This Christmas...

This Christmas I got tickets to go visit the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour at Leavesden, and I couldn't have been more excited! I have loved the books of Harry Potter like everyone else from a young age and I am always interested in seeing how films are created, especially the costumes. I didn't really know what to expect before the tour but I had heard good things. So I was primed with my camera ready for a fantastic day and I wasn't let down! I was constantly taking pictures of the props and sets from all 8 films, and I had to control myself with what pictures I took as half way through, my camera battery started to run low. So I had to resort to my phone camera which isn't that great but it's all I had to work with. I think I ended up taking 400+ photos, and I could have taken more! What I was really interested in seeing was the costumes and the makeup department as I think it is so clever how they can make someone look completely different without the use of computers or technology. Also I liked how some things in the films you would think were CGI but they had actually built the sets or props and used mechanics to control them. Very clever. Here are some of my favourite bits....

The entrance hall doors to the Great Hall

 

The Great Hall, a little fuzzy but I was trying to take it whilst walking

 

Dumbledore, couldn't get closer for a better picture but love the embroidery on his robes

 

Professor McGonagall, love the pointy little shoulders

 

The four champions from the Goblet of Fire's Yule Ball costumes

 

Ronald Weasley's dress robes from Goblet of Fire

 

Bellatrix Lestrange's wig

 

Luna Lovegood's wedding shoes from Deathly Hallows part 1. Love the details like the radish earrings

 

Luna Lovegood's costumes, yellow dress from Deathly Hallows part 1, silver dress and jumper from Half Blood Prince. I love that jumper I want it for myself!

 

Beauxbaton's uniforms from Goblet of Fire.

 

Severus Snape's costume

 

Dumbledore in his office with the Sorting Hat

 

Professor Lupin's case, from Prisoner of Azkaban. This was electronically packed away but made to look like magic

 

Molly Weasley's costume. I wish I could live in the Burrow

 

 

Bellatrix Lestrange's costume, Deathly Hallows part 1. Love Helena Bonham Carter

 

Love the pleated sleeves with the leather panelled bodice that flares at the hips

 

Little props from the films and book. My favourite bit in the books where you find out a bit about Dumbledore's life, even if it's not entirely truthfully written by Rita Skeeter

 

Dolores Umbridge in sickly sweet pink. I do however like the little cat brooches

 

 

I would love to go back again as I'm sure there are bits that I missed! It was a great experience to see the props and costumes that helped make the films come to life.