ハリー・ポッター「プリベット通り4番地」の家が売りに出される。ただし、結構高い

「ハリー・ポッター」でハリーが親戚のダーズリー一家と住んでいた「プリベット通り4番地」の家が売りに出された。価格は…
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2003年7月22日撮影

児童書「ハリー・ポッター」でハリーが親戚のダーズリー一家と住んでいた「プリベット通り4番地」の家が、売りに出された。9月18日、イギリスのメディア「メトロ」などが報じた。

「プリベット通り4番地」の家は、ハリーの叔父バーノンと叔母のペチュニア、いとこのダドリーが暮らす家で、シリーズ1巻目から登場する。魔法学校のホグワーツからハリーに送られた入学許可証には、宛名に「プリベット通り4番地、階段下の物置内、ハリー・ポッター様」と書かれていた。

売りに出されたのは、実際にはロンドンから電車で1時間ほどの距離にあるブラックネルという地域に立つ一軒家。3つの寝室があり、中庭もある。もちろん、階段下の物置も健在だが、全体的にリフォーム済みだという。

プリペット通り4番地
リフォームされたプリペット通り4番地(01 of10)
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(credit:Chancellors, Bracknell)
リフォームされたプリペット通り4番地(02 of10)
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間取り図 (credit:Chancellors, Bracknell)
リフォームされたプリペット通り4番地(03 of10)
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裏庭 (credit:Chancellors, Bracknell)
リフォームされたプリペット通り4番地(04 of10)
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裏庭からの眺め (credit:Chancellors, Bracknell)
リフォームされたプリペット通り4番地(05 of10)
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キッチン (credit:Chancellors, Bracknell)
リフォームされたプリペット通り4番地(06 of10)
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リビングルーム (credit:Chancellors, Bracknell)
Harry Potter house(07 of10)
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BRACKNELL, ENGLAND - JULY 22: A street sign is seen where Harry Potter lived in the Warner Brothers film \'Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone\' is scheduled to be sold in an auction. The three-bedroomed detached house, which in real life is located at 12 Picket Close Bracknell, south-east England, featured in the film as 4 Privet Drive, Little Whingeing, Surrey. The property will be auctioned at a guide price of GBP 250,000 at the Millenium hotel in Mayfair, London at 12:00 on 22 July 2003, house pictured in Bracknell, England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) (credit:Warren Little via Getty Images)
Harry Potter house(08 of10)
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BRACKNELL, ENGLAND - JULY 22: A general view of the house where Harry Potter lived in the Warner Brothers film \'Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone\' on July 22, 2003 in Bracknell, England. The house is scheduled to be sold at auction today by Savills in London at a guide price of GBP 250,000. The three-bedroom detached house which is featured in the film as 4 Privet Drive, Little Whingeing, Surrey is in real life located at 12 Picket Close Bracknell, south-east England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) (credit:Warren Little via Getty Images)
Harry Potter house(09 of10)
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BRACKNELL, ENGLAND - JULY 22: A general view of the house where Harry Potter lived in the Warner Brothers film \'Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone\' on July 22, 2003 in Bracknell, England. The house is scheduled to be sold at auction today by Savills in London at a guide price of GBP 250,000. The three-bedroom detached house which is featured in the film as 4 Privet Drive, Little Whingeing, Surrey is in real life located at 12 Picket Close Bracknell, south-east England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) (credit:Warren Little via Getty Images)
Harry Potter house(10 of10)
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BRACKNELL, ENGLAND - JULY 22: A general view of the house where Harry Potter lived in the Warner Brothers film \'Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone\' on July 22, 2003 in Bracknell, England. The house is scheduled to be sold at auction today by Savills in London at a guide price of GBP 250,000. The three-bedroom detached house which is featured in the film as 4 Privet Drive, Little Whingeing, Surrey is in real life located at 12 Picket Close Bracknell, south-east England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) (credit:Warren Little via Getty Images)

【※】スライドショーが表示されない場合は、こちらへ。

価格は47万5000ポンド(約6300万円)で、デイリーレコードは「決して安くはない」と評価する。2010年5月に販売されたときは、29万ポンドだった。

▼「ハリー・ポッターと賢者の石」画像集▼

ハリー・ポッターと賢者の石 画像集
Harry's room under the stairs: Harry Potter Tour Warner Bros Studios Leavesden London(01 of87)
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(credit:garybembridge/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(02 of87)
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London to Hogwarts Ticket\nfor One Way travel\nPlatform 9 3/4\n\nDaily Prophet\nThe Graphics Department designed and printed over 40 editions of the Daily Prophet, each with advertisements, horoscopes, Runoku puzzles and clever headlines that followed fictional stories.\n\nThe Quibbler\nMore than 25,000 pages of The Quibbler were printed. Each edition containing unique headlines, stories and photographs.\n\nThe Marauder\'s Map\nDesigned by the Graphics Department, using lines made of handwritten text that includes names and hidden messages. After first appearing in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the Marauder\'s Map was redesigned for each subsequent film with new layers, hallways and calligraphy.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogwarts Express in the rain(03 of87)
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(credit:Doug Kline/Flickr)
Steam(04 of87)
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Wizarding World of Harry Potter\nUniversal Studios Islands of Adventure (credit:~Life by the Drop~/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(05 of87)
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Bertie Bott\'s Every Flavour Beans - Banana, Earwax, Earthworm, Bogey, Green Apple, Marshmallow, Black Pepper, Rotten Egg, Sherbert Lemon, Soap, Grass, Dirt, Vomit, Blueberry, Tutti-Frutti, Watermelon, Cinnamon, Candyfloss, Sausage, Cherry.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\nLearn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
La banque Gringotts(06 of87)
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Photo: Charles Gaudreau
Diagon Alley: Harry Potter Tour Warner Bros Studios Leavesden London(07 of87)
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(credit:garybembridge/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(08 of87)
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My first word when I entered Diagon Alley was âWOWâ. \nThis was definitely the highlight of the tour.\nI apologise for uploading so many from this part of the tour. The lighting kept changing and I lost count the number of times I just walked up and down (with my mouth probably wide open)!\nThese photos don\'t really do it justice. It has to be seen to be believed. I can\'t wait to go back.\n\nWelcome to Diagon Alley\nThe Diagon Alley set has never been the same twice. Since its construction for Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone walls have shifted, shopfronts have moved and entire buildings have come and gone. In fact, many of these set pieces were redressed and repurposed as Hogsmeade village for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.\nYears later Stuart Craig and his artists went back to the original drawings and redesigned all of Diagon Alley for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Each building\'s architecture was carefully tweaked and refined to create the picture-perfect street as it is now.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ollivander's Wand Shop window(09 of87)
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(credit:Doug Kline/Flickr)
Le Chemin de Traverse(10 of87)
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Photo: Charles Gaudreau
Harry Potter Tour Warner Bros Studios Leavesden London(11 of87)
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(credit:garybembridge/Flickr)
Diagon Alley: Harry Potter Tour Warner Bros Studios Leavesden London(12 of87)
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(credit:garybembridge/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter(13 of87)
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Warner Bros Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter\nWarner Bros Studio, Aerodrome Way, Leavesden, Watford, Herts, WD25 7LS\n\nA great day out for every fan of the boy wizard.\n\nThe Making of Harry Potter studio tour, covering 150,000 square foot, on two soundstages opened on the 31st March 2012, with stars galore at the red carpet launch at the Leavesden Studios where all eight movies were produced.\n\nThe home for many film productions, including several James Bond features, before a relatively new production company arrived there to make a film about a young boy who on his 11th birthday discovers he is a wizard.\n\nOver the next ten years, the cast and crew of over 4,000 in total used more and more of the studios as the popularity of the books and films grew. The three young stars lived, grew up, went to school and turned into adults there on those stages.\n\nYour tour begins in the foyer, with a flying Ford Anglia hanging from the ceiling and the walls adorned with huge photos of the cast, along with a few props.\n\nPassing by the set of the cupboard under the stairs, you enter a room with a number of vertical TV screens showing Potter movie posters from around the world, followed by a short video sequence showing the rise of Harryâs popularity, the production teams discovery of the stories and the enormous worldwide success of the books and films.\n\nMoving into the cinema, a short film introduced by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, talking about their experiences growing up on a film set for ten years, with clips from all eight films. The film ends with them standing in front of the main doors to the Great Hall and they walk in through the doors and invite you to follow them.\n\nThe screen at this point slowly rises to reveal the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. What a wizard way to start the tour.\n\nWalking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual costumes used in the films. At the far end of the hall is the teachersâ table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick, as well as Hagrid and Filch too.\n\nLeaving the Great Hall you enter the first of two vast sound stages. This includes sets for the Gryffindor Common Room and Dormitory, Dumbledoreâs Office, Potions Classroom, Hagridâs Hut, Burrowâs Kitchen and parts of the Ministry of Magic, also Umbridgeâs gaudy pink, feline office. Each filled to the brim with props and costumes.\n\nProps can be seen everywhere, with a massive cage in the centre, chock-a-block with goblets, chandeliers, wands and armour. A huge glass case contains the wands of 24 of the major characters â less than 1 percent of the total number of wands made for the films. The ornate doors to a Gringottâs vault and to the Chamber of Secrets are seen after passing a wall dedicated to the paintings produced to decorate the walls of Hogwarts.\n\nBelow the giant swinging pendulum of the Hogwarts castle clock there are several huge touch screens containing an interactive Marauders Map.\n\nThere are sections of the soundstage dedicated to various movie-making crafts. The hair and makeup section, costumes section, animal department, graphic design and production.\nThe final section in this first soundstage is dedicated to the Special Effects department with three huge video screens showing all the tricks and techniques, including greenscreen footage and CGI. Props attached to their motion rigs, include the Gringottâs Vault Cart and Mad-Eye Moodyâs Recumbent Broomstick.\n\nIn separate room you can have a go on a broomstick or drive the Ford Anglia yourself, using the greenscreen technology.\n\nThe Backlot about half way round the tour is an open air section between the two soundstages where refreshments are available, including Butterbeer the popular wizarding beverage.\n\nAlso featured on the backlot are the Knight Bus, another Ford Anglia, Hagridâs motorbike/sidecar, the Riddle family tombstone, a section of the rickety wooden Hogwarts Bridge, Potterâs burnt out cottage from Godricâs Hollow and Number 4 Privet Drive.\n\nEntering the second soundstage you pass some of the giant chess pieces from the first movie. A number of video screens here progressively show what it was like to work in the creature shop, cleverly leading you from one screen to the next, past models of Fawkes, a snapping Monster Book of Monsters and a giant animatronic head of Hagrid. The next room has the life size (i.e., ENORMOUS!) model of Aragog the spider and one of three animatronic Buckbeak models.\n\nWalking around the corner (WOW) you are transported into another world entirely. The dark lighting and cobbled street can only mean one thing â you have entered Diagon Alley. The shops using the original sets have been rebuiltâ Flourish & Blotts, Eeylops Owl Emporium, Potageâs Cauldron Shop and of course Ollivanderâs Wand Shop, each and every one them is crammed full of detail. At the other end of the street is Weasleysâ Wizard Wheezes, with the bright orange shopfront standing out from the crowd of blackness and featuring a moving model of one of the red-haired twins doffing his hat.\n\nAt the end of Diagon Alley you move onto the Art and Design department with walls covered with architectural drawings and detailed plans, accurate down to the millimetre, for many of the props and sets already seen. A draftsmanâs table serves as a projection screen for another video about the work of the art department.\n\nMoving on, up the ascending path are walls full of concept paintings and artwork, also intricate cardboard models of Hogsmead and the Hogwarts.\n\nYou are only looking at a model of the model though, as entering the next room, there, spread over at least 15 square metres is the most amazing, complex and elaborate model built to a 1:24 scale. It has a bigger footprint than the average house.\n \nThe last part of the tour is a fitting tribute to the crew and cast of the most popular film franchise of all time. A much tidier recreation of the interior of Ollivanderâs Wand shop, with over 4,000 wand boxes lining its shelves â one for every single person who worked on the films.\n\nExit through the Gift Shop. (credit:Dave Catchpole/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter(14 of87)
