Thursday, September 24, 2015

The Dopes On The Street

Hello Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and people of the Internet! It's once again time for update of what's happening down at ol' H&H HQ.

Well, after we got our mojo back with the recent first Vlog of Series 2, we have been busy banging our heads together (metaphorically and not literally) to come up with a few more ideas that are bit more short, sweet and straight to the point (as well as funny, of course). As well as easier, or maybe rather simpler, to get filmed as the Vlog where starting to get a bit out of hand, our ambitions were starting to outstrip our resources (well, it is us of course it was going to). So we took the tack of reigning it back in and sticking to the resources we have (basically a camera, a mic and us - it's been really difficult over the course of H&H's production to get other people involved and enthusiastic unfortunately).

Whilst discussing what to do next we decided to try and do more that referenced H&H actually being Actors, BAD Actors, yes, but still Actors, and I was reminded of some of the acting lessons I had been taught at the Actor workshop. One tip in particular for stage and acting work after telling Chris it kinda clicked as a good, simple idea for a Vlog.
And in fact it would have been Actor's Log #2, if Chris hadn't presented the basic idea for our latest Vlog 'Down With Your Bard Self', which if you haven't watched it is RIGHT HERE:



We bumped this one up the schedule because it was minimal props (and one or two bits we already had), plus we were already a bit behind in relation to the film 'Straight Outta Compton's release and we didn't want to leave it too long, so we did our best to get it out there before the film was no longer showing at cinemas, and to beat the first episode of the new series of Doctor Who because of the tiny wee Doctor Who reference in the Vlog. Did you spot it, Acting Fans? No? Maybe you need to watch it again (and give us MORE views), MWAH HA HA HA HA!!! *Ahem*

During our what-to-do-next conversation we also revisited an old idea from a TV episode-style 'pilot' we wrote, and we have hopefully figured out on how to make that work for us too. Once again it shall be beaming to your eyeballs soon, well, at some point in the future - after all a flexible approach to episode filming is still a part of the new plan (it seemed to work out well for Vlog #2). I bet you are wondering, 'what is it?' I can tell you mothing as that would be [SPOILERS] and we're back to our usual cloak and dagger blog, with your old pal the Big Tease.

Lastly with us feeling for good after getting the fist vlog of Series 2 up, we decided to email two company's about providing ourselves and/or our services for some community TV production. We emailed Calderdale TV here Halifax and Made in Leeds (which of cause is in Leeds, durr, but is still pretty commutable for us) to ask both if we could help them out and in turn help us out by either using H&H in any of there programs and also by volunteering our skills in making other programs for them. We are still playing the waiting game to see if any of them get back to us on it but even if they don't we hopefully got another view or two out of both of them. So it's still a win. Yeah, WINNING!!!!

So that's all for now folks we be back soon,

TTFN!

Vernon Harcourt



Monday, September 14, 2015

Straight Outta Avon, Ye Fulle Sonnet

HARCOURT BEATS:
Straight outta Avon, crazy mother[BEEP]er named Shakespeare,
A troupe called Global Players!
Will get called off, gets his lines off,
Hits his mark, the audience they applaud off.

You too, boy ya wanna act like Will,
Deliver those rhymes by meter and skill?
No punk mother[BEEP]ers that are acting out!
Actors wanna rumble, they all start to mumble.
Mix 'em, put 'em down and they all just stumble!

Goin off on a dungheap like that,
With the stage pointing at yo' ass?
So give it up boosh!
No tellin when I'm down for a K-Bran movie!
Here's a tap an rap to keep yo' dance on,
With acting record like James Mason!

The stage is the tool!
Don't make me act the mother[BEEP]in' fool!
Me you can go toe to toe, no maybe,
Knocking those tickets out tha box, daily,
Yo weekly, nightly and monthly!
'Til them dumb mother[BEEP]ers see clearly,
That I'm down with the capital A-C-T!

Boy you can't act with me
When I'm in your neighborhood, you better duck,
Coz H is crazy as Puck!
As I leave, a board I stomp on!
But when I come back, boy, I'm comin' straight outta Avon!


1ST AIDE:
Straight outta Avon, number one crazy @$$ player!
More dope he smoke, yo, his rep gets bigger!
He's the bard mother[BEEP]er and you know this,
Givin' dope @$$ messages in pentamenter!

Will don't give a [BEEP], He'da make his raps,
If not for the stage, he be pullin' the crops!
Back in the day, ain't no AK for packing',
But my man Shakespeare was ready for 'jacking'!
Slice a mother[BEEP]er in a minute,
Stage fight foot work always win it!

So if you're at a show in the front row,
Pay full attention or blood will flow!

You'll probably go wild when I show you my Falstaff,
Demonstratin' to you other actors are all chaff!
Keepin' it real, we're packing the steel!
Attitude verity 'cause I'm chewin' the scenery!

MC Will rhymes flow automatic,
For any dumb mutha[BEEP]er that starts static.
Not the right hand cause I'm the hand itself,
Every time I pull a rapier off the shelf!
The dramaity is maximum and words the law,
Shakespeare lyrics spitting it raw!

See, coz I'm the mother[BEEP]in villain,
Enterin' stage left, you witness my illin'!
Whats takin' place is drama due,
And, when the curtain drops, the show is through!
Look, you might take it as a trip,
but a player like H is on a BAFTA tip!
Comin' straight outta Avon!

HARCOURT BEATS:
Now that we told ya, 
It's clear to see.

1ST AIDE:
Bard's just the old word for MC!

HARCOURT BEATS:
Now let the curtain...drop!





Street Date

Here it is, Acting Fans! Are you ready to be educated by H&H? Can you get down with YOUR Bard Self?




Vernon Harcourt
&
Christopher Haigh