A Message From Richard

Not Another Hobbit Spoiler

Hobbit Fan Event And Creatives

The Hobbit ´DoS´ Stands For Dwarf Of Sexiness

The Boy Is Back In Town

"Bradley, who?"

"He has better stubble."

 

 

Whenever I see Bradley Cooper in a film, I tend to think RA looks like him.
Then I compare pictures, and can't think why I get that thought in the first place.

 

Future projects' visibility for Mr A: nr. 18 on the Empire Online 100 Sexiest Actor's List 2013.
Martin Freeman, Aidan Turner and Benedict Cumberbatch (nr. 1) are on that list as well.
For the record, there's room for all these guys in La La land.

Meanwhile, Hobbit promotion has just started with new trailer,
(looking good: more conflicts, more actions, more Thorin close-ups)
new stubble/introduction,
and new hairdo (new project?).

Here's my variation on the dog-sign pic of a Q&A Clickonline interview...

 Less tweeting (less involved), and instantly I miss Q&A opportunities!

Waiting for Hobbit red carpet dates!

RE my last geek post: 'warmer colours' rings a bell: coloring Hobbit trailer here.
 

 

Fitting music: Naughty Boy - La La La
Title inspiration

 

Images: BBC America LA Tea Party (find it on RAnet), Wimbledon 2013 (snatched)

And Then You Open A Curtain

 

"... to find that another 200 people are working on
Thorin frames in HFR 3D!"

Among The Hobbit tweets, I think it was end of July, I found a dry press statement of yet another award that would be given to Peter Jackson, director of The Hobbit movie. It said he will receive a techno-innovations award. At the bottom: the award ceremony will be held in Amsterdam, NL.

That. Is. Middle. Earth. At. My. Doorstep !!

That's in my poststamp-sized country. Can I get any closer than that?

Thus 15 September, award day, enter yours truly, to an impressive 'state-of-the-art' electronic broadcasting media innovative technicality convention brought to you by IBC, an American organisation who decided to land their 'USS Enterprise' for the time being in my Capital City. Male dominated 'make-it-so's were introduced with awesome presentations. Dress code: dark grey suits.

"And then you open a curtain..."

 

It was nice to talk English to foreigners and to listen to their very technical answers. I'll deny everything, because I spoke to Real People, but watching The Hobbit vidblogs paid off!
However I was there for the award ceremony and I got to see the debut of The Hobbit Desolation Of Smaug The First Teaser Trailer in HFR 3D.

Audio file of Innovations award for PJ 'Hi Amsterdam' and trailer http://t.co/zMsmLuOgiH
Audio file of Post production award for SDO*Mistika and Park*Road Post http://t.co/MN3y254N03
IBC news item of TH (first 5 min) http://t.co/8hsa7l7su7
Article 1
Article 2
Article 3

Fitting music: Small World by Huey Lewis and The News Part TWO!
My image goes to pieces, by introducing this one.
I'm not hip and happening by not introducing Kings of Leon by a King of Dwarves! :)

Image: Shaimamarissa?

Quote by RA (sort of)

August Is Hot: Proud Moments

"Do you want me to pitch your script for you?"

 

 

AUGUST IS HOT

 

Theme: It's Not About Me

Post: Proud Moments

I should not be talking about this, but I have proud moments whenever I discover 'the actor' stepped up his game. Those moments of insight occur after I connect the dots and can see the whole picture.

Script changes

Proud moment: whenever Mr. A asks for a script change. Not uncommon among actors, but his interviews show that whenever he found it was necessary to make a shout-out in an attempt to steer the character's walk of life, then boy it was needed. Poor man has to take into consideration that any afterburn of his acting in reviews is hard to hose. :) Prime examples: 1) how Marian's death deed was execuded by Guy of Gisborne in Robin Hood tv series - as in: preferably not, but if it had to be, then with remorse; 2) how Lucas North/John Bateman's relation to his former girlfriend Maya softened - from a lustful connexion on the kitchen table as the director intended (as I understood from a Layla Rouass interview), to a lovable rekindling. More recently, concerning the many late night script changes for the Battle of the Five Armies scenes (as mentioned by the man himself), I have no doubt Mr. A has put his boots in as much as possible for his character Thorin Oakenshield. I hear you: don't rule out The Oaken Shield addition and the Dwarf Calendar! Erm, the Calendar is another story.

