Warner Bros. Studio Tour is once again hosting its spectacular event Hogwarts in the Snow this winter. This event will be made even more magical by the addition of some extra never-before-seen features, including the rigging of the Goblet of Fire:
Launching on Friday 13th November and running for a limited time only, Hogwarts in the Snow will offer visitors the opportunity to see the Harry Potter film series’ most iconic sets decorated for festive scenes. Eight Christmas trees will line the Great Hall, the Gryffindor common room will be dressed for the season and a blanket of filmmaking snow will be meticulously applied to the majestic Hogwarts castle model.
In the Hogwarts Great Hall, visitors will spot wreaths and garlands, trees decked with golden baubles and topped with witches on miniature broomsticks, as well as a replica feast. One side of the Great Hall will be dedicated to savoury props, featuring roast turkeys, hams studded with cherries and bowls of potatoes, while the other will be devoted to sweet treats including flaming Christmas puddings and iced cakes.
For the first time this year, the Goblet of Fire will emerge from its original jeweled casket, rigged by special effects experts, and will be ‘lit’ with flames that change from blue to red. Featured in the fourth film, the impressive goblet was used as a way to select champions for the TriWizard Tournament. During production, the picture-perfect hero version was sculpted from a single piece of wood by the Prop Making Department, while a special effects replica was moulded in fiberglass and painted to look identical to its wooden counterpart.
The Hogwarts castle model will be transformed for the occasion by a team led by Model Effects Supervisor José Granell, who worked on the Harry Potter film series. The snow is hand-sprinkled onto the incredibly-detailed model and is made from a combination of granulated paper and grains of salt – chosen because it clumps like real snowflakes and catches the light like ice. Visitors will be able to touch samples of the different types of ‘snow’ used during production, each selected for its ability to float like falling snow, crunch under foot or glisten in the light.
Festive facts:
· The food featured in the feasts throughout the early films was real; however, the Set Decoration Department later used artificial food created from powder and resin.
· While the film series’ Christmas scenes feel very festive, many of them were actually filmed at unexpected times of year (even during summer) depending on the production schedule.
· Christmas puddings were rigged with real flames for the Great Hall’s Christmas feast, with gas pipes hidden along the floor and running up into the tables. This special effect will be recreated at the Studio Tour this year, especially for the attraction’s festive feature.
Hogwarts in the Snow is one of the most magical events of the year & will run from November 13th 2015 – January 31st 2016.
With today marking only 400 days left until Fantastic Beasts arrives in cinemas, we cannot think of anything more perfect to keep us occupied until then – after all, all the same crew using the same processes will also be working on the Fantastic Beasts movies! This is a chance to see first-hand how the magic is made behind the screen, so don’t miss out!
Tickets, as always, must be pre-booked & you can do so by clicking this link.
Hope to see you there!
