This festive season, Harry Potter fans are invited to experience Christmas time at Hogwarts and discover how film-makers created fire, ice and snow that never melts as Warner Bros. Studio Tour London undergoes a magical makeover for Hogwarts in the Snow. From 18th November – 28th January 2018, visitors will have the opportunity to see the Harry Potter film series’ most iconic sets decorated for festive scenes. The Great Hall will be transformed, the Gryffindor common room will be dressed for the season and a blanket of filmmaking snow will be meticulously applied to the majestic Hogwarts castle model.
For the first time ever, the Great Hall stage will be decorated as it was for the iconic Yule Ball. As seen in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the celebration of the Triwizard Tournament saw every detail of the Great Hall covered in shimmering silver, dripping icicles and sparkling snow. Visitors to the Studio Tour will get a taster of this incredible set dress as the top section of the Great Hall will be transformed with snow-covered Christmas trees, icicles and an orchestra of magical instruments. Conducted by Professor Flitwick, the orchestra is made up of musical instruments painted by the Prop-Making department to match the silver of the Yule Ball.
On display in the centre of the Great Hall will sit one of the beautiful Yule Ball sculptures. Inspired by the Brighton Pavilion, the sculptures were cast from resin and surrounded by mounds of imitation ice on which sat an array of refreshments for guests.
In addition to the Yule Ball decoration, The Great Hall will be lined with Christmas trees and the long dining tables will be dressed as they were for seasonal feasts at Hogwarts with prop versions of roast turkeys, hams studded with cherries and even Christmas puddings surrounded by real flames.
As part of the Hogwarts in the Snow feature, many of the iconic sets housed at the Studio Tour will receive a festive makeover. The Gryffindor Common Room and Boys’ Dormitory will be decorated with the original props including handmade Christmas cards, some of which were created by the cast members during production. Fireplaces throughout the Studio Tour (including those in the Leaky Cauldron and Great Hall) will be ‘lit’ with special effects fire, created by John Richardson and the SFX team using a combination of water vapour and lighting effects.
The Hogwarts castle model will be transformed with a layer of filmmaking snow. During filming, a member of the crew climbed aboard an elevated work platform and sprinkled the ‘snow’ mixture of granulated paper and grains of salt onto the model by hand with a sieve – like dusting sugar onto a cake. The same process will be used at the Studio Tour this November. Visitors will even be able to touch samples of the different types of ‘snow’ used during production, each selected for its ability to float like falling snow, crunch under foot or glisten in the light like ice.
Bringing the Yule Ball to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London
Hogwarts In The Snow Yule Ball // How to book tickets
Hogwarts in the Snow will run from Saturday 18th November – Sunday 28th January 2018. Tickets must be pre-booked and all extra features are included in the ticket price.
Tickets must be pre-booked at www.wbstudiotour.co.uk and cannot be bought at the attraction.
Disclosure: We receive complimentary entry to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London
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