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Warner Bros Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter\nWarner Bros Studio, Aerodrome Way, Leavesden, Watford, Herts, WD25 7LS\n\nA great day out for every fan of the boy wizard.\n\nThe Making of Harry Potter studio tour, covering 150,000 square foot, on two soundstages opened on the 31st March 2012, with stars galore at the red carpet launch at the Leavesden Studios where all eight movies were produced.\n\nThe home for many film productions, including several James Bond features, before a relatively new production company arrived there to make a film about a young boy who on his 11th birthday discovers he is a wizard.\n\nOver the next ten years, the cast and crew of over 4,000 in total used more and more of the studios as the popularity of the books and films grew. The three young stars lived, grew up, went to school and turned into adults there on those stages.\n\nYour tour begins in the foyer, with a flying Ford Anglia hanging from the ceiling and the walls adorned with huge photos of the cast, along with a few props.\n\nPassing by the set of the cupboard under the stairs, you enter a room with a number of vertical TV screens showing Potter movie posters from around the world, followed by a short video sequence showing the rise of Harryâs popularity, the production teams discovery of the stories and the enormous worldwide success of the books and films.\n\nMoving into the cinema, a short film introduced by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, talking about their experiences growing up on a film set for ten years, with clips from all eight films. The film ends with them standing in front of the main doors to the Great Hall and they walk in through the doors and invite you to follow them.\n\nThe screen at this point slowly rises to reveal the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. What a wizard way to start the tour.\n\nWalking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual costumes used in the films. At the far end of the hall is the teachersâ table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick, as well as Hagrid and Filch too.\n\nLeaving the Great Hall you enter the first of two vast sound stages. This includes sets for the Gryffindor Common Room and Dormitory, Dumbledoreâs Office, Potions Classroom, Hagridâs Hut, Burrowâs Kitchen and parts of the Ministry of Magic, also Umbridgeâs gaudy pink, feline office. Each filled to the brim with props and costumes.\n\nProps can be seen everywhere, with a massive cage in the centre, chock-a-block with goblets, chandeliers, wands and armour. A huge glass case contains the wands of 24 of the major characters â less than 1 percent of the total number of wands made for the films. The ornate doors to a Gringottâs vault and to the Chamber of Secrets are seen after passing a wall dedicated to the paintings produced to decorate the walls of Hogwarts.\n\nBelow the giant swinging pendulum of the Hogwarts castle clock there are several huge touch screens containing an interactive Marauders Map.\n\nThere are sections of the soundstage dedicated to various movie-making crafts. The hair and makeup section, costumes section, animal department, graphic design and production.\nThe final section in this first soundstage is dedicated to the Special Effects department with three huge video screens showing all the tricks and techniques, including greenscreen footage and CGI. Props attached to their motion rigs, include the Gringottâs Vault Cart and Mad-Eye Moodyâs Recumbent Broomstick.\n\nIn separate room you can have a go on a broomstick or drive the Ford Anglia yourself, using the greenscreen technology.\n\nThe Backlot about half way round the tour is an open air section between the two soundstages where refreshments are available, including Butterbeer the popular wizarding beverage.\n\nAlso featured on the backlot are the Knight Bus, another Ford Anglia, Hagridâs motorbike/sidecar, the Riddle family tombstone, a section of the rickety wooden Hogwarts Bridge, Potterâs burnt out cottage from Godricâs Hollow and Number 4 Privet Drive.\n\nEntering the second soundstage you pass some of the giant chess pieces from the first movie. A number of video screens here progressively show what it was like to work in the creature shop, cleverly leading you from one screen to the next, past models of Fawkes, a snapping Monster Book of Monsters and a giant animatronic head of Hagrid. The next room has the life size (i.e., ENORMOUS!) model of Aragog the spider and one of three animatronic Buckbeak models.\n\nWalking around the corner (WOW) you are transported into another world entirely. The dark lighting and cobbled street can only mean one thing â you have entered Diagon Alley. The shops using the original sets have been rebuiltâ Flourish & Blotts, Eeylops Owl Emporium, Potageâs Cauldron Shop and of course Ollivanderâs Wand Shop, each and every one them is crammed full of detail. At the other end of the street is Weasleysâ Wizard Wheezes, with the bright orange shopfront standing out from the crowd of blackness and featuring a moving model of one of the red-haired twins doffing his hat.\n\nAt the end of Diagon Alley you move onto the Art and Design department with walls covered with architectural drawings and detailed plans, accurate down to the millimetre, for many of the props and sets already seen. A draftsmanâs table serves as a projection screen for another video about the work of the art department.\n\nMoving on, up the ascending path are walls full of concept paintings and artwork, also intricate cardboard models of Hogsmead and the Hogwarts.\n\nYou are only looking at a model of the model though, as entering the next room, there, spread over at least 15 square metres is the most amazing, complex and elaborate model built to a 1:24 scale. It has a bigger footprint than the average house.\n \nThe last part of the tour is a fitting tribute to the crew and cast of the most popular film franchise of all time. A much tidier recreation of the interior of Ollivanderâs Wand shop, with over 4,000 wand boxes lining its shelves â one for every single person who worked on the films.\n\nExit through the Gift Shop. (credit:Dave Catchpole/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(15 of87)
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People the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\nLearn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
Wands(16 of87)
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Wizarding World of Harry Potter\nUniversal Studios Islands of Adventure (credit:~Life by the Drop~/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(17 of87)
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A Magical Production\nThe last part of the tour is a fitting tribute to the crew and cast of the most popular film franchise of all time. A much tidier recreation of the interior of Ollivanderâs Wand shop featuring thousands of wands and wand boxes, each distinctive and one of a kind. In the world of Harry Potter, the wand selects the wizard and each of the wands seen here has selected one of the people who helped to build the magical world depicted in the beloved films. Each box bears the name of one of the more than 4,000 talented, passionate and dedicated people who worked on the Harry Potter motion pictures over a decade of extraordinary filmmaking.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
A Tour Of The Set Of Harry Potter(18 of87)
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WATFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: J.K. Rowling\'s wand box on the set of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, at Leavesden Studios on March 30, 2012 in Watford, England (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
Harry Potter Studios Tour(19 of87)
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(credit:Joe Snack/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(20 of87)
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My first word when I entered Diagon Alley was âWOWâ. \nThis was definitely the highlight of the tour.\nI apologise for uploading so many from this part of the tour. The lighting kept changing and I lost count the number of times I just walked up and down (with my mouth probably wide open)!\nThese photos don\'t really do it justice. It has to be seen to be believed. I can\'t wait to go back.\n\nWelcome to Diagon Alley\nThe Diagon Alley set has never been the same twice. Since its construction for Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone walls have shifted, shopfronts have moved and entire buildings have come and gone. In fact, many of these set pieces were redressed and repurposed as Hogsmeade village for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.\nYears later Stuart Craig and his artists went back to the original drawings and redesigned all of Diagon Alley for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Each building\'s architecture was carefully tweaked and refined to create the picture-perfect street as it is now.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
Pivet Drive: Harry Potter Tour Warner Bros Studios Leavesden London(21 of87)
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(credit:garybembridge/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter(22 of87)
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Warner Bros Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter\nWarner Bros Studio, Aerodrome Way, Leavesden, Watford, Herts, WD25 7LS\n\nA great day out for every fan of the boy wizard.\n\nThe Making of Harry Potter studio tour, covering 150,000 square foot, on two soundstages opened on the 31st March 2012, with stars galore at the red carpet launch at the Leavesden Studios where all eight movies were produced.\n\nThe home for many film productions, including several James Bond features, before a relatively new production company arrived there to make a film about a young boy who on his 11th birthday discovers he is a wizard.\n\nOver the next ten years, the cast and crew of over 4,000 in total used more and more of the studios as the popularity of the books and films grew. The three young stars lived, grew up, went to school and turned into adults there on those stages.\n\nYour tour begins in the foyer, with a flying Ford Anglia hanging from the ceiling and the walls adorned with huge photos of the cast, along with a few props.\n\nPassing by the set of the cupboard under the stairs, you enter a room with a number of vertical TV screens showing Potter movie posters from around the world, followed by a short video sequence showing the rise of Harryâs popularity, the production teams discovery of the stories and the enormous worldwide success of the books and films.\n\nMoving into the cinema, a short film introduced by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, talking about their experiences growing up on a film set for ten years, with clips from all eight films. The film ends with them standing in front of the main doors to the Great Hall and they walk in through the doors and invite you to follow them.\n\nThe screen at this point slowly rises to reveal the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. What a wizard way to start the tour.\n\nWalking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual costumes used in the films. At the far end of the hall is the teachersâ table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick, as well as Hagrid and Filch too.\n\nLeaving the Great Hall you enter the first of two vast sound stages. This includes sets for the Gryffindor Common Room and Dormitory, Dumbledoreâs Office, Potions Classroom, Hagridâs Hut, Burrowâs Kitchen and parts of the Ministry of Magic, also Umbridgeâs gaudy pink, feline office. Each filled to the brim with props and costumes.