Please join the Harvard Club of the UK at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter for London's first Spring Back to Harvard event
Spring Back to Harvard is a new series of events sponsored by the HAA and taking place across the globe this spring. These events aim to reconnect Harvard grads and their families with local Harvard alumni through fun, family-friendly activities, with a focus on alumni between six and twenty-five years after graduation (but all alumni are welcome!).
o Event name: Harvard at Harry Potter Studio Tour
o Date & time: Saturday, May 20th, 6.00pm
o Address: Warner Brothers Studio Tour London, Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden, WD25 7LR
o Ticket Price: £36 Adult, £28 Child (5-15 years old)
https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk
The Studio Tour is located 20 miles north-west of London and less than three miles from the M1 and M25 motorways.
Regular public transport links serve the attraction and a shuttle bus from Watford Junction train station is available, costing £2.50 per return journey.
If you are using a satellite navigation system, please use 'Warner Bros. Studio Tour London' or 'Studio Tour Drive' when setting your destination. Please note, our postcode - WD25 7LR - may not work on some systems as it's still a relatively new site.
We will send out details on where to meet the group closer to the time of the event.
About the Studio Tour
The Harry Potter film series made Leavesden its home for more than ten years. As the books were still being released while the films were being made, the production crew saved many of the iconic sets, props and costumes that were created especially for the films - just in case they were ever needed later on in the series.
On 31st March, the studio will unveil an exciting, permanent expansion dedicated to the Forbidden Forest.
The Forbidden Forest may be strictly off-limits to Hogwarts students, but for the first time this March, you are invited to defy Professor Dumbledore’s orders and follow the footsteps of Harry, Ron and Hermione deep into the grounds of the Forbidden Forest.
Home to an abundance of creatures, the Forbidden Forest offers shelter and protection to Hippogriffs and Acromantula among many others. It is also well known to beloved half-giant Hagrid in his role as Care of Magical Creatures professor. One of Rubeus Hagrid’s original costumes will be on display, lantern in hand, to welcome you through the Hogwarts Gates deep into the forest. Filled with 19 trees each with a diameter of over 12 feet, you will walk beneath the giant entwined roots on your journey and will even be able to control the weather using the same techniques created by filmmakers.
Amongst the imposing trees, you will encounter a full size model of Buckbeak, which is new to the tour, and have the opportunity to bow to the majestic creature. You will see up close the incredible detail and craftsmanship that went into creating the magnificent Hippogriff. Each feather had to be individually inserted and glued by the Creature Effects team who were busy adding feathers right up until the final moment Buckbeak was needed on set for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
As you venture deeper into the depths of the forest, you will come face-to-face with Aragog, the Acromantula. Emerging from his dark lair, the enormous spider will appear before you along with spiderlings from his family. Created by Nick Dudman, Creature and Make-Up Effects Designer, with help from Production Designer Stuart Craig, Aragog had a leg span of over 18 feet and was even able to crawl out of a hole and deliver dialogue in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Officially opening on Friday 31st March, the new, must-see expansion has been designed and built by many of the crew members who worked on the hugely successful magical film series including Oscar® and BAFTA winning Production Designer Stuart Craig, Construction Manager Paul Hayes, BAFTA winning Creature and Makeup Effects Designer Nick Dudman and BAFTA winning Special Effects Supervisor John Richardson.