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Warner Brothers Studio Tour London

Warner Bros. Studios Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter is a public attraction in Leavesden in southeastern England. Not to be confused with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter of Universal Studios theme parks, it is a permanent exhibit offering an authentic behind the scenes glimpse of the Harry Potter films. It is situated inside Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in Leavesden, near Watford, in southwest Hertfordshire. Though the studios are still very much active, the tour is actually contained in two soundstages, J & K, and is kept separate from the rest of the complex.

At approximately 29 kilometres (18 mi) northwest of central London, the tour is not strictly in Greater London. It is nonetheless easily accessible to travelers coming from the city, and the rest of the country, thanks to its links with Watford Junction Railway Station and the M1 & M25motorways.

Warner Bros. Studios Tour London is quite possibly the only permanent filmmaking exhibit of its size in the world. It opened to the public in 2012 and since then has welcomed over 6,000 visitors a day during peak times. TripAdvisor reported that The Making of Harry Potter has been the highest rated attraction worldwide every year since the tour opened. It has developed a reputation as a must-see attraction for anyone visiting the city of London - in spite of the tour's out the way location.[1]

History[]

Leavesden Aerodrome was a British airfield created in 1940 by the de Havilland Aircraft Company & the Air Ministry in the tiny village of Leavesden, between Watford and Abbots Langley, in Hertfordshire. It was an important centre for aircraft production during World War II. By the end of the war Leavesden Airfield was, by volume, the largest factory in the world.[2]

After the war, the aerodrome was purchased outright by de Havilland, who themselves had a succession of owners in the following decades but ultimately they and the site were acquired by Rolls-Royce. However, by the early 1990s, Britain's manufacturing industry was in decline and Rolls-Royce had sold their interests in the site. Unable to find a new owner, by 1994 Leavesden Aerodrome was left disused and all but abandoned.[3]

Then in 1994, the production team for the James Bond film GoldenEye discovered the unoccupied Leavesden. The wide, tall and open aircraft hangars were uniquely well suited to conversion into film stages. Eon leased the site for the duration of their shoot and went about gutting the factories, turning them into stages, workshops and offices - in short a working film studio.[4] Leavesden Studios, as the site was rebranded by its owners, quickly became popular after GoldenEye wrapped. A succession of major feature films made use of the site, including the first of the Star Wars prequels, The Phantom Menace, and Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow.

In the year 2000, Heyday Films leased the site for the Harry Potter films. Over the next ten years all of the Harry Potter films were made there, along with some other notable Warner Bros. productions, with the series eventually becoming the most successful film series in history.[5]

As the eighth and final Harry Potter film was nearing completion, in 2010, Warner Bros. announced their intention to purchase the studio as a permanent European base.[6]

By November, Warner Bros. completed its purchase of Leavesden Studios and announced plans to invest more than £100m into the site they had occupied for over ten years, rebranding it again - this time to Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden.[7]

As part of this redevelopment Warner Bros. also created two entirely new soundstages, J & K, to house a permanent public exhibition called Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, creating 300 new jobs in the local area.[8] Currently the whole attraction is dedicated to the making of Harry Potter and is now home to many of the series' most iconic sets, props and costumes. It was opened to the public in early 2012.

Creation[]

As early as 2001, after the success of the first film , Warner Bros. were putting plans to build an attraction dedicated to the series in place and so began storing items from the films when they were no longer being used. Finally, in 2010, as the last film was nearing completion, Warner Bros. announced they would be purchasing Leavesden Studios and work on the tour began in earnest.

The tour's layout and overall presentation was designed by the Burbank-based Thinkwell Group in close collaboration with Warner Bros. and the actual filmmakers, including Production Designer Stuart Craig, Set Dresser Stephenie McMillan, Creature Designer Nick Dudman, Construction Manager Paul Hayes & Special Effects Supervisor John Richardson.[9] It only includes sets, props and costumes that were actually created for or used in the production of the Harry Potter film series. Sets like the Great Hall, Dumbledore's Office, Diagon Alley, the Ministry of Magic, Gryffindor Common Room and Boys' Dormitory, Hagrid's Hut and a 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts Castle.

Grand Opening[]

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter opened to the public on 31 March 2012. The grand opening event was attended by many of the Harry Potter film series cast and crew members, including Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, Bonnie Wright, Evanna Lynch, Warwick Davis, David Thewlis, Helen McCrory, George Harris, Nick Moran, Natalia Tena, David Bradley, Alfie Enoch, Harry Melling, producers David Heyman and David Barron and directors David Yates, Alfonso Cuarón and Mike Newell.[10]

Royal Opening[]

Over a year since the opening of the tour (and almost twenty years after the complex was converted from aerodrome to film studios) the site was officially opened by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on 26 April 2013.[11] On their royal visit they were accompanied by the Duke's brother Prince Harry and J. K. Rowling (who had unfortunately been unable to attend the tour's grand opening the year before) amongst other illustrious guests. Several hundred beneficiaries of charities they all support were given exclusive invitations to the Studio Tour on the day of the royal visit. The royal entourage visited both the tour, meeting many of their beneficiaries, as well as the studios, where they saw some of the props and costumes from Christopher Nolan's Batman films, before conducting the Leavesden's royal inauguration.[12][13]

Tour[]

Each tour session typically last three hours,[14] and the tour has the capacity to handle 6,000 visitors daily.[15] Despite Warner Bros. being the studio behind Harry Potter, the tour is not styled as a theme park due to the fact that Warner Bros. sold the license to do so to Universal Studios. Instead, visitors get a chance to see up close the detail and effort that goes into a major feature film at the scale of the Harry Potter series.

Though the standard tour is self guided, allowing visitors to enjoy the tour at their own preferred pace, various guided tours are available at an additional cost. Visitors with some disabilities may find, however, that certain guided tours are available to them at no extra cost if they contact the tour in advance.[16]

Diagon Alley is available to explore virtually on Google Maps Street View.[17]

Expansions[]

Warner Bros. has continued to put on special features for the school holidays, such as Dark Arts[18], and Animal Actors[19], at no extra cost to visitors. Some installations like the Wand Choreography Interactive and the inside of the No. 4 Privet Drive Exterior set have been so popular that they have remained after their respective features have closed.[20]

Platform 9¾[]

In January 2015, the attraction's first expansion was announced - a brand new Platform 9¾ section, where visitors are able to board the original carriages behind the Hogwarts Express steam engine used in the films. As with the rest of the attraction, the set was constructed and dressed by the original crew members who worked on the film - including Stuart Craig himself, who designed the new set exclusively for the tour (since these scenes in the films were actually shot on Location in Kings Cross). The setup includes the locomotive GWR 4900 Class 5972 Olton Hall (dressed as 5972 Hogwarts Castle) and the British Rail Mark 1 train that appeared in the films, brought to life by John Richardson's special effects team. Finally a new green screen experience illustrates what working on the films is like from an actor's point of view. This section opened in late March 2015.[21]

Future[]

Currently Warner Bros. have no plans to rebrand or change the tour to anything other than Harry Potter. The brand has been such a runaway success that the tour in Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank has been renamed Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood[22] (previously it was known as the Warner Bros. Studios VIP Tour[23][24]). Warner has repeatedly tweaked and improved the tour, offering more facilities and options to visitors, steadily hiring more staff as the popularity of the tour has continued to thrive.[25]

Reception[]

The tour was quite warmly received by the press in the run up to its launch. Anita Singh of The Daily Telegraph described the model of Hogwarts Castle as "the highlight" of the tour.[26] Though Liz Thomas, of the Daily Mail, was critical of the tour's cost, describing it as "a somewhat less magical price tag".[27]

After the public got their first look, however, word of mouth and excitement amongst fans spread quickly to the general public. Following the tour's opening in 2012, TripAdvisor has reported that The Making of Harry Potter is the highest rated attraction in the world every year since.[28] It has developed a reputation as a must-see attraction for anyone visiting the city of London - in spite of the tour's out the way location.[29]

Awards[]

The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter has won several awards since its opening, including:

  • 2013 Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement[30]
  • 2013 Telly Award for Editing
  • 2013 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence[31]
  • 2013 UKinbound Award for Individual Attraction of the Year[32]
  • 2012 Event Technology Silver Award for Best Use of Handheld Technology[33]
  • 2012 UK Customer Experience Award for Best Leisure & Retail Experience
  • 2012 Group Leisure Award for Best UK Attraction

The Studio Tour has also been honored with awards for its lighting design, including the 2013 IES Illumination Award of Merit[34] and 2013 Lighting Design Award for Lighting for Leisure.[35]

In addition, the Studio Tour was named one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Entertainment Design Projects of 2012 by EntertainmentDesigner.com

Also See[]

References[]

