were going to go in. So with much going back & forth from my word doc, the notes and FB I got down to wrestling it together.

Vern's Spirit Animal

Now this does seem like I'm trying to make this sound more difficult than it actually was but there really was quite a lot of information processed at our last meeting, plus I discovered my Spirit Animal - the actor Richard Harris! I was really surprised how he came across in the interview and ended up liking my favourite Dumbledore a whole lot more, especially him being willing to show himself in a humorous light, like sharing his outtakes and mistakes with the audience. I am playing it up a little bit, yes, but it is a wordier Vlog script, we even got to use a short exchange of lines that both me and Chris came up with on a real-life night out (yep, and we were a little bit drunk too - what can we say, Method Acting). Just how did I remember this line if indeed we were drunk? Well, it amused us so much I decided to wrtte it down on my phone and saved it as draft text. See, I told you we we're getting better at this - even when we've been drinking! So at last that line has gotten used, where and when in the vlog, you will have to watch it to find out, well, once we film it that is. Which shouldn't be too long away!

Anyway that's your lot for the week so next time.

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

 

The Long Way 'Round

A warm Wednesday welcome, Acting Fans, here comes your midweek H&H blog. This time it's a bit about process. The hardest part is always staring at that initially blank page, wondering where to start. And, because we're gluttons for punishment, we've decided to set ourselves that challenge more frequently by starting the regular (at least monthly is our target) Actor's Log.
Now quite often it's come down to Vern & I meeting up at H&H HQ and knocking our heads together until something resembling an idea falls out but the past two Actor's Logs 'Snog' and 'Flog' both seemed to emerge almost organically from the conversation we had during one of our H&H get-togethers when we hadn't explicitly met up to do some writing, just a bit of forward planning was the original intention. With that in mind, we decided to try a more relaxed approach at this Tuesday's H&H Pow-wow. Starting with a cup of tea and a chat about an upcoming gig we're attending (Matt Berry from I.T. Crowd, in case you were wondering) we got on to film and got around to Hong Kong cinema (we often get around to Hong Kong cinema, it is Vern's area of expertise after all). Last time we'd met up the conversation had turned towards 'Infernal Affairs' and it's (IOHO* unnecessary) western re-make 'The Departed' and Vern had re-watched it as we weren't entirely sure we remembered exactly how it ended. This and discussing how it had a more 'straight' plot-driven approach than most HK films reminded me of something I'd been meaning to tell Vern. I had been hoping to attend an event in Liverpool the Sunday before to drum up support for a play based on Robert Anton Wilson's Cosmic Trigger, unfortunately I wasn't able to get there but it being in the back of my mind as we talked reminded me of Ken Campbell's tale (in a 'Video Letter' to Wilson) of how he got turned on to Jackie Chan. After making a hash of the story myself, I thought I'd get Vern to watch it on Youtube instead:

Greatly amused by the tale of the ghost of Sir Laurence Olivier naming Jackie Chan the greatest living actor, I recommended he watch a great interview with the late Richard Harris (who it turns out is Vern's preferred Dumbledore) and to be honest I wanted to watch it again too.

All four parts of Harris ended up giving us an idea for some background for Harcourt as well as a few bits and pieces that may turn up later H&H stuff. What has all that got to do with the Actor's Log, you may ask? Go on then - ask!
Well, with our thought turned to Harris and such contemporaries as Reed and O'Toole the idea for the next Actor's Log emerged, almost of it's own accord. To say any more would be [SPOILERS] but I guess we're going to have to try this again, the long way 'round seems to be working.

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

The Times (Well, The Location) Is A-Changin'

Welcome, Acting Fans, bloggers and people of the internet, time for the next installment of H&H bloggery. As Chris said on Wednesday there sure are some major changes in store for H&H HQ. One really big change, in fact, as it is moving, and quite soon too!

H&H HQ..NO MORE?!

Yes, my flatmates and I are moving but luckily not too far! Of course that means there could very well be a brief Hiatus until everything gets sorted out. Even as all that is going on though, we are still going to try getting on with what bits of episode 6 that we can do in the mean time. Indeed, we hope to start doing some filming soon. We have also talked about some future projects for H&H and about extending the world of H&H so stay tuned for that folks, H&H Productions will persevere.

Don't worry, we shall keep you up to date on what is happening, well, don't we always?

Sorry it's a short one as we still have a lot of work to do. Preparation is key!

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

 

Many Happy Returns!

Welcome to the Mid-Week, Acting Fans, never fear you're halfway to the weekend now! Just what have we got in store for you today? Well, in case you haven't been paying attention, we've already got our second Actor's Log of this month up. Yep, instead of being all mopey about a listless Lupercalia we've gone and got in touch with our inner 'wolf' or rather one of our felonious thespians has, and he might have gotten a little carried away with it!

