Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter is the ultimate monument to the biggest movie series of all time and a must for every Harry Potter fan. Set in the colossal studios where all eight of the Potter films were shot is an astonishing collection of props, costumes, and sets that will amaze even the most apathetic of visitors. Opening in Spring 2012, the tour took less than a year to attract a million visitors and the numbers are far from dwindling. Situated just outside of London, the nearest station to the tour is Watford Junction, a 20-minute train ride from London Euston. Prices are fixed throughout the year at £35 for adults and £27 for under 16-year-olds, with packages available for families. Tickets must be booked in advance. An audio guide is available to hire, narrated by Draco Malfoy actor, Tom Felton. At the end of the tour is a gift shop offering a vast range of merchandise, including a number of items exclusive to the tour.
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This Wand Week was a special one indeed. The focus seemed to be on how wands were designed. The Studio Tour ran a contest for fans to design their own wand. The winning wand would then be made a reality. The winning wand was a beautiful creation with leaves on the handle and a colorful phoenix feather wrapped around the entire wand.
As I watched one of the wand designers carve this creation, I started chatting with another one of the staff about how the design for each character’s wand was decided on. He told me that the film directors (starting with Alfonso Cuarón, who decided that each character should have a personalized wand) would meet with the design team and determine what kind of character they were dealing with; for example, the twins are fun-loving, Voldemort’s has a strong connection to death, etc. The design team would then come up with a drawing they thought fit that character.
This design was submitted to J.K. Rowling, who would approve of the wand or send it back for redesigning. This staff member (who was very helpful and insightful) also noted that the trio (Harry, Ron, and Hermione) were all given very organic-looking wands to symbolize their purity. Harry’s looks as if it has just been carved from a tree; in fact, it looks like it is growing from the handle. Ron’s is similar but is cut rougher, with more distinct divots. Hermione’s is the most put together, daintily carved with vines. Each of these wands obviously reflects its owner’s character!
As I watched the crafting of the winning wand, it was clear just how much time and effort went into creating the beautiful detail of every wand for the films. Once again, it shows the detail and care that went into the making of these films.
Always seeking to best themselves, the WB Studio's latest feature is a real treat to behold. Established in time for the British Easter holidays, Feathers and Flight takes you behind the scenes on the series' delights and once again, MuggleNet were given the opportunity to take a look around.
The Great Hall, the tour's grand beginning, has been decked out with a cracking Hogwarts breakfast, laden with toast, jugs of orange juice, and boxes of Cheeri Owls and ready for the morning owl post. Across the hall, hovering above a Ravenclaw costume, is one of the brooms ridden by the twins during their spectacular escape from the Umbridge regime in the Order of the Phoenix.
Further into Soundstage J is a small feature on Rita Skeeter and her Quick Quotes Quill. Perched on a notepad, the details of this animatronic device are explained in a fabulously dated video - judging by Matt Lewis and Tom Felton's chosen hairstyles! However, it does detail the three-week building process for the device and demonstrate how it was controlled, which is quite similar to that behind a remote control car.
The rest of the sound stage is largely unchanged. However such is the magic of this exhibition, that you are never quite sure if certain items are genuinely new or you simply missed them last time. I, for one, am convinced that I have never seen the Inquisitorial Squad badge on Draco Malfoy's costume before or the intriguing bird skull necklace on the Bellatrix mannequin.
Outside in the backlot, Feathers and Flight truly comes alive as you are introduced to some of the film's animal actors. Once again, a handsome white owl is perched atop the Privet Drive sign, ready for selfies with Hedwig! Sandwiched in-between Privet Drive and the Potter's Godric's Hollow cottage, are a series of flying demos. Taking place every half an hour, they are worth any time spent waiting.
First up is a large eagle owl, one of the two used in the films. Sixteen years of age and 2kg in weight, the owl did its best to demonstrate its movie training. The trick, taking a letter in its beak and delivering to the trainer a few feet away, can take up to six months to teach and a week to forget. This dimwittedness is in stark comparison to the next featured performer, a raven. These lethal-looking birds can learn the same tricks as an owl in just a week. The raven present appeared to be closer in& behavior to a dog, than any bird we had previously witnessed. It fetched sticks when thrown for it and even jumped a few inches in the air when commanded. To finish up the session up, a charming little tawny owl was brought out, dozing gracefully on its trainer's arm.
Moving into sound stage K and Potter featherologist, Val Jones, and her team are on hand to demonstrate the feather-making process. Using real goose feathers, each feather is dyed (yellow for Fawkes, grey for Buckbeak, etc.) before the details are individually painted by handed. The feathers are then trimmed to the appropriate size and sewn onto a stretching fabric, giving the illusion of a living animal once placed on the animatronic substitute. Given this detailed approach, the creation of these models for the Harry Potter films was a lengthy process: the owls took around a month, three Buckbeaks took 8 weeks, whilst three Fawkes tool the best part of five months. Still, a spectacular site when complete. But all too soon it is time to leave, although not before stocking up on Peppermint Toads from the shop.
Feathers and Flight is a brilliant addition to the existing exhibition and will be appreciated by new and previous attendees alike. It is also a thrilling reminder of just how much care and attention went into making these films, instilling yet more enthusiasm for what is in store with the Fantastic Beasts films.
Feathers and Flight continues until April 27th, 2014 whilst Wand Week will run from May 23rd to June 2nd.
Report by MuggleNet Staff Member, Claire Furner
The WB Studio Tour is always a fantastic day out but during school holidays they pull out all the stops to make a child's dreams come true. For fans, this means extra behind-the-scenes information and fun-filled interactivity that brings the magic alive alongside the regular superb tour. This week it's Wand Week, with a variety of wand-themed activities around the site. At the entrance you'll find a host to the tour explaining that there are special adventures you will see this week only, helping to build the excitement before you go near the tour itself.
When I visited shortly before Christmas last year, the holiday decorations made the expansive buildings look festive and homely. The tour stayed closed for two extra days over the holiday taking these decorations down and using the time to fix up the regular tour to cast 'Scourgify' and 'Reparo' on a few items and make it look perfect for the movie-loving visitors. This included taking a layer of dust from Hogwarts castle so the fantastic set looks like a beautiful and colorful castle in spring rather than hidden under slight snow – much like the rest of the country. It is now looking lovely so well done to everyone who worked as hard as house-elves over the break.
Additional areas in this week's tour include an extended workstation beside the usual 'wand wheel' where a wand crafter from the films is on hand to explain how each of the three types of wand are made. You can watch as a wooden wand is carved, see the moulds used to create resin versions and see the rubber wands that are less likely to cause damage if someone attacks you with Expelliarmus! Each character had their own wand design, which was influenced by the actors themselves, so look out for your favorite and see if you can find links to their characters.
Further along, you'll find a brilliant interactive station where Paul Harris, the wand choreographer from the films, will teach you the five principal movements in any wizards' duel. You can then test what you've learned if you come across one of the super-scary Death Eaters that are stalking the grounds. If you don't take part yourself, do take the time to watch as there's nothing better than the smiles on children's faces as they learn the stances and flicks for their own magical battles.
In Diagon Alley, you can see Ollivander's robes on display in the doorway of his shop and find out how the wands you've seen be created were used alongside the special effects within the films. From light-up tips to full bulbs that can light Harry, the Map, and an entire corridor in Prisoner of Azkaban, the SFX team has set up magical effects that mean a lucky few can cast their own spell with a swish and a flick right there by Gringotts Bank.
If you get a chance to see the tour this week, I hope you have a magical experience as I did, and if not the standard tour is a must-see for any Potter fan and should not be missed!
A very big thank you to Rowena, Emily, and the rest of the fantastic Studio Tour team!
Report by MuggleNet Staff Member, Rosie Morris
Will Dunn's (James Sirius Potter) Report
So on Sunday, I went back to Leavesden Studios (Now Warner Bros Studios Leavesden I guess...) with some of the other Potterkids (yes, that's what we call each other) to see the WB Studio Tour. IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD. That probably sounds like a shameless plug or something, but it genuinely is.
