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

Winter Wonderland

Seasons Greetings, Acting Fans! Welcome to the last H&H blog of 2013 as Vernon and myself enter the spirit of the season and our very own Winter Wonderland, yes, a Winter Wonderland where we spend the Winter Wondering what exactly we do next in H&H. Of course, if you feel we've been good this year you could always give us the best pressies - by heading over to Youtube and giving us more views and likes! Especially our seasonally-apt vlogs right here:

Anyway, internet chums, keep yourselves warm with the thought that, despite our usual hiatus at this time of year, OUR thoughts will mostly be on what WE can do for YOU next year (apart from when we're too full of booze and/or food and/or both). We've already met up this week to do a little planning about the basic shape of what we'll get up to next year as well as a bit of brainstorming, yes, we even managed to figure out what happened in Bangkok (but we're still not going to talk about it for now, [SPOILERS] and all that)!
Now the weekend just before Christmas approaches (and, somehow, I find myself working every evening of it - bah, humbug) and as I said we'll be signing off on the blog until it's time to welcome you all to the world of tomorrow - or until we actually have something to tell you about H&H related, of course.
To all of you Acting Fans, Internet Chums and Fellow Bolognauts out there on the interwebs and beyond both of us here at H&H HQs wish you the very merriest of Christmases and a very Happy New Year (of course it'll be a Happy New Year - there'll be more H&H)! If you've been good we hope you get your Christmas wishes and if you haven't, well, we forgive you but do try to do better!
And, of course, don't forget after the Doctor Who Christmas Special, the Queen's Speech and any turkey tryptophan-based comas to get tuned back in to H&H for any updates. Happy Christmas to you all and to all a great time!

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

The Last Hellraiser

"He'll tear your stage apart!"

Ol' Blue Eyes is back...he may have been drinking...

Good day, Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and people of the internets, yep, it's the last Wednesday before Christmas and this our blog post and what have we been doing? Well first things is the 2nd Yule Vlog is live and a waiting for you to view. Observe.

However this blog is going to take a turn to a more serious (and sadder) note for a bit, as some of you no doubt by now would have read and heard early in the week, the actor Peter O'Toole passed away. The last of the great Hellraising actors of his time, and one of the characters from Acting History that have been a big influence on the characterisation of our own two felonious thespians. He was indeed a great actor with the rarest charisma and will be missed from the world of acting, the stage and screen shall seem a little dimmer now he has gone but he shall not be forgotton, as he leave us a legacy of great movies behind (apart from 'Supergirl' but he's even good in that AND we here at H&H Productions have a soft spot for Helen Slater, so just leave off, alright?) and some of the most amazing stories of his antics, and they are truly legendary and, well, just what you would expect of an actor dubbed 'hellraiser'.

The both of us here at H&H HQ send out our well-wishes to the family and friends of Peter O'Toole and he will be missed, thank you for all the great movies. To Peter O'Toole.

Well, that's all for now acting fans, will see you on Friday

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

 

I Do It To Myself

Though sometimes I get a little help.

Greetings, Acting Fans, another late missive on the H&H production blog from a tired co-creator and, frankly, spent editor. You see, despite me spending all of my only full day off this week editing the next part of our extra special seasonal vlog, m'learned colleague was kind enough to remind me it was MY turn to blog today. So nice of him to volunteer. Volunteer the information, that is. Thank you so very much, Vernon.
Yet I can't hold too much of a grudge against my fellow actor at large as ultimately it's my own fault. Yes, it was me who, whilst showering, suddenly had the phrase 'A cartridge and a late fee' pop into my head whilst musing on the upcoming season of good cheer. Bah, humbug. After staring at an all-too-blank blog screen wondering exactly what to write, I have fallen back on that old adage write what you know and this is it.

I know the first part came together all too easily. This part, not so much. To be honest, I'm thankful for some of the tricks I've learned in the progress of H&H otherwise Thursdays travails would have taken so much longer. After a day of wrestling with both shots and doubts I got a first cut done in time to run it past my colleague with some time for me to do more editing if necessary. Happen a good job too as on our mutual viewing it soon became apparent that, despite my rather ruthless approach to cutting, the first cut still needed more ruths removing from it. Back to the editing suite went I and, if I say so myself, did a great job of cutting it down to the quick. Showing no mercy, I got Part 2 down from an unwieldy 8.17 minutes to a sleek, sexy 6.29 minutes and done in one day - all it took me was a skipped lunch and innumerable cups of tea.
That's right, Acting Fans, the task was completed - so keep your beady little eyes peeled this Monday for Vlog#4 Part 2! That's all from H&H Productions and me this week - I'm off to write a letter to Father Christmas to ask him for a decent computer and editing software. No , not for me. For Vern, that'd be a great gift for me.

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

Christmas Presence

Welcome back, Acting Fans, people of the world wide webs and fellow bloggers. Yep, it's Wednesday blog again (at least this time I didn't forget)!

Just what have we been doing down here at the H&H HQ? Well, just in case you haven't seen it we put up the 4th actors vlog on Monday, yes, and video log number 4 has a very seasonal flavour, it's the 'Yule Log' and it is here, just under this text what you are reading right now for you to watch!

OK so you've watch it right? RIGHT!?! So what else have we been doing? Well, as we said in the big Friday post, we went o'er hill and dale to our sister town Huddersfield, where we were drawn from life, yes, live and in character and I can say it was a load of fun. For being sat still that is. Just a note to self: next time pick poses that don't hurt after a few minutes, as being stood in the same pose for up to 15 minutes can be a bit of a killer. Forget poses with your arms stretched, even 5 minutes can be bad - or maybe we need more exercise!

There's nothing to it...VOGUE!

On the following Sunday me and Chris did a quick meet-up to view the vlog that you have just watched and do a very quick pick up shot for the second part with a bit of additional dialogue recording. As always I am not going to tell you what the pick up was as it would, well, with an appearance by-
Whoops! Almost let the cat out of the bag there! Well that's most of it for now and I guess we'd best get back to it, and we shall see you on Friday!

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

 

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year...

As the festive season is starting to kick in for reals, all of us here at H&H productions would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We will be starting the New Year with hopefully more 'Bang' than 'Whimper' with a lot more of the filming, blogging and general high jinks in the coming months.

Until January the Blog will be on a seasonal Hiatus while for us its back to planning, looking through what we have shot and editing. Now, H, pass me some more of the Eggnog and wine. See you on the other side,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Stay classily, 

TTFN for now.

Vernon Harcourt

"Did that keep them occupied long enough, H?"

"The Good News: It turns out they were out last-minute shopping anyway."

"The Bad News: All they had left in the drinks cabinet was half a bottle of Gallo and an opened vodka."

"Hang on, H, that does it!"

 Oi, you lot! Next Christmas get some proper booze in for us to nick, you gits!!!