\n\nProps can be seen everywhere, with a massive cage in the centre, chock-a-block with goblets, chandeliers, wands and armour. A huge glass case contains the wands of 24 of the major characters â less than 1 percent of the total number of wands made for the films. The ornate doors to a Gringottâs vault and to the Chamber of Secrets are seen after passing a wall dedicated to the paintings produced to decorate the walls of Hogwarts.\n\nBelow the giant swinging pendulum of the Hogwarts castle clock there are several huge touch screens containing an interactive Marauders Map.\n\nThere are sections of the soundstage dedicated to various movie-making crafts. The hair and makeup section, costumes section, animal department, graphic design and production.\nThe final section in this first soundstage is dedicated to the Special Effects department with three huge video screens showing all the tricks and techniques, including greenscreen footage and CGI. Props attached to their motion rigs, include the Gringottâs Vault Cart and Mad-Eye Moodyâs Recumbent Broomstick.\n\nIn separate room you can have a go on a broomstick or drive the Ford Anglia yourself, using the greenscreen technology.\n\nThe Backlot about half way round the tour is an open air section between the two soundstages where refreshments are available, including Butterbeer the popular wizarding beverage.\n\nAlso featured on the backlot are the Knight Bus, another Ford Anglia, Hagridâs motorbike/sidecar, the Riddle family tombstone, a section of the rickety wooden Hogwarts Bridge, Potterâs burnt out cottage from Godricâs Hollow and Number 4 Privet Drive.\n\nEntering the second soundstage you pass some of the giant chess pieces from the first movie. A number of video screens here progressively show what it was like to work in the creature shop, cleverly leading you from one screen to the next, past models of Fawkes, a snapping Monster Book of Monsters and a giant animatronic head of Hagrid. The next room has the life size (i.e., ENORMOUS!) model of Aragog the spider and one of three animatronic Buckbeak models.\n\nWalking around the corner (WOW) you are transported into another world entirely. The dark lighting and cobbled street can only mean one thing â you have entered Diagon Alley. The shops using the original sets have been rebuiltâ Flourish & Blotts, Eeylops Owl Emporium, Potageâs Cauldron Shop and of course Ollivanderâs Wand Shop, each and every one them is crammed full of detail. At the other end of the street is Weasleysâ Wizard Wheezes, with the bright orange shopfront standing out from the crowd of blackness and featuring a moving model of one of the red-haired twins doffing his hat.\n\nAt the end of Diagon Alley you move onto the Art and Design department with walls covered with architectural drawings and detailed plans, accurate down to the millimetre, for many of the props and sets already seen. A draftsmanâs table serves as a projection screen for another video about the work of the art department.\n\nMoving on, up the ascending path are walls full of concept paintings and artwork, also intricate cardboard models of Hogsmead and the Hogwarts.\n\nYou are only looking at a model of the model though, as entering the next room, there, spread over at least 15 square metres is the most amazing, complex and elaborate model built to a 1:24 scale. It has a bigger footprint than the average house.\n \nThe last part of the tour is a fitting tribute to the crew and cast of the most popular film franchise of all time. A much tidier recreation of the interior of Ollivanderâs Wand shop, with over 4,000 wand boxes lining its shelves â one for every single person who worked on the films.\n\nExit through the Gift Shop. (credit:Dave Catchpole/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter(23 of87)
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Warner Bros Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter\nWarner Bros Studio, Aerodrome Way, Leavesden, Watford, Herts, WD25 7LS\n\nA great day out for every fan of the boy wizard.\n\nThe Making of Harry Potter studio tour, covering 150,000 square foot, on two soundstages opened on the 31st March 2012, with stars galore at the red carpet launch at the Leavesden Studios where all eight movies were produced.\n\nThe home for many film productions, including several James Bond features, before a relatively new production company arrived there to make a film about a young boy who on his 11th birthday discovers he is a wizard.\n\nOver the next ten years, the cast and crew of over 4,000 in total used more and more of the studios as the popularity of the books and films grew. The three young stars lived, grew up, went to school and turned into adults there on those stages.\n\nYour tour begins in the foyer, with a flying Ford Anglia hanging from the ceiling and the walls adorned with huge photos of the cast, along with a few props.\n\nPassing by the set of the cupboard under the stairs, you enter a room with a number of vertical TV screens showing Potter movie posters from around the world, followed by a short video sequence showing the rise of Harryâs popularity, the production teams discovery of the stories and the enormous worldwide success of the books and films.\n\nMoving into the cinema, a short film introduced by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, talking about their experiences growing up on a film set for ten years, with clips from all eight films. The film ends with them standing in front of the main doors to the Great Hall and they walk in through the doors and invite you to follow them.\n\nThe screen at this point slowly rises to reveal the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. What a wizard way to start the tour.\n\nWalking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual costumes used in the films. At the far end of the hall is the teachersâ table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick, as well as Hagrid and Filch too.\n\nLeaving the Great Hall you enter the first of two vast sound stages. This includes sets for the Gryffindor Common Room and Dormitory, Dumbledoreâs Office, Potions Classroom, Hagridâs Hut, Burrowâs Kitchen and parts of the Ministry of Magic, also Umbridgeâs gaudy pink, feline office. Each filled to the brim with props and costumes.\n\nProps can be seen everywhere, with a massive cage in the centre, chock-a-block with goblets, chandeliers, wands and armour. A huge glass case contains the wands of 24 of the major characters â less than 1 percent of the total number of wands made for the films. The ornate doors to a Gringottâs vault and to the Chamber of Secrets are seen after passing a wall dedicated to the paintings produced to decorate the walls of Hogwarts.\n\nBelow the giant swinging pendulum of the Hogwarts castle clock there are several huge touch screens containing an interactive Marauders Map.\n\nThere are sections of the soundstage dedicated to various movie-making crafts. The hair and makeup section, costumes section, animal department, graphic design and production.\nThe final section in this first soundstage is dedicated to the Special Effects department with three huge video screens showing all the tricks and techniques, including greenscreen footage and CGI. Props attached to their motion rigs, include the Gringottâs Vault Cart and Mad-Eye Moodyâs Recumbent Broomstick.\n\nIn separate room you can have a go on a broomstick or drive the Ford Anglia yourself, using the greenscreen technology.\n\nThe Backlot about half way round the tour is an open air section between the two soundstages where refreshments are available, including Butterbeer the popular wizarding beverage.\n\nAlso featured on the backlot are the Knight Bus, another Ford Anglia, Hagridâs motorbike/sidecar, the Riddle family tombstone, a section of the rickety wooden Hogwarts Bridge, Potterâs burnt out cottage from Godricâs Hollow and Number 4 Privet Drive.\n\nEntering the second soundstage you pass some of the giant chess pieces from the first movie. A number of video screens here progressively show what it was like to work in the creature shop, cleverly leading you from one screen to the next, past models of Fawkes, a snapping Monster Book of Monsters and a giant animatronic head of Hagrid. The next room has the life size (i.e., ENORMOUS!) model of Aragog the spider and one of three animatronic Buckbeak models.\n\nWalking around the corner (WOW) you are transported into another world entirely. The dark lighting and cobbled street can only mean one thing â you have entered Diagon Alley. The shops using the original sets have been rebuiltâ Flourish & Blotts, Eeylops Owl Emporium, Potageâs Cauldron Shop and of course Ollivanderâs Wand Shop, each and every one them is crammed full of detail. At the other end of the street is Weasleysâ Wizard Wheezes, with the bright orange shopfront standing out from the crowd of blackness and featuring a moving model of one of the red-haired twins doffing his hat.\n\nAt the end of Diagon Alley you move onto the Art and Design department with walls covered with architectural drawings and detailed plans, accurate down to the millimetre, for many of the props and sets already seen. A draftsmanâs table serves as a projection screen for another video about the work of the art department.\n\nMoving on, up the ascending path are walls full of concept paintings and artwork, also intricate cardboard models of Hogsmead and the Hogwarts.\n\nYou are only looking at a model of the model though, as entering the next room, there, spread over at least 15 square metres is the most amazing, complex and elaborate model built to a 1:24 scale. It has a bigger footprint than the average house.\n \nThe last part of the tour is a fitting tribute to the crew and cast of the most popular film franchise of all time. A much tidier recreation of the interior of Ollivanderâs Wand shop, with over 4,000 wand boxes lining its shelves â one for every single person who worked on the films.\n\nExit through the Gift Shop. (credit:Dave Catchpole/Flickr)
Harry Potter - Join The Adventure(24 of87)
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A scene from the Forbidden Journey in The Wizzarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure Orlando. (credit:NormLanier - Publisher DailyDisneyPhoto.com/Flickr)
Britain Harry Potter Studio Tour(25 of87)
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General views of the Harry Potter studio tour, Diagon Alley, at the Warner Brother Studios, London, Monday, Dec. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Jonathan Short) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Potions Classroom: Harry Potter Tour Warner Bros Studios Leavesden London(26 of87)
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(credit:garybembridge/Flickr)
Hogwarts Great Hall: Harry Potter Tour Warner Bros Studios Leavesden London(27 of87)
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(credit:garybembridge/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(28 of87)
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Daily Prophet\nThe Graphics Department designed and printed over 40 editions of the Daily Prophet, each with advertisements, horoscopes, Runoku puzzles and clever headlines that followed fictional stories.\n\nThe Quibbler\nMore than 25,000 pages of The Quibbler were printed. Each edition containing unique headlines, stories and photographs.\n\nThe Marauder\'s Map\nDesigned by the Graphics Department, using lines made of handwritten text that includes names and hidden messages. After first appearing in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the Marauder\'s Map was redesigned for each subsequent film with new layers, hallways and calligraphy.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
Hogwarts Model: Harry Potter Tour Warner Bros Studios Leavesden London(29 of87)
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(credit:garybembridge/Flickr)
Britain Warner Bros Studio Tour(30 of87)
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A model of Hogwarts castle from the Harry Potter film series is unveiled at the Warner Bros Studio Tour, Watford, London. The Hogwarts castle model was built for the first film Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone, it was created for aerial photography and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct, measures over 50 feet in diameter and has over 2,500 fibre optic lights. Thursday, March 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Jonathan Short) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Britain Warner Bros Studio Tour(31 of87)
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A model of Hogwarts castle from the Harry Potter film series is unveiled at the Warner Bros Studio Tour, Watford, London. The Hogwarts castle model was built for the first film Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone, it was created for aerial photography and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct, measures over 50 feet in diameter and has over 2,500 fibre optic lights. Thursday, March 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Jonathan Short) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Britain Warner Bros Studio Tour(32 of87)