Now that we are talking script, what is the story on the latest developments of the Richard III script Richard Armitage was pitching in Hollywood - and I assume, also in the UK?

RA looks and vibes Richard III  - Spooks ep. 8.2

Pitching Richard III

Proud moment: when I found out he was pitching the script of Philippa Langley in Hollywood, after his many times expressed ambition to play Richard III one day. At the moment it is not certain that he is still involved in the project, yet he has voiced he really wants it to come to fruition.

Proud moment: when I found out that her King Richard III script is titled 'Blood Royal'. By now it may be changed into 'Royal Blood' (verification needed) on IMDb Pro, as there was already one older film listed by that title.

Real proud moment: when I read that she herself writes "it is been optioned and in development" in a testimonial (verification needed) posted on the site of Philip Shelley, script consultant. The official mention that she "is now working to secure a development deal for her film script that tells the real story of King Richard III" can be found on the Richard III Society blog. Read more on option and an article called Ten Things To Think About optioning.

Super proud moment: when I connect dots by assuming Todd Garner could be one of the people who gave RA some advice on pitching the Richard III script. Yesterday, I was flicking through my writing magazines to discover I was the proud owner of one Script Magazine and it contains an article written by Todd Garner, the producer of the upcoming Black Sky film in which RA stars.

Click to enlarge, or copy/paste.




Script Magazine, July/August 2010, www.scriptmag.com

Proud moment: when passing on these finds to verify, I got an invitation to write a post for the

 

King RichardArmitage Week 2013 (21st - 28th of August, 2013)

 

on the King Richard Armitage Blog.

 

 

 

Please, send me your corrections, if you found any hoaxes.

 

 

Top image: TraceyNearmy (find it on RANet), modified by TFB

August Is Hot: It's Not About Me

 "What would I say if you walked into my arms?

It's not about me. It's blank."

 

 

AUGUST IS HOT

 

Theme: It's not about me

Post: It's blank

Welcome, dear readers, to yet another yearly secret series of posts, called August Is Hot.

It's all for your pleasant entertainment.

No, it's not about me.
I leave that blank.

 

Not long ago, 'our man in Middle Earth', spokesperson for all Dwarves, said in an interview with words to this effect: "I hope people to like me for my characters than for me." This quote created a Gollum-type riddle in my head. How can one separate the characters created by the actor, from the actor? I can't decide what I like more and say: "It's blank."

On second thought, it may not about 'me' the actor, but about 'me' the person. If so, I read a warning in his quote: "Don't gush 'me' too much, I might disappoint."

In the first few years of this blog I was so sensitive of my writing qualities that I let some people from the RL (my real life) read this blog. Wrong! One couldn't read English, another said "Holy moly!" and one new friend who I confided her my - I thought salonfähige - crush told me that she has seen RA as actor in N&S and Robin Hood, yet referred to my blog (or the RA fanworld in general, I was too embarrassed to ask) that "this good actor doesn't need to be associated with sexy".

I could have defended my blog as my (hypocritical?) attempt to twist the joyous gushings and jealous worries I had walked into online, but I left it blank.

Image: Robert Ashcroft (find it on RANet), modified by TFB

She Didn't Order 'Staged'

"Humour won't get you out of this one, sweety. Why didn't you order 'Staged' ?"

Well, that's personal. I would love to! It would bring back the days that... (censored).

But if someone would be so nice to send me a copy? Because this dress was expensive enough.

"You talk around it."

Stop it! People may think we are abusing this filmlet as illustration of an argument.

"Aren't you? You haven't seen it and still you're pretending that you ship 'acting and writing'."

Alright, I'm reading five really good books at a time now.

"We should discuss this, and not in your head. Why don't you say what you want to say?"

Based on only gushing? No you better 'use your gushing'. Well, I guard my gushing, what about you?