Seeing the studios again after nearly two years was very, very odd; the place has completely changed, which for film crews and tour-goers is great, it was definitely a little strange for me personally though, even though I only shot there for a week.
SO THE TOUR ITSELF. I don't want to give away too many spoilers... hmm. Well, for starters, there's a really cool-looking café at the start. That's not too spoiler-y, right? I ended up waiting at said café for a while; Ryan (Hugo) Ellie (Lily, Harry's mama, not daughter), and Ben (Young Sev!) had booked an earlier slot, and Helena (Rose) had gotten stuck somewhere in central London, thus I waited with a Sprite, people watching, as you do. So I now hold fond memories of that café, I recommend it, etc etc.
We started the first part of the tour by opening the huge doors into the Great Hall, and then the hangar after that had a huge collection of various sets from the series, which are just amazing to see in person, the amount of detail, and the obvious amount of effort that the set designers put into them, is just incredible. So props to them for that (did you see what I did there?!). There are parts of the Ministry of Magic set too, that especially took me back to when I did Potter; we all did our first rehearsal on that set, with the trio and David Yates, and all the crew. I remember being blown away by the size of it, not to mention the fact I was even there. I guess that was a reminder of how lucky I was to be part of it.
There's a part that involves brooms and green screens... I say no more.
And then, the tour continues onward, but OUTSIDE. Yes, you heard me. OUTSIDE. And what could possibly make this outside-ness better? Butterbeer. And Hagrid's Bike. And the Knight Bus. Helena and I decided to hijack Hagrid's Bike, I got a little concerned I wasn't gonna get out of the sidecar after I got in, but I just about squeezed out.
So then, assuming you've finished your butterbeer (taking drinks indoors is a nono), we proceed onwards again to, if I recall correctly, GOBLINS. And SPIDERS. My mum got especially scared by the spiders. YAY. I believe I saw Warwick Davis' face in a mould somewhere too.
It was pretty crazy seeing all the different sections, and thinking of the sheer amount of people that worked on the films. I think the number that worked on DH was around 2000.
I'm trying not to make this too much of a walkthrough, I have a feeling I'm failing. Oh well. This pic speaks for itself! Yes, it was huge.
Then the wand boxes. To sum it up, pretty much everyone that played a part in the making of the films, no matter what they did to contribute, got a wand box, which are all in this section. I think this is a really cool touch, so often crew members get a place on the credits (or not even that) and that's it, cheers, you're done, bye! But here, the wand boxes give them the extra recognition that they definitely deserve. And let's be honest, having a wand named after you is more than cool.
Seeing my own box was great too! Thankyouthankyouthankyou to Hannah who spotted Helena and me and showed them to us. And thanks for putting up with my requests for Jenny Harling and Jonny Greenwood, her knowledge of where they all are is pretty impressive... as is the enthusiasm of all the people that work there.
And then, that was it. Worth it? Oh yus. The interactivity is so good, and it was a nice little nostalgic Potter top-up for me (I need one every now and again, don't we all?). I think (and hope) I can speak for the other kiddies in saying that we all loved it; we met up afterward for a meal and were raving about it.
Oh, I couldn’t resist doing this either.
Ellie Darcey-Alden's (Young Lily Evans) Report
I think that my studio tour was absolutely amazing; it was a totally awesome adventure. My favorite part was either seeing the mini version of the Hogwarts Castle, riding on the broomsticks, or standing in the Great Hall again, I can't really decide which because they were all so fantastic. Standing in the Great Hall made me feel proud because I remembered being under the Sorting Hat, riding the broomstick was just so cool because I had never really done it before, and as for the miniature castle... well you have to see it to believe it, I think it should be the 8th Wonder of the world. Oh and I also loved finding the Wand Box with my name on it in the Wand room, I can't believe it really...
Everything was mind-blowing, from art sketches to mechanical beasts like Aragog. It was mesmerising to see ALL of the sets and props they used from the first film all the way to the last. All of the crew put so much effort into the making; they had to make sure that every minor detail was correct like every strand of hair on the Goblins to every one of Buckbeak's feathers. It is totally incredible to think that all of this originated from the imagination of J.K. Rowling... Wow completely mind-blowing!!!
I recommend a visit to everyone, I think they should go and experience this wicked adventure.
Keith Hawk's MuggleNet Review
Fan Report by Josée Leblanc
Around this time 10 years ago, I was "forced" to discover the Harry Potter books because I was teaching twin girls reading comprehension and that's the series they were both reading. Over the last decade, I've discovered the online fandom, made countless Harry Potter related crafts (costumes, photo albums, a scrapbook, cards, Ravenclaw swimwear, etc.) and created a Yahoo! Group on the subject, been to four conventions (Convention Alley in 2004 and 2008, Lumos in 2006, and LeakyCon last summer), visited the Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Toronto and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida, bought Harry Potter books in languages I neither read nor speak, to name only a few. Yet nothing compares to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, which I was lucky enough to visit before its official opening on Friday, March 23. I'm sure I must have overdosed on Felix Felicis for this to happen to me.
Getting to the Studio Tour was very smooth and easy. We took the underground, then the train from platform 9 at Euston Station (I think they dropped the 3/4 so Muggles wouldn't get suspicious) to Watford Junction. We then experienced our first wow moment when we saw the shuttle bus, painted with images of the Studio Tour, which you can see, poster-sized, throughout London these days. It was clear that it wasn't Ernie behind the wheel, as the drive was smooth and very enjoyable.
The two buildings housing the WB Studio tour, named "Studio J" and "Studio K", are positively huge when viewed from the outside. Seeing them, you will hardly be able to contain yourself and will want to rush inside to begin your journey. Once inside, you will get a bit of time to admire the entrance hall and its immense posters, as well as the very first props you will get to see (Harry and Ron's trunks, the flying Ford Anglia and a few others). After a brief wait in the queue, you will be ushered in a room with screens. To be honest, I can't talk much about what they showed us, because I hardly remember any of it. I was too excited for what was to come. Once we left that room, we were taken to a movie theatre with very comfortable seats, and watched a short film with the trio, where they mentioned that 17,000 wand boxes were created and hand-labeled. My mind was blown for the first of what would be countless times that day.
When the movie finishes, you expect to be taken through the small door on your right to whatever is awaiting you next. Wrong! The screen actually lifts and *gasps* here they are, the Great Hall doors. Now if you think that you know what these will look like because you've watched the movies a million times, think again because you. are. wrong... and you're about to be proved wrong a million times over. The sheer amount of detail in these doors and in the Great Hall, in general, is incredible. In fact, I would almost compare it to the level of details I had witnessed the day before in Muggle London, on buildings like the House of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. The guide told us that when they filled the hourglasses counting the house points, it caused a shortage of beads in the UK, and I have no trouble believing it. The cylinders are a few inches in diameter and they are filled with seed beads; for those not familiar with them, they are about the size of a grain of rice... cut into four pieces.
Now, I really don't want to spoil too much here, but here's what you can expect to see in the first studio. First, there are dozens of costumes (accessories like shoes, gloves, and jewelry included) worn by the actors. Once again, you will be blown away by the number of details you see on them, from delicate embroideries to detailed beadwork, carefully frayed pants, and rich fabrics. I think the detail that impressed me the most was found on one of Umbridge's dresses: two little pink bows at the bottom of the dress are adorned with golden buttons.
So far, so good. Standing a few feet away, you think they look cute. Now take your camera and zoom in on them as much as you can. Doing that, you'll notice a sort of shape, and you'll think that they're cats. Then once you're back at home and zoom the picture using your computer, you'll notice that they're not cats, but tiny little golden skulls with diamonds for the eyes. Even costumes that are meant to look hideous on screen, like Ron's Yule Ball outfit, look so beautiful when you see them in person that you can't help but take a few moments admiring them in awe. A fair warning to all costumers and cosplayers out there: once you've seen the exhibit, the odds are you'll want to redo your whole costume so it looks exactly like the one you've just seen. I know that's how I felt after seeing the Beauxbâtons robes.
Then, there are the props, which I think I can accurately say there are thousands of Golden snitches, letters from no one, howlers, U-No-Poo and other WWW merchandise, the time-turner, Mad-Eye Moody and Lupin's trunk, wands, turkeys (yes, you read that right), books, Cherri Owls boxes, broomsticks, and much, much more.
Also, there are the sets, which, once again, will leave you speechless. Once again, the amount of details in them is unbelievable. Surely you remember that in Snape's dungeon/office, there is a sort of archway with words on it. We see it briefly and vaguely in the movies since the lighting there is meant to be rather dark. Well, that archway is actually made with copper leaf, which was hand applied. As for the potion ingredients jars, there are quite a few hundreds of them, and they each have a unique name, were hand-labeled and their content is all different. It's made from things like toy frogs that were ripped apart, then severely modified by the props crew to make them look unique. That much I was able to learn by speaking with the gentleman stationed in that area, whose name I unfortunately forgot. Be sure to use your legilimency powers on the staff. They are a wealth of information and you won't even need veritaserum to get them talking.
By that point, I had taken 600 pictures, and I actually stopped the paparazzi work, not because I wanted to, but because my camera battery died as I was snapping pictures of Umbridge's office. If only I could have blamed the short plump witch for killing a Muggle contraption like a digital camera, but nope! I was the one to blame on this one: I had forgotten to charge my battery the day before after visiting Muggle London. Please learn from my mistakes, and a) charge your camera, b) bring your battery charger and/or extra batteries, and c) if you're not from Europe, bring a plug adaptor. I was lucky that Keith had his own camera and a fully charged battery. I could still have kicked myself for my mistake, but at least I didn't go home picture less from part 2 and 3 of the Tour.
Part 2 of the tour takes place outside and you get to buy butterbeer if you wish to. Now I had butterbeer, both frozen and regular, at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, and I took a sip from Keith's in London, and my opinion is that they taste different, though the staff assured us the same recipe is being used for both location. Perhaps it's because I only had a sip in London whereas I had full glasses in Orlando, but I thought the Orlando butterbeer tasted sweeter. Bottom line, visit both locations, taste it and see for yourself! When you get outside, you'll see picnic tables where you can sit down and relax. We didn't, and in hindsight, we should have. You still have quite a bit to visit from there, and you won't want to rush the end of your journey because you're uncomfortable, so take a seat, sip your butterbeer, admire the pictures you've already taken, and relax a little.
Once you've done that, take a moment to look at the large set pieces sitting outside: the Knight Bus, the bridge to Hogwarts, Number 4, Privet Drive, the Potter House (which they were still working on when we visited), the Ford Anglia, and some giant chess pieces. Be sure to take hop on the Knight Bus or Hagrid's motorcycle and in the Ford Anglia to snap a few pictures.
It's now time for the second and last studio, studio K. Though I'm much more into costumes, sets, and props, I must say that this part of the tour impressed me just as much, if not more, as the first studio. There, you get to see the goblin masks and makeup, dragons, a breathtaking Fawkes model, the scale costumes, the Dobby doll Daniel Radcliffe carried to his grave (*blows nose and sniffs loudly*), as well as quite a few animatronics like a mandrake, the flayed baby Voldemort, and the much impressive Buckbeak. That's where I met the most awesome little girl, dressed in velvet Gryffindor robes, bowing to the Hippogriff like a champion (she wasn't the only one either). I, unfortunately, didn't ask for her name, but she sure knew her canon back to front!
From the animatronics we walked up Diagon Alley (starting from Gringotts Wizarding Bank rather than the wall behind The Leaky Cauldron) and got to admire the many shop fronts of Ollivanders, Quality Quidditch Supplies, and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, to name only a few. Once again, the attention to detail left us speechless. After the last shop, you enter a room filled with what can only be described as tons of blueprints, concept art and miniature models of everything from the Whomping Willow to the Burrow and the Quidditch World Cup stands. There, you can learn precisely how high the topmost turret on the Burrow is, admire concept art so beautiful you just want to steal it and hang it in your living room, and stare in awe at the miniatures which are so detailed it's unbelievable. For example, if you look closely inside the miniature created for the Prefect's bathroom, you'll be able to spot the mermaid stained glass window. It was so small taking a picture of it proved to be difficult.