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A model of Hogwarts castle from the Harry Potter film series is unveiled at the Warner Bros Studio Tour, Watford, London. The Hogwarts castle model was built for the first film Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone, it was created for aerial photography and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct, measures over 50 feet in diameter and has over 2,500 fibre optic lights. Thursday, March 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Jonathan Short) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Britain Warner Bros Studio Tour(33 of87)
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A model of Hogwarts castle from the Harry Potter film series is unveiled at the Warner Bros Studio Tour, Watford, London. The Hogwarts castle model was built for the first film Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone, it was created for aerial photography and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct, measures over 50 feet in diameter and has over 2,500 fibre optic lights. Thursday, March 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Jonathan Short) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Britain Warner Bros Studio Tour(34 of87)
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A model of Hogwarts castle from the Harry Potter film series is unveiled at the Warner Bros Studio Tour, Watford, London. The Hogwarts castle model was built for the first film Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone, it was created for aerial photography and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct, measures over 50 feet in diameter and has over 2,500 fibre optic lights. Thursday, March 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Jonathan Short) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Britain Warner Bros Studio Tour(35 of87)
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A model of Hogwarts castle from the Harry Potter film series is unveiled at the Warner Bros Studio Tour, Watford, London. The Hogwarts castle model was built for the first film Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone, it was created for aerial photography and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct, measures over 50 feet in diameter and has over 2,500 fibre optic lights. Thursday, March 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Jonathan Short) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Britain Warner Bros Studio Tour(36 of87)
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A model of Hogwarts castle from the Harry Potter film series is unveiled at the Warner Bros Studio Tour, Watford, London. The Hogwarts castle model was built for the first film Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone, it was created for aerial photography and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct, measures over 50 feet in diameter and has over 2,500 fibre optic lights. Thursday, March 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Jonathan Short) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Britain Harry Potter Studio Tour(37 of87)
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General views of the Harry Potter studio tour, Diagon Alley, at the Warner Brother Studios, London, Monday, Dec. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Jonathan Short) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Letter from Lily Potter to Sirius Black\nDear Sirius,\nThank you for Harry\'s birthday present. You\'d think he\'d been born on a broom. James says he\'s got the look of a Seeker, but then James would. We had a very quiet birthday tea, just us and old Bathilda, who dotes on Harry. Warmly dropped by late in the day but seemed down and didn\'t stay long. James is frustrated being shut up here, but Dumbledore\'s still got his invisibility cloak so he doesn\'t have much choice. By the way, Bathilda tells the most amazing stories about our old headmaster. I don\'t know how much to believe. Can it really be true that Dumbledore...........\n\nDaily Prophet\nThe Graphics Department designed and printed over 40 editions of the Daily Prophet, each with advertisements, horoscopes, Runoku puzzles and clever headlines that followed fictional stories.\n\nThe Quibbler\nMore than 25,000 pages of The Quibbler were printed. Each edition containing unique headlines, stories and photographs.\n\nThe Marauder\'s Map\nDesigned by the Graphics Department, using lines made of handwritten text that includes names and hidden messages. After first appearing in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the Marauder\'s Map was redesigned for each subsequent film with new layers, hallways and calligraphy.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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Warner Bros Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter\nWarner Bros Studio, Aerodrome Way, Leavesden, Watford, Herts, WD25 7LS\n\nA great day out for every fan of the boy wizard.\n\nThe Making of Harry Potter studio tour, covering 150,000 square foot, on two soundstages opened on the 31st March 2012, with stars galore at the red carpet launch at the Leavesden Studios where all eight movies were produced.\n\nThe home for many film productions, including several James Bond features, before a relatively new production company arrived there to make a film about a young boy who on his 11th birthday discovers he is a wizard.\n\nOver the next ten years, the cast and crew of over 4,000 in total used more and more of the studios as the popularity of the books and films grew. The three young stars lived, grew up, went to school and turned into adults there on those stages.\n\nYour tour begins in the foyer, with a flying Ford Anglia hanging from the ceiling and the walls adorned with huge photos of the cast, along with a few props.\n\nPassing by the set of the cupboard under the stairs, you enter a room with a number of vertical TV screens showing Potter movie posters from around the world, followed by a short video sequence showing the rise of Harryâs popularity, the production teams discovery of the stories and the enormous worldwide success of the books and films.\n\nMoving into the cinema, a short film introduced by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, talking about their experiences growing up on a film set for ten years, with clips from all eight films. The film ends with them standing in front of the main doors to the Great Hall and they walk in through the doors and invite you to follow them.\n\nThe screen at this point slowly rises to reveal the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. What a wizard way to start the tour.\n\nWalking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual costumes used in the films. At the far end of the hall is the teachersâ table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick, as well as Hagrid and Filch too.\n\nLeaving the Great Hall you enter the first of two vast sound stages. This includes sets for the Gryffindor Common Room and Dormitory, Dumbledoreâs Office, Potions Classroom, Hagridâs Hut, Burrowâs Kitchen and parts of the Ministry of Magic, also Umbridgeâs gaudy pink, feline office. Each filled to the brim with props and costumes.\n\nProps can be seen everywhere, with a massive cage in the centre, chock-a-block with goblets, chandeliers, wands and armour. A huge glass case contains the wands of 24 of the major characters â less than 1 percent of the total number of wands made for the films. The ornate doors to a Gringottâs vault and to the Chamber of Secrets are seen after passing a wall dedicated to the paintings produced to decorate the walls of Hogwarts.\n\nBelow the giant swinging pendulum of the Hogwarts castle clock there are several huge touch screens containing an interactive Marauders Map.\n\nThere are sections of the soundstage dedicated to various movie-making crafts. The hair and makeup section, costumes section, animal department, graphic design and production.\nThe final section in this first soundstage is dedicated to the Special Effects department with three huge video screens showing all the tricks and techniques, including greenscreen footage and CGI. Props attached to their motion rigs, include the Gringottâs Vault Cart and Mad-Eye Moodyâs Recumbent Broomstick.\n\nIn separate room you can have a go on a broomstick or drive the Ford Anglia yourself, using the greenscreen technology.\n\nThe Backlot about half way round the tour is an open air section between the two soundstages where refreshments are available, including Butterbeer the popular wizarding beverage.\n\nAlso featured on the backlot are the Knight Bus, another Ford Anglia, Hagridâs motorbike/sidecar, the Riddle family tombstone, a section of the rickety wooden Hogwarts Bridge, Potterâs burnt out cottage from Godricâs Hollow and Number 4 Privet Drive.\n\nEntering the second soundstage you pass some of the giant chess pieces from the first movie. A number of video screens here progressively show what it was like to work in the creature shop, cleverly leading you from one screen to the next, past models of Fawkes, a snapping Monster Book of Monsters and a giant animatronic head of Hagrid. The next room has the life size (i.e., ENORMOUS!) model of Aragog the spider and one of three animatronic Buckbeak models.\n\nWalking around the corner (WOW) you are transported into another world entirely. The dark lighting and cobbled street can only mean one thing â you have entered Diagon Alley. The shops using the original sets have been rebuiltâ Flourish & Blotts, Eeylops Owl Emporium, Potageâs Cauldron Shop and of course Ollivanderâs Wand Shop, each and every one them is crammed full of detail. At the other end of the street is Weasleysâ Wizard Wheezes, with the bright orange shopfront standing out from the crowd of blackness and featuring a moving model of one of the red-haired twins doffing his hat.\n\nAt the end of Diagon Alley you move onto the Art and Design department with walls covered with architectural drawings and detailed plans, accurate down to the millimetre, for many of the props and sets already seen. A draftsmanâs table serves as a projection screen for another video about the work of the art department.\n\nMoving on, up the ascending path are walls full of concept paintings and artwork, also intricate cardboard models of Hogsmead and the Hogwarts.\n\nYou are only looking at a model of the model though, as entering the next room, there, spread over at least 15 square metres is the most amazing, complex and elaborate model built to a 1:24 scale. It has a bigger footprint than the average house.\n \nThe last part of the tour is a fitting tribute to the crew and cast of the most popular film franchise of all time. A much tidier recreation of the interior of Ollivanderâs Wand shop, with over 4,000 wand boxes lining its shelves â one for every single person who worked on the films.\n\nExit through the Gift Shop. (credit:Dave Catchpole/Flickr)
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General views of the Harry Potter studio tour, Diagon Alley, at the Warner Brother Studios, London, Monday, Dec. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Jonathan Short) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Daily Prophet\nThe Graphics Department designed and printed over 40 editions of the Daily Prophet, each with advertisements, horoscopes, Runoku puzzles and clever headlines that followed fictional stories.\n\nThe Quibbler\nMore than 25,000 pages of The Quibbler were printed. Each edition containing unique headlines, stories and photographs.\n\nThe Marauder\'s Map\nDesigned by the Graphics Department, using lines made of handwritten text that includes names and hidden messages. After first appearing in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the Marauder\'s Map was redesigned for each subsequent film with new layers, hallways and calligraphy.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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The Great Hall\nThese are the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. Walking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual house costumes that were used in the films: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin and not forgetting Moaning Myrtle. At the far end of the hall is the teachers table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick as well as Hagrid and Filch. Each of the Great Hall torch holders is a carving of one of the four house animals.\n\nThe House Point Counter\nThough it was rarely seen on screen, prop makers are especially proud of the house point counter, which contains thousands of glass beads.\n\n\nThe Owl Podium\nThe podium used by Professor Dumbledore is covered in real gold and years of melted wax.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(43 of87)
