I was only 7 when the first Harry Potter film came out, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, so like many others my age, I grew up reading and watching the Harry Potter series. It was a kind of magical escape for me growing up, I longed so much that I could hop on the Hogwarts Express and go and learn how to practice magic, but unfortunately my Hogwarts letter never arrived. But many years later, luckily for me, as a summer surprise my mum booked for her, my brother and I to go to the Warner Bros. Studio Harry Potter Tour at Leavesden Studios. I was completely over the moon, I'd always wanted to go but never really got around to organising it. Plus it was a great excuse for me to feel like a 12 year old again.
It's probably a little naïve of me to say this, but I'd never really appreciated just how big a production the Harry Potter films were. There were so many people involved from beginning to end, across many departments I hadn't even really given much thought about. The studio tours shows you every little detail involved in making such an epic film series, from the concept art, to scale models, props, costumes, special effects and so much more...
Here are just a few pictures of my day!
Just on my way to platform 9 3/4...
The Great Hall
The Hogwarts Express
Some of the costumes, Privet Drive, and the teachers costumes in The Great Hall
I'd definitely recommend going to anyone who loves Harry Potter, it's such an amazing experience allowing the magic to live on. I would also recommend anyone interested in film production go along, because it's honestly inspiring and eyeopening as to just how big and varied the film industry is. I spent far too much money in the gift shop at the end, and I was super tempted to buy a replica wand (definitely Hermione's because I always wished I was her when I was younger), but couldn't bring myself to splurge the £27 for one. I did however settle on a copy of The Tales of Beedle The Bard along with many beautiful notebooks which seem far too pretty to use and some postcards for my wall at uni.
Some of the many things I bought in the gift shop
Much love ♥
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