Once you're out of that room, you round a corner and are faced with the pièce de résistance of the whole tour: the Hogwarts scale model. I'm sure you'll recall the reaction the kids had in the Philosopher's Stone/Sorcerer's Stone movie when they first caught a glimpse of the castle from their little boats. Well, that's exactly how you'll react when seeing this miniature (which is still at least a story high) of everyone's beloved School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We thought we had seen attention to detail in the rooms we had visited thus far, but it was nothing, absolutely nothing when compared to what was achieved with the castle. In all honesty, you need either binoculars or a very good camera zoom to fully experience what you are seeing; your eyes alone are probably not strong enough. The little lamp posts are so small they'd make the pen you have on your desk at home look enormous. The bridge is made of pieces of wood that are so tiny you'd think they're toothpicks. They say that if only one person had worked on this project, it would have taken said person 74 years to complete it, and I have no trouble believing it. To be honest, I don't think the English language (or any other, for that matter) includes words powerful enough to express what I got to admire in that room. The fact that the lighting would show Hogwarts throughout the day and night only added to the magnificence.
After that, you'd think the journey was over. What could the Studio tour possibly have left in store? The credits, of course, but with a little wizard twist. After the Hogwarts castle room, you enter a room filled with wand boxes, though they're probably stacked in a more ordered fashion than at Ollivander's. On many of those wand boxes, you notice a label. Oh. I know that name. Here's Daniel Radcliffe. And J.K. Rowling. And Warwick Davis. But who on earth is David Smith? And Nicholas Henderson? And Victoria King? Ask Stephen, the employee stationed there, he'll probably know, as the man's knowledge of wandlore is second to Ollivander's and of the Harry Potter cast and crew is probably unprecedented. In case you haven't guessed it yet, the labels list the name of every single person who has ever worked on the Harry Potter films, whether they were actors, sound recorders, drivers, or concept artists. There are 4,000 labels in that room, which puts everything you've seen during the tour into perspective. Yes, you can find the wand boxes for each and every single actor in the movies, but bottom line is, you'll have to find them because they are hidden among thousands of others who made the movies what they are. As talented as they are, the actors wouldn't have been able to make Jo Rowling's world come alive the way they did had it not been for all those people working in the shadows. Sure, Jason Isaacs can say Lucius' lines just as well in boxers (ladies, you're welcome for that visual!) as he can wearing his robes, but the effect would have been far from being the same had the costuming crew not been there to sew them. And Warwick Davis sure is a wonderful actor, but let's face it, he really doesn't look like a goblin without the makeup on. Seeing that room, you can't help but say a silent thank you to each and every single label/person for the hard work and dedication they have put into those films.
Then you enter the gift shop. So that's it now, the tour is over, right? Insert a big buzzer sound here, because it's not. Even there, there are props to see. The lanterns are the ones that can be found in Slughorn's office, and the shelves are the ones that can be found in the library scenes, though we've been told they had to cut a portion of them so they would fit. The wall behind the cash register is also the one in front of which Gringotts goblins can be found working. The cashiers were very happy to mention how cool they thought that they had the privilege to work in such a setting. The gift shop is obviously filled with treasures for all budgets, from cheap £2.95 Dark Mark lollipop to £39.95 sweaters and more expensive collectors' pieces.
So the tour being over, what do I wish I had done differently. The most obvious would have been to charge my camera battery. Then I either would have left the heels at home or sat down way more often to give my poor feet a break. Last but not least, I wish I had taken more breaks but taken more time in each section, reading every sign, talking to every employee there, etc. I thought to myself "I'll go back and do that later", but in the end, I never did.
A few of my work colleagues asked me which I find better between the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, and the Harry Potter: The Exhibition (which is currently touring in Australia). My answer is that they're all different in their own unique way. The Exhibition allowed you to sit in Hagrid's chair, throw quaffles through golden hoops, and visit sets that weren't shown on the Studio Tour. However, the fact that you can't take a single picture, unless they've changed the rules, without having a prefect following you around makes it a lot less enjoyable. As for the WWoHP, it has the added bonus of letting you visit the inside of shops like Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, as well as eat inside The Three Broomsticks, not to mention the rides, which I enjoyed a lot. And you've just read my full report on the WB Studio Tour. So in short, if you can, visit them all. However, if you had to pick only one, I'd pick the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, if only for the sheer quantity of things you get to see.
