Love.Film.Write.

Wes ANDERSON: Wes Anderson Rises by James Franco

Wes Anderson is back. Moonrise Kingdom is his best film since Rushmore. The new film just premiered at Cannes and is being released in the States today, but I got to see it at a cast and crew screening in Newport, R.I. two nights ago.

I’m currently in R.I. finishing my degree at RISD. I got a…

(Source: The Huffington Post)

The Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour

In 1990 JK Rowling captured the heart and imagination of a magical world with just one thought conjured from a train journey from Manchester to London; a story about Harry Potter, a scrawny bespectacled boy, who discovers that he is a wizard and journeys into the magical world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In 2001 a grand team of creative geniuses and masters of film making brought Harry Potter to the screen, bringing an incredible world to life where no one ever believed it could go. And now Warner Bro. Studios has opened its doors to the Muggle world, letting in the fans of Harry Potter for all to see; ‘The Making of Harry Potter’ Studio Tour is a world as magical and impressive as the books and films, an experience I shall never ever forget.

‘The Making of Harry Potter’ Studio Tour gives its fan a grand tour of the behind the scenes of the films, taking us upon a trip around the sets, the props, the art design and every magic and spell cast in the filmmaking of Harry Potter. Dreams will come to life as you walk down the spectacular street of Diagon Alley, enter into the grandeur of the Great Hall of Hogwarts and step into the mysterious and enchanting office of Albus Dumbledore. There are so many iconic places that we know so well on screen, but now is the chance to walk through them and bask in the magical and captivating spectacle of how JK’s world became a reality.

Growing up with Harry Potter the opportunity to burrow into his world brought back the mixture of emotions I experience as a child reading and watching them. Once again Harry Potter has cast its spell upon me; of happiness, of adventure, of excitement and of imagination. But what was really gripping about it all was not only the fact that I got to experience the world, but the amount of craftsmanship, work, art and teamwork that went into making the films. From the little details of handcrafted letters and wand boxes to the grand scale of production and sets, from the spells cast by special effects and cinematographers and from the creativity and imagination of art designers and makeup artists. Everything. You will dive into knowledge so precious. I was fascinated and captivated by everything the tour offered. The child in me screamed with joy, and I was in total bliss by all its splendour.

What also has to be commended of the studio tour is the experience given by the brilliant and friendly staff whose knowledge of the making of the films is put to the test of the curious minds of its fans. The atmosphere revelled in excitement, and the energy of the staff paralleled with its fans, as they shared our excitement as we have our own green screen experience flying Ron’s car and flying the broomstick through the various scenes from the film. Everybody was relaxing, and you are left to wander around the set for as long as you want. It was truly a magical experience.

‘The Making of Harry Potter’ Studio Tour is definitely one for any and every Harry Potter fan. The tour knew exactly how to start this epic adventure and the opening of the tour was the most impressive start that almost broke me into tears of excitement. The tour begins with us watching a short film of the Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson talking of their experience creating the films. As they finished they walk through the main doors of the Great Hall and thinking we would all be made to exit through a side door the screen is suddenly lifted up into the air, revealing the actual main doors to the Great Hall. And I could not help thinking; Harry Potter will never end, for it is just only the beginning and in the words of J.K. Rowling “the stories we love best do live in us forever, so whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home”.