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

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

300(th)!

This. Is. ACTING!!!

Yes, Acting Fans, your eyes do not deceive you, not only is this our 300th Post it's also true your favourite felonious thespians are BACK! You have our sincere apologies for our (longer than intended) hiatus but a number of things, including life in general, got production off track. Nothing majorly serious, please do not worry, but misfiring ideas (that neither of us thought were really up to snuff), employment (or lack thereof), communication (or lack thereof) and some minor illness conspired to halt the H&H Productions machine.
As you can see above though, we're welcoming you back with the first episode of new look series 2 of Actor's Log (and the more eagle-eyed of you may notice a light sprucing up of the Production Blog itself). We're pretty proud of this one, it took us long enough to conceive it and it feels like a return to the essence of our initial idea of who Harcourt & Haigh are. The only problem now is to keep coming up with videos that are just as good! Oof.
You can rest assured, this is the first though and not the last - it's onwards and upwards into the 2015-2016 Series 2 from here on, so thank you for your patience and keep your eyes peeled for more H&H shenanigans to come but for now, People of the World's Internet...

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

&

Christopher Haigh

Christmas Closedown

Festive Greeting, Acting Fans!!! Yes, after all the skirting-around-the-issue-because-Dammit-it's-not-close-enough-to-Christmas-yet the Season has sprung it's steely jaws on us and we can no longer deny the tide of Christmas! Luckily, as some of you may already know, we have our bit of annual festive fun ready in the form of the latest, and last video of 2014, Actor's Log Vlog:

I mean, what could be more festive than a visit to Antarctica and Santa's pre-Christmas holiday hideaway? Anyway the keen-eyed among you will have spotted the key phrase 'and last video of 2014' that I went and slipped in there and, yes, I'm sorry, it's true whilst we run about like headless chickens looking for that last-minute stocking filler, picking up the party booze, doing both the Christmas Wrapping & the Christmas Rapping and stuffing our faces with mince pies and other Festive Treats the H&H Youtube channel and this here Production Blog will be having their annual Winter Hiatus Hibernation. Don't worry, it's only sleeping and we will be back with you in the 2000 plus 15!

Until then Happy Holidays and the very Merriest of Christmases to you all, do it the thespian way and all of you break a (metaphorical) leg, all the best for 2015, We'll see you in the World of TOMORROW!!!

TTFN!

Vernon Harcourt

&

Christopher Haigh

Christmas Wrapping

Welcome Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and People of the Worlds Internet - it's once again Friday and time for a catch up on what's been happing at ol' H&H HQ.

Well once again the Wednesday Blog entry was conspicuous in it's absence BUT with a good reason. Not only was it Chris's works do with his Box Office ladies BUT we finally managed to get out and film the Christmas Vlog, yep, once again we got behind and in front of the camera. Not only outdoors neither. After I did some scouting out on Manor Heath park we had realised we had to recoded our voices on my phone (of which I have to buy so we can getting off my phone) because of bad winds. As we were heading out there though we got talking of somewhere else we could try. A place where it would be easier to get more of the white sky we needed in shot without it looking like too much of a staged angle. Which got me thinking to a previous place we once used. It was in fact a place we used waaaay back when we did Series One. Yep, H&H were once more on the rocks, the rocks at Albert promenade, that is.

So, so windy. ARGH! MY HANDS!!!

When we got there it was just right, much better than our first idea in fact. The only problem was it was just as windy as Manor Heath, if not more, and BLOOMIN' FREEEEEZIN' ,and I hadn't got any gloves with me as I couldn't find a matching pair (which I later realised would have had some added comedy value - D'OH!). Something I would come to regret as my hands were like Ice blocks after the shoot. After a few runthroughs of the lines and marking out were we where going to stand, we were off to filming. Of course, with it being windy I had to hold on to my hat for dear life especially as it had already flown off for me to chase down the road a few times during the line run (lucky the road was quiet) and, in true H&H style, it did take us a few goes and with extra lines added into the flow of the scene. Some by necessity as myself and Chris had missed a massive geographical error in our original script, can you guess what it was, folks? (Probably not yet as you haven't seen the Xmas Vlog yet but when you do try to spot the the lampshaded excuse!)