I had a truly amazing time visiting the London Studios, and I'd like to thank the WB Studio Tour staff, as well as MuggleNet, especially Keith and Micah, for this wonderful and unique opportunity. And of course, thank you to J.K. Rowling for thinking about Harry and writing his adventures. At the end of the wand room, there was a quote by her that said: "The stories we love best do live in us forever. Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home". So my question to Jo is... When can I move in?
Hidden away in west Hertfordshire, magic is happening. Over 10 years of Harry Potter film history is being unearthed and put on display where, next spring, it'll form one of the UK's most extraordinary attractions. I'm talking about none other than Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter at Leavesden Studios.
Imagine being able to step foot inside The Great Hall, to come face-to-face with a Basilisk, to step inside THE Ford Anglia used in the films - that is just a small taste of what's on offer to fans everywhere. The truly unique tour will let you venture behind-the-scenes and witness first-hand the craftsmanship and magic that has gone into making one of the most successful film franchises of all time.
A few weeks ago I was invited for a sneak peek behind the scenes of the Studio Tour to see how the development was coming along and to take a glance at some of the sets, creatures, special effects, and props that will be featured in the tour. Despite the fact that there is plenty of work still to be done ahead of the launch, I was given a clear vision of what they hoped to achieve.
Everything is being done with great care and respect to ensure an authentic representation of the Harry Potter films. Whilst some of the sets are still erected in their original format, many of the structures and props have been kept in storage where they have faced damage and decay. Drafted to repair and painstakingly restore the items are the team originally involved in creating them. Production Designer Stuart Craig, Make-up Effects Artist Nick Dudman, Stephanie McMillan, a whole host of industry experts have returned to bring the world of Potter alive one final time.
The Tour
The first thing to note is that this place is huge! Set in over 150,000 square feet, the tour will be housed in two studios (J and K - a coincidental homage to the wonderful author behind it all), as well as an exterior space for some of the outdoor sets and props. With great respect to the studio's history, the old Rolls-Royce factory buildings will be preserved - it is this level of care and proficiency that is evident throughout the planning and development of the tour.
The attraction is estimated to take three hours and the studios are expecting around 5,000 visitors a day. The pre-booked tickets will be allocated to time slots with around 120 people per session. A free shuttle bus will be on hand to transport visitors from Watford Junction to the heart of the studios.
As fans arrive at the visitor's entrance they will be immediately presented with props protruding from the ceiling. I'm talking about either a Hawthorne Dragon or a Basilisk suspended from the roof! To the left will be a cafe (no butterbeer, I'm afraid!) and to the right will be a gift shop that will sell some unique merchandise only available at the tour.
The experience starts with 8 digital screens playing footage from all of the films - building the hype and showing you the result of everything you are about to see henceforth. As the footage concludes you will be taken to a cinema where you will see some exclusive messages from the cast and crew reminiscing over their time on the set that many of them called home for the best part of a decade. From here, visitors will be taken to the most iconic and breathtaking of the sets that will feature in the tour, The Great Hall. Moved for the first time in 11 years, it has been meticulously rebuilt like a complex jigsaw so that you can witness the sheer scale and detail of the magnificent structure. Before entering the solid oak doors, you can marvel at the statues that surround The Entrance Hall, which are brought to life by McGonagall in The Battle of Hogwarts.
The Great Hall itself will be decked out prior to The Battle of Hogwarts and will be decorated with the house colors. What is evident here is the level of detail that goes into every single prop. The cutlery for the 1,000 extras was hand-dipped in gold, the tables were distressed before filming and then vandalized by extras (as encouraged by Stuart Craig), all of which added an extra level of authenticity. You will be able to walk on the same York Stone floor and take a seat at one of the house tables used in the films. For the first time, you will be able to witness the faint markings of the house emblems on the walls, things that aren't clearly visible when you watch the movies.