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The Great Hall\nThese are the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. Walking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual house costumes that were used in the films: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin and not forgetting Moaning Myrtle. At the far end of the hall is the teachers table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick as well as Hagrid and Filch. Each of the Great Hall torch holders is a carving of one of the four house animals.\n\nThe House Point Counter\nThough it was rarely seen on screen, prop makers are especially proud of the house point counter, which contains thousands of glass beads.\n\n\nThe Owl Podium\nThe podium used by Professor Dumbledore is covered in real gold and years of melted wax.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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The Great Hall\nThese are the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. Walking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual house costumes that were used in the films: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin and not forgetting Moaning Myrtle. At the far end of the hall is the teachers table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick as well as Hagrid and Filch. Each of the Great Hall torch holders is a carving of one of the four house animals.\n\nThe House Point Counter\nThough it was rarely seen on screen, prop makers are especially proud of the house point counter, which contains thousands of glass beads.\n\n\nThe Owl Podium\nThe podium used by Professor Dumbledore is covered in real gold and years of melted wax.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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The Great Hall\nThese are the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. Walking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual house costumes that were used in the films: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin and not forgetting Moaning Myrtle. At the far end of the hall is the teachers table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick as well as Hagrid and Filch. Each of the Great Hall torch holders is a carving of one of the four house animals.\n\nThe House Point Counter\nThough it was rarely seen on screen, prop makers are especially proud of the house point counter, which contains thousands of glass beads.\n\n\nThe Owl Podium\nThe podium used by Professor Dumbledore is covered in real gold and years of melted wax.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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The Great Hall\nThese are the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. Walking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual house costumes that were used in the films: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin and not forgetting Moaning Myrtle. At the far end of the hall is the teachers table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick as well as Hagrid and Filch. Each of the Great Hall torch holders is a carving of one of the four house animals.\n\nThe House Point Counter\nThough it was rarely seen on screen, prop makers are especially proud of the house point counter, which contains thousands of glass beads.\n\n\nThe Owl Podium\nThe podium used by Professor Dumbledore is covered in real gold and years of melted wax.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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People the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\nLearn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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Hogwarts Bridge\nThough it was never in the original novel or script, director Alfonso Cuaron invented the now iconic Hogwarts Bridge for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, to make Harry\'s and Hermione\'s journey with the Time-Turner more physical and exciting. This is the only section of the bridge that was ever built, the Visual Effects team created the remaining sections using computer-generated effects.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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WATFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: A general view of the potions classroom on the set of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, at Leavesden Studios on March 30, 2012 in Watford, England (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
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WATFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: A general view of the potions classroom on the set of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, at Leavesden Studios on March 30, 2012 in Watford, England (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
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WATFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: A general view of the potions classroom on the set of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, at Leavesden Studios on March 30, 2012 in Watford, England (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
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WATFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: A general view of the potions classroom on the set of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, at Leavesden Studios on March 30, 2012 in Watford, England (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
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WATFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: A general view of the potions classroom on the set of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, at Leavesden Studios on March 30, 2012 in Watford, England (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
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WATFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: A general view of the potions classroom on the set of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, at Leavesden Studios on March 30, 2012 in Watford, England (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
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WATFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: A general view of the potions classroom on the set of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, at Leavesden Studios on March 30, 2012 in Watford, England (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) (credit:Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images)
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(credit:Rob Young/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter(57 of87)
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Warner Bros Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter\nWarner Bros Studio, Aerodrome Way, Leavesden, Watford, Herts, WD25 7LS\n\nA great day out for every fan of the boy wizard.\n\nThe Making of Harry Potter studio tour, covering 150,000 square foot, on two soundstages opened on the 31st March 2012, with stars galore at the red carpet launch at the Leavesden Studios where all eight movies were produced.\n\nThe home for many film productions, including several James Bond features, before a relatively new production company arrived there to make a film about a young boy who on his 11th birthday discovers he is a wizard.\n\nOver the next ten years, the cast and crew of over 4,000 in total used more and more of the studios as the popularity of the books and films grew. The three young stars lived, grew up, went to school and turned into adults there on those stages.\n\nYour tour begins in the foyer, with a flying Ford Anglia hanging from the ceiling and the walls adorned with huge photos of the cast, along with a few props.\n\nPassing by the set of the cupboard under the stairs, you enter a room with a number of vertical TV screens showing Potter movie posters from around the world, followed by a short video sequence showing the rise of Harryâs popularity, the production teams discovery of the stories and the enormous worldwide success of the books and films.\n\nMoving into the cinema, a short film introduced by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, talking about their experiences growing up on a film set for ten years, with clips from all eight films. The film ends with them standing in front of the main doors to the Great Hall and they walk in through the doors and invite you to follow them.\n\nThe screen at this point slowly rises to reveal the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. What a wizard way to start the tour.\n\nWalking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual costumes used in the films. At the far end of the hall is the teachersâ table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick, as well as Hagrid and Filch too.\n\nLeaving the Great Hall you enter the first of two vast sound stages. This includes sets for the Gryffindor Common Room and Dormitory, Dumbledoreâs Office, Potions Classroom, Hagridâs Hut, Burrowâs Kitchen and parts of the Ministry of Magic, also Umbridgeâs gaudy pink, feline office. Each filled to the brim with props and costumes.\n\nProps can be seen everywhere, with a massive cage in the centre, chock-a-block with goblets, chandeliers, wands and armour. A huge glass case contains the wands of 24 of the major characters â less than 1 percent of the total number of wands made for the films. The ornate doors to a Gringottâs vault and to the Chamber of Secrets are seen after passing a wall dedicated to the paintings produced to decorate the walls of Hogwarts.\n\nBelow the giant swinging pendulum of the Hogwarts castle clock there are several huge touch screens containing an interactive Marauders Map.\n\nThere are sections of the soundstage dedicated to various movie-making crafts. The hair and makeup section, costumes section, animal department, graphic design and production.\nThe final section in this first soundstage is dedicated to the Special Effects department with three huge video screens showing all the tricks and techniques, including greenscreen footage and CGI. Props attached to their motion rigs, include the Gringottâs Vault Cart and Mad-Eye Moodyâs Recumbent Broomstick.\n\nIn separate room you can have a go on a broomstick or drive the Ford Anglia yourself, using the greenscreen technology.\n\nThe Backlot about half way round the tour is an open air section between the two soundstages where refreshments are available, including Butterbeer the popular wizarding beverage.\n\nAlso featured on the backlot are the Knight Bus, another Ford Anglia, Hagridâs motorbike/sidecar, the Riddle family tombstone, a section of the rickety wooden Hogwarts Bridge, Potterâs burnt out cottage from Godricâs Hollow and Number 4 Privet Drive.\n\nEntering the second soundstage you pass some of the giant chess pieces from the first movie. A number of video screens here progressively show what it was like to work in the creature shop, cleverly leading you from one screen to the next, past models of Fawkes, a snapping Monster Book of Monsters and a giant animatronic head of Hagrid. The next room has the life size (i.e., ENORMOUS!) model of Aragog the spider and one of three animatronic Buckbeak models.\n\nWalking around the corner (WOW) you are transported into another world entirely. The dark lighting and cobbled street can only mean one thing â you have entered Diagon Alley. The shops using the original sets have been rebuiltâ Flourish & Blotts, Eeylops Owl Emporium, Potageâs Cauldron Shop and of course Ollivanderâs Wand Shop, each and every one them is crammed full of detail. At the other end of the street is Weasleysâ Wizard Wheezes, with the bright orange shopfront standing out from the crowd of blackness and featuring a moving model of one of the red-haired twins doffing his hat.\n\nAt the end of Diagon Alley you move onto the Art and Design department with walls covered with architectural drawings and detailed plans, accurate down to the millimetre, for many of the props and sets already seen. A draftsmanâs table serves as a projection screen for another video about the work of the art department.\n\nMoving on, up the ascending path are walls full of concept paintings and artwork, also intricate cardboard models of Hogsmead and the Hogwarts.\n\nYou are only looking at a model of the model though, as entering the next room, there, spread over at least 15 square metres is the most amazing, complex and elaborate model built to a 1:24 scale. It has a bigger footprint than the average house.\n \nThe last part of the tour is a fitting tribute to the crew and cast of the most popular film franchise of all time. A much tidier recreation of the interior of Ollivanderâs Wand shop, with over 4,000 wand boxes lining its shelves â one for every single person who worked on the films.\n\nExit through the Gift Shop. (credit:Dave Catchpole/Flickr)
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Potions Classroom\nHidden deep in Hogwarts dungeons is the Potions Classroom, a room lined with dusty shelves full of peculiar jars and bottles which was the haven of Professors Snape and Slughorn.\nFor Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone the classroom was actually shot on-location at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, England. For subsequent films a version of the set was built here at Leavesden with some additional magic touches. More than five hundred bottles line the walls of the classroom, many with their own handcrafted labels.\n\n\nSelf-Stiring Cauldron\nTo add a bit more wizardry to the classroom, John Richardson\'s Special Effects team designed this cauldron that mechanically stirs itself.\n\nGilded Archways\nThese brass-leafed archways contain cryptic Latin and English inscriptions of potions ingredients and rare minerals, all selected from ancient alchemy recipes.\n\nGiner Roots and Salamanders\nAmong the ingredients kept on the classroom shelves are plastic animals from Regent\'s Park Zoo gift shop, baked animal bones from a local butcher shop and dried leaves & herbs.\n\n\nA Magical Transformation\nPortions of this room were constructed for Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone but since then this room has gone through several changes.\nThe room was first seen in Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone as the small closet where Fluffy the three-headed dog guarded the trap door leading to the Philosopher\'s Stone.\nFor Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the production team revamped the space to create Professor Snape\'s office.\nIn 2008 the set was redressed again for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as the potions classroom and the entire room was made larger.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(59 of87)
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Potions Classroom\nHidden deep in Hogwarts dungeons is the Potions Classroom, a room lined with dusty shelves full of peculiar jars and bottles which was the haven of Professors Snape and Slughorn.\nFor Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone the classroom was actually shot on-location at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, England. For subsequent films a version of the set was built here at Leavesden with some additional magic touches. More than five hundred bottles line the walls of the classroom, many with their own handcrafted labels.\n\n\nSelf-Stiring Cauldron\nTo add a bit more wizardry to the classroom, John Richardson\'s Special Effects team designed this cauldron that mechanically stirs itself.\n\nGilded Archways\nThese brass-leafed archways contain cryptic Latin and English inscriptions of potions ingredients and rare minerals, all selected from ancient alchemy recipes.\n\nGiner Roots and Salamanders\nAmong the ingredients kept on the classroom shelves are plastic animals from Regent\'s Park Zoo gift shop, baked animal bones from a local butcher shop and dried leaves & herbs.\n\n\nA Magical Transformation\nPortions of this room were constructed for Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone but since then this room has gone through several changes.\nThe room was first seen in Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone as the small closet where Fluffy the three-headed dog guarded the trap door leading to the Philosopher\'s Stone.\nFor Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the production team revamped the space to create Professor Snape\'s office.\nIn 2008 the set was redressed again for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as the potions classroom and the entire room was made larger.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(60 of87)
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Potions Classroom\nHidden deep in Hogwarts dungeons is the Potions Classroom, a room lined with dusty shelves full of peculiar jars and bottles which was the haven of Professors Snape and Slughorn.\nFor Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone the classroom was actually shot on-location at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, England. For subsequent films a version of the set was built here at Leavesden with some additional magic touches. More than five hundred bottles line the walls of the classroom, many with their own handcrafted labels.\n\n\nSelf-Stiring Cauldron\nTo add a bit more wizardry to the classroom, John Richardson\'s Special Effects team designed this cauldron that mechanically stirs itself.\n\nGilded Archways\nThese brass-leafed archways contain cryptic Latin and English inscriptions of potions ingredients and rare minerals, all selected from ancient alchemy recipes.\n\nGiner Roots and Salamanders\nAmong the ingredients kept on the classroom shelves are plastic animals from Regent\'s Park Zoo gift shop, baked animal bones from a local butcher shop and dried leaves & herbs.\n\n\nA Magical Transformation\nPortions of this room were constructed for Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone but since then this room has gone through several changes.\nThe room was first seen in Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone as the small closet where Fluffy the three-headed dog guarded the trap door leading to the Philosopher\'s Stone.\nFor Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the production team revamped the space to create Professor Snape\'s office.\nIn 2008 the set was redressed again for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as the potions classroom and the entire room was made larger.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(61 of87)
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Potions Classroom\nHidden deep in Hogwarts dungeons is the Potions Classroom, a room lined with dusty shelves full of peculiar jars and bottles which was the haven of Professors Snape and Slughorn.\nFor Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone the classroom was actually shot on-location at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, England. For subsequent films a version of the set was built here at Leavesden with some additional magic touches. More than five hundred bottles line the walls of the classroom, many with their own handcrafted labels.\n\n\nSelf-Stiring Cauldron\nTo add a bit more wizardry to the classroom, John Richardson\'s Special Effects team designed this cauldron that mechanically stirs itself.\n\nGilded Archways\nThese brass-leafed archways contain cryptic Latin and English inscriptions of potions ingredients and rare minerals, all selected from ancient alchemy recipes.\n\nGiner Roots and Salamanders\nAmong the ingredients kept on the classroom shelves are plastic animals from Regent\'s Park Zoo gift shop, baked animal bones from a local butcher shop and dried leaves & herbs.\n\n\nA Magical Transformation\nPortions of this room were constructed for Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone but since then this room has gone through several changes.\nThe room was first seen in Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone as the small closet where Fluffy the three-headed dog guarded the trap door leading to the Philosopher\'s Stone.\nFor Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the production team revamped the space to create Professor Snape\'s office.\nIn 2008 the set was redressed again for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as the potions classroom and the entire room was made larger.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(62 of87)
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Potions Classroom\nHidden deep in Hogwarts dungeons is the Potions Classroom, a room lined with dusty shelves full of peculiar jars and bottles which was the haven of Professors Snape and Slughorn.\nFor Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone the classroom was actually shot on-location at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, England. For subsequent films a version of the set was built here at Leavesden with some additional magic touches. More than five hundred bottles line the walls of the classroom, many with their own handcrafted labels.\n\n\nSelf-Stiring Cauldron\nTo add a bit more wizardry to the classroom, John Richardson\'s Special Effects team designed this cauldron that mechanically stirs itself.\n\nGilded Archways\nThese brass-leafed archways contain cryptic Latin and English inscriptions of potions ingredients and rare minerals, all selected from ancient alchemy recipes.\n\nGiner Roots and Salamanders\nAmong the ingredients kept on the classroom shelves are plastic animals from Regent\'s Park Zoo gift shop, baked animal bones from a local butcher shop and dried leaves & herbs.\n\n\nA Magical Transformation\nPortions of this room were constructed for Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone but since then this room has gone through several changes.\nThe room was first seen in Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone as the small closet where Fluffy the three-headed dog guarded the trap door leading to the Philosopher\'s Stone.\nFor Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the production team revamped the space to create Professor Snape\'s office.\nIn 2008 the set was redressed again for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as the potions classroom and the entire room was made larger.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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Dumbledore\'s Office\nIn one of the highest towers in Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore kept his office. A quiet retreat and study for the sage Headmaster. Dumbledore\'s fascination with the universe and the heavens led production designer Stuart Craig to lean toward astronomy as the room\'s defining feature.\nFor Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the script called for a new Hogwarts classroom where Harry could practise advanced magic with Professor Lupin. Instead of constructing an entirely new set, this room was redressed by replacing the books with even more scientific instruments. \n\nThe Sword of Godric Gryffindor\nThe sword was purchased from a prop company and the hilt was then recreated based on a number of other sword designs.\n\nPortraits\nThe office features 48 portraits of sleeping Hogwarts Headmasters which were painted from still photographs of the actors.\n\nDumbledore\'s Bookshelves\nHundreds of books cover the shelves of Dumbledore\'s study which are actually British phonebooks covered in leather.\n\nThe Memory Cabinet\nDumbledore kept his memories, as well as those he had gathered from other wizards, inside this cabinet filled with more than 800 tiny handmade and hand-labelled vials.\n\nThe Pensieve\nThis enchanted basin was used by Professor Dumbledore and Harry to revisit distant memories. To create this magical effect, the Visual Effects Department digitally replaced a greenscreen inside the basin with a pool of reflective liquid.\n\nDumbledore\'s Robes\nStanding at the top of the stairs; as worn by Richard Harris in Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone.\nNext to his desk; as worn by Michael Gambon in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
Harry Potter Studios Tour(64 of87)
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(credit:Joe Snack/Flickr)
Hogwart's Gates: Harry Potter Tour Warner Bros Studios Leavesden London(65 of87)
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(credit:garybembridge/Flickr)
Griffindor Boys Dormitory: Harry Potter Tour Warner Bros Studios Leavesden London(66 of87)
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(credit:garybembridge/Flickr)
Griffindor Boys Dormitory: Harry Potter Tour Warner Bros Studios Leavesden London(67 of87)
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(credit:garybembridge/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012(68 of87)