When we started to use the my phone we needed to sync up the sound to so we could edit it easier. The best way is just a loud noise on camera but don't try and clap with freezing cold hands like I did. OUCH. Yep, I was an fool. And a sore-handed one too. After that we went on and got it done but, just as we were about to pack up, we remembered to do the end scene too that also had to be outside. Yep, we almost forgot the end, but as we were doing the recording my phone cut off, yep, the battery died, piggin' iPhones! So we had to go with what we had. Then it was to film the Interiors which, once again, led to a quick run down the Y.M.C.A ,well, after showbiz lunch, of course.

The Y.M.C.A was very kind in letting us once again assisting in our crimes against the internet and use the their building for the shoot, which was lucky as the decor was just the look we needed for it (I can't say any more, [SPOILERS]) so, after setting up and line runthroughs, it was a go and, well, I at first just couldn't get the flow right of one of lines I kept on falling over them. Despite having done some rehearsing of these scenes and blocking them out so we knew where we were to move and stand, it just wouldn't flow, so between us we worked out a streamlined version that made the scenes a bit pacier and also were more natural for speech (a lesson to do more reading out loud of what we have written to check the flow of our dialogue). This by our usual Actor's Log Vlog standards was very smooth and, once again, we got a lot done in one day. We are getting better at these. I mean we should be by now we've being doing the vlogs for just over a year!

The Xmas Vlog shall be beaming to your eyes soon, so please look out for it.
And see you in the FUTURE!

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

Found Footage

Hello, Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and people of the Internet, It's Friday once again and only THREE WEEKS until Christmas. (Yes, I know it's the mad rush time.) So what's has been happening in the ol' H&H front down at H&H HQ, and are we anywhere near to getting the Christmas Vlog filmed, will it be done in time?!

Well, well, that's a lot of questions you have there, so I shall get to answering them for you. First me, myself and Chris did get a meet-up in this week and a good ol' chin wag did we have. (Yep, we sure did) we talked about all sorts of things. From the new Star Wars trailer (I dig it, Chris is coming around to it despite Abrams-scepticism, which I don't blame him for since 'Into Darkness') to Jurassic World (set in a universe with entirely different Health & Safety legislature than ours) then on to other films and stars and such. We even got on to how we can fix the Fantastic Four film franchise and how it should be written and done. I if I do say so myself, it's a much better idea than the rubbish 'grounded' take that 20th Century Fox has in mind, I'm not the biggest fan of the FF myself but even I would want to watch our version. Just a shame we are not paid screenwriters as it would be a much better film. In fact the idea is so good we are considering writing it out for ourselves just as an creative exercise, but that's for NEXT year (We've still got to finish this one off for now). Fox, call us.

Yep, totally fixed. Call us, Fox.

And so on to the next point the Christmas Vlog and where it is at, well, we was going to try and film some of it on Wednesday. At least the exterior shots, but as is bloody typical for H&H outdoor shoots the weather was against us, nope, not wind, nope, not rain neither, we had a piggin' clear blue sky, and what we NEEDED was a cloudy white sky! Bloody weather! *Shakes fist at sky* So that's why you got no blog from Chris on Wednesday, we had nothing to report (and he needed to chill out after our epic rambling conversation). He's not done nothing entirely though. On Thursday he took to sourcing some the film footage that we are intersplicing into our Christmas Vlog. A certain film, and, nope, I am not going to tell which film it is yet. You will have to watch the Actor's Log vlog when it comes out to know. Once again Chris got most of what we need, despite having to upload most of the film for the few bits we need. With that film footage down and ready to go it's now time to get on with filming. Which shall be happening soon, well, as soon as the weather is in the exterior shoots favour, it's fairly short and hopefully not too difficult, but we may have to record our voices on my phone and sync it up due to high wind sounds and our Nemesis TRAFFIC. Bloody traffic! Luckily I got an app to record voices, so it shouldn't be too difficult to do. Well, here's hoping that isn't!

That's all for now, so see you in the Future!!!

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

The Long Way Round

Hello, Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and people of the Internet. It's Friday, time for me to insert my ramblings in your eyeballs. What did we discuss at our Wednesday meet up? Well, as we usually do, we went the looooooooooooooooooooong way around (but this blog wont, so don't panic).

