Handmade and Digital.

Our parties have sold on many different platforms, some that make predominantly handmade goods – surely digital isn’t handmade is it?

Ultimately our product is, of course, made up of audio files, pdf’s and music, technology has made it all possible to be digital these days.

However, everything that has gone into combining these elements, has been, in my opinion, handmade or hand crafted.

Because, like everything digital, it starts with an idea. From there it has to be created, either with code or by combining parts together. In Acting the Party’s case each party starts with a script. These I tend to write by hand, it’s so much easier for me to get the words down on paper quickly. Then, because I have the world’s worst handwriting I type it up, editing and changing it as go. This is my favourite part – I can hone in on detail, add new game ideas suitable for the theme and try to act out the story, checking that each character is given the same amount of time, working out roughly how long each action may take.

Thank goodness the dog is the only witness to this.

When I’ve re-written it – usually about 400 times – I then think who I might like to narrate it, I’ve usually got an idea of the kind of voice I think would suit the part. It’s a tricky art of negotiating and cajoling mixed with finding the right person with the right tone.

It hasn’t always been successful. The first narrator I asked was a brilliant voice over actor… but for adverts. Not the feel I was looking for at all. I had to scrap start over.

The recording process is one that I love, once finding the right studios and the right time is sorted. Sometimes it’s difficult to make sure that what I have written comes across in the way I want, but I’m so lucky that everyone I’ve worked with is highly professional and worked hard to get the best from the script.

The next part of the process is also fun. The editing.

This can take a long, long time, especially if I can’t find the right piece of music to go with a scene. All the while trying to remember how to fit it to the games, checking there’s enough music without spanning it out too long, keeping the pace going. I also sometimes have to dance or act out scenes to see if they fit – at this the dog is usually vocally joining in….

Once the overall party is finalised I can get the designer involved, I know my limitations! At this point the invitations, game accessories and all other artwork is sketched out – it brings the product to life.

Then, it’s finally ready for children to play, and here’s a run down how to do it: