You've got to get this ...

This illustrated recipe book will be a production that is guaranteed to make you smile -

If you read my blog from 10th May this year then you'll already know that our historian and costumier Julia Gant is in the throes of preparing a very special recipe book to accompany the Heartsfelled film production.  The recipes are being chosen by Heartsfelled himself as being his favourites.

To fill you in a bit further - Heartsfelled is a Storyteller who is timeless and ageless which means he has been around since time began and collects his stories from across all times and places.  So the recipes he is choosing are genuine, historical dishes with wonderful stories behind their development and the illustrated book will explain the ingredients, how they are made and so-on.

To give you an idea of just how seriously good the authoress Julia is, only four years ago she catered "The Grand Ball at Villa de Molina"  that was in the ground floor of Napoleon's villa on Elba; she's lectured for academic circles and field cooks and the public at large and she's managed kitchens in some very fine historical homes  and shared pies with some pretty highly titled gents!

So, what's got me all excited this week?  Well,  I spent an hour with Heartsfelled himself and he, along with his amanuensis and muse Mnemosyne, was busy writing down anecdotes and tales of how he came to be there when each of the historical dishes was served.  I could sit and listen to these two historians, historical food experts and most literary people tell their stories and experiences for hours.  So, not only are Heartsfelled's musings and recollections historically fascinating, introducing us to a range of wonderful people from the point of view of their fine dining habits - but Heartsfelled has a glorious sense of humour and his writings are witty and funny too.  I had such a happy time listening to previews of the anecdotes that go with the recipes, smiling and laughing even gasping at Heartsfelled's life experiences.   I will add that there is some pretty smart research and a whole lot of real-life fun and games by lovely Nigel Gant behind Heartsfelled's musings . . . but don't tell Heartsfelled that I let on!

If you are interested in being told when this book is available (latest release date is August 2020 but it could well be available before that) them leave me a message here and I will be in touch.

Nigel Gant as Heartsfelled 

Here comes the next spate of filming!

Hold your breath folks - at the end of this week (that's next weekend!) the Heartsfelled crew will getting it together in the mystical, magical Museum of Stories somewhere in the heart of deepest Lincolnshire.
Zak Wylde Productions will be filming Heartsfelled himself as he recounts the tale Fyrdhwaet, The Identity Stealer.  During the week I will try to give you sneak previews of some arts of the Museum and let you know how things are going, after next weekend there will be more teasers and tit-bits available to whet our appetites.
Keep checking in for updates .....

Storytelling at its very, very best.

Today I went into the studio and listened to Nigel Gant, Heartsfelled himself, read the story of The Identity Stealer.  I knew it would be good, but I hadn't appreciated just how beautifully captivating he would make it.  What a wonderful and gifted storyteller we really do have.  I can hardly wait until I can share it with you so that you can sit, spellbound, as we did.  This was storytelling at its best.
Apart from anything else the lines in Anglo-Saxon were delivered so very beautifully, lyrically and with perfect rhythm and pronunciation.  And the switches from enthralling storytelling to verse are done so well that it is all pure pleasure to listen to.
My thanks go out to Carl Frearson at Solo Studios near Spalding too.  A talented and gifted producer-editor and, as I discovered, an award-winning filmmaker himself.  I am just knocked out by the wonderful people this project brings me into contact with.
Thanks, everybody.
PB (Writer)

Brother Scuttle's Reflections.... Spalding Priory

One of our Ghosts from Times Past is just loving the opportunities to visit with us and have a look around . . . .

Hello again ghost watchers,

Richard had to return to his Dentist to have a rather large tooth removed, so had not the motivation to evoke my spirit from the depths... but here I am a wandering ghost, once again free from the Netherworld and able walk quietly amongst the living.

As you know the Priory was my home for many years and was a big feature on the landscape of Spalding. It was demolished well after my death... yet today, feeling melancholy and having a need to reunite myself with my former home, I am searching modern Spalding for traces of the former Priory.

From talking to Richard recently (in between bouts of toothache!) he was telling me what survives of our order's holy places in the area. Peterborough still has Abbey remains near the Cathedral, Crowland is still used as a Church and has recognisable remains from its time as an Abbey scattered 'round and about...
Even dear old Thorney has a few remnants left, used today as a fine Church. But alas Spalding's magnificent construction is ne'er to be seen evermore... Heartsfelled remembers it well, and the stories we both could tell...  But look a little deeper and you shall find pieces...