Okay, so at first we had a talk about the up and coming H&H Actor's Log vlog where and how we are going to film it. As we need a plain white sky (something we are getting a load of at the moment) with none of those pesky building, we need some fake desolation, after some back and forth we thought of going back high up on a hillside to where we filmed an H&H episode but, after a bit more thinking about it, we weren't sure it would be such a good idea as the wind might well be a factor. A Bad factor. Well, it is rather rough up in the wilds, if the weather turns and the wind picks up, and if the wind picks up the camera mic picks it up and we sound really bad on camera, if you can hear us at all. So instead we settled on Manor Heath Park, which means I have a wee camera test to do but I had to bit of research for it too, which involved me watching one of my favourite films again (and, no, not 'Big Trouble In Little China' again) to see if we could match up the sky and snap some screen grabs for Chris to see what scenes we need to use to splice into the Vlog.

Now comes the fun bit we went off on a wild tangent about films and how they are shot and filmed now and then (yes, regular blog readers, it was a bit of a continuation of our last film chat)to Hong Kong and Japanese cinema and then skidded off sideways into the history of swordfighting, how it has usually come to be depicted in film and how if someone did an actually really well shot fight that abandoned most of the movie cliches on screen how cool it would be. Now I bet you are all wondering where this is going and how it is going to lead in H&H? Well we got on to some historically recorded behaviour of swordsmen meeting on the battle field who were equals and how their behaviour towards each other wasn't quite like the movies would have it but to say any more in detail would be [SPOILERS] because, yes, after a bit of laughing about it we realised it would make a funny sketch, but at first it wasn't H&H. Luckily after a brainwave on my part, I thought of a way to make it work.

HUZZAH! Inspiration!

Now you are wondering how could this work, well, obviously I can't tell you all about because then you wouldn't have to watch would you? But it's good that you're curious, so stay tuned and you might just find out. You'll just have to trust me when I say it will be one of the Vlogs for the New Year. (Cripes, nearly that time already!) This means as it stands we now have 7 video ideas for next year already. Wow! We are getting good at this, it's almost like we've had some practice or something! Some do need to be finished, fully fleshed out and and written but, hey, the ideas are there, 7 is most definitely better than none, and written down wait and ready to go!

Well, that's all for now see you in the Future.

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

Remembering (Brain)Storms Past...

Hello Acting Fans, people of the Internet and fellow bloggonauts, Friday is upon us once more so it time for the end-of-week H&H round up onwhat has been happening at the ol' H&H HQ.

First we have the new Vlog up for you all to watch, and it is just below this text for all to see, so please watch and give us the ol' like & subscribble too and a share to all of your friends too. Please we need the precious, precious views. Preciousssssssssss!

Yes, our lust for fame continues it's downward spiral as, having already tried recruiting a cute cat occasional co-star, we have now scraped the barrel with a complete misuse of both nostalgia and a blatant bit of Full Frontal Nerdity! Phwoar, just look at Transformers annual. Speaking of Transformers the keen-eyed among you will have spotted a missing Weds blog again this week, yes, poor Chris fell afoul of his work shifts this week and managed to get the Vlog done in time but not a Blog! On the plus side he has also managed to sell a couple of those Transformers he's clearing out, which is good for H&H but time sorting out their delivery also added up to a blog post missing.
Despite that post-Wednesday we got a meet up in this week, where we got on to discussing the Christmas Actor's Log vlog, well, after we went around the houses and talked about classic movies and their impact on todays film's. and the loss of films that make you think and slow build up (apart from some great exceptions, like some of Christopher Nolan's films for example). Films that let character action speak louder than telling you. I know, it sounds like we are being film snobs but trust me we are not. We just have a love for older movies and how some of the ways to put the scene together, and how some of those techniques could do with coming back into use sometimes.

How does this link into the Christmas vlog? Well as we were sitting in our usual meeting place Nero's and after bouncing some idea around about maybe some further-future Christmas vlog possibilities. We though maybe we should parody an Christmas movie of some sort. I remembered the film 'Silent Night, Deadly Night' about a maniac in Santa outfit (trust me, it's much better than it sounds - it turns out to be a surprisingly effective horror movie despite being dated, in part due to a great performance by the main antagonist) but that would once again mean we have to get a costume we don't have the budget for yet (and, to be honest, might be more expensive this time of year) but as we were sat there thinking and brainstorming it popped in my head that we had already came up with an idea for an Xmas vlog at the start of THIS year AND it involved riffing on a film I personally consider a classic!

Funnily enough, Chris never had a Brainstorm.

Yep, consulting our notes it turned out we have been more efficient then we realised, there it was at the front of it. Well, next came task of understanding my handwriting (yes, folks it is really, really bad - it's the only skill I have that would qualify me as a doctor) I mean this was also written down in January of this year, so we had forgotten some it. After a bit staring puzzled at it, we got it. When I got myself back home after the meet-up, I got down to writing out the first draft. I mean it's not like we can can hang around about it - there's not long left until Christmas now! I have gotten the first draft done and sent to Chris to take a look and add anything that I might have missed.

So we should be on with shooting it soon (let's face it we have to be), so stay tuned folks!

See you in the (Xmas) Future

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

Forking Out

Hello fellow Acting Fans, bloggers and people of the worlds Internet it is Friday once again and my turn to ramble on, and ramble on I shall!

As Chris said in Wednesdays blog he has spruced up the H&H YouTube page. Well, we do want it be easier for you to find your way around the page and find and watch your favourite Vlog Log, episode and/or Specials. So place go and check out our new look to page and, please, while you are there (please, please) re-watch your favourite H&H video and give it a 'like' thumbs up. C'mon, chaps, we only need about 24 views or so to get us up to a channel total of 3000!!! So please do this for us go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease.

So whats else has been happing this week? Well, erm, nothing as of it we haven't got another meet up and that and the weather has been awful these last couple of days so even if we would have wanted to film anything, we couldn't. Damn bloody weather!!!! But fear not the next vlog is in that there bag and has been for some time as I said a few blogs back so we don't have to much worry about, but we still do have to come up with a Christmas one. The only other thing that is happening is well sort of in a related to H&H is me waiting for a my job to start. Yep, that's right I am to be starting work. I think we did say a few weeks back that I had been on a course and that course was to learn how to drive an fork lift truck! As Peter Cushing might say an actor is lucky to develop many other skills in his profession.

I can confirm that I did indeed pass the course and am now waiting to start work as the warehouse manger (yes, folks I am now in management, not just a common or garden Wheelman, me). All I know on this front so far is that the builders are in, well, building (that's what builders do, right?) the facilities, sorting out the plumbing and electrics too. So I should be in within the next few weeks of which I am looking very forward to be doing so. I just wish the blooming builders would hurry up and get done! I'm ready to get behind that wheel! Never fear though Harcourt & Haigh will continue, but we might even get a bit of a budget now!

Well, that's all for now folks see you in the FUTURE!

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

Taxing Times

Hello Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and people of the words Internet! THIS! IS! FRIDAY!!! Once again it's time for my Brando-style ramblings, the horror, the horror! First there is one thing to say, and that word is sorry! Sorry for no blog on Wednesday, folks, but Chris has been very busy at work, in fact he has done and 8 days straight through the weekend (blooming day jobs! Boo! Hisss!). So that we have not even had time to get in our weekly meet and chat aways. He did manage to get his Tax done during this time though, thanks to this world of tomorrow's online returns filing, which means the old Haigh brainspace can be put back to work on more H&H stuff now, Groovy!

That leaves me to tell you what have we been up to, well, as apart of trying to get a few more views, I did a bit of a big Facebook cross-post of last month's vlog. I thought it was worth a go as it was in limbo at only about 11 views, I am pleased to say it worked and it has now bumped it up, at least a wee bit. I have also been working on some idea for the TOP SECRET project we very briefly talked about a few weeks back. In that I have been doing some research on to a list of idea that we can use for them. and how to make them into what we want them to be. Yes, I know that sounds very, very cryptic too but I really can't say anymore on this as it still in a very early stage of development. Trust me, they shall becoming your way soon.

On a different note (a C# in fact), we did kind of come up with another Actor's Log vlog idea via me and Chris talking by text which is sort of a nod to an very controversial film (and play), well, for it's time. This could be a very controversial vlog, well, maybe. But first we have to find a willing actor to do this vlog for us, and it could be a darker vlog! Mwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!
Erm, where was I?
Erm, oh yeah, the vlog, yeah, so that's one more idea. To be beaten around and into shape, while we drink our warm milk, trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with it, and just how to go about it...mmmm warm milk plus....OH! Erm, I think I'd best leave that there for now.

See you in the Future!

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

Endings Game

Welcome fellow bloggers, Acting Fans and people of the world's Internet, yep, it's Friday and it's my turn to say whats been happening at H&H HQ. So first of all, we weren't able to film this week as planned, though did manage our usually meet up to discuss and sort out a few things and a few things we did indeed sort out int the end. We sorted out two things, two more endings in fact.

We got on talking about our up and coming Actor's Log Vlog and how it needed something else as, well to be honest, the ending didn't end well enough. It was rather an weak in the fact it just, well, erm...ended. So as me and Chris were talking and consuming coffee we did indeed come with an more H&H ending. Which is better and keeps more in line with us in actually being funny (if I say so myself). Now we are still keeping the first ending, just adding a bit more to it (confused? don't be, at least you won't be once you see it as I can't go and tell you the ending now can I. That'd be the end of it.) Trust us it will all make sense once done.

Now on to the second discussed ending this time on the Halloween special as I was telling Chris what I had written down (well, trying to remember it) I as got the end of it I realised and that it just, well, cut off. That and some of the hooks in the special were never really wrapped up or showed what happened. (I'm trying me best not give too much away here.) Fortunately Chris had an idea from our Halloween brainstorming that he just couldn't let go of and after bouncing it around between us (like a rubber ball, baby) we have come with a way to work it in that, well, ends it very well, if I say so myself. That in it's self fits the Halloween special that we have been doing and it might just might lead to another special (I said 'might'). Once again I can't say too much or else risk giving anything away as [SPOILERS]. Mwhahahahah All I can say is we did laugh over both of the new ending and once again in true H&H style made more work for ourselves, oh, and more prop buying (this low-to-no budget stuff gets expensive sometimes). Well, whoever said this was easy.....was obviously lying, and needs to be told that, and made to stand in the corner. (Or could they be more talented than us, nah, stick to your first instincts, Vernon)

Now as to filming it looks less and less likely that we will be able to get it done this month, so you lot will be with out your H&H fix (boo, hiss) and the vlog we were going will have to be re-scheduled. But never fear acting fans we shall be back on top soon! And you do have a special Special coming next month too. So not all is bad.

Well that's all for now folks see you in the future

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

Best Laid Plans

Well, it's Humpday again and this week, oh dear, it appears that the H&H Production machine has come off at this particular hump.

Ouch.

I got the message this morning from my colleague that we couldn't go ahead with today's planned shoot due to unfortunate circumstances. Unfortunately this means due to my upcoming shift pattern it may not be possible to get an Actor's Log vlog up for September, but if the worst comes to the worst we will make it up to you in October! Stay tuned for further details.

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

Block Busters

Hello, Acting Fans, another midweek missive from H&H productions, thanks to no work schedule conflict this week. This also meant we managed to get our meet-up in a bit easier this week, though sadly work fatigue got in the way of our previously planned Sunday shoot. At least we know what we are doing now though as I managed a pass-over and bit of a re-jig of the upcoming Actor's Log, which m'learned colleague confirmed he approved of at our meeting.
Our focus this week though was to try and break the back of this year's Halloween Special. Which is where we promptly ground to a halt. Unfortunately, our initial idea is a little too complex and man-power heavy for us to get so, with the time and people we have to hand (basically us), we needed something a bit more streamlined.

We were well and truly blocked on the writing front, spending some time alternately staring blankly at each other or into space trying to think of something, anything. We tried looking at some old idea notes for inspiration, which gave us an idea for something humorous. Unfortunately the idea was something separate to H&H but after a bit of research, it may still end up on the H&H Productions plate. Sometimes, though, when you have an idea it can lead to more and maybe that notion loosened us up a bit, as we finally came up with something. It was still a bit of a struggle though. Running through a few classic horror tropes we hit upon an idea! Now all we have to do is, do it!

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

Light's, Camera...Rigs!?!

Hello Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and people of worlds Internet. Yep, it's Friday once again and time for me to ramble on and get you up to date with what has been happening at H&H HQ. First thing first the next Vlog is live for you to watch, and is under this text just in case you have missed it:

