Hi Everyone,
So you love Harry Potter but you can get to Orlando this year. Dont panic, there does seem to be an alternitive solution that may temparily feed your Potter based cravings.
On the 31st of March a 150,000 square foot museum in Leaversden near Watford junction will be showcasing an intricate scale model of the Hogwarts castle from the Harry Potter films.
The design and special effects employed in the Harry Potter films will go down as a benchmark in British filmmaking. So it stands as a great testament to the wizarding academy of Hogwarts, a turreted gothic castle, that the films’ Art Department have named this model as their “jewel”.
This 1:24 scale model, with details taken from the original sets at Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral, will be the final trump card played at the end of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, which opens this month.
It took 86 artists and crew members to construct the first version which was then rebuilt and altered many times for the next seven films.
The work was so extensive that if one was to add all the man hours that have gone into building and reworking the model, it would come to over 74 years.
All the doors are hinged, real plants are used for landscaping and miniature birds are housed in the Owlery.
The model, which sits at nearly 50 feet in diameter, has over 2,500 fibre optic lights that simulate lanterns and torches and even gave the illusion of students passing through hallways in the films.
To show off the lighting to full effect a day-to-night cycle will take place every 4 minutes so visitors can experience the changing atmosphere at the castle.
The attraction will contain some of the most iconic Harry Potter film series sets including the Great Hall, Dumbledore’s office, the Ministry of Magic, Harry Potter’s famous cupboard under the stairs, 4 Privet Drive, Gryffindor common room, the boys’ dormitory, the Potion’s classroom, Professor Umbridge’s office, the Weasley kitchen, the Hogwarts bridge and others still to be announced.
The whole thing looks pretty amazing and should be enough to tide over manic Potter fans until they can get themselves over to the Wizarding World or Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. If you are one of the lucky ones that gets to go and see this amazing exhibition please take a couple of pics and send them into us 🙂
Cheers
Frank