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.
Feb
14
Several months ago, rumours circulated that Emma Watson was being lined up to take the lead role in a new live-action adaptation of the classic Beauty and the Beast. Now, Variety is reporting that this is close to becoming a reality, with Guillermo Del Toro directing and Andrew Davies writing the film for Warner Brothers. Get the whole story »
Feb
12
Even though it’s no where near time for Halloween, I’m always in the mood for a scary movie. With Daniel Radcliffe’s The Woman in Black in theaters now, it looks like another Potter alum may enter the realm of the undead. According to Bloody Disgusting, the Weinstein Company is trying to cast Emma Watson for the lead role of “Justine” in the long awaited slasher film Kristy. Here’s what they had to say:
We’ve been tipped that Gary Fleder (Kiss the Girls, Don’t Say a Word) is now in the director’s chair with a shoot date slated for this coming April. Penned by Tony Jaswinski, the slasher is being pegged as The Strangers on a college campus. It follows a coed who stays in her dorm during Thanksgiving and is being terrorized by four masked assailants on the empty campus - the killers are up against far more than they bargained for. David Kirschner is producing with his David Kirschner Productions.
Nothing yet has been set in stone for Watson, although I think she could do some real damage in a horror flick. Seeing as how she attends Oxford University right now, she has amazing knowledge of college campus life. Let’s hope that Watson has a love of horror like I do.
Feb
12
The BAFTA film awards took place tonight in London, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 picked up the award for Special Visual Effects! Congratulations to the team: John Richardson, Tim Burke, Greg Butler, David Vickery and all the others who contributed to bring the books spectacularly to life.
Unfortunately, Deathly Hallows Part 2 missed out on the other awards it was nominated for – Production Design, Makeup & Hair, and Sound. Get the whole story »
