Production and Special Effects

This page lists major resources on film production and special effects, specific to the Harry Potter series.

Cinefex Magazine (special effects)

Cinefex Issues ~ Special Effects in Harry Potter Films

In an ongoing film series, Cinefex generally produces a major photo essay on each film within a few months of that installment’s theatrical release. The piece often turns into the cover article when it is a major series, like The Lord of the Rings, Alien, and Harry Potter.

The links below go to the official Cinefex website and their individual magazine issues that cover a Harry Potter film. The page for each issue shows the magazine’s cover, and typically gives the film title, article title, and a one-paragraph summary of the film’s intriguing features and/or unique contributions to the field of special effects.

In most cases, print copies of back issues are available at the Cinefex site, and sometimes can be found on eBay US, eBay UK, abebooks, or other sites where used books and magazines are sold. Cinefex issues are also available digitally by subscription.

Harry Potter: Film Wizardry

The subtitle of this book on Harry Potter: Film Wizardry from Harper Design is: “From the Creative Team Behind the Celebrated Movie Series.” It was written by Brian Sibley and designed by Minalima Design. It contains 10 replica movie props and, from the large page spreads available for view on the Amazon.com page for Film Wizardry, the entire book offers great insight into the process and production of these films. Check out the book page on the Harper Collins/Harper Design site. It includes a video clip (2:30) advertisement that overviews the unique material in this volume.

Film Wizardry Table of Contents

Foreword by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson
Introduction by David Heyman
Muggles Making Magic by Brian Sibley

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone ~ page 12

Production Designer’s Notebook
Producer’s Diary
Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter
No. 4 Privet Drive
REPLICA: Hogwarts Acceptance Letter
The Dursleys
Platform 9 ¾
Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley
Diagon Alley
REPLICA: Borgin and Burkes Catalogue
Hogwarts[tm] Castle and Grounds
Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid[tm]
The Great Hall
Emma Watson as Hermione Granger[tm]
Richard Harris and Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore
The Sorting Hat and the Hogwarts Houses
REPLICA: Libatius Borage’s Advanced Potion-Making
The Hogwarts Ghosts
Fluffly
Quidditch[tm]
Checkmate!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ page 54

Production Designer’s Notebook
Producer’s Diary
The Burrow
The Weasleys
The Flying Ford Anglia
The Whomping Willow[tm]
Facts About the Faculty
Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy
Dobby
Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart[tm]
Petrified!
Fawkes[tm]
The Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ~ page 74

Production Designer’s Notebook
Producer’s Diary
The Knight Bus[tm]
Gary Oldman as Sirius Black[tm]
Dementors
Buckbeak[tm]
The Village of Hogsmeade[tm]
REPLICA: Honeydukes Candy Boxes
Bonnie Wright as Ginny Weasley
David Thewlis as Remus Lupin
The Boggart and the Time-Turner

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ~ page 88

Production Designer’s Notebook
Producer’s Diary
The Quidditch World Cup
REPLICA: 422nd Quidditch World Cup Programme
The Dark Mark
The Triwizard Tournament[tm]
Miranda Richardson as Rita Skeeter
The First Task
The Prefect’s Bathroom
Shirley Henderson as Moaning Myrtle
The Yule Ball
REPLICA: The Yule Ball Programme
The Second Task
Brendan Gleeson as Mad-Eye Moody
The Third Task

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ~ page 110

Production Designer’s Notebook
Producer’s Diary
Heroes and Villains
The Black Tapestry, Sirius and Bellatrix: Family Foes, and No. 12 Grimmauld Place
Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge
Dumbledore’s Army
REPLICA: Educational Decrees, including No. 29
Maggie Smith as Professor Minerva McGonagall[tm]
Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom
Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix LeStrange
Thestrals
Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood[tm]
Alan Rickman as Severus Snape[tm]

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ~ page 130

Production Director’s Notebook
REPLICA: The Marauder’s Map
Producer’s Diary
Revisiting Diagon Alley
Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes
REPLICA: Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes Product Catalogue
Jim Broadbent as Horace Slughorn
Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy
The Cave

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 ~ page 144

Production Designer’s Notebook
Producer’s Diary
A Weasley Wedding
The Ministry of Magic
REPLICA: Ministry of Magic Identity Card 289295
Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort[tm]
Godric’s Hollow
The Lovegood House

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Preview

Credits

Harry Potter From Page to Screen:

The Complete Filmmaking Journey

Images, description, and table of contents forthcoming.

Harry Potter Pop-Up Book

Why would I recommend the Harry Potter Pop-Up Book for background on production or special effects in the making of this film series?

Because it offers a spectacular 3-dimensional view of many key locations. Two-dimensional photographs and sketches – helpful as they are in understanding construction of stages and locations – cannot take the place of 3-D models. So, if you are interested in how film locations, stages, and props are constructed, and perhaps even ideas for doing “animatics” and “pre-visualization” work with 3-D models, this book should be a unique resource. The Insight Editions page for the Pop-Up Book gives images for five of the page spreads in the book, plus an introductory video clip advertisement (1:39).

Also, I’d recommend it simply as an amazing work of art. The engineering that goes into creating a pop-up book requires great skill, and this one is really something special!

Harry Potter Notes Mediating the Stories of the Muggle and Wizarding Worlds