Harry Potter Film Wizardry

Product Information

Normally I don’t elaborate on products or production based book, but this one is good enough to do just that. These are just a few of the cool behind-the-scenes stories that are told in this highly entertaining book. One small quibble: I do hope the publishers will re-print a revised edition of this to include information from Part II of The Deathly Hallows. Unfortunately, this edition only covered The Sorcerers Stone through Part I of The Deathly Hallows. It would be wonderful to have more information on the finale and beyond. This was one of my Christmas gifts, and I spent most of Christmas day reading this book. It is full of many cool things. There are little envolopes that have a bunch of stuff from the movies. Harry's acceptance letter to There are plenty of photos shot behind the scenes showing the sets, the miniatures and models, actors and there are even some pieces of artwork and sketches.

A totally entertaining book for fans of the HP movie franchise. Filled with insider tid-bits and behind-the scenes factoids from all 7 of the movies. Members from the cast and crew contribute to the sometimes funny, sometimes informative and always fascinating phenom that are the Harry Potter movies. Attention to creative and artistic detail is evident throughout the book. It's easy to get lost in just looking at all the tiny, (almost unseen), but beautifully rendered artistic elements throughtout the book. BRAVO to the creative directors responsible. The book chronologically covers the 8 movies, with many other movie related things scattered throughout the book. It’s very well structured, without being overly organized. The book is stuffed with plenty of photos, and there is a lot of behind the scenes information about how they did special effects, made various things and outfits, copies of many call sheets, storyboard sketches, etc. etc. etc. There are many mini interviews with cast members, directors, and others involved in the making of the films, and most of them had very interesting things to say. It’s amazing all the people, skills, materials, schedules, etc. needed to make these films. I was even more impressed when I realized the attention they paid to detail, and that makes sense given the high quality of the films. Short synopses of the movies are given, along with a bit about how and why there were deviations from the books. I got a much better look at so many of the props than I did while watching the actual movies. I would have bought this book for the concept art alone. Or to be more precise, for this particular sketch of Hogwarts and its surrounding grounds, penned in a matter of minutes by J.K. Rowling herself, for the production designer.The book begins with a foreward from Dan, Rupert, and Emma, who gush about how much of an impact the series made in their lives. Dan remarked on the journey both he and Harry endured in the ten years; Rupert took pride in playing brave Ron Weasley, the "ultimate ginger," in his words; and Emma voiced her respect for her young, annoying, brainy Muggle-born fictional counterpart she thought she had nothing in common with early in the series, but who she embraced with all her heart by the end. It then lead into the first of many producer's notes scattered throughout the book, where David Heyman, the man who read the first Harry Potter book, fell in love, and immediately insisted on making the films, explained how he began to piece the movies together well over ten years ago. Everybody involved in these eight films knows that we have been part of something very special, and that there will never be another experience like this one," proclaims producer David Heyman in the introduction. He's right, of course, and while the people who made the movies were there for births, marriages, divorces and even deaths, fans have been along for the ride, hoping for a chance to sit in the front seat. This is finally it! The commentary provided includes interviews with the actors and staff. They talk about everything from creating sets like the Hogwarts castle to how they film the movie with computer graphics elements. I'm impressed with how much content is included. It's the perfect gift for any long-time (or new) Potter fan—I got it for myself as a Christmas gift. You get to see, close up, so many of the magical things that were created to fill Harry's world. I know it's a cliché, but the book is almost magical. All of the special touches make it feel like you have a true treasure pulled right out of the Gringott's bank vault. There still isn't any Harry Potter art books, but this movie companion is probably the best thing any fan could wish for.

This is a beautifully made, informative, and fun movie companion book! Well, maybe this is nothing more than a glorified movie magazine in book form, but it gave me plenty of entertainment value. I adore the Harry Potter books and I really like the movies, and this is a fun book for fans of the movies. The book covers all 8 movies, so I got to see a (very) few scenes from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 before the movie comes out. The graphic artists who designed the films and their contents also designed this book, and they did a fabulous job, with both endeavors. There is much attention to detail, even including the printed on name plate at the beginning of the book. An absolute must-have for all Potter fans, this Brian Sibley book is all about the magic of Harry Potter films. Think of it as a Harry Potter making-of extras in all of the HP movie DVDs, except they are in words (instead of in moving pictures) and more in-depth than anything I've ever seen in the DVD extras. I can't comment on it chapter by chapter; there are simply too many goodness inside this book. But suffice to say the book will appeal to those fans who are looking for collectible items AND fans who want to learn more about filmmaking, Harry Potter style. If you are a Harry Potter fanatic this is a must-have addition to your library. It covers the Harry Potter world in a virtual 3-D approach. The book is full of surprises and beautiful artwork. Mere words cannot convey the enjoyment the reader will receive from this book. Seriously, any fan of Harry Potter would be practically drooling over this book if they had any sense at all. It is highly enjoyable and it points out small details that are in the movies that you never noticed before. It is a seriously awesome book.