Today I spent the day at Hogwarts -- the Warner Brother studios in Watford, just north of London where the Harry Potter movies were filmed. It was all decked out for Christmas and, since it was my first time visiting, it was simply magical. One of the reasons I love seeing movie shoots or a film studio like this one is that I like to be reminded of all of the thousands of hours of work that goes into the final product that we see. What we see is a tiny part of the tip of an iceberg of a ton of hard work. I've watched film shoots that took hours to film a scene that turned out to be just 10 seconds of a finished film. I think this is true of so many things in our lives. We enjoy the finished product without much thought to the work, dedication, design, imagination, and hours of production that goes into the making of that product (whether is a film, a piece of art, or simply a product we use). The "Harry Potter" Studio gives you an insiders view of the enormous scope and process of the making of the eight Harry Potter films. The movies we've enjoyed represent just a tiny tip of the iceberg. The Warner Brothers studio shows you the rest of the iceberg and it is fascinating.
Harry's Room at 4 Privet Drive: The cupboard under the stairs
The entrance to Hogwarts and the Great Hall
Christmas and costumes in the Great Hall (which, to my surprise, doesn't look much like the Great Hall at Christchurch, Oxford where the first sorting hat and dining scenes in the first movie were filmed)
Some of the costumes the actors wore
The detail in the costumes and props is amazing
Just a few of the 3000 unique and individual wands used in the films. Harry's is at 3 o'clock, and Voldemort's is at 9 o'clock
The Gryffindor common room: These are the actual props and sets used in the films
The huge swinging clock pendulum used in one of the films still ticks away
This gives you the idea of the attention to detail everywhere. This is just a few of the 1000 jars in the Potions classroom
Here is a view of part of the studio floor with various sets tucked here and there
It was fascinating to learning about how the special effects were done. Who knew that the quidditch brooms have stirrups!
The Burrow -- home of the Weasleys
The actual paper props used in the films
How my kids once wished for a letter like this to arrive by owl
The statue from the Ministry of Magic
The Knight Bus
The detail and design of just about everything there was bind-boggling
The model of Hogwarts used in all the films
Whenever there is a shot of Hogwarts in any of the films, it is a shot of this model. I'm sorry I couldn't get the lighting right but you can see that again, the detail is incredible.
What I loved best about the tour was seeing how an idea went from a descriptive passage in one of the books, to a conceptual drawing, to a model, then finally to a built set. I have such respect for everyone involved in the process. They nailed it! This is the architectural drawing of the Burrrow -- the Weasleys home.
Here is a model of Hogsmeade
Models for the Whomping Willow and the Hogwarts BridgeThe Hogwarts model lit as if it is night
At the end of the tour is Ollivander Wand shop. It is filled with over 4000 boxes of wands. Each technician, make-up artist, designer, draftsperson, engineer, set designer, costume and prop technician, special effects team member, cast, crew, and everyone who worked on these films has their name on one of the boxes. It is a wonderful reminder of the thousands of wizards that worked to produce the magic of these wonderful films.
Thank you for sharing your enchanting experience at the Warner Brothers studio in Watford! Your vivid descriptions and captivating photos truly transport readers into the magical world of Harry Potter. It's fascinating to learn about the intricate process behind the scenes, showcasing the dedication of everyone involved in film production.
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