sitemap
FOLLOW SNITCHSEEKER:

Email Us!

Hogwarts RPG

Students: 9872
Classes: 15
Professors: 12

00
00
View Points

Members

There are 837 users online including...
EmanuelFiz , Methrenhow , MorrissMem

3 members
834 guests.

Members in Chat:



If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   SnitchSeeker.com > Forums > Daily Prophet (News) > Harry Potter News


Harry Potter News Latest news and rumors about the Harry Potter world!

All News Forum Rules and FAQs apply. Click to view.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
 
Old 10-02-2011, 11:02 PM
EmmaRiddle EmmaRiddle is offline
 
Post SnitchSeeker previews Warner Bros Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter

On September 22, SnitchSeeker was invited to get a preview look at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter which is currently under construction at the site of Leavesden Studios in Watford, England, where all of the Harry Potter films were shot over a period of 10 years. The attraction is set to open sometime in Spring 2012, with tickets available at wbstudiotours.co.uk from October 13 – TICKETS ARE PRE-BOOK ONLY, NOT AVAILABLE ON SITE (meaning that tickets can only be purchased in advance; none will be available at Leavesden Studios).

The whole attraction is estimated to take three hours, at most, with tickets being assigned time slots; there will be around 120 people allowed in per session. It is estimated that 5,000 a day will visit during peak times. A free shuttle bus will be used to transport visitors from Watford Junction train station to the studios, with coach companies/tour operators (to be determined) in Central London also to offer packages which will include both tickets and transport, to make it easier for tourists.


The closest comparison you could draw, in terms of Harry Potter attractions that already exist, is with Harry Potter: The Exhibition, which is currently touring the world, displaying props and costumes from the films. However, during my preview visit it became abundantly clear that the studio tour will be infinitely more interactive and experience-based: The Making of Harry Potter seeks to entertain, inform, involve and invite you into how it felt for the cast and crew working day-to-day on these sets which became their home for a decade.

The experience begins with a lobby which will feature 8 55-inch digital screens with footage from all of the films. Automatic doors will then open to reveal a small cinema room where you will watch a video featuring messages from the cast, inviting you in and introducing you to the place they called home for much of their childhoods. While on the tour, I was told how this will culminate but will not share that detail with you as it would spoil the element of surprise.



Sets featured will include but are not limited to; the Great Hall, the Ministry of Magic (fireplaces, offices and the Magic is Might statue), the Black Family Tapestry, the Gryffindor Common Room and boys' dormitory (separate sets beside each other; it would be impractical to have visitors climbing stairs from one to the other), Dumbledore’s Office (complete with green screen pensieve and portraits on the walls) and griffin doorway, Hagrid’s Hut, part of the Hogwarts Library, the Potions Classroom, the Hogwarts gates, the Weasley kitchen and living room, and Umbridge’s Office (complete with creepy cat plates).

It is important to stress that the tour covers two sound stages (J and K – a lovely tribute to Jo Rowling); I only saw J on the day, so there is definitely more to be revealed. There will also be prop cages, filled with thousands of items behind glass and costumes in free-standing display cases. A total of 180 shipping containers were required to move all the props from storage to the studio, to prepare for use once again, containing 11 years worth of history.

Fans will be pleased to know that there will be NO restrictions on photography; in fact there will be several photo opportunities which fans of all ages will relish with excitement. These include but are not limited to; the Chamber of Secrets door (which might open on special occasions – utilising the snake head mechanism), the Flying Ford Anglia (which you can sit inside and will have disabled access), the cupboard under the stairs (yes, you can get inside!), the majestic doors to the Great Hall and the house tables within (which you are allowed to sit on).



As well as static props, there will be ones both in the air and in motion, including brooms, Hagrid’s (formerly Sirius’) motorbike and the Gringotts cart from Deathly Hallows (complete with spinning wheels), with green screens behind for moving backgrounds. Static displays will also feature special effects to create a more detailed experience, for example mirrors and shafts to create the illusion of a Moody at the bottom of the trunk from Goblet of Fire and Lupin’s self-packing trunk from Prisoner of Azkaban, with mechanics showing how that effect was achieved for the films.