Watched it? Good! Have you? Have you reeeaaallly...alright, good now lets get back to it! Me, myself and Chris have once again got a meet up on this week BUT - shock, horror - NOT at our usual meet-up place!!!  Nope, we met up at a DIFFERENT coffee shop, the Costa coffee shop in the Tesco's just over the road from H&H HQ. I know, the shock of it all...calm down, dear, it's only a different location. After a brief chat (well, by our standards) about GOTG (great film, Chris still prefers The Winter Soldier, but then he does really like a heavy dose of paranoia to go with his large explosions) and few other things (including the framework for, if I say so myself, a brilliant prequel solo 'Black Widow' movie - Marvel Studios, call us!) we got down to business of H&H.
We started off by trying to think of more well-known and/or publicised acting lessons or other acting footage we could splice us into, which led us on to maybe doing an ALS ice bucket challenge (well, it is all of the craze at moment) but we thought maybe best not to as, much like 'Gangnam Style'-parodies, we have pretty much missed that boat zeigeist-wise. I had a small idea for how we were going to do it, loosely based on a Laurel and Hardy skit. (Of whom I will be watching more of them for, erm.. research, yeah that's it, research!)

After all of this we had one more idea, a possible follow up to the change of location 'House Flog' vlog we did. To do this idea means us having to build a special rig for an object to be fixed in front of the camera for the proper effect, yes, we've got to build the rig and do test with the prop/props-in-question. We do like to make these easy for ourselves. Now, who said these vlog were going to be quick and easy, hmm, I wonder who did say that? Hmmm? Hmmmmm? Hmmmmmmm!

Well, I think that's everything, so I'll see you in the Future! Before I go though, here's a handy training tool for any of you that want to become great movie actors:

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

In The Blink Of An Eye

Welcome, Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and people of the World's Internet, yep, it's Friday once again and, CRIKEY!, nearly September already - how quickly the time goes, so let me get on and tell you all the story of where we are and what we have been up to in and around H&H HQ.

After our brief break, well, on the blogs at least in between we have been busy discussing, writing and filming some more Vlogs just for you lot! First Chris went away a long weekend to the Beacons festival acting in show for a friend, and also a bit of recon to see if the H&H live show (which we are working on) would work and fit in at the Beacon festival. Which We think might just about fit in (but more on that later), especially after some of the other performances Chris saw.

Last week we filmed not one but two, yes, you read that right, TWO Actor's Logs in one go. One of which was an idea we had waaaay back when we filmed 'Analogue', we were going to film it at that same as that Log but, well, to be honest we forgot as we got to the end of that shoot (we need a secretary or PA or someone, really). Instead we got around to filming it at the same time as the Logs we filmed last week. It is going to point out something that I bet none of you have noticed yet. Hmmm, I wonder what that could be - teehee!

What was the other Log about? In fact that is the next Log due to appear and to give you a bit of a hint, it delves a bit more into the rigours of ACTING!-training that H&H have to go through to be the great performers they are. Well, maybe and this one once again had some good consumable props, one of which Chris very kindly purchased from a local off-licence as Tesco didn't have any in at all, and it was used in both of the Vlogs filmed, so talk about getting his money's worth. And I did have one hard thing to do in the Log and that was not to blink when I was saying my lines, which is a lot hardened than it sounds. Go on I dare you try it not to blink while speaking it really, really hurts after a few seconds and then BOOM!!! blinking eyes.

All staring and no blinking makes Jack something something...

Now I bet you are all wondering why that was at all important, well, well, my dear H&H Fans - you'll will just have to wait for the Actor's Log to go to find out, Mwhahahahahaha!!!

Well, that's all for now, I shall see you all in the Future!!!

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

Keeping It Surreal

Welcome, Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and people of the worlds internet. It's H here again to fill you in, fill you in on what's been happening at H&H HQ, that is. No need to look so worried! Anyway, we got a second meet up in this week (just yesterday in fact Thursday the 30th of July - CRIPES! Where did that go?!) and got down to discussing our next moves, well, eventually after doing our usual thing of going round the houses, talking about our film and fiction geek knowledge. It even got a bit small 'p' political.

We did finally get on to H&H though, promise, and we ran through and planned out some ideas for next Actor's Log to be filmed and how we were going to put it together. Chris often takes us on more surreal tangent humour-wise and, while I'm okay with that, I prefer it if we get surreal without getting too much in to the realms-of-Noel-Fielding over the top surreal. After a bit of brainstorm and a laugh or two, we settled on how it was going to work and the general sequence of events. After that it was time to come up with a few ideas for key lines of dialogue. Just so we have a sort of notion of where we are going to be going with this one, but not a full script. Yep, with this one we are looking to keep it a bit off the cuff though not without a bit of framework to hang it off.