"Look, I don't know where this is going. Can we keep smiling?"

The script says we should do some scenes on the bench. And I don't have to undress.

***
 Maybe I should have said: I didn't order STAGED yet.

Apologies for my belated (crappy) conversation



Image: Denison Entertainment 



Interviewer Charged With Dragon Sickness

"Dragon sickness cannot be spread by kissing!"
Yeah, right! ;)

Thanks to my personal dragon sickness called ´hobbit overload´,
and the gnomes being away on re-enactment Hobbit tour,
in halfnaked, body painted shape, because it´s crisis,
I totally missed an interview with
Thorin Oakenshield!

***********

You´re in Wellington now. What do you think of this place?

TO: Windy. I met this Dream Catcher - a Film Maker - who provided us quarters, in exchange for us running along green walls for so many days. He doesn´t talk to us much, but when he said: ´Do you have another take in you?´, I nearly vomited. I suffer from dragon sickness, for goodness sake!

How did you get here?

TO: We! After 266 days of working hard to get one backpacking Human Male out of Middle Earth.

And by ´we´ you mean?

TO: My group of Dwarfs, me and this Human.

You mean Richard Armitage. What was he like when you met him?

TO: Really bad mannered. He didn´t have a beard at first. Why don´t you have a beard?

I´m Human too and Female.

TO: Ah! He offered us some leftover wine which he had in his rucksack. Then he had the nerve to share trivialities about me in public, in front of my group of Dwarfs.

Like what?

TO: You really want to know, do you? Fine. He mentioned my family history, my personal habits and my tumultuous love life, or lack of. The last ones were awkward, because I know for sure I don´t have that kind of information registered in the ancestry annals of my Kingdom. So I became very fishy whereof these stories came.

You made him sign a contract?

TO: I hate whiners. I had to put up travelling with one Hobbit once.

To my knowledge it was Bilbo the Hobbit who wrote it all in his journals.

TO: That stay-at-home impostor! Urged us to give him the best adventures, so that he had something to tell these lazy Hobbits when he came home! Now I get it!

It was Gandalf the wizard who brought you together?

TO: Huh! Divided my group of Dwarfs, more likely! Gandalf disappeared constantly, because of his horrible knowledge of group dynamics! That children´s book was written afterwards, remember?

Tolkien? He was known to make or break worlds.

TO: Don´t mock with those notions! I suspect Baggins to have written that historically incorrect book.

Back to Richard. In interviews he mentioned finding you was like working his majestic muscle.

TO: Working?? You know what, he came to know me, when we found him lost in Mirkwood - which I can´t talk about...

You just did...

TO: Because his career people won´t allow me to - so he should not moan.

He´s not moaning. He seems to know you like he was your friend.

TO: Did he? Fair enough, I didn´t let protocol get in the way. What I wanted to say was, he´s a very poor fighter. He wanted - you won´t believe me when I tell you this - he wanted us Dwarfs to train him for the Battle of The Five Armies. Pure suicide! So hours and hours of training went into that poor fellow. I even lend him my sword. And how did he respond? He sat down with his eyes closed. Yoga, he called it! Did he thank me when we saved him from the Giant Spiders - which I can´t talk about, because of his career people? I ignored him like I ignore Hobbits!

You hugged him like you hugged a Hobbit.

TO: Well, yes. There you have your majestic muscle. And now, he´s calling me his friend?

You´re his friend and more than that, you wouldn´t leave him.

TO: Alright, I am staying with him. You know what, we even swapped places, so he´s is me and I am him for some time until August, or that´s what we let the press believe you!

So am I talking to Thorin or Richard now? * eyes at PR woman who nods *

TO: For the record, it´s Thorin. * eyes back at PR woman to end this interview *

If so, this interview with you could become legit.

TO: I offered to deal with his fans for him, but he wouldn´t let me. Said I wouldn´t pay respect to Human Females! Of course not, you don´t have beards! But for you I can change... Human Princess, wouldn´t you like to know that dragon sickness cannot be spread by my kissing...??

Err....

Conclusion: don´t believe the book.