As I wandered along Spalding high street I saw a strange looking building that drew memories long distant... It has been a forge and a bakery, a hostelry and a shop that sells those square things you modern people like to talk into...  It is still known affectionately as 'The Prior's Oven' and I love it! From the oddly shaped exterior to the vaulted ceiling.
In my day it boasted another story and was used as a sort of prison for Monks not keen on moral behaviour... Brother David for example who couldn't keep his hands off the local girls of ill repute, and impregnated one of them! He was sorry after that I can tell you and Brother Ignatius who put his hand into the poor box...
There was a bell tower on that second level that, when tolling, told of imminent execution, usually some poor Saxon who had fallen foul of the Normans, who was hung from a gibbet in the Market Place. It sent a shiver along my ghostly spine just thinking about it I can tell you!  Sadly the grand entrance no longer exists, but as you walk into the area known as 'The Crescent' it all began to feel very familiar...

I was excited to discover a row of houses at the back of what Richard describes 'his favourite charity bookshop'. It was not known if they were from the Priory or not, but I was sure they were what was left of the Monk's sleeping dorms...
Inside they had changed much but little hints still showed through the fabric...  I was sure I had found the old block again!
As I travelled I saw little hints remaining in walls and in other buildings. Stone blocks that were recognisable from my time at the Priory.

I am settled again now. My beloved Priory still exists in some form or another and I am content to return to my domain happy...

I will return...

Brother Scuttle.

crowdfunder.co.uk/heartsfelled

How to be a film or tv makeup artist!

Hi there!

If you're a film studies student or somebody who loves to understand what you see in the movies, then you'll be aware that even the most ordinary looking person on film has been made to look the way they do.

From the very earliest days of moviemaking, cosmetics artists have had to refine their skills to make movie makeup work.  And the makeup artist is a true artist!  They have to understand colour, light, shade and many aspects of photography.

For example, actors in silent films often had to wear very yellow makeup to compensate for the "orthochromatic" black and white film that was not able to capture anything red.

The first make-up range ever designed just for movies was launched in 1914, Max Factor's Supreme Greasepaint . . . you wouldn't want to name any cosmetic product anything-"grease" nowadays I guess!

 1969 saw the longest ever single make-up application for a movie.   For the "Illustrated Man" actor Rod Steiger had to be, well, illustrated!   Applying those tattoos took a make-up artist and assistants 10 hours on the torso and another full day on the lower body, hands and legs!  Personally, I cannot imagine being that patient.

On the other hand, where a film has many extras and special background actors, there needs to be a fast technique, you can't do everything by CGI.   Frank Westmore had to make up several thousand extras each day for "The Ten Commandments" (1956). The spray-painting technique he developed to do the job quickly is still used.

Types of Makeup Artist:

Nowadays Hollywood's union regulations classify movie make-up artists based on the area of the actor's body being made up! A make-up artist is only allowed to apply cosmetics only from the top of the head to the top of the breastbone, from fingertips to wrists and from toes to ankles. On the other hand, a body make-up artist applies cosmetics as required to any other areas of the actor's body. While the regular make-up artist generally works throughout filming, the body make-up artist is hired per day when needed. The key make-up artist, or make-up designer, is the person in charge of the make-up department for a movie.  During pre-production, the designer reads the script and meets with the director and screenwriter to discuss their needs and ideas for the film. 

The key make-up artist also will work with the key hair designer, costume designer, set designer and director of lighting throughout the film.  After that, the key make-up artist researches and determines how to design the make-up and special make-up effects for the film. 

GoT actress, Natalia Tena (property rights Game of Thrones / HBO)

Sometimes the MUA just has to prevent an actor or actress' features from bleaching out under the lights, sometimes enhance their beauty and sometimes, well, to switch off the beauty and dirty them up!

Often complex effects or prosthetics are handled by a special effects department or a consultant company. The key make-up artist also brings together additional make-up artists for the film, sets their work schedule and supervises them during production. She or he then has to check everybody's work, make sure the make-up applied matches the agreed style, and that continuity is maintained every day during shooting. 

In addition, the key make-up artist develops and stays within a budget.  Once prosthetics, hairpieces and other make-up elements are finalized, they all must be inventoried and stored when they are not in use.

Where there is a big team the key makeup artist might have a senior makeup artist under them who has responsibility for continuity as well as ordinary makeup artists and assistant makeup artists.

It's a long but creative day, finding solutions to make the 'look' and make that look work on screen.  Putting it all on the actors from extremely early in the morning and then taking it all off again after the end of the working day.
Annual earnings for makeup artists seem to start at around £14,500 per annum and can rise, over time and experience, to anything around £62,000 per year.  A practised eye, skilled hands, creativity, determination and a splash of luck are required to get into this field, so it's a good thing to have a focus of interest like our Key Makeup Artist, Nealy Horsfield who really aims to get into blood scars and injuries for tv! 

Nealy is already superb at what she does, now that I know her I'm excited to watch her career blossom. Here she is talking to me on the day she agreed to join our team: