David Yates talks HRH final scene, J.K. Rowling in new interview
Potter director David Yates recently spoke with Manila Bulletin about his experience making four of the HP movies, about Dan, Rupert and Emma's final scene together, J.K. Rowling, and his future plans. Here are some excerpts (he gives a bit of a spoiler about the end of Deathly Hallows Part 2):
You came into the series at sort of that middle point. When did you realize the magnitude of the fan base. And what did you think about it? It was probably a phase in the cycle around about this stage when you do your interviews and you meet the press and walk up the red carpet. Obviously, you notice the fact that it’s globally popular, but it’s just when the fans come from Mexico or Argentina and camp out all night, you realize what it means to them. And it’s a huge responsibility, actually. Also, there are massive expectations on every movie, and in a curious way, you do your very best with the film. And I’m very proud of this film.
On the last day with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, when they were on set together and filmed their final scene, what was that like? We shot the scene on the viaduct, outside Hogwarts, and it was really peaceful. It was a really sunny day. It was all backlit. And it’s a very tender scene where they sort of reflect on everything that’s happened, all the battles and everything, and they hold hands, and the camera falls away. It’s a really tender, lovely scene. I said to them, ‘Look, guys, this is the last scene we’re all going to do with you three together in front of the camera. So, it’s not just the last scene of these three characters in the movie, this is your last scene in this series of films. That’s what today is about.’ And it infused it with a kind of emotion which was really moving actually.
Did you ever talk to Jo Rowling about adapting these books and the choices you made, particularly in terms of its contemporary feel? We never had a big conversation about that because it was very present in the book. She read the script and she was totally cool about the way we’d adapted it. She was always just very enthusiastic about the whole first script, generally. But she’s been really helpful and we had a good chat about a couple of scenes in Part 2. I asked her, ‘What were you thinking when you wrote these scenes?’ And she was really helpful.
Jo was a producer on this film, so how was that? How was her expanded role on it? You know, it hasn’t really changed from the other movies, honestly. She’s just always our biggest supporter. And always very graceful and kind and I think, because she’s been there throughout, it was time her name was up there. She wants to be up there with us; it’s a real privilege.
Do you have another movie brewing after all this? I’ve got so many scripts coming in, I can’t tell you. In fact, I told them to stop sending them. [Laughs] Because I haven’t read any of them. They’re just all piled up. But I’m so ambitious, I can’t tell you. It’s a strange thing about Harry Potter because I don’t feel any sense of ownership, in a way. I don’t feel territorial about it. I feel it’s a bit of a national treasure that I’m curating. For everything I can enter, I try and do my very best. And I’m very proud of the work I’ve done. But post-Potter, my career sort of starts again really. And I won’t feel like I’ve made four of the biggest films in the world. I’ll feel like, ‘Well, that’s it. I’ve done Potter now.’ And I’ll have all these beautiful scripts and I can begin in a way. That’s my plan. And I’m going to do big things and tiny little things. And they won’t have wizards in them.
No wizards? No wizards.
You can read the whole interview here. Thanks to Snitchseeker for the tip.
The BBC today released a trailer for their upcoming drama The Syndicate, featuring Neville Longbottom actor Matthew Lewis. The program is about group of shop workers who win big on the lottery, and looks like it should be a very good watch! It also stars Timothy Spall, who Potter fans will know as Peter Pettigrew. We’ll let you know the start date for the 5-part series as soon as we hear.
Last month the MPAA revealed it had given an ‘R’ classification in the US to Emma Watson’s new film The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
This annoyed fans of the book and the film studio alike because a mature R rating would have restricted the audience that would have been able to watch the movie and in turn would have limited its box office potential.
Distributor Summit appealed the decision and today we are finding out that that appeal has been successful and the rating has now been dropped down to a PG-13, for “mature thematic material, drug and alcohol use, sexual content including references, and a fight – all involving teens.”
The film doesn’t have an exact release date yet but should be out later this year.
You’ve probably been following the progress, or rather lack of progress, with JK Rowling’s Pottermore website over the last several months. Well, after a very long silence, the Pottermore team have finally spoken out. (We think our tweets and emails may have helped!)
Some of you will be very pleased to hear that there is now an official date that Pottermore will open to the public – April 2012! That’s around 6 months later than planned, but we’re glad it’s finally happening and we’re happy that they’ve offered some explanation and hinted at visible changes being made to the site. Here’s what they said over on the Insider Blog: Get the whole story »
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Last month the MPAA revealed it had given an ‘R’ classification in the US to Emma Watson’s new film The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