So now I have few things left to do before the shoot to prepare, like take some reference stills from a certain movie for some of the shots and put them on my phone for a bit of homaging that will be in this upcoming vlog. Well, I'd best get on with the prep work, so that's your lot for today folks!

See you in the FUTURE!

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

Indentations

Greetings, Acting Fans, and welcome once again to our mid-week missive. As you may have noticed the latest 'Actor's Log' has escaped into the wild and, if you haven't noticed here it is right HERE:

That's right we're on Vlog #11 but sadly, even though we're champing at the bit, circumstances mean that we can't get on with the next 'Actor's Log' this week as planned. Although for once it's actually Vern's schedule that's in the way this time. Yep, I'm free and clear most of this week but our Colossal Acting talent is otherwise occupied. I suppose turnabout is fair play. We do need to crack on though as the next vlog is time(or rather growth)-sensitive. Keen observers of the above video may have a clue as to why.
Despite not being able to get on with a shoot this week we have managed our first meet-up post-vlog. The main topic of which (besides sorting the next shoot of course) was indents. For quite some time we have resisted the urge to follow suit with the Youtube video trend of having a 'Like & Subscribe' request at the end of our videos, now though as we see the slow but steady views and the odd 'Like' - which we are very grateful for but they have so far not nearly reached the same amount of views or likes per video as the number of people on our Facebook Fan Page. For the visibility and profile of the channel and the videos the more watches, likes and youtube subscriptions, the better. So we are going to experiment with a number of indents at the end of our upcoming videos to see how and indeed if they are effective.

Please, please, please do watch, 'Like' and Subscribe to us!

That's all for this week so far, Internet Chums, so do please continue to watch (& hopefully enjoy) our videos, if you do enjoy them please click the 'Like' thumbs-up symbol (see above) and subscribe to our Youtube channel for our latest video updates!

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

Bat-Signal To Noise

Greetings, old Acting Chums, and a Happy Batman Day to you all! That's right TODAY is BATMAN DAY, celebrating 75 years of everybody's favourite Caped Crusader. If you don't believe me, just ask DC! Yes, the old Batarang-throwing codger is getting on a bit but he can still, well, twang a Batarang.
Besides the Bat-Birthday though, there's something even more important that has taken place today! More important than Batman?! Well, of COURSE it can be only one thing! Yes, you've guessed it - post-play our Colossal Acting Talent was rip-roaring and ready to go with the next Actor's Log, so we've only gone and filmed it today!

That's the truth, we've been a Dynamic Duo ourselves with this latest bit of business called show, refusing to let the heat (or the humidity) prostrate us. We even experimented with a looser more ad-libbed approach to the whole thing. Fings crossed the whole thing comes together in the Editing Suite, which I'll now get back to! Yes, that means it's time to type...


TTFN

Christopher Haigh

One Of Our Cast Is Missing

Hello Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and People of the Internet, Once again apologies we hope there was no offence with us missing a post on Wednesday but, between Chris' shift patterns and my Press Call (and a 40 minute wait for a bus after an annoying late shift Wednesday night that left Chris not in the mood to throw something together, when he didn't have anything new to add because), we weren't able to meet-up until Thursday.

Yes, I had to do a press release for the play wot I am in 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' and I knew I had to change one's appearance for the play but wasn't expecting to have to do it this soon to be ready for the Press Call too! What have I done? Well, you see those Native Americans are very particularly about hair, and where it is, or isn't. So now where I did have some hair, now there isn't any. I know it was a shock to me too! As while getting ready it dawned on me the show is now NEXT WEEK! Wow! That's come around fast indeed. I can feel my terrexcitement rising as I type! You can probably see some of it in my shorn face here:

Who IS that Unmasked Man?

So this Thursday (THE DAY OF THOOOOOOR! *Ahem* 10/07/14) we got a meet-up in and once again talked about our usual around the house stuff first, And gotthen on to H&H business we got a quick idea for an Actor's Log that will have to be done quick. Which involves (& was inspired by) my current appearance and it may also tie in to some others we have planned too. We also sketched another couple of ideas out for future development and, being pretty organised this time, we mapped out this apologetic blog post.

Well, that was it this time other than still trying to work out a way to sneak up on the ever more elusive episode 6 of series 1. I promise we shall get it done. We shall indeed. You have my word as an ACTOR!

I thinks that's all for now... So I'll see you in the Future!!! As I head off into...ACTING!!!!

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt