Submitted For Approval

Greetings and salutations, Acting Fans! Just a short one to let you know how the regular H&H Halloween production is coming on, and come on it has. I have taken my first pass at the footage we have and it now sits awaiting in a DropBox folder for my partner-in-crimes-against-the-internet's to take look at it.
Yes, I have wrestled with the shots (plus a measure of self-doubt) and come up with the best what I could. Now all we need is for Vern to cast his keen eyes over it and give us the yays and the nays. Looking at what we have so far we may have to discuss altering our original plans, but all in good time - he does have to do the course he's on at the moment too, poor chap. Nevertheless the H&H machine seems back on track, fings crossed!

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

Back Filming the Elm for Halloween

Welcome Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and people of the worlds' Internet, it is Friday - once again a my turn to ramble on, so ramblers lets get rambling.... What have we been doing. Well we haven't been into the woods but we've been around some trees...

Pretty sure there's an Elm in there somewhere but trees aren't my strong point. Dammit, Jim, I'm a Filmmaker, not a Tree Doctor!

Well as said in Wednesday's Blog we were going to be filming again and, yep, fortune was with us this time we once more got behind and in front of the camera. We did it on Thursday now at first we were just going to do the INTerior shots of the Halloween special but, as the day turned out be so nice, clear and dry day, we thought why not get some of the EXTerior shots too. At first we were just going to do one of them which involved an old character popping up from previous special, plus it was also going to be a test for a deliberately lower-tech camera to see if the effect it would give was going to work.

And it worked very well indeed thanks to the older digital camera Chris had bought way back in the early Noughties. The jittery movement of the video on the camera gave the exact effect that we were after. After all, if you can do it camera it always better, cheaper and easy in the edit, so with this test  shot being so much better than we thought, and only being able to film 6 min on this old camera, we decided it would be best to gun it and get the rest of other sequences we were going to use it on done too. Especially as we had the day, the light and the nice weather.

So with both of us out there taking turns to film different sequences using both the the old camera and our trusty Lumix, we got all of the EXTeriors done and in record time, as some of them were just one takes. (Yep, we are really getting that much better). Besides one battery crash (Chris had warned me about the OG DC's battery life) that left us briefly powerless and meant I had to walk back to H&H HQ to get the spare batteries (luckily we had plenty, we just didn't bring them all out with us, d'oh!) it all went well. Then it was on to actual H&H stuff, in-character and everything, as that was all INTerior and we decide to go mainly with a static two shot partly for speed and partly for contrasting atmosphere with the more , let's say, 'lively' EXTeriors. Though this meant just going through some main scenes in single takes without any cutaways so we needed lines bang on. Which, after a slow start and a few small fluffs, we did eventually get them down and in the can.

Once that was done along with some clever reversal shots, making sure lighting would match up as we had filmed one half of them much earlier before we went on out extended EXTerior shoot, it was on to the last two POV shots and the endcap scene with H&H (yes, that's us). That was the real easiest one an, once again I got to eat a prop, always the best props are edible I find, but in true H&H style, just as we were getting ready to finish for the day, we remembered a short sequence we hadn't done! Once again Chris donned his outfit to do this last scene which is, well, it was just as important as any other scene and more importantly would have harder to re-shoot at a later date. Finally with everything done in and around H&H HQ. It was a wrap now, all we have left to do is the end of which I can tell you NOTHING about....mwhahahahah!!!

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

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

The First Cut Is The Quickest

Welcome back, Acting Fans, fellow bloggers and people of the world's Internets. Yes, it's Friday once again and my turn to bring you up to date on what has been happing down (and then up) at H&H HQ.

Well after a very successfully and fun shoot on Wednesday, having got everything that we needed too (even going back and shooting a bit of extra coverage after we had initially done for the day, we are getting better at this filming lark, honest) and as Chris said in the last blog, I can confirm it was the last shoot of this location, and soon it shall be on to the next place for H&H, the keys are nearly in different hands as I write. We also have some more vlog drafts written and nearly ready to go as well as some more wild and wacky idea's for the future don't you folks worry about that .