Fans will have a chance to get hands-on with some of the props, for example items (frying pan, knitting needles, iron) in the Weasley kitchen which they can bring to life with a flick of a wand or a little bit of wandless magic. The purpose of many of these displays is to demonstrate how much of what we saw in the films was achieved through physical effects, rather than those generated by a computer – you’ll honestly be surprised how much was achieved on set, thanks to the magic of the film-makers.

Much of the Harry Potter feature is walk-through based, where you can determine your own experience, however there will be guided sections in the Great Hall due to the sheer amount of history for that set; there’s far more to learn about it than can be achieved simply by looking at it. Audio and media guides will also be available.



The hall will be decked out like the beginning of a school year, with all the tables set out (with hand-dipped gold goblets and cutlery) and the flamboes and fireplace alight. One addition that the cast will envy is the presence of state of the art air conditioning, which will heat the room in winter (something they didn’t have during filming). To get this centre piece ready for the tour, the Great Hall set was moved for the first time in 11 years, transported in specific sections with the stone floor cut into a giant jigsaw puzzle – at the time of my visit, it was still to be re-laid.

Up close you will be able to see the attention to detail with the house tables, from the way they were distressed prior to filming, to age them, to the way in which extras on set were encouraged to graffiti (to add to the authenticity of it being a school) and have consequently left their unique marks now for all the world to see. The teachers table will sit at the top, featuring the costumes of Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape and more.

On the day I went, there were roughly seven months still to go on the construction process (which presumably means the earliest it will open is April 2012), with work having begun on the studios before Deathly Hallows finished shooting. Key film-makers have been involved in the process, from both an artistic and hands-on perspective, to ensure that the attraction is as true to the world they worked in as possible. These include: Stuart Craig (production designer), Stephenie MacMillan (set decorator), Nick Dudman (creature effects) and John Richardson (special effects). Lots of decisions are still to be made, for example how to light the different sets (should they be lit for a night or day scene) which just goes to show the level of detail the film-makers are putting into this project and the sheer amount of thought they are putting into maximising the experience for fans, both from a Harry Potter and a behind-the-scenes film-making perspective. They are also considering sight lines; for example how far you can walk onto a set to get the best view of everything that there is to see and from what angle.

A sense of authenticity is important to those involved in this project, which is why, for example, you’ll be able to see not just the sets but what’s behind them (e.g. scaffolding, plastering, polystyrene, etc.) You will truly get to experience these sets as the cast and crew did while shooting on them. On top of that, there will be video screens interspersed throughout, with contributions from cast and crew, talking about filming from both a technical and personal perspective, guiding you through the journey they’ve had working on these stories.



There will also be an outside element to the studio tour, incorporating sets and props, including but not limited to; part of the Hogwarts Bridge, 4 Privet Drive, the Riddle tomb from Goblet of Fire and giant chess pieces from Philosopher’s Stone. More may be added to this section and certain elements may be rotated and changed.

Of course, the sets and props don’t paint the full experience of film-making, especially on a project like Harry Potter, which utilised a great deal of prosthetics and models created by the creature effects department. This is another element of the tour which will, again, bring home how much artistry went into making the world of Harry Potter as real as possible, not simply relying on a computer to do the magic. The elements on display from this area will include but are not limited to: the basilisk (both dead and alive), Buckbeak, the Hog’s Head plaque, the Hungarian Horntail, Aragog, a dead Charity Burbage and Goblin masks.

All of these and more are currently going through a process of refurbishment; since many have been in storage or else were damaged during filming. The team wants to make sure they are in perfect shape, ready for visitors to admire. Once again, many will form the basis of photo opportunities for fans and most will utilise animatronics, to show how they came to life on set to interact with the actors. I for one cannot wait to see Rupert Grint’s reaction when he comes face to face with a levitating Aragog.

