A Potter Puppet Pals video that was released last March was named Best Comedy video at the YouTube Video Awards today.
The video, which can be seen here, has got more than 37 million views since its debut last year, making it the third most viewed comedy video of all time on the site.
Of the six comedy video nominees, the Potter Puppet Pals video won with 33.6% of the vote. You can also learn more about these very funny Potter Puppet Pals created by Neil Cicierega by visiting here.
Actress Natalia Tena talks flying, wizard style, in an interview with the Swindon Advertiser where she discusses her role as Tonks in the Harry Potter films. Saying she has been filming recently for her return appearance as the Auror in the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she recalls filming her flying scenes for “Order of the Phoenix.” Stating she really loved the flying sequences (“The flying stuff was so cool,”) Natalia Tena describes the process used in making these scenes as she noted “We are wrapped in green skin stuff and have this pole attachment. It moves like a buckaroo. They take a plaster cast of your bum so you get a proper seat on the broomstick. I love heights and these hot men (the technicians) blow air at me to make me look sexy – it was amazing,” she said.
Happy Birthday wishes go out today to actor Gary Oldman, who portrayed the character of Sirius Black in the Harry Potter films. Mr. Oldman celebrates his 50th birthday today. Happy Birthday, Gary!
Christie’s International in London, England sold a number of Harry Potter novels at auction today, including a number rare or signed editions. Bloomberg is reporting, the complete lot of 20 books pulled in a total of 36,560 pounds ($72,565) with fees for the auction house.
According to the article, early sales estimates had the lot selling for 20,000 pounds without fees. A first edition of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” without its dust jacket and containing “slip of paper bearing Rowling’s signature,” was part of the auction, and ultimately sold for 4,000 pounds ($8,000).
Christie’s noted this edition was “exceptionally rare” as only approximately 500 copies were printed, 300 of which went to libraries. Speaking for Christie’s, Crispin Jackson went on to note the increased value books at auction which contain an authors signature, saying: It increases the price by at least five times.” Other Harry Potter books sold today include a boxed set of five deluxe editions which sold for 5,000 pounds ($10,000).
Upcoming fan conference, Accio 2008, has recently released the full programming schedule for their upcoming event at Magdalen College in Oxford, England.
The three day conference, which takes place from July 25 – 27, 2008, will begin with an Opening Session followed by three days of formal programming from a variety of speakers on a wide array of topics related to Harry Potter.
A conference for geared to ‘academics and adult Harry Potter fans,’ presentations will be made throughout the weekend on religion, the effect the series has had in other countries, ethics and evil, and the films.
Further presentations will give character and psychological analyses along with a literary look at wizard rock. Emer O’Sullivan and Gillian Hall will be speaking at the event, with respective presentations focusing on narration in the novel and the translation of book to film to also take place. The full programming schedule can be found at this link.
At this time, a limited number of reservations are still available for Accio 2008 but must be reserved prior to April 1, 2008. Further information on registration for this event can be found here.
Cheryl Klein, Tamora Pierce will speak at Terminus.
Terminus 2008, the Harry Potter conference in Chicago this August, announced today that Harry Potter continuity editor Cheryl Klein and fantasy author Tamora Pierce will be providing keynote addresses at their event.
Cheryl Klein, Senior Editor, Arthur A. Levine Books, who has worked on the last three Potter novels (Entertainment Weekly called her a “Potterologist”) will be giving a speech entitled “Potter Past: Lessons from the Harry Potter Series” on Friday, August 8. This will mark the first time a Potter editor has spoken at a Harry Potter conference. full story
Bridge Used in Potter Filming for Platform 9 3/4 to be destroyed for renovation purposes.
A new report says a bridge and clock at King’s Cross station in London, England may be removed as part of an expansion project. Most recently filmed in “Order of the Phoenix,” this place is all part of an area that is the site of thousands and thousands of visitors to the London train station.
ITN is reporting that there is an effort aboutt to save this area as the article says: “Architect and TV presenter Ptolemy Dean is leading the campaign to stop the bridge being destroyed. He said: “King’s Cross will lose its rather beautiful and lovely structure which characterises it’s views. It’s a a gateway to the north really and one feels very sad that it’s going.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the last book in the boy wizard series and features a chapter called King’s Cross, where a location resembling the station plays a significant role.The station is also featured in the epilogue of the same book, making it the final setting of the Harry Potter series.”
Rupert Grint Filming Quidditch Scenes for "Half-Blood Prince".
Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) talked to The Sun today about filming the Quidditch scenes in Half-Blood Prince. He said, "You sit on a broomstick for hours and it starts to hurt. It gives you a numb bum."