Anyway, back to the latest shoot, so with all of the footage in hand and having picked out of the footage which shots we wanted to use it was then off back to the Editing Suite it all went with Chris on his handy stick drive (which he'd actually remembered this time). The edit was started the following day, it began by Chris locking himself in his Editing Suite at 11o'clock, then cutting and pasting away. Mid-afternoon Thursday, I was surprised by a text message from Chris that he had a first cut that was already ready and waiting for my eyes to look over it. So it was brought on down to H&H HQ for me to look over, after being warned that he had been pretty brutal with the cutting to try keep the runtime down, I stuck it on my PC to give it a long hard good look...... and it was all good! I do believe this has been one of the fastest turnarounds on any video we have ever done for H&H.

From it's writing to filming to edit to me saying "Yes, it's good to go", it was done and dusted without any additional cuts or notes from me required. (See, I told you we were getting better at this filming lark!) And that was without any simplifying of the script or cutting corners, well, apart from a cheeky bit of prop flubbery which some keen-eyed Acting Fans may be able to spot! So when can you all see this next Actor's Log? And perhaps do some flubbery spotting? Well, I can tell you it shall be live this very coming Monday (the 12th) for all to see! Oh, and please do post it anywhere and everywhere. Please. Pretty Please. We need those hits!

Well, thats all for now folks!

TTFN

Today Was A Good (Fri)Day

Hello Acting Fans, Bloggers and people of the Internet and welcome back to this  (Good) Friday Blog post where I can answer the question, 'so what have we been up to?' with, 'quite a lot in fact.' Let's get down to it!

First, as we said in last Friday's blog, we got our filming on last Sunday, and this time we got more than enough footage, helped along by buying some bits & bats of props on the spot. Like a green drink that tasted like leaves (I kid you not, it did) and some safety glasses. (Got to love them pound shops!) With them in hand, we were ready to film and get it done. It went well, very well and, oh boy, did we have a laugh too.

Then on the Wednesday, as Chris mention very briefly, we went up to People's Park to film the last bit for the Vlog. Which, of course, you shall see - soon in fact! 'How soon?' I hear you all cry out at once. Well this Bank Holiday Monday in fact, which brings me to the last point the Actor's Log vlog itself.

What you lookin' at! Well, hopefully you'll look at it.

Yes, Chris locked himself away in the H&H Editing Suite (AKA his bedroom) Wednesday night and some of Thursday to get it edited together and today has brought the first cut down to show me and I can tell you all it's still very funny, I think one of our best so far (yep, I know thats a bold statement) but Chris wanted a fresh pair of eyes to look over it anyway, just in case we could it a bit more tighter. And he was right here's is a few cuts her & there that we have come up with, well, a few slight trimmings here there to get rid of the baginess (he's a star). So don't worry it'll be ready for Monday.

Well, thats all for now, folks, see ya soon. When we make a Bank Holiday Monday less boring! We hope you've had a great Good Friday and have a Great Easter Weekend!

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

 

A Shot In The Park

Just a quick one this Wednesday, Acting Fans, as I'm nose to the grindstone, or rather eyeballs to the monitor, here at the H&H Editing Suite. You see today we have been to People's Park, braving the rampant toddlers and the odd (make that VERY odd) local Halifax bod. Despite these aforementioned obstacles we now have the last shot for the Next Actor's Log in the can, so it's on to putting it together.

We do hope you got some Sun yourselves today but that's it for now as I get on with this business called 'Show'.

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

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

Two Floors Up, One Post Down

Happy middle of the week, Acting Fans, it's H&H blog time again. First of all an apology, the sharp-eyed among you may have noticed a distinct lack of a Friday Update we're sorry about that but we hope to make up for it soon, it was down to a glut of shifts for me at work - that and the fact that the major part of H&H shenanigans went on the following Saturday above Legacy Comics.

Stairway to On Set

That's right, Folks, we managed to get together with our able assistants and co-stars, Hardy Boocock and Jake Broadhurst, to get the main body of the Halloween Special filmed this past weekend. And we managed to do it only slightly unnerving Simon in the process. Thanks for putting up with the bangs, scrape and yells, old chum!

Work in Progress

With the footage in the can this past couple of days I've been taking the odd pass at a rough cut of the Special, cutting like a ginzu chef in a frenzy to get the footage into editable chunks and myself and m'learned colleague will be getting together at the Editing Suite this Thursday to see if we ca get this thing bashed into a decent shape then it's just a matter of a little ADR and we'll be ready to go. Two men will enter, one Halloween Special will leave! Fings crossed, Internet Chums, Wish us luck.

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

Promises, Promises

Welcome back, Acting Fans and fellow bloggers, yep, it's time again for your first dose of the H&H blog this week. Let me get down to it. We have indeed been busy busy this week, as we said we would last week, we got into the editing of the Summer Special and, well, we have done just that.

Me, myself and Chris locked ourselves up in H&H HQ 2 to do it yesterday (Tuesday 27th August) and I can report the Final Cut is done (well, apart from two voiceovers which Chris is going sort out) but all of the main body of the episode has been done and finalised. And I must say it has come out rather funny indeed, if I say so myself - as I usually do but, dammit, I mean it! This time we have been quite ruthless with some of the cuts and editing because, after all, some of the things you write don't always work out on the screen and after it is filmed they just don't seem to fit in the natural flow of things.
We got done pretty quick too and for that I really have to thank Chris for taking his Bank Holiday Monday to get right into the prep of the rushes. Stripping off the "Actions" and "Cuts", sifting out the odd Outtake and chopping the selected footage up into handily-labelled, nice, edit-sized chunks. Fuelled by a lunch of exotic finger food and plenty of tea we got done, not too long after eating it.

So now we have got a complete special and as to when it is coming your way, you may wonder, 'When can we see it?'. Well, all I can, and will, say is soon, maybe even quite soon. Well, that's all of the update for today come back on Friday for more.

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

 

Loading Screen

Hello there, Acting Fans, a belated blog as we careen into the Bank Holiday Weekend! Though we haven't had a H&H Pow-wow since our midweek final Summer Special shoot there's still been activity at H&H HQ II - The Editing Suite, conveniently located rather close to my bed, ladies! (For when I get TIRED from all the EDITING, my dears, REALLY, how naughty of you!) Anyway since we got the footage shot it's up to yours truly to get the lot of it uploaded and ready to edit, so I've seen quite a bit of this:

Yep, the familiar site of the iMovie loading bar and, fortunately this time, not a lot of the spinny Beach Ball O' Doom:

I HATE that guy!

I'm happy to report that, after my memory kicked in and I grabbed a little bit of extra footage that I had to dive into the ol' H&H Footage Archive to load up with the rest, this screen is loaded to bear and ready for the H&H Cutting Crew (Myself and the irrepressible Vern, of course) to get on and wrangle it into an episode-y sort of shape. There may be a little additional prep for edit to do over the Bank Holiday but that's pretty much it for this week. Have a Grand Bank Holiday Weekend yourselves, Internet Chums and...

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

V for Victory!

E-Day has landed!

Hello, fellow bloggers and Acting Fans, It's Wednesday and that mean it’s E-Day! And what is E-day? Well it's the final big edit of the year and last episode of the series for this year (Boo Hoo). The finally, final episode of series one is out sometime next year and trust us that's even bigger and longer (Ooh er!), even more ambitious than this one! And this is a fairly BIG episode.

By the time this is up and you are reading it we should locked in the editing suite, editing away so you can all see this episode. This Friday in fact! So that’s it for now only a short blog, now go on shove off and let us get on with it!

Keep the home fire’s burning and we’ll talk more on Friday.

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

The Fastest Editors In The West

...Yorkshire borough of Calderdale, Halifax area, that is.

Welcome to this weeks Friday update, Acting Fans, it's me again, Vern's not-so-silent partner in crime. Now let me tell you what we've been up to since Wednesday. This Thursday saw Vern once again pay a visit to Casa Del Haigho where the editing suite is based, his morning shift meant we had to wait until the afternoon to get started, about half 1-ish, and between then and early evening (about 8PM) we managed to get the additional scene cut and added to episode 4 - finalising the cut leaving only some ADR to do and the episode will be completed, which I'll be on with this weekend. Now You may think that doesn't seem so quick.
That is not all however, we also edited something else to final form. Something else which I've just completed the ADR on today. The thing is, well, I can't tell you what it is. I'm sworn to secrecy by the Big Tease himself - on pain of DEATH (I assume he meant a metaphorical death, otherwise he'd have to find another Haigh. Mind you, there are plenty of us around and about here Oop North - better not risk it). I can only tell you that it's the 'Something Special' we've mentioned before. No, no, I can't possibly tell you anything else. I just can't but I CAN leave you with these:

The Axeman Cometh?

Well, you could probably guess that...

Have a Great Weekend, Acting Fans...

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

Chip, Chip, Chopping Away

Wait! Chopping away?! No, That is right but you'll have to wait to find out why.

Hello, fellow bloggers and Acting Fans welcome once again to our Wednesday blog. Let us tell you all what we’ve been up to today.

Well, once again we have been out filming shots in and about Halifax for a little something very, very special. What is this special something? I am afraid I can’t you that just yet (I could but then I'd have to kill you and, if I killed you, who would watch the series apart from our mums, eh?). No, really, I am very afraid (and I am writing this blog of my own free will, honest). Let me just say it's for something a little bit Hextra. And, no, that isn't a typo.

It's a Mystery...

Also this week Chris has been getting on with the sound editing for the 4th episode of H&H, trying to get rid of all of those pesky cars zooming past on some of the outdoor shot for that episode. I am pleased to report that it was a success for Chris, he won the fight against the car noise with the use of a noise gate and a few other sound effects put in place (for ambiance as well as masking) and it is now a working scene. Ha! Sucks to be you Gods of Inconvenient Traffic - we WIN!

To recap: We have been filming today (Check), Chris finished sound editing (Check), I don’t think there is anything else on the list to tell you about, is there? Hmm…….. is there……. Erm………….. Oh, wait! Yes, there is - but guess what H&H fandoms? That’s going to have to wait until Fridays blog post. So keep your onions peeled - the same H channel, about the same H time.

And remember, keep the home fires burning...

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

 

The Knuckle Down

Wotcha, Acting Fans, and welcome to Fridays belated blog update. We're coming to you a little later than usual - but it's for a good reason. You see we got a bit of a gap in our schedules this week, which meant we could bring forward the planned first cut of episode 4 (originally pencilled in for next week).

So bright and early this morning, oh, alright, at about quarter to eleven Vern got his bod down to the editing suite (Yes, yes, my bedroom) and we got into the cut. Once again, as with episode 3, being able to view the rushes on Vern's PC to make the shot selection has really speeded things up.
This time I'd also done my homework with some additional preparation too (minor trimming of the calls to 'Action!', etc. and making the odd scene break) so we got to the final first cut in about 4 and a half hours. We also managed to fit in a minor tweak to episode 3 today, as Vern had taken a look at some of the missing footage and found a nice brief shot that we could use to replace one in the edit where we'd originally used a double of another shot. The new shot had a nice little touch of establishing something that the episode was missing before, well done, Mr. V!
That means episode 3 is well and truly ready to hit the 'Tube at the end of next week, bang on schedule. Unless, that is, we have some notes from our test audience, the unwitting victims helpful volunteers rounded up by Vern to be subjected to a preview of the episode this weekend. Fings crossed, everyone!

We only have a minor (but body-heavy, yeah, we need some extra bodies) scene to shoot to finalise episode 4 and, if all goes well, we'll be cracking on with episode 5 soon, oh, and a little something else besides is on the cards but what exactly? Well, That would be telling. That's all for this week, Acting Fans, stay tuned and keep frosty.

TTFN

Christopher Haigh

Another One Bites The Dust

One more down

Hello, Acting Fans and fellow bloggers, welcome back this Wednesday and, yes it’s our blog time. Boy, We have been very, very busy. As you know (if you've been keeping up with the blog - and if not GET TO IT!), last week we wrapped on a two-week long shoot filming episodes 3 and 4 back-to-back. Yesterday saw us back in the editing room (AKA Chris's bedroom) to edit episode 3.

In your car

This time episode went together a lot easier than in past edit’s. We only had the takes we were going to use, had a clear understanding of what the episode was going to look like and how it fit together. It was like putting a moving jigsaw together and, like true pros (well, of a sort) though, somehow along the way, in copying the footage from my PC to Chris's Mac some line takes were lost. Luckily we had enough coverage from other takes to use in the cut and it turned out we may have ended up dropping at least one of the lost lines for time constraint anyway. Yeah, we’re getting pretty good at this, if I don’t say so myself. We’re pleased to say that the 3rd episode of H&H is now complete with all visual F/X (Yes, VISUAL effects. Ooooh, what could they be?) and additional sound put in and it only took us about 10hrs-ish (Well, we had to break for lunch and tea).

I say, those effects are rather special

'What next then?' I hear you ask (I do indeed hear you - in my head). Well, Let me tell you we met up today to plan out episode 5 of the series and start the sorting out of our locations and the permission to use them. I know, I know - what about Rule #4 of the Guerrilla film making rules, 'Sneak in and film and sneak out'? Sometimes it is good ask nicely so you can stay longer and get done what you need to get done (but I would still use Rule #4 wherever I can).

That’s it for now, you are all once again up to date on the goings here at H&H HQ. So until next we meet for a chat/read...

Keep the home fires burning, well - it IS getting a bit cold now.

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

Re-Cutting Crew

Welcome back, fellow bloggers, it’s Friday - so it’s time once again for the second blog post of the week! Here's what’s been happening down at H&H production HQ since Wednesday. Well, if you’ve not guessed from the title we, or rather Chris, have been glued to the editing desk (AKA his Mac) to do some re-cuts. But of what?! Calm down, dears, and I will tell you...

The H&H Vogue - The Hogue

Chris has been doing a re-cut of the title sequence for the series. Yep, We have decided to change it from the pilot, which you can view right now online (or here). Mainly to add a few different shots, take out and/or trim some down and just generally moving them around to be a bit more dynamic. When we put the Pilot episode's titles together we didn’t use much footage and, looking back at it now it seems, well, a bit too sedate - not a lot going on there. A shot or two from the Pilot titles have made it over but only a few, in a nod to TV show tradition we have tried to use mainly footage from the Pilot episode itself, with a little hint of stuff to come.

Run-run-run-runaway

And what I’ve been doing while Chris has been slaving away over his hot Mac? Well, I’ve been passing my judgemental eye over the cuts and saying 'yea' or 'nay', suggesting changes here & there (Man, I love Directing) and am still on with learning my lines as always - so many, many lines. That’s all I seem to be doing at the moment, the perils of being a Leading Man, I suppose. Hmm, Chris seems to be having all the fun.

Well, that’s it for now. Until next time Keep the home fire burning and...

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

 

Ebb & Hustle & Flow

Welcome back, Acting Fans, it’s Friday and you know what that means it’s blog time - so let’s do this!
Since last time we have been (well, when I say 'we' I mean mostly Chris) putting in the sound F/X to the first episode and doing minor editing tweaks to the episode (I guess you could call it a sort-of 'effects shot' but that might be over-selling it). Chris then brought some rough cuts of the episodes to drop off at my gaff (AKA: H&H HQ ) for me to look over and say 'yea' or 'nay' to. I'm glad to say they passed my approval with just a few notes for minor tweaking, such as the SFX sound levels and one or two bits & pieces here or there.

After viewing the episode roughs and making the few notes, we did a bit of re-writing on one of the next episodes, we’ve just added small changes inspired by the development of the format of the two filmed episodes. But what? I hear you ask well, well, that’s a secret you’ll just have to wait and see what it is exactly. Let's just say a 'running gag' (Maybe a clue or not...ooooh, what am I like?).

  
Anyway, it's no stopping for us yet just because two are down, it’s straight on with the next one I am going to be spending most of this week learning lines ready for the rehearsal next Friday. Friday? That doesn't sound non-stop does it but, yep, our next rehearsal is a week away, well, we have to do our day jobs in between these rehearsals, shoots and such - this web show of comic genius don’t pay for itself you know, well, not yet anyways!
I think that's about it for now, until the next time we speak through the written word, keep them home fires burning and as always...

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

It Lives, IT LIIIIIIVES!!

Welcome back, bloggers and Acting Fans. Well, I am BACK, the Big Tease has returned to ride the keyboard once again MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
I survived the apocalyptic disaster of my PC breaking down. God rest her electric soul, she'd served me well - speed on the wings of a calculator to android heaven, my dear. I now have a new machine. Better, stronger, faster, oh, alright, cheap & affordable - so then let's get to it!

What’s has happened since the last time Chris talked to you (besides my computational woes)?
Well, we wrapped up shooting on the first episode last week and yesterday we went in to the editing room (as you may recall, AKA Chris’s bedroom. Note: To potential Slash-fictioners, there was no funny business - apart from the creation of a work of Comic Genius®, that is) and I am very pleased to say we now have two episodes pretty much completed. With just some additional sound effects for the first episode to go but once they are in, it's ready to go! (OH, yeah! Groovy!)