At the teachers' table will be a showcase of the costumes of the Hogwarts staff including Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape. There will also be the House Points vial, containing the very beads that left a national bead shortage when they were installed in 2000.
One of the film's oldest sets, The Gryffindor Common Room will also appear in the tour and will be featured next to the Boys Dormitory. Visitors will only be able to walk partway into these sets - a decision that was rightly made to allow them to furnish the rooms full of props for you to admire. You will be able to see the original beds that were made for Harry, Ron, Seamus, Neville, and Dean, which they quickly outgrew during filming. On one of many screens detailing information about the sets, you will discover that filmmakers had to use camera angles to hide the fact that the teenagers could no longer fit in their beds. It is these insights that make the tour very personal and informative.
Some of the other sets that will be featured on the tour include Dumbledore's Office (with the Griffin doorway, the Pensieve, and Portraits), the Black Family Tapestry, parts of the Library, the Ministry of Magic (specifically the fireplaces, Umbridge's Office and the infamous Magic is Might Statue), Hagrid's Hut, the Potion's Classroom, the Cupboard Under The Stairs (which you can go inside) and the Weasley Kitchen.
Outside there will be number 4 Privet Drive, the Riddle tomb, the Hogwarts Bridge, and the chess pieces used in the Philosopher's Stone. With some decisions still to be made, there may be additional props added outside, with the chance of rotating the pieces throughout the year.
We were told on the tour that there are over 180 shipping containers worth of props and sets, which are available for use on the tour. We can expect to see several display cases scattered around containing some of these items. In addition to these props, will be those hanging from ceilings and walls, including Hagrid's motorbike, the Gringotts cart from Deathly Hallows - Part 2 and Quidditch Brooms. Each will have green screens behind them with moving backgrounds to demonstrate the film technique.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the tour is discovering that elements in the films you expect to be done by CGI were not. A perfect example of this is the beautiful door to the Chamber of Secrets, complete with moving parts. You'll be able to witness some of the special effects first-hand, as Lupin's Trunk folds away before your eyes and Moody's trunk unlocks to reveal an imprisoned Mad-Eye at the bottom (using carefully placed mirrors). In the Weasley Kitchen you'll be able to use hand gestures to animate objects like saucepans and chopping knives and watch the magic unfurl before your very eyes.
Also present will be 3 of the 15 Ford Anglia's that were used in the filming. One will be specially made to provide a photo opportunity with you inside of the car. It is worth mentioning that you will be able to take photographs throughout the tour.
Another huge part of the tour is the creatures and animatronics section. For those interested in filmmaking, you'll get to see how prosthetics and models were used to create lifelike creatures. The sheer level of detail here took me back; we were told for instance that there were several versions of Fawkes the Phoenix, each one had the feathers individually painted and attached. When we were there, art designers were working on Aragog (which is huge!) and they were individually adding each hair to the leg one by one. This level of intricacy is something you don't always appreciate until you see it up close and personal.
In the creature workshop, visitors will be able to see the Basilisk, Buckbeak, the Hog's Head plaque, the Hungarian Horntail, Goblins, an eerily dead Charity Burbage, and the freakishly tall Aragog.
My Thoughts
What I like most about the Studio Tour is the level of honesty and authenticity it bestows. Whilst breathtaking and overwhelming, the tour is in parts very raw - you will be able to see the scaffolding, plaster, and tape that holds the sets together. This gutsy decision was made so that you, the fan, will get to experience things exactly as the cast and crew did when they shot the films. Everything has been done with thought behind it - with Michael Finney telling us that even the lighting and time of day were part of the complex decision-making. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, is a celebration of the craftsmanship of filmmaking of Harry Potter and I highly recommend it!
Due to huge demand, tickets will only be available through pre-booking - they will not be sold on-site. You can buy tickets online at www.wbstudiotour.co.uk, when they go on sale, on October 13th 2011 or from approved tour operators. Tickets will be priced at £28 for adults, £21 for children and £83 for a family of four.