** This is a fake interview **

(Yes, I know it´s not what you expected)

Image: oakenbutt tumblr (well, that´s what the image said)

Three Years Of Love And Ridicule

Gandalf: "Because they get a chance to see you!"

This week, April 9, was my THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THIS BLOG. 

Thanks to REMINDERS on FB and RETWEETERS in Twitterworld you all had marked

this HUGE MOMENTUM in your diary, because of the cumulative stats I post. :)

Warning: TOO MUCH INFORMATION.

It was THE YEAR OF WORLDWIDE HOBBIT PROMOTION and if you´re lucky you could have joined THE CAST AND PETER JACKSON with LIVE ONLINE CONNECTIONS through video streaming and twitter Q&A´s. Frankly, it was the year in which Mr. A had more screentime TELLING US ALL about THORIN OAKENSHIELD than acting as him. Though he had PUT IN LONG HOURS IN MAKEUP AND PROSTHETICS, SWORD TRAINING AND RUNNING NEXT TO GREEN CAT WALKS. It was the year WE DIDN´T SEE MUCH OF THAT, because of FAST EDITING, TOP NOTCH CGI AND STUNNING 3D IN 48 FPS HIGH FRAME RATE - DON´T DISCUSS IT, WE LOVE YOU HOBBIT FANS. It was the year we got teased to GO SEE THE HOBBIT PART TWO AND THREE in the next coming years. It was the year HUNDREDS OF HOBBIT ARTICLES passed my timeline on twitter, of which one article mentioned that the HOBBIT CONTRACT ALLOWS CAST TO FILM TWO MOVIES OTHER THAN THE HOBBIT. It was the year actor LUKE EVANS said to promote one of his two other movies than The Hobbit, that he LIKED READING ABOUT THE LOTR GUYS ON INTERNET, just some weeks after I posted my fake DWARFLEADER INTERVIEW. It was the year actor IAN MCKELLEN or more likely THE HOBBIT PR MACHINE stated in a press article that he wouldn´t repeat his CHARITY THEATRE TOUR IN NZ in Europe or elsewhere, a week or so after I casually tweeted a polite request to do so. Sorry LOVELY READERS, for ME not being COMMITTED enough.

Seriously, what a year this was for RA being HOT DWARF material in The Hobbit. (That´s my PR agent whispering that I should put that in. I myself didn´t detect any hot dwarfs in The Hobbit. Just saw THORIN OAKENSHIELD, DWARFLEADER, SON OF THRAIN. And that´s a compliment, to someone who now gets worldwide credit for hot fanvids and singing Misty Mountains. :) )

Now being double seriously, I was hanging in there with this blog to see how the release of The Hobbit movie would effect my pageviews. And it did! Even if this is a humble blog, not viewed by many, still it does what it does. It got picked up by all these search keywords, which were too general to find my blog, I reckon.

Most fanblogs don´t last two years. But I should not compare my blog to others. Although the thought of quitting goes through my mind, but see the work I have put in? I better leave it up. Especially since I have a hunch that I am read by people who put an interest in what I write. So, thanks, people, and thanks fellow bloggers and other fans, because it´s the creativity bug of yours that has put me to blogging. Thanks RAFrenzy for reminding me that I have a great blog. Thanks HOBBIT CAST for googling (oh well, they googled TheOneRingNet.com while they were on set, it was said during NYC promotions).

Top 10´s

These cumulative numbers represent my first three years of pleasantly crazy blogging with a naughty sniff of Richard Armitage in the mix. This year I am not putting links in this post. TOO MUCH WORK.

