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BY GERMAIN LUSSIER | Recently, Germain Lussier talked with the producer,
director and cast of "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets".
Read on for the full interviews.
As a big time producer or director, ones work is never done and that
goes doubly for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets team David
Heyman and Chris Columbus. Theres
press to promote the latest film, pre-production for the third film, and
lastly, the passing of friend and colleague, Richard Harris, know affectionately
to this generation as Professor Albus Dumbledore. Talking to these
men, one gets the feeling that their ability to balance each task is what
makes them successful. Prospective filmmakers should take noteslike
I did at the press junket for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
in New York last week.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets chronicles Harrys second
year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The book, widely
regarded as the publics least favorite, centers on a mysterious
force petrifying wizards who are not pure blooded, and Harry, as usual,
finds himself smack in the middle of the action. Columbus explained
why, despite the second books lack of popularity, he was more excited
about making this film than the last. Its always Azkaban
first, then Sorcerers Stone, then Goblet of Fire, then Chamber
of Secrets. And I never really could figure out why but then when
I was reading it I thought, well, its almost more of a cinematic
experience. Hes referring specifically to the climatic
scene with an 80-foot snake and a scene with hundreds of spiders chasing
Harry and Ron, his best friend. In the book [these scenes]
work on a literary level, but I really wanted to open them up into full
blown action sequences.
To do that, however, Columbus and Heyman both knew they would have to
improve on the visual effects of the first film, which were decidedly
lacking. We only had three months to do [the effects] on
the first film. So we did all the visual effects shots first.
We had eight to nine months to complete them all, which gave us almost
three times as much time to fix the effects and make them really, really
good for Chamber of Secrets, Columbus said. Producer Heyman
concurred, We scheduled a lot of the visual effects sequences up
front: The pixies, the flying car, Quidditch. Last time, we did not finish
filming Quidditch until June, so that gave us four months to really hone
the visual effects, which is tough. Heyman added, The
robes in the first [Quidditch game] were tighter and heavier, so we put
lighter material on them to give you a great sense of movement.
Also, having the players play closer to a surface to give a greater sense
of speed. So we put in the trench sequence. And no, sorry,
Star Wars fans. The trench sequence in Harry Potter and the Chamber
of Secrets is not an homage to A New Hope;thats actually
a coincidence, Columbus said.
Also much improved in this film are the CGI characters, in particular,
Dobby the house elf. We had a mantra on the film,
Columbus said, that we didnt want to be like a certain other
CG character, an extremely annoying character. [This Phantom
Character Columbus refused to disclose] really affected us in a bad way.
Columbus said that while shooting the Dobby scenes, Daniel Radcliffe (who
plays Harry) was working with only an orange ball on a stick, but the
ILM guys were truly amazed at what he was doing. Theyve
seen actors twice his age not being able to focus, he said.
The result is seamless interaction between Harry and the small character,
which plays a big part in not only this film, but the fourth as well.
So, with all their problems seemingly solved and the film ready to release
on November 15th, whats next? Harrys third year
and third film: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Heyman
will return as producer with Columbus by his side, handing off the directorial
reigns to Alfonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien, A Little Princess).
Heyman confirms that the third film is already in active pre-production
and that shooting will begin in either March or February of 2003, with
a scheduled release date sometime in either the summer of winter of 2004.
The principal cast of the first two has signed on and will all be returning
for the third year straight. J.K Rowling, the author of the novels,
along with Heyman, Cuaron and Steve Kloves, the screenwriter, have already
met to discuss the script and all parties are excited about the project.
Columbus, equally excited about his new producer position, told us why
he had decided to step down as director for the third Harry Potter installment.
Its been two and a half years and I havent had dinner
during the week with my own children. Ironically theyre the
people who got me into the whole Harry Potter world and now theyre
the people who are getting me out of it, he said. Columbus also
spoke about his other family, the three kids who play Harry,
Ron and Hermione and what his last day on set was like. We
had just done the library scene where Hermione finds the Polyjuice Potion.
And I just realized that that was the last time the four of us would be
working together in that capacity. So we just sort of walked off
and talked a little bitand I kept undercutting it by saying, Were
going to see each other again, were going to be on the set together
next year, it was extremely emotional.
Heyman also discussed the fourth film, the final in the current canon
of Harry Potter novels as fans anxiously await book five, Harry Potter
and the Order of the Phoenix. At the moment I dont
know if were making a fourth. I hope we will, it looks like
we will. What weve done, were negotiating with a screenwriter
[Steve Kloves] to write the fourth but thats it, Heyman
said. So right now the focus is primarily on the third film.
Unfortunately though, the cast and crew of the third film, and the entire
film community presumably, have their thoughts on their beloved Professor
Dumbledore, Richard Harris, who passed away last week. When these
interviews were conducted, Harris was still alive, but extremely sick.
