This April visitors to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter are invited to discover how filmmakers brought feathered creatures to life on screen and created the illusion of flight on the sets of the most successful film series of all time. From Friday 4^th to Sunday 27^th April, a selection of owls, ravens, special effects equipment and feathered animatronics will fill the attraction as part of its first ever Feathers and Flight feature.

Visitors will get the chance to pose for a photograph with the owl that played Harry Potter’s letter-delivering companion Hedwig as he sits outside 4 Privet Drive. The talented owls that played Ron Weasley’s tiny pet Pigwidgeon and the Weasley family owl Errol will be stationed along the wizarding street of Diagon Alley and crows and ravens that appeared in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will demonstrate their acting skills in the Studio Tour’s backlot. In addition to watching live training demonstrations, visitors will discover how birds learnt to ‘act’ by taking a look at the equipment that was used on set.

Hair and Feather Supervisor Val Jones will lead an expert team to demonstrate the techniques that made winged wonders such as Buckbeak the Hippogriff and Fawkes the Phoenix a reality on screen. By individually inserting thousands of feathers, Val worked to create the Hippogriff’s feathery coat which helped transform it into a believable creature that really moved.

Visitors will be able to see the broomsticks of Fred and George Weasley, used during their escape in Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, in Hogwarts’ iconic Great Hall and the set will be decorated as it was for owl post delivery scenes. Specially-made broomsticks and letters, which were designed to be light enough for owls to carry, will be on display as well as a breakfast feast of racks of toast, cereal and jugs of juice.

Feathery facts:

• The Buckbeak that appeared curled up in Hagrid’s pumpkin patch was an animatronic; his wings, neck, eyes and beak all moved. In other scenes, the Hippogriff was created digitally by the Visual Effects team and the cast were given props – such as a beak on a stick – to interact with on set.
• The animatronic Fawkes was so realistic that even some members of the cast believed he was a real bird when they first saw him! It was only when the Creature Effects team moved the Phoenix using their control buttons that they realised he wasn’t.
• Contrary to popular belief, owls aren’t quite as wise as they are thought to be. They can take up to three months to learn what a raven or crow can learn in just one week.