All Time Posts

(1) Letter To Thorin  8,887

(2) The Hobbit, Exciting And Dynamic Casting  7,448

(3) Lucas North, Pretending To Be Dating  3,051

(4) Lucas North And His Fans  2,941

(5) Guy Of Gisborne Syndrome One Year On  877

(6) Willmore The Rover, Name Another Rake  669

(7) Thorin Oakenshield And The Company Of Dwarves  623

(8) Quiet Dwarves, Hobbit Fans, Take Two  555

(9) SCOOP, Unseen Promo Pics Of Lucas North  457

(10) Getting A Whole Lot Of Guy  375

Referring URL´s

http://www.a*rmitagefanblog.blogspot.com/  1,333

http://www.m*eandrichard.wordpress.com/  791

http://www.t*witter.com/   328

http://www.t*heframeworkblogspot.com/  316

http://www.t*hesqueee.blogspot.com/  264

http://www.g*oogle.com/search  263

http://www.d*omar.ru/  145

http://www.s*pooksfanblog.com/ 116

http://www.y*imum.blogspot.com/  116

http://www.r*afrenzy.com/  114

Referring Sites

http://www.g*oogle.com/  8,422
http://www.g*oogle.co.uk/  3,855
http://www.m*eandrichard.wordlpress.com/  1,477
http://www.g*oogle.de/  1,475
http://www.a*rmitagefanblog.blogspot.com/  1,390
http://www.t*hesqueee.blogspot.com/  851

http://www.g*oogle.ca/  842

http://www.g*oogle.fr/  659

http://www.g*oogle.com.au/  645

http://www.g*oogle.es/  455

Search Keywords
thorin oakenshield  1,766
thorin  1,082

hobbit  661

lucas north  493

the hobbit 2012  329

the hobbit thorin  168

richard armitage dating  150

richard armitage thorin  136

the hobbit  112

richard armitage spooks  94

Audience
(1) United States  24,322 (huge number since The Hobbit release)
(2) United Kingdom  8,058
(3) Poland  7,129

(4) Netherlands  5,687

(5) Germany  5,636

(6) Australia  3,313

(7) Canada 2,109

(8) France 1,906

(9) Russia  1,208

(10) Spain  819

Pageviews All Time History

Best month December 2012  4,828 (release of The Hobbit: double as average 2,500 p/month)

Second best month January 2013  3,919 (release of The Hobbit continues, after that a huge decline)

Third best month January 2011  3,566

Pageviews By Browser

I*nternet E*xplorer 27,188  (35%)

C*hrome  21,792 (28%)

F*irefox  17,151 (22%)

S*afari  6,032 (7%)

O*pera  2,362 (3%)

Other (A*pple Syndication, Mobile, A*pple P*ubSub, M*obile S*afari, F*eed P*urcer) (2%)

Pageviews By Operating Systems

W*indows  63,232  (83%)

M*acintosh 7,296 (9%)

L*inux  2,549 (3%)

Other (i*P*hone, i*P*ad, i*P*od, Other L*inux, A*ndroid, W*indows NT 6.1) (5%)

**

Have I ever said that I love his acting,
although it sometimes makes me laugh when it´s supposed not to?

(*) Testing to block this post from receiving many s*pam comments.. and ruining my stats...

Screencap: RAnet, with TFB magic

There's A Lot Of Love In The Room

"Mastering the art of squeeze is essential."

"Even my Hobbit colleagues say so."

"There's a lot of love in the room", said Mr. A at the London Hobbit premiere. Which is really true.
The more RA does his promotions for The Hobbit, the less I feel my opinion on him is relevant.

Which is kind of weird, considering I have a degree in public relations.

Or not, as I tend to feel a squeeze for the man.

Found that quote in a Hobbit/RA Humour vid of one of the posters of Fanstra4.

Pictures: VictoriaWill/RAnet, WhyAsk



Do I Want To Be In This?

"Where have you been? We should be acting right now."

If it is Mr. A's quest to bring the true story of Richard III to screen, then I can vouch that I also have a quest to do something with comedy, such as a skit, a sitcom or a film. I like the fast delivery, the look-who's-saying-it subtext and the colours of the characters. Furthermore I share my birthday with Lucille Ball and I sure can act funny in front of the mirror. But, that is still in the back of my mind.