No attraction is complete without somewhere to eat and shop, so as such there will be a café for visitors which will serve refreshments in keeping with the studio experience (sorry, no Butterbeer here folks) and a shop which will sell merchandise that is unique to Warner Brothers Studio London.



While The Making of Harry Potter is obviously of huge importance to us at SnitchSeeker, Warner Brothers Studio London will also be a fully functioning film studio, the biggest in Europe. Though it wasn’t revealed what for (other than it being a ‘big production’), I was told shooting will begin there in the summer of 2012. The studios are uniquely situated in the sense that they provide largely uninterrupted views for outdoor shooting. Some buildings have been retained from when the site was originally built in 1939 and used as an aircraft hangar, while other parts of Leavesden Studios have been gutted and are being totally re-vamped ready to compete with other English studios, such as Shepperton and Pinewood.

And although there is no set end date for the opening of The Making of Harry Potter, there is a possibility that sometime in the future other filmic elements could be added to the tour section of the facility (e.g., other major Warner Brothers brands; Batman, Sherlock Holmes, etc.)

But that’s looking to the long term future of the studio. For now, with the official opening of The Making of Harry Potter sometime next spring, it stands to be a fitting tribute to not only J.K. Rowling, and the cast and crew of the films, but also to fans, as a massive thank you for all that the past decade has meant to so many people; opening the doors on a world which many, until now, could only dream of entering.

All photos TM & © 2011 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter publishing rights © JK Rowling
Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2011, 07:11 PM   #51 (permalink)
Gryffindor
Red Cap
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 78

Hogwarts RPG Name:
Lily Reinee Burns
Fourth Year
quill Omg!

OMG it would be my dream to go there......
ChloeElyse x
ChloeElyse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2011, 06:33 PM   #52 (permalink)
Members
Bundimun
 
paananlo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Glogowek in Poland
Posts: 23
Default

I'm going on August 18th .! can't wait. ! <3
paananlo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2011, 06:40 PM   #53 (permalink)
Newbie
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 4
Default

i rlly want to go it looks so cool
AllyGator13 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2012, 03:06 AM   #54 (permalink)
Hufflepuff
Bundimun
 
PotterGrangerWeasley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Britian
Posts: 19
Default

Can't wait till I go , it will be the best thing that's ever happened to me in my entire life of 17 years.
PotterGrangerWeasley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2012, 08:16 AM   #55 (permalink)
Gryffindor
Bundimun
 
OwlThrestral3520's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: *Nom Nom Nom*
Posts: 28

Hogwarts RPG Name:
Carrie Wormwood
First Year
Default

WOW I so wanna go
OwlThrestral3520 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2012, 02:51 AM   #56 (permalink)
Members
Bundimun
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: wales uk
Posts: 32
Default

i went to leavseden studios on june 22nd 2012 and OMG! if you love harry potter it is the only place to visit this summer.in my opinion it is on a par with florida usa disneyworld where i visited last summer 2011. the last part of the leavseden tour will leave you breathless.when you see the hogwarts model as we did, just like everyone else the talking stops and your jaw drops in sheer amazment at what your looking at.Fantastic!!

Last edited by bigbaddad; 07-15-2012 at 02:53 AM. Reason: missing letter
bigbaddad is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT. The time now is 08:13 AM.


This Harry Potter and Wizarding World fan website and community is not endorsed by Hogwarts, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Quidditch, Deathly Hallows, Sorcerer's Stone, Wizards, Muggles, No-Maj, MACUSA, Newt Scamander, Video Games, Half-Blood Prince, Orders of the Phoenix, Goblet of Fire, Philosopher's Stones, Chamber of Secret, Pottermore, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Eddie Redmayne, Cursed Child, or any other official Harry Potter source.

All content is copyright ©2002 - 2022, SnitchSeeker.com unless stated otherwise. Privacy Policy

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
LinkBacks Enabled by vBSEO 3.3.2 © 2009, Crawlability, Inc.
Site designed by Richard Harris Design

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228