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.
Back in July, not long after the launch of Pottermore, we learned about the termination of the most successful literary partnership ever, as JK Rowling left the Christopher Little agency.
While Christopher Little has been the man that began the success and guided Harry Potter along to become what it is today, JKR decided to follow Neil Blair, a partner at the agency, to his new agency The Blair Partnership.
69 year old Little was originally quoted to have said he was “disappointed and surprised” after learning Jo had left. Today we’ve learnt from a source at The Telegraph that the pair reached a financial settlement:
“JK Rowling and her former agent, Christopher Little, have reached an amicable agreement concluding their long-standing business relationship, the terms of which remain confidential,” I am told by a spokesman for Little. “No further comments will be issued by either party.”
We won’t speculate on the possible reasons for the unexpected split, but we wish both Jo and Christopher all the best as they go their separate ways.
The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced their full list of 2012 Oscar nominees.
Many Potter fans had rightly hoped that this might be Harry Potter’s year to pull off some big award wins which have been missing in previous years. The finale of the series this summer, Deathly Hallows Part 2, was widely praised by critics (it was rated higher than nearly all the other nominees), was very well loved by fans and general movie-goers alike, and was one of the biggest box office hits ever.
Unfortunately, the film’s many merits don’t seem to have rubbed off on the Academy and couldn’t outweigh the many factors that were standing against it. You can read more about some of these factors in detail here.
Deathly Hallows Part 2 has had a complete lack of buzz in the weeks leading up to today, and this showed in the lack of recognition in the nominations. On top of the reasons outlined in the article linked above, this lack of love is partly due to it being a summer release, meaning it was not fresh in people’s minds and making Warner Brothers’ big campaign less effective.
If you are like me and like a good fanfiction story, it is even better when they are slash. Well, I think all of our dreams came true a few days ago. Courtesy of hypable.com and Bravo TV, Ralph Fiennes read a sample of a Harry Potter/Lord Voldemort slash fanfiction story on Watch What Happens LIVE hosted by Andy Cohen.
Fiennes seemed surprised by what fans have written about Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter, but he took everything in stride and had fun with it. Please be advised this is for MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.
If you wish to read the entire story written by Jade and Kelley, you can do so here. Again this story is for MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.
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