If you read my previous posts, I have mentioned that I chance visited some sets. At the moment I can´t get it out of my head that it would be great to be visiting an international set. Even playing along, in the background, why not? I know, I`m way too shy, prudish and insecure, so I`ll do my best, despite the nerves. So to get out of my comfort zone, next to doing improv acting and following workshops, like physical acting and standup, I had a chance to be an extra in a comedy pilot (which hasn´t aired yet) Vrienden*dienst (2012). Also I got an audition and writing experience amongst 300+ fellow writers, and others for the first dutch user*generated film Steek*spel (T*ricked) (2012). This was a heavy marketed project, fronted by dutch Hollywood director, Paul Ver*hoeven. He later said he not only liked working with young enthusiastic film makers, but he preferred that to filming in Hollywood where he had trouble getting a couple of movies financed.

Just after I had talks with my improv group about my progression, the news that the Richard III TV serial plus film plans are in the next phase, felt like a sign. Answering the question ´Do I want to be in this?´ with a ´Yes´, became very appealing. However I recall some British institution (forgot which one) saying it will never allow foreign actors acting on UK TV, unless it is filmed abroad like in Belgium and Hungary, then they´re ´fit to be extras´.

Thankfully, films are made internationally (okay, it depends). The Richard III film is getting plugged by Mr. A himself in Hollywood and there´s a major distributor on board, but it´s early days. I have no doubt his passion for his interest in the true story of  Richard III will open doors. But who to ask who can also say: ´Do I want to be in this?´. Like The Hobbit´s director Peter Jackson said (on casting Barry Humphries) (paraphrased): ´It is always a bit scary to ask the person you admire, to work with you. The person you admire, can be disappointing, so then you have to lower your level of admiration.´ At least RA can ask ´Mr. Wellywood´ about the pitfalls of Hollywood.

Best to leave the fourth wall alone, but boy, would I like a part (as extra) in Richard III ! Maybe I could ask The Universe for a lot more. I have a hunch that paths cross in mysterious ways, sometimes in synchronicity. Say, with an actor who takes the effort to understand the unspoken.  

 

Let me smile ´Thank You´ for this little interaction.

A nose rub to my favourite screen kiss. (Spooks S9.3)

A thought for Valentine's Day:  

Was this kiss filmed in the 'extra time' RA asked for 'to experiment'?

*****

Top image: screen cap from trailer of short film Staged (1999).



Another Guy With A Sword

"These willful wenches go too far"

It's been a while since the gnomes spoke to me again. I had let them down, by letting Sir Guy trespassing the borders of my garden. According to article... sorry can't read that small print.. in their Hobbit re-enactment contract with said partnership of garden owner... again small print... I have violated my own rights to enter my garden and my proximity during re-enactment hours... again small print... and so I had to find a place to, erm, make meatballs. Rest assured I wanted to go back to my own home, I made a plan that hopefully would make everyone at the Gnomes InUnion happy, or whatever they're calling themselves. So recently I graced Sir Guy with a visit.

"Sir Guy", I said.
"You came back for more", he kind of asked.
"I have a request."
"In that case, payment in advance", he said disappointed.
"Would you like to set up a campement to house a little re-enactment play?"
"Artists don't bring in money. They cost money!"
"It's the gnomes. We could let them play outside on the hill. It will contain a big fight if we pretend your castle is mountain Erebor".
"I can... pretend that you and me.."
"Make my plan work", I said, triumphantly handing him my selfmade contract.
"Meaning?"
"You have a couple of lines as the main cameo. It will be over before you know it."
"I don't sign entertainment contracts." Guy threw the contract on the table.
"You'll be the star of the show."
"Stars shine in the sky and the gnomes hate me."
"That will be used to your full glory."
Sir Guy snatched the contract off the table and signed it.
"My glory, hmm?"
"Oh yes. You spit fire like a real dragon, say some lines, crawl on your knees..."
Then Sir Guy showed me his sword fighting skills.

 

 

RETRO POST

Sir Guy of Gisborne is a character Richard Armitage played. You should check it out.

When I started fangurling I came across really great quality pictures of Giz, and HD screencaps.

Was this a screencap or a promo picture I now wonder?

 

** Disclaimer: I don't know why I write this sh*t. The Beard is coming back. That's important news. **

Mr. A Showing His Sword Control - on Anki's Tumblr