As announced a month ago, the Harry Potter film series would be receiving a special award at the 2012 American Film Institute AFI Awards, which took place in Los Angeles earlier today. On hand to receive the honour was director Chris Columbus, who not only helmed the first two installments of the series - Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets - but played a key role in creating the film series from its beginning to end, including the casting of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and many of their young costars. Photos of Columbus with the certificate can be found in our galleries.