Harry Potter at Warner Bros. Studio Tour
On the 11th of December 2012, our media class went on a trip to the Warner Bros. Film Studio to see Harry Potter. To see how they created the films, what the original first designs looked like and all the steps they had to consider covering before they could even begin filming. We started by exploring the gift shop as we got there pretty early and had enough time to buy any little trinkets from the shop of Harry Potter memoirs. I managed to buy Hermoines time turner necklace except mine was on a huge keyring. However, being the proper film studios, it was extremely expensive in there, having the cheapest item being postcards with pictures of the actors that cost £1.
We then started our tour by heading towards a small black room where we were told that no cameras or videos where allowed for the next part, as it was for us (on the tour) only, and to watch a video on different screens about how the directors decided to come up with J.K. Rowlings books into videos. It was quite interesting to see how little they had to say to the video directors for them to consider putting the idea into a film. They had to say what we learnt is called a "pitch", which is no more than 25 words describing the film.
We went on through the tour, starting with walking through the main hall, which is not as big as they make it look on the films! Then going on to see the different wigs they used, the outfits for some casts like Luna Lovegood, the big gates and different rooms you see in the films like in the common rooms, or Dumbledores office, or the potions room. We carried on with the tour to see many amazing different things. Like the crocked bridge that they walk across everyday, or Harry's house, and the nightbus. We then got to see the animals they used. Like Buckbeak the Hypocrite, or Aragog the huge tranchula that was bigger than us! After visiting them and seeing the goblins we continued towards the white card models they had created, and then the final masterpiece being the huge Hogwarts Model that looked unbelievably real!
When we where put into a small class we we where told that to create a film, we needed a few steps, and thanks to our guide William, we learnt that these steps where;
1.) To start with a good idea
"imagination is key." These ideas can be inspired by anything; life experiences, books (like the Harry Potter) natural disasters, myths, science, comics, video games, true stories, toys and using Vladimir' Propps ideas of characters.
2.) Advertisement
This means you have to go to a film production company (like Warner Bros.) and give a 25 word pitch on your idea. (If you use popular ideas, or actors they're usually interested) If they don't then you are required to go away and re-think how your going to create your pitch to really capture their attention.
3.Development finance
This is where you employ someone to write a "treatment" for you. A treatment is like a pitch only holding more detail of the idea and is half a page long. (This is because the film buisness industry is too busy to read any more.) Films take a lot of money to make so it's understanding that you should give the company some detail before hand about the film.
4.) Storyboards
Always create your storyboard before you create the film as you can draw where you want the camera angles to be, not just that but this way your planning may be edited or things added which saves a lot of time for later on when it comes to actually creating the film.
5.) Script
You must then write out the script of your film idea. (That's if the company likes it of course.) You can budget a whole film just by using a script - costumes, sets etc. When you see capitols on a script it means that they want emphasis on that word. If an original script has a name printed over it, it is because the owner doesn't want any copy right done of it and so stops people copying it by writing either their name on it or a number.
6.)Designs
These are doodles or sketches done by the artists that become plans or elevations for the film. They can then be recreated on a graphic computer - showing an image of something in every angle. There are also artists known as "concept artists"- creating an image on what they believe a set or a scene should look like.
7.White Card Models
White card models are scale models of the set that needs to be created after the doodle is done and the graphicing on the computeres. There can be exterior and interior models to show how they want a set to look inside and out, which also helps the camera angles so that those filming can understand what the best camera angle is. They can use what is called "lip-stick" cameras to help get the camera views in.
White card models can also help on deciding the location of the film, including moving to different areas of the world if need be to film certain parts. They also help to bring each character to life.
8. Characters
Characters are always important as these are those who are going to be in the film acting. You can use different sized props to emphasise certain sizes of things, for example if you want a character to be really small or big. You also need to consider the costumes and extra props that may be needed like having doubles for the stunts. If you use famous actors then your film is more likely to get promoted quicker.
The best part in my opinon of the whole day can be sumed up in 10 things
;
1.Seeing the animals they used for the film - be they real where the pictures where posted up on a wall, or fake and they where created from plastic and clock work. (Even if Aragog the tranchula did look very life-like hanging from the ceiling.)
2.Being in the gift shop where you can buy real replica's of the props used for the films.
3.Walking down the great hall that is featured in every Harry Potter film.
4.Walking into dumble doors office and seeing a statue of him in there as if we were in the film its self.
5. Seeing the huge Hogwarts school model at the very end of our tour, with all the lights and music effects. Just being in that room bought back so many Harry Potter memories and not one person could close their mouths from gasping at the beautiful model all painted as if it had been real.
6. Knowing that they where filming a new film thats soon to be out with Tom Cruise next door. I know this isn't much to do with the tour, but it gave the tour that extra bit of excitement as it made everything so much more real.
7.) Being able to photograph everything, now i know the memories can be kept not just in my head.
8.) Trying the food that they used in the film, like the Chocolate frogs or the Butter Beer - which is really sweet and caramel like!
9.) Being there with people I knew, so that I could enjoy the experience knowing that I had them beside me and that we could all share the experience, sharing notes and ideas.
10.) Our little talk on the script and making of Harry Potter with William who was very helpful as funny as we all got to view a part of the original script with him voicing Hagrid.
To conclude, our trip to see the studio was amazing! I know now all the things I need to consider to make a film for in the future with my media studies, I can also use these skills that I haev now gathered to help me with the work in my classes that I have been given now, like creating our own storyboards and scripts or posters of films. I never knew there was so much to consider but now I do, and so can use them to create to the best of my ability a really good media production.