Director Columbus did manage to give the press a quote that truly embodies
the passion of Richard Harris, a truly wonderful and talented man.
Harris told Columbus, If you ever blank think about blank recasting
me, Ill blank kill you. When questioned about the then possibility,
now reality, of Harris not returning Columbus said, I cant
even think about that. To me its like a whole family.
I have to believe, in these kind of situations, when you have someone
youre close to whos not doing well, you have to believe
theyre going to get through it. Hes 72 but hes
one of the toughest people Ive ever met.
THE CAST
Imagine being plucked out of obscurity and cast to play some of the most
beloved roles in recent literary history. Then imagine your film
grossing nearly a billion dollars across the world and instantly becoming
a recognizable celebrity, all over the course of a few months. Well,
a year later and with a second film in the can, Daniel Radcliffe,
Emma Watson and Rupert Grint dont
look like they feel any of the pressure that might come with that particular
situation. Each was poised, funny, and very succinct with their
answers as they moseyed up to the podium in front of hundreds of journalists
in New York last week for the press junket for Harry Potter and the Chamber
of Secrets.
I could be 100 years old and in my rocker and Ill always
be very, very proud that I was in a Harry Potter film. This
sentiment, expressed by Emma Watson, seemed to be the overall feeling
of the films stars. Even though they are child celebrities and in
two Chris Columbus movies, none of them seem worried about taking the
wrong path. When asked what was the best thing about being a celebrity,
each gave very simple and humble answer, such as meeting other celebrities,
getting recognized and wearing cool clothes. Answers like that hammer
home the point that these kids dont consider themselves celebrities;
theyre just like any other kids, they just happen to star in two
blockbuster films.
This innocent tone was like a blanket over the entire proceeding.
When Dan, Rupert and Emma were questioned about their characters possibly
getting together with each other, their innocence was as
apparent as the clothes on their backs. Dan said, I think
these two [Ron and Hermione] are going to get together, thats my
prediction. Rupert concurred, much to his dismay, because that
would mean acting like he was in love with Emma. Emma also spoke
about being nervous having to hug Dan for the end of the film. Before
she could answer, Dan chimed in, Be careful which
was followed by laughter. Emma retorted, Ill be very careful.
For starters it was cringe, but then it was ok. Where better to
hug somebody than in front of 300 kids and everyone else in the world?
Each spoke about how they have signed on to do the third film and are
excited about the story and new director Alfonso Cuaron. Alfonsos
a really, really nice guy and I really think its exciting working
with someone new, Emma said. Dan is looking forward to his
scenes with Sirius Black and Lupin, whomever plays the roles, while Emma
cant wait for the hippogriff and Rupert is excited for the dementors.
As for this film, Emma most enjoyed her scenes with Kenneth Branagh, Dan
found it fantastic to watch Branagh and Rickman go at it on the dueling
club set, while Rupert enjoyed the flying car, but especially coughing
up slugs. I had to try all these different flavors of slime.
There was orange, lemon, peppermint, chocolate, and it made it taste really
nice, he said.
In between this film and the next, the three stars are all going back
to school, and Dan in particular just started a new one. All
the people Ive met [at school] have been absolutely fantastic.
Theres no jealously, I havent been bullied or anything,
because everybodys been really nice, Dan said. When
not filming or in school, Dan has become a punk rock fan and film buff.
I absolutely love Wes Anderson and The Royal Tenenbaums.
My favorite film of all time is Twelve Angry Men. I think its
just one of the most amazing films ever, he said.
And while Harry might not watch Wes Anderson films and listen to the
Sex Pistols like Dan does, the two have many similarities. I
think Im going to go and have to have therapy one day. When
I keep reading the books, I just find out more about myself that Harry
has in his personality too, like curiosity, not being afraid to stand
up for yourself, and getting in trouble, Dan said. That being
said, there didnt seem to be too much trouble on the set of the
film. I threw Rupert of the window, Dan said in as stern
a voice as possible, following it up quickly buy saying, No [the
three of us] have never had a fight.
But one fight that did happen, on screen that is, is the climatic battle
between Harry and the 80-foot basilisk. [The crew] built
25 foot of it and gave him a head, which was actually quite hard to fight
because I kept knocking the teeth out of his mouth. So they had
to spend hours and hours repairing it, Dan said.
Each of the stars of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets obviously
love being in these films, but Rupert Grint put it best. His favorite
part of being in this film was, Coughing up slugs and coming
to New York. For these kids the term child celebrity is exactly
right. They are children first, and celebrities second. Who
else but a child would say that slugs and New York were the best part
of being in a multi million dollar movie?
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