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.
Jan
26
Some great new pictures have hit the web today that give further clues as to what will be included in the WB Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter, the amazing new attraction opening at the end of March at Leavesden Studios, where all the Harry Potter films were made. The photos show parts of Privet Drive, what looks like the Potters’ house in Godric’s Hollow, part of the Hogwarts bridge and the Knight Bus. Here is a statement from Warner Bros. via Magical-Menagerie:
The iconic, triple decker Knight Bus today rolls into Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, which opens 31st March 2012. Taking its place among the many authentic sets, props and costumes from the eight Harry Potter films, the Knight Bus debuted in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ and was one of the most complicated pieces to create in the production.
John Richardson, Special Effects Supervisor, said: ”The Knight Bus was not a CGI Creation as many people thought but in fact a real-life working bus. It was constructed by cutting up two iconic Routemaster buses, reworking the structure and bolting it all back together to provide one bus with three decks. One interesting challenge that arose during the shooting of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was that we could not drive the vehicle across London due to the number of low bridges in and around the capital. This meant that we had to transport the bus in two pieces between locations and put it back together as required for filming.”
Get the whole story »
Jan
26
Tom Felton, who plays the amazing character Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter series, is scheduled to appear at MegaCon 2012, courtesy of hypable.com. MegaCon, which is short for Mega Convention, is a convention that caters to comic book, sci-fi, anime, fantasy, gaming and multi-genre communities. This years MegaCon is from February 17-19 and is in the Orange County Convention Center Hall D in Orlando, Florida.
Felton will host a panel about his work on the Potter films as Malfoy on Saturday the 18th at 10:20am. He will also be available for photos on February 17 at 4pm, February 18 at noon and 4:35pm, and February 19 at noon.
You can learn more information about MegaCon and other special guests here.
Jan
26
With Oscar noms just coming out and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 not getting the recognition it deserves, it is time for some happy news. An update from hypable.com on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s Orlando expansion has just become available. According to the theme park fansite Screamscape, construction markers have appeared from the closed Jaws area and continue south.
What you ask is south? The Wizarding World, that’s right. Rumors surfaced stating that the expansion will include a Hogwarts Express to join Universal Studios to Islands of Adventure (where Wizarding World is currently located).
From Screamscape:
According to one source demolition work in the old Jaws area has been going full steam ahead this week, as Amity will soon be nothing more than a giant muddy crater as the work crews are said to be moving quite fast on this. Elsewhere, sources tell us that a bunch of survey markings can now be found all along the main backstage road leading toward the Jaws/Amity area. No word yet on if they stretch all the way from Amity to the Wizarding World or IoA or not, but this sounds like the start of the Hogwarts Express to me. So far markings have been spotted in the area behind Soundstage 33 and down behind the Revenge of the Mummy attraction building.
Universal Studios confirmed the expansion in December, and since then numerous signs of expansion have been seen in Universal Studios which is separate from Islands of Adventure. The expansion is said to be a Diagon Alley type of land with the Hogwarts Express connecting the two parks. This same rumor stated that construction would begin in February. For now, I can only hope that if I go in March I can find out more.
Thanks to Screamscape and hypable.com!
