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

Getting Connected

Happy Weekend, Acting Fans, the two of us here at H&H productions hope you're in for a good one, whether you're glamping at Glasto or just watching it at home on the BBC. Back at H&H we've gone and had another face-to-face. On this Thursday meet up's agenda, first and foremost, getting connected!

Yes, Acting fans, Vern and I came to the conclusion on Tuesday that we hadn't really been engaging properly with the more social aspects of Youtube.
I mean, yes, we've stuck our favourite channels up, liked a video here and there but early in setting off on this venture we've often talked about getting in touch with other Youtubers, especially those whose work we admire for a bit of advice and/or feedback. We kept mentioning it but it seems we've both been a bit reticent about actually doing it, I think out of a certain sense of shyness but also not wanting to be rude. After all, it does seem a bit self-centred to be asking for favours from complete strangers.
After Tuesday's meeting we decided Thursday would be the day to get ourselves connected, so that night we met up at H&H HQ with a list of five Youtubers we admire (instead of spamming loads of people all at once) and, instead of a soulless identikit email, we wrote out individual messages to each via the Youtube messaging service. The 5 we chose were:

The Vlog Bros

Geekandsundry

Mr. Weebl

Yellingatconcrete

Glove And Boots

If any of these names are unfamiliar to you, well, you really should check them out! Now we are under no illusions, these folk have all got their own stuff going on and we don't expect them to get back to us instantaneously or even at all but a least we have given it a go. In fact it took us totally by surprise that Graham at 'Yellingatconcrete' got in touch that night to ask where we were based and, during a brief exchange made the really encouraging comment that he liked our style and would keep an eye out for our new stuff. Cheers, Graham!

Now Thursday wasn't just about pestering folk over the internet, we also tried to bust a move on our idea for a Summer Special. Vern and I put our noggins together after they'd warmed up composing Youtube missives. Then we blocked, yep, we couldn't think of anything. Until we did. Yes, Internet Chums, we finally got unstuck (not unglued, unstuck - yes, yes, we were already unglued) and after a bit of furious thinking we got a basic premise but I'm taking a leaf out of the Big Tease's book here and I'm telling you nowt. It's all still a bit nebulous but we've got that premise to hang it on, you'll just have to wait and see what it is but fings crossed it'll be this Summer and it'll be Special.

That's all for this week, Acting Fans, so...

TTFN

Christopher Haigh