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Gryffindor Common Room\nOne of the longest standing sets of the Harry Potter films. This set took nearly three months to complete because of its incredible detail, just slightly less time than the much larger set built for the Great Hall.\nTo cover the common room walls, the Set Decoration Department hung reproductions of the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, chosen for their medieval look and prominent use of the Gryffindor colours, scarlet and gold.\nHarry, Ron and Hermione enjoyed some of their most memorable moments in the common room and very quickly this room became a favourite set, not just for fans, but for members of the cast and crew alike.\nThe Gryffindor common room and boys dormitory were actually built as two connected sets. The spiral staircase leads up to a hallway that, in one direction, led to the boys dormitory set and the other direction a doorway simply drops off to nowhere.\nEach portrait on the Gryffindor common room walls depicts one of the former Gryffindor Heads of House, including Minerva McGonagall (Dame Maggie Smith).\nThe common room Wizard\'s Wireless has two lips on the front grille that actually move like a talking mouth, a magical touch built by the Special Effects Department.\n\nThe Invisibility Cloak\nHarry Potter\'s invisibility cloak was passed down to him by his father James. Like his father, Harry used the cloak to sneak into forbidden areas of Hogwarts.\nThe films costumers created this one-of-a-kind from a special velvet fabric and printed Celtic symbols and ancient runes onto it here at Leavesden. Several cloaks were made, including a version with a green fabric lining which allowed the Visual Effects Department to make Harry and his friends invisible.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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Gryffindor Common Room\nOne of the longest standing sets of the Harry Potter films. This set took nearly three months to complete because of its incredible detail, just slightly less time than the much larger set built for the Great Hall.\nTo cover the common room walls, the Set Decoration Department hung reproductions of the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, chosen for their medieval look and prominent use of the Gryffindor colours, scarlet and gold.\nHarry, Ron and Hermione enjoyed some of their most memorable moments in the common room and very quickly this room became a favourite set, not just for fans, but for members of the cast and crew alike.\nThe Gryffindor common room and boys dormitory were actually built as two connected sets. The spiral staircase leads up to a hallway that, in one direction, led to the boys dormitory set and the other direction a doorway simply drops off to nowhere.\nEach portrait on the Gryffindor common room walls depicts one of the former Gryffindor Heads of House, including Minerva McGonagall (Dame Maggie Smith).\nThe common room Wizard\'s Wireless has two lips on the front grille that actually move like a talking mouth, a magical touch built by the Special Effects Department.\n\nThe Invisibility Cloak\nHarry Potter\'s invisibility cloak was passed down to him by his father James. Like his father, Harry used the cloak to sneak into forbidden areas of Hogwarts.\nThe films costumers created this one-of-a-kind from a special velvet fabric and printed Celtic symbols and ancient runes onto it here at Leavesden. Several cloaks were made, including a version with a green fabric lining which allowed the Visual Effects Department to make Harry and his friends invisible.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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Gryffindor Boys Dormitory\nUp the spiral staircase from the common room, the Gryffindor boys dormitory was Harry and Ron\'s escape from the stress of school and adventure.\nThis set was built in 2000 for Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. The small, circular shape of the room was the designer\'s way of creating a space in which Harry would finally feel at home.\nSet decorator Stephanie McMillan used this Godin stove, from France, whilst working on the film Chocolat in 2000 and brought it back with her for the Harry Potter series.\nAs the boys grew up, the set decorators personalised the bedside tables in the dormitory; for example, they put posters and pennants of Ron\'s favourite Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons, up near his bed.\nAlthough the cast quickly outgrew the dormitory, they stayed the same size in the later films. The boys legs hung off the ends of the 5\' 9â long beds, although due to the position of the camera, this wasn\'t seen on-screen.\nSet decorator Stephanie McMillan had planned to print an astrological pattern on fabric for the bed curtains. However, whilst walking through London she spotted the perfect fabric in a shop window.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
La salle commune des Gryffondor(71 of87)
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Photo: Charles Gaudreau
Harry Potter Studio Tour(72 of87)
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The Making of Harry Potter. Warner Brothers Studio Tour. London, England. May 26th 2012. (credit:Sarah_Ackerman/Flickr)
Harry Potter Studio Tour(73 of87)
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The Making of Harry Potter. Warner Brothers Studio Tour. London, England. May 26th 2012. (credit:Sarah_Ackerman/Flickr)
Le bureau du directeur Dumbledore(74 of87)
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Photo: Charles Gaudreau
Dumbledore's Office: Harry Potter Tour Warner Bros Studios Leavesden London(75 of87)
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(credit:garybembridge/Flickr)
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The Griffin Stairwell\nDumbledore\'s office, located in a Hogwarts Tower, was accessible by this magically spiralling griffin stairwell. Two versions of the beautifully sculpted stairs were created including the static model seen here. A second, fully-functioning version, seen in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, proved to be one of the Special Effects Department\'s most challenging tasks, as it required one of the most complicated devices ever built. The moving stairs were submerged in a twelve foot deep hole in the stage floor, along with the mechanics that controlled their up and down movement.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
The Making of Harry Potter(77 of87)
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Warner Bros Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter\nWarner Bros Studio, Aerodrome Way, Leavesden, Watford, Herts, WD25 7LS\n\nA great day out for every fan of the boy wizard.\n\nThe Making of Harry Potter studio tour, covering 150,000 square foot, on two soundstages opened on the 31st March 2012, with stars galore at the red carpet launch at the Leavesden Studios where all eight movies were produced.\n\nThe home for many film productions, including several James Bond features, before a relatively new production company arrived there to make a film about a young boy who on his 11th birthday discovers he is a wizard.\n\nOver the next ten years, the cast and crew of over 4,000 in total used more and more of the studios as the popularity of the books and films grew. The three young stars lived, grew up, went to school and turned into adults there on those stages.\n\nYour tour begins in the foyer, with a flying Ford Anglia hanging from the ceiling and the walls adorned with huge photos of the cast, along with a few props.\n\nPassing by the set of the cupboard under the stairs, you enter a room with a number of vertical TV screens showing Potter movie posters from around the world, followed by a short video sequence showing the rise of Harryâs popularity, the production teams discovery of the stories and the enormous worldwide success of the books and films.\n\nMoving into the cinema, a short film introduced by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, talking about their experiences growing up on a film set for ten years, with clips from all eight films. The film ends with them standing in front of the main doors to the Great Hall and they walk in through the doors and invite you to follow them.\n\nThe screen at this point slowly rises to reveal the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. What a wizard way to start the tour.\n\nWalking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual costumes used in the films. At the far end of the hall is the teachersâ table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick, as well as Hagrid and Filch too.\n\nLeaving the Great Hall you enter the first of two vast sound stages. This includes sets for the Gryffindor Common Room and Dormitory, Dumbledoreâs Office, Potions Classroom, Hagridâs Hut, Burrowâs Kitchen and parts of the Ministry of Magic, also Umbridgeâs gaudy pink, feline office. Each filled to the brim with props and costumes.\n\nProps can be seen everywhere, with a massive cage in the centre, chock-a-block with goblets, chandeliers, wands and armour. A huge glass case contains the wands of 24 of the major characters â less than 1 percent of the total number of wands made for the films. The ornate doors to a Gringottâs vault and to the Chamber of Secrets are seen after passing a wall dedicated to the paintings produced to decorate the walls of Hogwarts.\n\nBelow the giant swinging pendulum of the Hogwarts castle clock there are several huge touch screens containing an interactive Marauders Map.\n\nThere are sections of the soundstage dedicated to various movie-making crafts. The hair and makeup section, costumes section, animal department, graphic design and production.\nThe final section in this first soundstage is dedicated to the Special Effects department with three huge video screens showing all the tricks and techniques, including greenscreen footage and CGI. Props attached to their motion rigs, include the Gringottâs Vault Cart and Mad-Eye Moodyâs Recumbent Broomstick.\n\nIn separate room you can have a go on a broomstick or drive the Ford Anglia yourself, using the greenscreen technology.\n\nThe Backlot about half way round the tour is an open air section between the two soundstages where refreshments are available, including Butterbeer the popular wizarding beverage.\n\nAlso featured on the backlot are the Knight Bus, another Ford Anglia, Hagridâs motorbike/sidecar, the Riddle family tombstone, a section of the rickety wooden Hogwarts Bridge, Potterâs burnt out cottage from Godricâs Hollow and Number 4 Privet Drive.\n\nEntering the second soundstage you pass some of the giant chess pieces from the first movie. A number of video screens here progressively show what it was like to work in the creature shop, cleverly leading you from one screen to the next, past models of Fawkes, a snapping Monster Book of Monsters and a giant animatronic head of Hagrid. The next room has the life size (i.e., ENORMOUS!) model of Aragog the spider and one of three animatronic Buckbeak models.\n\nWalking around the corner (WOW) you are transported into another world entirely. The dark lighting and cobbled street can only mean one thing â you have entered Diagon Alley. The shops using the original sets have been rebuiltâ Flourish & Blotts, Eeylops Owl Emporium, Potageâs Cauldron Shop and of course Ollivanderâs Wand Shop, each and every one them is crammed full of detail. At the other end of the street is Weasleysâ Wizard Wheezes, with the bright orange shopfront standing out from the crowd of blackness and featuring a moving model of one of the red-haired twins doffing his hat.\n\nAt the end of Diagon Alley you move onto the Art and Design department with walls covered with architectural drawings and detailed plans, accurate down to the millimetre, for many of the props and sets already seen. A draftsmanâs table serves as a projection screen for another video about the work of the art department.\n\nMoving on, up the ascending path are walls full of concept paintings and artwork, also intricate cardboard models of Hogsmead and the Hogwarts.\n\nYou are only looking at a model of the model though, as entering the next room, there, spread over at least 15 square metres is the most amazing, complex and elaborate model built to a 1:24 scale. It has a bigger footprint than the average house.\n \nThe last part of the tour is a fitting tribute to the crew and cast of the most popular film franchise of all time. A much tidier recreation of the interior of Ollivanderâs Wand shop, with over 4,000 wand boxes lining its shelves â one for every single person who worked on the films.\n\nExit through the Gift Shop. (credit:Dave Catchpole/Flickr)
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Hogwarts Bridge\nThough it was never in the original novel or script, director Alfonso Cuaron invented the now iconic Hogwarts Bridge for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, to make Harry\'s and Hermione\'s journey with the Time-Turner more physical and exciting. This is the only section of the bridge that was ever built, the Visual Effects team created the remaining sections using computer-generated effects.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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(credit:Joe Snack/Flickr)
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Daily Prophet\nThe Graphics Department designed and printed over 40 editions of the Daily Prophet, each with advertisements, horoscopes, Runoku puzzles and clever headlines that followed fictional stories.\n\nThe Quibbler\nMore than 25,000 pages of The Quibbler were printed. Each edition containing unique headlines, stories and photographs.\n\nThe Marauder\'s Map\nDesigned by the Graphics Department, using lines made of handwritten text that includes names and hidden messages. After first appearing in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the Marauder\'s Map was redesigned for each subsequent film with new layers, hallways and calligraphy.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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(credit:Joe Snack/Flickr)
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My first word when I entered Diagon Alley was âWOWâ. \nThis was definitely the highlight of the tour.\nI apologise for uploading so many from this part of the tour. The lighting kept changing and I lost count the number of times I just walked up and down (with my mouth probably wide open)!\nThese photos don\'t really do it justice. It has to be seen to be believed. I can\'t wait to go back.\n\nWelcome to Diagon Alley\nThe Diagon Alley set has never been the same twice. Since its construction for Harry Potter and the Philosopher\'s Stone walls have shifted, shopfronts have moved and entire buildings have come and gone. In fact, many of these set pieces were redressed and repurposed as Hogsmeade village for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.\nYears later Stuart Craig and his artists went back to the original drawings and redesigned all of Diagon Alley for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Each building\'s architecture was carefully tweaked and refined to create the picture-perfect street as it is now.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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The Great Hall\nThese are the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. Walking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual house costumes that were used in the films: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin and not forgetting Moaning Myrtle. At the far end of the hall is the teachers table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick as well as Hagrid and Filch. Each of the Great Hall torch holders is a carving of one of the four house animals.\n\nThe House Point Counter\nThough it was rarely seen on screen, prop makers are especially proud of the house point counter, which contains thousands of glass beads.\n\n\nThe Owl Podium\nThe podium used by Professor Dumbledore is covered in real gold and years of melted wax.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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Prop-Making Magic\nA prop is any object used by actors or as set decoration on a film. By the time production ended in 2011, the Harry Potter Prop Department had filled five large warehouses with thousands of items (made specifically for the films or purchased from a variety of specialty shops) including 5,000 pieces of furniture, 12,000 handmade books and 40,000 Weasley\'s Wizard Wheezes products and packages.\n\nPeople the world-over have been enchanted by the Harry Potter films for nearly a decade. The wonderful special effects and amazing creatures have made this iconic series beloved to both young and old - and now, for the first time, the doors are going to be opened for everyone at the studio where it first began. You\'ll have the chance to go behind-the-scenes and see many things the camera never showed. From breathtakingly detailed sets to stunning costumes, props and animatronics, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London provides a unique showcase of the extraordinary British artistry, technology and talent that went into making the most successful film series of all time. Secrets will be revealed.\n\nWarner Bros. Studio Tour London provides an amazing new opportunity to explore the magic of the Harry Potter films - the most successful film series of all time. This unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and showcases a huge array of beautiful sets, costumes and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and animatronics that made these films so hugely popular all over the world.\n\nHere are just some of the things you can expect to see and do:\n- Step inside and discover the actual Great Hall.\n- Explore Dumbledoreâs office and discover never-before-seen treasures.\n- Step onto the famous cobbles of Diagon Alley, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, Flourish and Blotts, the Weasleys\' Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium.\n- See iconic props from the films, including Harryâs Nimbus 2000 and Hagridâs motorcycle.\n- Learn how creatures were brought to life with green screen effects, animatronics and life-sized models.\n- Rediscover other memorable sets from the film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boysâ dormitory, Hagridâs hut, Potionâs classroom and Professor Umbridgeâs office at the Ministry of Magic.\n\nLocated just 20 miles from the heart of London at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, the very place where it all began and where all eight of the Harry Potter films were brought to life. The Studio Tour is accessible to everyone and promises to be a truly memorable experience - whether youâre an avid Harry Potter fan, an all-round movie buff or you just want to try something thatâs a little bit different.\n\nThe tour is estimated to take approximately three hours (I was in there for 5 hours!), however, as the tour is mostly self guided, you are free to explore the attraction at your own pace. During this time you will be able to see many of the best-loved sets and exhibits from the films. Unique and precious items from the films will also be on display, alongside some exciting hands-on interactive exhibits that will make you feel like youâre actually there. \n\nThe magic also continues in the Gift Shop, which is full of exciting souvenirs and official merchandise, designed to create an everlasting memory of your day at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.\n\nHogwarts Castle Model - Get a 360 degree view of the incredible, hand sculpted 1:24 scale construction that features within the Studio Tour. The Hogwarts castle model is the jewel of the Art Department having been built for the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone. It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times over for the next seven films. The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years. The model was used for aerial photography, and was digitally scanned for CGI scenes.\n\nThe model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films. To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every four minutes so you can experience its full beauty.\n\nAn amazing amount of detail went into the making of the model: all the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery. To make the model appear even more realistic, artists rebuilt miniature versions of the courtyards from Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, where scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stone were shot. (credit:Karen Roe/Flickr)
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Warner Bros Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter\nWarner Bros Studio, Aerodrome Way, Leavesden, Watford, Herts, WD25 7LS\n\nA great day out for every fan of the boy wizard.\n\nThe Making of Harry Potter studio tour, covering 150,000 square foot, on two soundstages opened on the 31st March 2012, with stars galore at the red carpet launch at the Leavesden Studios where all eight movies were produced.\n\nThe home for many film productions, including several James Bond features, before a relatively new production company arrived there to make a film about a young boy who on his 11th birthday discovers he is a wizard.\n\nOver the next ten years, the cast and crew of over 4,000 in total used more and more of the studios as the popularity of the books and films grew. The three young stars lived, grew up, went to school and turned into adults there on those stages.\n\nYour tour begins in the foyer, with a flying Ford Anglia hanging from the ceiling and the walls adorned with huge photos of the cast, along with a few props.\n\nPassing by the set of the cupboard under the stairs, you enter a room with a number of vertical TV screens showing Potter movie posters from around the world, followed by a short video sequence showing the rise of Harryâs popularity, the production teams discovery of the stories and the enormous worldwide success of the books and films.\n\nMoving into the cinema, a short film introduced by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, talking about their experiences growing up on a film set for ten years, with clips from all eight films. The film ends with them standing in front of the main doors to the Great Hall and they walk in through the doors and invite you to follow them.\n\nThe screen at this point slowly rises to reveal the actual main doors to the Great Hall, surrounded with stone statues and carvings. What a wizard way to start the tour.\n\nWalking through into the Great Hall we are told that we were now walking on the actual stone floor used in the films and seeing the actual tables where the actors ate their feasts. Dummies down each side of the hall wear the actual costumes used in the films. At the far end of the hall is the teachersâ table area, with more amazing costumes worn by Professors Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Trelawney and Flitwick, as well as Hagrid and Filch too.\n\nLeaving the Great Hall you enter the first of two vast sound stages. This includes sets for the Gryffindor Common Room and Dormitory, Dumbledoreâs Office, Potions Classroom, Hagridâs Hut, Burrowâs Kitchen and parts of the Ministry of Magic, also Umbridgeâs gaudy pink, feline office. Each filled to the brim with props and costumes.\n\nProps can be seen everywhere, with a massive cage in the centre, chock-a-block with goblets, chandeliers, wands and armour. A huge glass case contains the wands of 24 of the major characters â less than 1 percent of the total number of wands made for the films. The ornate doors to a Gringottâs vault and to the Chamber of Secrets are seen after passing a wall dedicated to the paintings produced to decorate the walls of Hogwarts.\n\nBelow the giant swinging pendulum of the Hogwarts castle clock there are several huge touch screens containing an interactive Marauders Map.\n\nThere are sections of the soundstage dedicated to various movie-making crafts. The hair and makeup section, costumes section, animal department, graphic design and production.\nThe final section in this first soundstage is dedicated to the Special Effects department with three huge video screens showing all the tricks and techniques, including greenscreen footage and CGI. Props attached to their motion rigs, include the Gringottâs Vault Cart and Mad-Eye Moodyâs Recumbent Broomstick.\n\nIn separate room you can have a go on a broomstick or drive the Ford Anglia yourself, using the greenscreen technology.\n\nThe Backlot about half way round the tour is an open air section between the two soundstages where refreshments are available, including Butterbeer the popular wizarding beverage.\n\nAlso featured on the backlot are the Knight Bus, another Ford Anglia, Hagridâs motorbike/sidecar, the Riddle family tombstone, a section of the rickety wooden Hogwarts Bridge, Potterâs burnt out cottage from Godricâs Hollow and Number 4 Privet Drive.\n\nEntering the second soundstage you pass some of the giant chess pieces from the first movie. A number of video screens here progressively show what it was like to work in the creature shop, cleverly leading you from one screen to the next, past models of Fawkes, a snapping Monster Book of Monsters and a giant animatronic head of Hagrid. The next room has the life size (i.e., ENORMOUS!) model of Aragog the spider and one of three animatronic Buckbeak models.\n\nWalking around the corner (WOW) you are transported into another world entirely. The dark lighting and cobbled street can only mean one thing â you have entered Diagon Alley. The shops using the original sets have been rebuiltâ Flourish & Blotts, Eeylops Owl Emporium, Potageâs Cauldron Shop and of course Ollivanderâs Wand Shop, each and every one them is crammed full of detail. At the other end of the street is Weasleysâ Wizard Wheezes, with the bright orange shopfront standing out from the crowd of blackness and featuring a moving model of one of the red-haired twins doffing his hat.\n\nAt the end of Diagon Alley you move onto the Art and Design department with walls covered with architectural drawings and detailed plans, accurate down to the millimetre, for many of the props and sets already seen. A draftsmanâs table serves as a projection screen for another video about the work of the art department.\n\nMoving on, up the ascending path are walls full of concept paintings and artwork, also intricate cardboard models of Hogsmead and the Hogwarts.\n\nYou are only looking at a model of the model though, as entering the next room, there, spread over at least 15 square metres is the most amazing, complex and elaborate model built to a 1:24 scale. It has a bigger footprint than the average house.\n \nThe last part of the tour is a fitting tribute to the crew and cast of the most popular film franchise of all time. A much tidier recreation of the interior of Ollivanderâs Wand shop, with over 4,000 wand boxes lining its shelves â one for every single person who worked on the films.\n\nExit through the Gift Shop. (credit:Dave Catchpole/Flickr)
Buck l'hippogriffe(86 of87)
Open Image Modal
Photo: Charles Gaudreau
Chope de bière au beurre(87 of87)
Open Image Modal
Photo: Charles Gaudreau

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【訂正】2016年9月19日 18:29

当初の記事で「プリペット通り」と表記していましたが、正しくは「プリベット通り」でした。