  1. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g2691242-d2147749-Reviews-Warner_Bros_Studio_Tour_London_The_Making_of_Harry_Potter-Leavesden_Hertfordshir.html
  2. http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/leavesden/
  3. http://www.allhs.org.uk/leavesdenaerodrome.htm
  4. https://books.google.com/books?id=H8DShVS-3cIC&pg=PA144#v=onepage&q&f=false
  5. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/sep/11/jkjoannekathleenrowling
  6. http://variety.com/2010/biz/markets-festivals/warner-to-buy-leavesden-studios-1118014349/
  7. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/nov/09/warner-bros-leavesden-studios
  8. http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/8888422.Warner_Bros__unveils_plans_for_Harry_Potter_attraction/
  9. http://thinkwellgroup.com/projects/the-making-of-harry-potter/
  10. http://www.snitchseeker.com/harry-potter-news/cast-and-crew-attend-warner-bros-studio-tour-the-making-of-harry-potter-grand-opening-88915/
  11. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-22307147
  12. http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/10383234.Royals_enjoy_a_wizard_time_on_Harry_Potter_studio_tour/
  13. http://photos.denverpost.com/2013/04/26/photos-duke-and-duchess-attend-inauguration-of-warner-bros-studios-leavesden/#9
  14. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2114972/Harry-Potter-studio-tour-review-See-inside-movie-sets-Leavesden.html
  15. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/jun/10/josh-berger-warner-bros-interview
  16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2Lm99KEu6U
  17. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.693039,-0.419751,3a,75y,25.91h,92.04t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1s5KoMaToRAuKWnkk7O54LGQ!2e0!3e2
  18. https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/news-updates/dark-arts
  19. http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/leisure/daysout/11730620.It_s_purrfect_half_term_fun_at_the_Harry_Potter_studios/?ref=rss
  20. https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/the-tour-experience/whats-on
  21. http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/harry-potter/news/a624178/harry-potter-studio-tour-announces-new-permanent-platform-9-section/
  22. https://www.wbstudiotour.com/
  23. http://www.aaa.com/travelinfo/california/los-angeles/attractions/the-warner-bros-studios-vip-tour-504378.html
  24. http://www.seeing-stars.com/StudioTours/WarnerBrosTour.shtml
  25. http://www.eventmagazine.co.uk/warner-bros-studio-tour-london-making-harry-potter/venues/article/1392934
  26. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/harry-potter/9143506/Harry-Potter-studio-tour-first-review.html
  27. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2114972/Harry-Potter-studio-tour-review-See-inside-movie-sets-Leavesden.html
  28. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g2691242-d2147749-Reviews-Warner_Bros_Studio_Tour_London_The_Making_of_Harry_Potter-Leavesden_Hertfordshir.html
  29. http://thechronicleherald.ca/travel/1375567-harry-potter-studio-tour-a-london-hit
  30. http://theaawards2013.blogspot.com/2012/12/warner-bros-studio-tour-making-of-harry.html
  31. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g2691242-d2147749-Reviews-Warner_Bros_Studio_Tour_London_The_Making_of_Harry_Potter-Leavesden_Hertfordshir.html
  32. https://web.archive.org/web/20120521213800/http://www.ukinbound.org/press_releases.php
  33. http://www.eventmarketer.com/wp-content/uploads/EventTech%20Awards.pdf
  34. http://www.ies.org/pdf/Awards/ia/IES%20IA%20MERITS%202013.pdf
  35. http://awards.lighting.co.uk/632926


v - e - d
Wizarding World logo
Media
Films: Philosopher's Stone | Chamber of Secrets | Prisoner of Azkaban | Goblet of Fire | Order of the Phoenix | Half-Blood Prince | Deathly Hallows: Part 1 | Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Spin-off films: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald | Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Video games: Philosopher's Stone | Chamber of Secrets | Prisoner of Azkaban | Goblet of Fire | Order of the Phoenix | Half-Blood Prince | Deathly Hallows (Part 1 / Part 2) | Quidditch World Cup
Lego Video games: Lego Creator: Harry Potter | Lego Creator: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4 / Years 5–7
Soundtracks:
Home video: Video

Characters
Original characters:Harry Potter | Ronald Weasley | Hermione Granger | Albus Dumbledore | Minerva McGonagall | Rubeus Hagrid | Fred Weasley | George Weasley | Angelina Johnson | Alicia Spinnet | Gilderoy Lockhart | Remus Lupin | Alastor Moody | Quirinus Quirrell | Horace Slughorn | Percy Weasley | Cho Chang | Colin Creevey | Cedric Diggory | Fleur Delacour | Viktor Krum | Gabrielle Delacour | Ginevra Weasley | Neville Longbottom | Luna Lovegood | Sirius Black | Dursley family | Lord Voldemort | Draco Malfoy | Lucius Malfoy | Narcissa Malfoy | Cornelius Fudge | Dolores Umbridge | Alecto Carrow | Amycus Carrow | Vincent Crabbe | Gregory Goyle | Argus Filch | Severus Snape | Bellatrix Lestrange | Bartemius Crouch Sr. | Bartemius Crouch Jr. | Regulus Black | Pius Thicknesse | Godric Gryffindor | Helga Hufflepuff | Rowena Ravenclaw | Salazar Slytherin | Antonin Dolohov | Bloody Baron | Dean Thomas | Dobby | Edgar Cloggs | Fat Lady | Fenrir Greyback | Filius Flitwick | Garrick Ollivander | James Potter I | Lily J. Potter | Igor Karkaroff | Kingsley Shacklebolt | Lavender Brown | Moaning Myrtle | Newton Scamander | Nymphadora Tonks | Padma Patil | Parvati Patil | Seamus Finnigan | Sir Cadogan | Snatchers | Sybill Trelawney | Walden Macnair