Getting ahead in filmmaking

But we did have one small problem when we were editing and that was with one of the 'Previously on Harcourt & Haigh' sequences which we filmed waaaay back in March.
We had the raw footage but we had experimented with separately-recorded sound, due to the camera we were using being a compact digital one with great video but sadly no Mic Socket (this was during our period of video camera uncertainty) and a lot of ambient noise, because of this some of the sound needed syncing up. Unfortunately somehow not all of the shots and/or sound files we thought we had were there, perhaps a lack of coverage on our part or the files may be lost in the shuffle, filed 'safely' somewhere in the recesses of Chris's hard drive.
We did, however, have a section of some of the line takes edited together with sound synced up thanks to Matt. With a bit of clever editing and syncing up some dialogue from the synced edit with shots from other takes we did in fact manage to make it work. (Yeah! Go us! We are like some kind of, I dunno, editors or something, we are.)

He's back...and this time, it's personal!

So in three single-day sessions we have filmed and edited an episode, we are indeed rocking on with this series. With a lot of luck, and a little bit of energon, they should be live soon. Well, once we cut together a new Intro sequence that is.

There we go, Acting Fans and bloggers, that's it for now so, as always, keep them home fire’s burning until the next time we meet up.

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

 

Steaming Along

Hello, Acting Fans and Bloggers, welcome back once again - let’s get to it!
So, I am very pleased to be able to say now that the second episode (of the series run) is now completed, minus the sound effects. I if I do say so myself (which I will) it is very good and funny. I really do think we have done a very good job with this one.

Our new digital camera has made worlds of difference to the production. Mainly being able to watch the rushes, there and then after shooting. So we can pinpoint any mistakes right away and get some re-shoots within the same session without the pain of re-setting the set for continuity on another day.

As a small note though I must say, out of all of the things I have edited, this has been one of the hardest one to do (definite thoughts of getting a second camera spring to mind) but in true Harcourt & Haigh style we have pulled it off (just). And it all works and flows the way I envisioned it to.

So what’s next? What are we up to and when can we see episode? Those are the questions you're all asking. Well, let me tell ya……………….. hahaha - not just yet, Acting Fans, tune in next time same H time, same H place to find the answers and maybe a little more!
Until next we meet, keep the home fires burning.

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

 

The Rundown

Welcome back, fellow bloggers, and hello - lets get right down to it today. It has been a busy week at the H&H production office as on Monday we did a rough cut (very rough) of the 2nd episode and, oh boy, did it take us a while (Note to self: Shooting an episode in such long single takes is not the best idea, try get a second camera next time) it was quite hard matching it up continuity wise but in the end we did it!
And as you may know from Wednesdays blog we finished off shooting the second episode by doing the few additional shots and pick-ups we needed as well as filming the final lines. We will be going into the editing room (A.K.A. Chris’s bedroom) next week to get this episode all done and dusted.
So that what of today, what are we doing now? Well today is once again a meet up to plan the shooting of the first episode. This is going to involve a line readthrough, planning out shots, making sure to note down all the props we are going to use and where they are going to go in the episode.

2 x Actors/Writers/Whatevers meeting in a Coffee Shop? How unusual!

As a last note I have been looking over the rushes for the main body of the episode to see, which are indeed the better takes as the rough cut of the episode does still need some work. Well ,that’s it bloggers, now you're up to speed as what's happened and what is going to happen.

Until the next time that we talk (and read) together, as always, keep them home fires burning

TTFN

Vernon Harcourt

Selection Box

Hello, this IS the blog you're looking for, Welcome back fellow bloggers and Acting Fans.

So what have we been doing at H&H HQ? Well, we haven’t been filming this week, nope, and I bet you're are little confused to why. Well calm down and let me tell you, sshh, such an impatient lot aren’t you? We (me, myself and co-creator Chris) have been going thought all of the rushes to see which are the best to use for the first cut of the episode. We did this as we weren't sure of the availability of the flat on Tuesday and our (day job) working hours leave us pretty much unable to film later this week. 

We've been sorting the clips, noting the timeframe from which clip is relevant and writing it down, re-naming their file names so we know what to use when it comes to the edit. Now I know what you’re thinking (no, really, I am - and it won’t work) I did say in another blog that I had already done this. And yes but that was just me on my own reviewing on a first pass, looking over the footage, seeing if it all worked and if we had all the coverage we needed.

So we now have all of the footage chosen and we are almost ready to go in and edit the second episode. Well, we've just  got a few small picks-up to film and this episode is in the can, so to speak. And then it’s on the next one. Like they say, 'There’s no rest for the wicked.'

Until the next time that we meet, so long and keep them home fires a-burning!

TTFN

Vernon Sutcliffe