Sunday, October 30, 2016

LOCATIONS OF OUTLANDER - a glimpse of Castle Leoch, home of Clan Mackenzie! An interview by your Aussie Blogging Lass

Outlander Homepage Originals By Susie Brown

Ever since season 1 debuted in 2014, Outlander has been impressing fans worldwide. The acting is superlative; the costumes amazing and the music inspirational. Producer Ronald Moore described the show as “a love letter to Scotland” and indeed, the Scottish landscape  has been like another character. Scottish tourism has benefitted from this adaptation of Diana Gabaldon’s novels, with many fans flocking to see the Outlander sites. One such fan, Fiona McD Gallacher, recently travelled from Australia to her father’s birthplace. On the way, she stopped by Doune Castle in the Stirling district of Central Scotland, or, as we fans know it better, Castle Leoch! She shared her thoughts of the experience with us.

An impressive sight on arrival

OHP: What was your overall impression of the castle at first sight?
Fiona: It was a gorgeous wet and soggy day the day we went to the Castle so it was always going to be a typically Scottish experience! The Castle sits virtually next door to modern houses down a very narrow roadway and I can only imagine how difficult it was to get all of the cast, crew, animals etc. down there for filming. The neighbours must have been very obliging!


OHP: How much of the castle are you able to tour - are there some bits that are too old/unsafe etc.?
Fiona: Because of the rain it was a bit precarious in some spots outside and there is quite a slope to get up to the main part of the Castle. Inside it was a bit easier and the kitchen and great hall/dining hall were gorgeous! I even managed to find the facilities!

Great Hall

Kitchen/Dining

Great Hall

Great Hall 
The Facilities!


OHP: How is a tour set out/how long does it take? What were the highlights?
Fiona: There is an audio tour that you can take which is included in the entry cost. I didn’t listen to the full tour but the highlight for me was Sam Heughan’s commentary on the kitchen. It was short but fantastic.


Display boards from the tour

Lots of information is included

OHP: Could you recognise parts of the castle used for filming Outlander - and if so, which parts?
Fiona: Absolutely! The façade is exactly as you would remember it from the opening recaps from most of the first half of Season 1. It looks much larger though and there are a few modern day additions -  where there were horses and hay in front of the castle in the show there’s now a car park! I’ve re-watched a couple of Castle Leoch scenes since I came back and it’s quite brilliant how they made the surrounding area look so authentic.



OHP: Does the place have an atmosphere, or is it now more a tourist destination?
Fiona: Some people may see it as just another old building but it does have some of the atmosphere that you get from the screen. The fact that it was raining the day we went made the atmosphere all the more authentic!  It was easy to picture that the Clan might gather in the great hall/dining hall and the grassed courtyard inside the castle walls was wet and soggy and just as it should have been. It’s a definite must-see for Outlander fans.


Beautiful architecture

Can't you imagine looking out?

Very atmospheric
Example of the walls 
Archways everywhere

Even the light fixtures are ornate

Picture Colum sitting here! 

Perfect place to contemplate the 18th century


Almost expect to bump into a clansman any second!




The wet and soggy courtyard





Sadly Murtagh, Jamie and Dougal were out the day we visited - next time, perhaps!  




We’d like to thank Fiona McD Gallacher for giving us this glimpse into castle life! Even though Castle Leoch's part in the story is done, we're sure that Season 3 will give us many more beautiful Scottish sights to gaze upon.

This interview was conducted by Susie Brown, a teacher-librarian and writer who lives in Australia. She has never been to Castle Leoch, but it is definitely on her 2017 travel itinerary! 


Friday, October 28, 2016

Tobias Menzies new Project.


'The Terror’: Tobias Menzies To Star In AMC Anthology Series From Scott Free

by Nellie Andreeva
DEADLINE

For the full article 
http://deadline.com/2016/09/the-terror-tobias-menzies-cast-amc-anthology-series-scott-free-1201816309/



THE TERROR
AMC

The Outlander co-star Tobias Menzies is set as a lead in The Terror,AMC’s anthology drama series based on the bestselling 2007 novel by Dan Simmons. Scott Free, Alexandra Milchan’s Emjag Productions, Entertainment 360 and AMC Studios are producing the 10-episode straight-to-series drama set to premiere in 2017.

Written by feature writer David Kajganich, who co-showruns with Soo Hugh, the series is set in 1847, when a Royal Navy expedition crew searching for the Northwest Passage is attacked by a mysterious predator that stalks the ships and their crews in a suspenseful and desperate game of survival. It is a fictionalized account of Captain Sir John Franklin’s lost expedition of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror.

Menzies will play a member of the Royal Navy. It marks his reunion with AMC, where he recently co-starred in limited series The Night Manager, which is nominated for 12 Emmy Awards.

In addition to his prominent role as Jack/Frank Randall on the hit Starz seriesOutlander and the Night Manager stint, the busy English actor has recurred on HBO’s blockbuster Game of Thrones and on the praised British comedy seriesCatastrophe. In features, he co-stars in Una, which premieres at the Toronto Film Festival, and the upcoming Underworld: Blood Wars.

Menzies is repped by Paradigm and Conway Van Gelder Grant.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Outlander: Better Place (Jamie/Claire)

Wine inspired by OUTLANDER




Get your drink on with wine inspired by Claire and Jamie from 'Outlander'



Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser


BY Mashable

Full article
holiday-gift-guide/?utm_cid=mash-com


It's going to be a long, hard winter without Outlander to brighten our screens — the show is currently in production on Season 3 for a 2017 return — but in an attempt to ease our months of withdrawal, a slew of merchandise is about to hit shelves just in time for the holidays.


Whisky might be the show's drink of choice, but fans know that Jamie Fraser also has a nose for wine — even running his cousin Jared's business in the first half of Season 2 — so an Outlander-themed libation seems like the perfect tie-in for the Starz series.


If you're planning to throw a Parisian dinner party (hopefully with less brawling than Claire and Jamie's Season 2 soiree) or Hogmanay feast, sipping on a glass of vino inspired by the show's main characters is probably the next best thing to having Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan and Tobias Menzies on hand to toast you in person.



SEE ALSO: 'Outlander' adds two key cast members for Season 3


Available beginning Nov. 7, the Outlander Wine Collection from ) will feature four hand-crafted blends and uniquely designed labels to honor the essence of Claire Randall, Frank Randall, Claire Fraser and Jamie Fraser. (Yes, Claire is definitely epic enough to merit two separate varieties.)


The collection will be limited to 2500 bottles for each of the four blends, and will be for sale exclusively from Lot18.com. The first 100 orders will also receive a set of 6 official Outlander wine charms.





Caitriona Balfe as Claire Fraser


If you want to show your fandom without the risk of a hangover, Sony Pictures Television, the studio behind the hit series, has also announced the relaunch ofOutlanderStore.com, the official merchandise site for the show, featuring licensed replica clothing, t-shirts, jewelry and collectibles. An official tie-in book, The Making of Outlander the Series: The Official Guide to Seasons 1 and 2is also available beginning Oct. 18. Outlander Season 2 is available on DVD and Blu-ray on Nov. 1, while the official soundtrack to Season 2 hits stores on Oct. 28.


Last week, Hot Topic and Torrid also debuted a line of Outlander-inspired clothing for any lass who wants to channel her inner sassenach, including tartan dresses, skirts and capes, as well as Claire's riding coat.


Currently in production in Scotland, the third season of Outlander is based on the third of eight books in the Outlander series written by Diana Gabaldon, entitled Voyager.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Outlander: Bloopers Season 2

The Outlander playing cards, details by Cryptozoic!


Cryptozoic Outlander playing cards

Season 1 and autographed by cast!

For full site to order and purchase





Follow the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743 where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world. When she is forced to marry Jamie Fraser, a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, a passionate relationship is ignited that tears Claire's heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Collect your favorite moments from the premier season with Outlander Trading Cards Season 1. Look for authentic Autograph and Wardrobe cards.















Binder: 1" binder contains an exclusive card



Autograph Signers:
Steven Cree as Ian Murray
Gary Lewis as Colum MacKenzie
Annette Badland as Mrs. Fitzgibbons
James Fleet as Reverend Wakefield
Simon Callow as Duke of Sandringham
Graham McTavish as Dougal MacKenzie
Tobias Menzies as Frank Randall / Black Jack Randall
Lochlann O'Mearáin as Horrocks








Cast in process of signing Outlander trading cards

Lotte Verbeek 


Grant O'Roarke



Steven Cree



Sam Heughan














season 2

Season 2 out takes

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

“Dining with Dougal - or how to organise an Outlander charity event.” An interview by your Aussie Blogging Lass

Outlander Homepage Originals By Susie Brown 


For two seasons now, in addition to bringing our favorite characters to life, the cast of Outlander have been appearing at conventions and charity events all over the world. Generous with their time and their stories, they have posed for photos, answered questions, signed autographs and generally earned the respect and appreciation of their fans all over again. But what is it like to actually organise one of these events? In this special interview, Outlander Homepage admin, Dorianne Panich, chatted to Aussie admin and writer Susie Brown about the latest event: 
An Evening with Graham McTavish”, held in NYC on October 8th.



Q: So where did the idea of “An Evening with Graham McTavish” come from?

Dorianne: From the time the Outlander Homepage blog began, we have been lucky to have had the support of various members of the cast and crew. In fact, Graham was our very first official cast follow. When it was announced that Graham would be at New York Comic Con this year, the event sold out, much to the disappointment of many NYC Outlander fans, including a fellow fan page admin, Lisa Woody, from Outlander Forever. Lisa and I started talking about other ways of seeing Graham while he was here in NYC and Lisa suggested that we create our own event. I’m always up for a challenge, so I agreed!

Q: Great idea! But how on earth did you make it happen?

Dorianne: My husband and I had been lucky enough to meet Graham at the Jibland event in Italy earlier in the year. Graham is a wealth of information on Italy and had chatted to my husband, Jaime, about Italian beaches and their proximity to Rome. Anyway, I contacted Graham via direct message on Twitter, reminded him of our previous meeting and asked whether he might consider attending another event whilst in NYC - with all the proceeds being donated to his charity, Action For Children. Fortunately for us, Graham agreed to do just that, provided it would fit into his schedule, which it did! The whole acceptance process only took about 3 days - it was very exciting!

Q: Well done! But a charity event doesn’t just happen - talk us through some of the organisation that had to occur after Graham said yes. 

Dorianne: I knew I needed help, as our fan page had never organised an event before. I knew what I wanted to do: giveaways (everyone loves them!), food (we all have to eat!) and music. So I contacted Liz Mercado, NYC, SAG affiliate Artistic manager, for talent and our go-to person for Celtic interviews on anything related to Scotland. She had introduced me last Winter to Kyle Carey, a very talented Gaelic singer, who had honored me with a CD of her music. Since I had listened to it until it warped from being played, I knew that I needed Kyle to sing at our dinner. When she agreed, I couldn’t wait for Graham to hear her!  

As far as venues went, Lisa and I felt that an intimate setting would be best, as it would allow the fans purchasing tickets to get an “up close and personal” version of Graham, one that maybe they don’t see at the conventions and panels of the big shows. Luckily, St Andrew’s Scottish Restaurant was available for the exact weekend we needed. On top of that, thanks to donations from many talented Outlander fan artists, our advertising posters, giveaways and raffles were all sorted. 

The final piece of the puzzle came together thanks to Bonnie Terbush of The Peak Posse. Bonnie runs the Just Giving pages of “What’s in the Basket” for the Outlander cast members’ chosen charities and she agreed to speak on behalf of Action for Children. We were ready!

Q: Tell us a little bit about the night. Was it everything that you had imagined?

Dorianne: Yes, it was an awesome experience! On arrival, everyone received a goodie bag and were asked to sign a poster that Graham kept as a memento, by Vera Adxer.



While we waited for his arrival at 7pm, everyone was free to enjoy a cocktail and look at a video montage, by Julia Leblanc of E.JamieOutlander.com






When Graham arrived, he moved from table to table, treating everyone like family, telling stories, taking selfies and chatting.







We ate our meals and later on in the night, Graham was also presented with a plaque for all the work he does on behalf of Action for Children.






https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQLqcPynxgU 

Q: How did the fundraising end up?

Dorianne: It was very successful. We had 17 giveaways and cash raffles, thanks to donations from Dutch Art, Cooklander Cookbook, Barbara O'Boyle and Book Scents Candles. Bonnie Terbush had made a special Outlander chair and a treasure chest that were also bid on, to support her participation in the London marathon next April for Action For Children. 

Graham read out all the winning numbers and by the end of the 3 hours, we had raised 10% plus for the charity. 







Q: So you didn’t really want the night to end?

Dorianne: Well, Graham didn’t, that’s for sure! He chatted and hugged his way through the place multiple times and at 10:30pm, half an hour after his scheduled departure, he announced that he was staying and asked for wine! But all good things eventually have to come to an end. Graham was such a generous guest. He also complimented the entire Outlander fandom, announcing that if he could share a dram of his favorite whisky with anyone, it would be them! 


Graham McTavish and recording artist, Kyle Carey

Graham McTavish, Bernadette Giacomazzo and Liz Mercado 

Graham McTavish with Outlander Forever, Toni Blide, Carole Braun, Laura Michelle Martin, Lisa Michelle Woody 

Karin Smith, (General manager of St Andrews), Fraser Moodie (of 21 Century Kilts, Scotland), Liz Mercado Associates, Outlander Homepage Dorianne and Jaime Panich


The loving Outlander fandom!


Graham McTavish accepting a plaque from Action for Children, UK.




Kyle Carey performing at event
https://m.facebook.com/U.landman/posts/10210975323727122



Thanks to Dorianne Panich for giving us a glimpse of this wonderful event. This interview was conducted by Susie Brown, a writer and teacher-librarian who lives in Australia. She wishes she could have flown over to join in the fun! Tulach Ard!