Spin-off characters: Newt Scamander | Tina Goldstein | Jacob Kowalski | Queenie Goldstein | Percival Graves | Seraphina Picquery | Credence Barebone | Mary Lou Barebon | Gnarlack | Henry Shaw Sr. | Langdon Shaw | Henry Shaw Jr. | Modesty Barebone | Chastity Barebone | Gellert Grindelwald | Leta Lestrange | Nicolas Flamel
Deleted characters: Ludovic Bagman
Video game characters: Peeves

Creatures
Cerberus | The Basilisk | The Mountain Troll | The Hungarian Horntail | Fire crab
Mascots/Pets
Crookshanks | Aragog | Nagini | Hedwig | Fawkes | Buckbeak
Mystical Animals
Locations
Hogwarts Castle: | Grand Staircase Tower | Great Hall | Gryffindor Tower | Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch | The Forbidden Forest | Forbidden Third Floor Corridor | Underground Chambers | Hospital Wing | Slytherin Dungeon | The Chamber of Secrets | Topmost Tower | Platform 9¾

Diagon Alley: | Gringotts Wizarding Bank | Ollivander's
Residences: 4 Privet Drive | The Burrow | Godric's Hallow | Potter's Cottage
Other Locations: Limbo | England | Azkaban | British Ministry of Magic | Department of Mysteries

Objects
Weapons: Godric Gryffindor's Sword

Brooms/Nimbus: Nimbus 2000 | Nimbus 2001 | The Firebolt
Wands: Harry's Wand | Ron's Wand | Hermione's Wand | Voldemort's Wand | Elder Wand
Others: Winged Keys | The Remembrall | The Invisibility Cloak | The Philosopher's Stone | Mirror of Erised | The Sorting Hat | The Basilisk Fang | Tom Riddle's Diary | The Marauder's Map | The Goblet of Fire | Deluminator | The Monster Book of Monsters

Transports
Powders: Floo Powder | Floo Network

Vehicles: Flying Ford Anglia | Flying Motorcycle | Hogwarts Express

Organizations/Groups
Dementor | Order of the Phoenix | Dumbledore's Army | Death Eaters
People
Directors: Chris Columbus (12) | Alfonso Cuarón (3) | Mike Newell (4) | David Yates (58)

Producers: David Heyman | Chris Columbus (3) | Mark Radcliffe (3) | David Barron (58) | J. K. Rowling (78)
Screenwriters: Steve Kloves (14, 68) | Michael Goldenberg (5)
Cast Members: Daniel Radcliffe | Rupert Grint | Emma Watson | Maggie Smith | Robbie Coltrane | Alan Rickman | Tom Felton | Richard Harris (2001-2002) | John Cleese (2001-2002) | Michael Gambon (2004-present) | Helena Bonham Carter | Warwick Davis | Ralph Fiennes | Brendan Gleeson | Richard Griffiths | Jason Isaacs | Gary Oldman | Fiona Shaw | Mark Williams | Julie Walters | Emma Thompson | Timothy Spall | David Thewlis | Miranda Richardson | Ian Hart
Novelist: J.K. Rowling

See also
J.K. Rowling | Harry Potter and the Cursed Child


v - e - d
Warner Bros. Entertainment Shield Logo
Founders
Jack L. Warner | Harry Warner | Albert Warner | Sam Warner
Executives
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Television Production and Distribution
Warner Bros. Televison Productions UK | Eyeworks | Alloy Entertainment | Telepictures | Warner Bros. Animation | Warner Bros. Television | Warner Bros. International Television | Warner Bros. International Television Production
Broadcast TV
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Cable TV Channels
Warner Channel | WB Channel
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Monolith Productions | TT Games (Traveller's Tales | TT Games Publishing | TT Fusion) | NetherRealm Studios | Rocksteady Studios | Turbine | WB Games Montréal
DC Entertainment
DC Films | DC Comics (Mad | Vertigo)
Home Video
Warner Home Video | Warner Archive Collection
Public Attractions
Warner Bros. Studio Tours | Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter | Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
Filming Studios
Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank | Warner Bros. Studio, Leavesden
Miscellaneous
Warner Bros. Digital Networks | Fandango Media | Turner Entertainment | WaterTower Music
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