He also spoke about his future, saying, "We’ll be finished filming in a few months. Then we’ll be making the final ever one. I think I’ll miss it....I’d like to do a comedy movie next but we’ll have to see what comes up."
The Telegraph has reported today that Dame Maggie Smith, known to Potter film fans as Prof. McGonagall, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She has had a tumor removed and has undergone a course of chemotherapy; the prognosis “looks good,” a friend of hers told the paper... full story
HP Fan Trips, who hosts exclusive trips to the United Kingdom specially dedicated to HP fans, has arranged (Togather with Alivan's) a new FREE virtual journey for everyone: The HP Quest.
The object of the quest is to solve a series of weekly clues and you'll be able to register and win a variety of weekly prizes and a chance to win the School of Wizardry trip.
Each week a new series of clues will be released. Participants solve the clues to discover new "destinations"(new website addresses). Fans must play each week to be eligible for that week’s prize drawing. Each website address provides the next set of riddles/challenges that need to be solved. Total number of clues imbedded in your website will be determined by the number of participating partners and the level of participation of each partner.
The first weekly drawing was held today and will continue through April 25th. It all leads up to the Grand Prize drawing on that day: a trip for two to Ford's Castle in England.
The U.K. cinema takings for 2007 were up 7.7% on the previous year, a record high (£904.9 million). This has been attributed to poor weather in the summer and blockbusters such as Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix. Experts have now predicted that Half Blood Prince will also do similar. The Guardian reports.
Dave Legeno who will play the part of Fenrir Greyback in the up coming Half-Blood Prince. discussed his role in an interview. The 44-year-old spoke to The Star saying, "Daniel will be taking his own 17 stone monster in this film - me."
The fighter, known as The Legend Killer for his giant-slaying ways, added: "He is a lovely guy but let's just say he will have his hands full when I get hold of him." The scan of this article can be seen here. Thanks to Snitchseeker for the tip!
Rowling will attend The 2008 British Books Awards.
Author J.K. Rowling will attend the 2008 Galaxy British Books Awards in association with the Richard & Judy Show on April 9th. The announcement was made on the show this past Friday after a short piece officially announcing the awards.
E!'s Daily 10 aired a video from the Half-Blood Prince set at Gloucester Cathedral. The video, which aired Thursday evening, is a brief interview with Daniel Radcliffe about the Deathly Hallows film split.
ComingSoon.net has confirmed that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will be shown in IMAX, released the same day as the film opens on November 21, 2008. Also of note to fans is word that sections of the film such as the dramatic events at Hogwarts and the finale of the movie will be shown in 3D, just as parts of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” were shown in IMAX 3D. You may remember that Prisoner of Azkaban through Order of the Phoenix have also been released in IMAX, so this should come as no surprise!
In a new interview just released by E! Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Tom Felton discuss the sixth Potter film and some of the cuts that have been made. Also in the clip is footage of the crew filming a corridor scene with Dan and Rupert at Gloucester Cathedral.
Warner Bros. officially announced today that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be split into two films, which will be released in November 2010 and May 2011, as was reported yesterday.
David Yates, who will direct both parts of the movie, said, "I've had great pleasure working with a tremendous cast and crew thus far, on both 'the Order of the Phoenix' and 'the Half-Blood Prince.' It's a wonderful world to work in and be part of and to create within, and I consider it a great privilege to continue to bring Jo's extraordinary world to the screen, and to be the director to complete this epic and exhilarating journey."
David Heyman again weighed in: "The Deathly Hallows is so rich, the story so dense and there is so much that is resolved that after discussing it with Jo, we came to the conclusion that two parts were needed to do it justice."
There is video online now of actor Dan Radcliffe and the subject of a two part Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movie. This video, which was aired last night on cable channel E! was actually recorded last month while on location filming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at Gloucester Cathedral in England. If you listen carefully, Dan is talking about the possibility of this split (which has since been confirmed to happen) and echoes comments he later said to the LA Times on how DH is one driving story. You can watch this short video here via youtube.
Two Parts for "Deathly Hallows" Movie, David Yates to Direct Both Films.
As expected, this morning Warner Brothers issued a press released about the split. No new information is revealed.
Story highlights (Digg this story): - Part 1 to be released November 2010, Part 2 May 2011. - JK Rowling was "cool" with the idea, according to Heyman. - Warner Brothers to make official announcement tomorrow at ShoWest.
It's official! The LA Times has confirmed that Deathly Hallows will be split into two films AND will be directed by OOTP and HBP director David Yates. Read the full article HERE. Quotage from the article:
Producer David Heyman said the decision was made with some anxiety and only after considerable deliberations. The producer joked that "while my wife and Warner Brothers were pleased" to hear that the Potter movie magic will continue into the next decade, he himself fretted that the cynical observers would see the decision as a purely mercenary move.
"I swear to you it was born out of purely creative reasons," Heyman said during an interview in a converted airplane factory outside London that has been home base to all of the "Potter" productions. "Unlike every other book, you cannot remove elements of this book. You can remove scenes of Ron playing quidditch from the fifth book, and you can remove Hermione and S.P.E.W. [Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare] and those subplots . . . but with the seventh, that can't be done."
Heyman said he approached Rowling with some trepidation about the strategy but found that she signed off on its logic rather quickly. "I went to Jo and she was cool with it," Heyman said, "and that was quite a relief.
Harry Potter films to be re-released in Blu-ray disc
Warner Brothers has announced that several films will be released in a special book-like edition, including Harry Potter. HighDefDigest.com reports:
...the studio will kick off a new line of deluxe next-gen releases geared towards the collector's market. Sure to please film buffs, the slate of ten releases will wrap the high-def picture and sound in a handsomely bound volume containing rare and never-before-seen archival material.
We're not yet sure which Potter films will be re-released, nor what "archival material" they will include. However, we'll keep you updated.
The crew members of Half-Blood Prince have shot footage for the film at London's Millenium Bridge. No actors were on set, but Pottermaniac has posted pictures of the crew's equipment and the scene the day of the shoot Click here to check them out!
In an in-depth interview with the University of Edinburgh's Student newspaper, JK Rowling was asked about her work on her Harry Potter encyclopedia. She said: "I am working on it in fact. I just don't want to have to work to a deadline, but I am slowly piecing it together."
Jo also reiterated that she is working on a children's book and a book for adults that "may never see the light of day at all." But she wouldn't reveal any more than that, saying, "The minute I say anything, immediately my life becomes more complicated."
She also touches on a host of other issues in the interview, from Laura Mallory and fundamentalism to Dumbledore's sexuality. The interview can be read here, thanks to TLC.
It seemed that BF is going to die... as it is having some lack of attention.... But i am pleased to announce that from now on BF will be regularly updated either its the news blog or any other section... sorry for the inconvenience ... But not any more though! So keep on visiting
In a new interview with Salon, Order of the Phoenix screenwriter Michael Goldenberg discusses how Harry's role as a teacher in this film plays into his overall advantage over Voldemort. He said:
There was a lot Jo wanted to say about education, and the notion of what makes a good teacher. Harry is naturally a good teacher because he's compassionate, because he's patient, because he cares about his friends, whereas Dolores Umbridge hates children, resents their messiness and lack of control.
In my own life, when I was most inspired by a teacher, it always involved a real dialogue, a looseness and a real caring and compassion. It was not without rigor, not without discipline, not without standards, but all that was done out of love. And that is how Harry reconnects to his friends. Harry is being pulled between the poles of isolation and community. To me, that is one of the more effective things about the film -- that you do feel his struggle, and that in the end it is because of his connection with Ron and Hermione and something bigger than himself -- that's what gives him the advantage over Voldemort.
To read the complete three page interview click here.
Hand and Wand Ceremony at Graumans Chinese Theatre (2007)
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson were honored at the "Hand, Foot, and Wand" ceremony yesterday at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. You can see their photos on HarryPotterTrio.com's Website by clicking on the following link.
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Potter Puppet Pals video wins at YouTube Awards
A Potter Puppet Pals video that was released last March was 
Upcoming fan conference, Accio 2008, has recently released the full programming schedule for their upcoming event at Magdalen College in Oxford, England. 
Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) 
The 
The U.K. cinema takings for 2007 were up 7.7% on the previous year, a record high (£904.9 million). This has been attributed to poor weather in the summer and blockbusters such as Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix. Experts have now predicted that Half Blood Prince will also do similar. The 
There is video online now of actor Dan Radcliffe and the subject of a two part Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movie. This video, which was aired last night on cable channel E! was actually recorded last month while on location filming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at Gloucester Cathedral in England. If you listen carefully, Dan is talking about the possibility of this split (which has since been confirmed to happen) and echoes comments he later said to the LA Times on how DH is one driving story. You can watch this short video 
As expected, this morning Warner Brothers 
Warner Brothers has announced that several films will be released in a special book-like edition, including Harry Potter. HighDefDigest.com reports:
But i am pleased to announce that from now on BF will be regularly updated either its the news blog or any other section... sorry for the inconvenience 
... But not any more though! So keep on visiting 