 

Yes, Two months into 2014 and were feeling pretty good about getting three videos out already (yes, we're counting the New Year Vlog - and you can't stop us!) as well as being pretty chuffed with how the videos themselves have turned out. We know we can't sit back though and we're really trying to get Episode 6 off the back burner and really getting cooking.
To that end we've already had a meeting this week and put H-Head 1 and H-Head 2 together to discuss our next phase. It's important right now as there could be an upcoming change of status at H&H HQ which may (briefly) interfere with series filming, so we've been mooting ideas of what to do in those circumstances but there'll be more on that in m'learned colleagues Friday Post. Never fear though, Acting Fans, H&H shall prevail!

Now before I sign off I'd like to take a moment to wish a Happy Birthday to someone extra-special, you see today is my Mum's birthday and (even though I've told her in person already) I'd like to wish her a very happy one and many happy returns so:

Happy Birfday, Mum! xXx

 

 

Love You!

That's your lot for today, everyone!

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

Hungry Like The Wolf

Hello Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and people of the world's internet and welcome back to, yep, it's friday and this our blog post. We've managed both of 'em this week!

As we all know it's Valentines Day and, as those of you paying attention on Wednesday may already know, we have an extra special vlog up for just this occasion, in fact it's especially for all our fellow singletons out there - so if you're down and in need of pick-me-up what better than the POWER of laughter. So, please, let Harcourt & Haigh into your life so we can cheer you up.

What you might not know is Valentine's is a christianised spin-off of an earlier Roman festival Lupercalia that involved, well, there's no polite way to put it Horny Werewolves and whipping. So a bit of Retro-Pop might be called for too...

 Anyway with that aside what else has happened down here at H&H HQ? As we said on Wednesday we have been busy with Vlog filming and have another vlog in the Internet Pipeline coming your way very soon, as a matter of fact that bite of Lupercalian Retro-Pop is a cryptic clue to what's coming next. Yes, 80s and a Wolf, hmm.
We are still in planning stages for the series 1, episode 6 our own white whale, so as we asked in the Wednesday blog post if there is anyone out there who would to co-star/help out and behind the scenes plpease get in touch either via the Facebook Fan Page or by the email at handh.tv@gmail.co.uk as we really do need some very much needed help with this episode and even past it into series two as well. We have plans to extend ourselves, gluttons for punishment we are, but to do it we need a H&H Army.

Well, that's all folks tune in next week: Na noo, na noo.

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

 

Riding Like The Wind

Greetings, Acting Fans, welcome to this week's Humpday, yes, we're halfway to the Weekend, folks, and we've been busy at H&H HQ. Forget Vern ushering me into the age of 37 with his musical stylings of 'Wild Thing', 'Bad Moon Rising' and 'I'm A Believer' at a local cocktail bar on my Birthday night out - we've been busy on actual H&H stuff too, particularly on the Vlog front. We got two of them shot and edited this week and the first of them to go up is live right now, just in Valen-time for Valentine's Day!

Yes, take heart, single Acting Fans, love could strike at any time, any place but while it hasn't yet try keeping busy. How? Well, even as it threatens to snow Vern and I are moving on with trying to nail down the filming of the elusive 6th episode of Series 1 and as it turns out we need all the help we can get. Yep, we're saying that...

If you're no longer content to just sit back and watch H&H unfurl and would like to get involved in front of or behind the camera then get in touch with us at the H&H Gmail account: handh.tv@gmail.com.
We need as many warm bodies as possible for this ambitious Season 1 finale and are looking to move on it as soon as we can. In the mean time stay tuned to the H&H channel as Next Monday we have the next Actor's Log ready and raring to go! That's all so far this week, Internet Chums, so...

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

Falling Off & Getting Back On The Horse

Welcome back, Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and Peoples of the Internets! Yes, its Friday so it's time for our embloggening. Or rather it's past time for our embloggening, yes, as some of you might very well have noticed there wasn't a blog post on Wednesday as, well, we're still getting back into the swing of things and well we just forgot about it. Whoops, sorry. I mean we are only two humans and we can sometimes makes mistakes.

Though we did indeed forget all about the blog, while Chris was having a clear-out (instead of blogging) he did come across an odd little item. Yep, he found a Pre-Harcourt & Haigh in an old Dandy comic from his youth called Ham and Egghead, about two kids who after watching some detectives shows decide they'll be detectives of course hijinks ensue. And I have to agree they do indeed look very much like a young H&H (well, in sorta kinda way). See for yourselves...

Forget what we forgot to do though, let's get back to what we HAVE been up to since we last spoke, well, we haven't been totally on our laurels (or Hardy's either)! We have written the next Vlog script (Some do indeed get written, it's not all seat-of-the-pants y'know) and me & Chris met up H&H HQ to have a line run and did a bit a re-writing as sometimes not all of the dialogue can flow right on the first draft of it, what reads right doesn't always sound it out loud. We also have penciled in a shoot date for it too and, Shatner Willing (he's like a god to us) maybe even a second Vlog post too! But, sshh! I can't really say much more about that. We also got on to discussing the episode 6 of series one. Don't worry it's still coming, we are going to be looking in to start filming that as soon as we can.

And that's all for now acting chums

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt