Every year on September 1st Potter fans around the globe celebrate Back to Hogwarts day. Fans found their own way to celebrate; whether that meant visiting the Universal Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Parks, Platform 9 3/4 in London, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London or a movie marathon at home.
Things look a little different this year with many staying safe at home due to coronavirus. WizardingWorld.com has announced virtual activities leading up to and on day-of so we can all enjoy safely from home – offering the largest “Back to Hogwarts” celebration than ever before.
USA and SyFy will be airing all eight Potter films for a Back to Hogwarts marathon. On September 1st there will be a livestream with special guests! Graphic Designers for the Potter films, MinaLima, have created a beautiful poster to celebrate. You can purchase the Back to Hogwarts print on their website.
Full details on what to expect may be found in the press release below:
The Wizarding World extends an open invitation to come together virtually and join the very first digital Back to Hogwarts. This completely free, atmospheric, virtual event has been developed to help keep everyone safe and to be enjoyed from the comfort of home.
Starting August 29th, fans can check out the Back to Hogwarts Hub on WizardingWorld.com, where they can join the Harry Potter Fan Club, get Sorted and ready themselves to celebrate with an incredible selection of content, including:
• Hearing from some of the creative masterminds responsible for bringing the magic to life, (including genius wand choreographer Paul Harris, who will be demonstrating and teaching the art of Wand Combat)
• Transporting themselves from the muggle-world into the magical one by listening to the Journeys to Hogwarts Soundscape – a Harry Potter immersive audio experience featuring all the sounds you’d hear on that iconic journey. Simply close your eyes and let your imagination roam!
• A CineConcerts performance featuring orchestras from around the world playing memorable musical selections from each of the eight Harry Potter films at home
• A sneak peek of the brand-new House of MinaLima on opening day, featuring Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, plus exclusive Back to Hogwarts 2020 celebration artwork, which was created especially for the occasion and is also available as a limited-edition art print!
• Going back to where the magic began with the celebrity readings of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (accessible exclusively for registered members of the Harry Potter Fan Club)
• Plus, a host of Hogwarts-themed, inspiring craft ideas and creative tutorials for all ages
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On September 1st, more people than ever will be able to join the very first virtual, Back to Hogwarts Livestream and experience the excitement of a fan celebration at Kings Cross, (including the countdown) without leaving the house! The livestream will feature a mass of surprises and fun, including appearances from special guests, including James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley) and Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy).
Sharing their enthusiasm at being involved in this year’s celebration, James Phelps said: “I’m so excited to be playing a part in the first ever digital Back to Hogwarts! 2020 has definitely been a strange year and it’s really important that we all do everything we can to keep safe, including staying home. I hope fans will join us and keep the celebrations virtual.”
Oliver Phelps added: “The Wizarding World fans are the greatest and getting the chance to share this special day with people all over the world is going to be brilliant. I’m really looking forward to everything this Digital Back to Hogwarts has in store and it’s a bonus that we can all do it from the sofa!”
In addition to familiar faces dropping by, there will be trivia games for fans to join in with, and even an appearance from the cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, before the fan countdown kicks off.
Additionally, fans can get even closer to the magic by submitting a snap of themselves to join the ‘Back to Hogwarts – Class of 2020’. Their photos will be added to a digital mosaic, which will grow throughout the day to bring the community to life. This is a chance for fans across the globe to show off their best cosplay, call out their House Pride or simply celebrate their fandom! Harry Potter Fan Club members will also receive a memento of the day too, as the mosaic will be available to them exclusively as a digital download to keep.
Fan submitted imagery will also be displayed inside Kings Cross station, giving participants a virtual presence there throughout the day! It will be available to view throughout the morning via the livestream and on social.
The Back to Hogwarts Livestream will also support Lumos, as fans will have the option to press a button during the stream and make a donation throughout the digital event.
The digital event will kick off at 5:30 a.m. EST on September 1st, and fans can tune in live or following the event by visiting www.wizardingworld.com, where the livestream will be hosted.
There is a huge amount in store… to be among the first to receive updates, don’t forget to go to www.wizardingworld.com and sign up to the Harry Potter Fan Club. There, you can also check the Back to Hogwarts Hub to receive additional information on what will be happening in the run up to, and during, Back to Hogwarts 2020 – as the Wizarding World seeks to safely bring the magic home.
Dan Hartley, a former video assist operator for the Harry Potter films, has launched a Kickstarter to fund a film project he is working on. But it isn’t just any film project, he’s aiming to create the world’s first crowd-sourced feature film script. for foll information visit the Kickstarter campaign page.
BAFTA nominated – and Yorkshire bred – filmmaker Dan Hartley is following up on his critically acclaimed debut feature,Lad: A Yorkshire Story, with a brand new film – and is offering the people of Yorkshire the chance to get involved.
Dan is launching a KickStarter campaign, #WeAreTheFilm’, to raise part of the budget required to shoot the film. Going live on Tuesday 24th November and offering a range of perks, beginning at £1 and rising up to £2,000, the campaign enables members of the public to pledge their support and have a say on what film is made.
What makes the campaign unique is that contributors have the opportunity to become a virtual film crew, and are invited to a series of industry workshops that will give a unique insight into the filmmaking process and lead to continued involvement in the development of the film from script to screen.
Divided up into different roles, from editing to directing, the virtual film crew will be able to input their opinions and ideas which will influence the final film made. Other perks offer the opportunity for participants to get their hands on limited edition merchandise and to attend a number of gala events and screenings
Dan Hartley said: “We’re looking to turn the traditional filmmaking process on its head by involving the audience from the outset. As such we’re looking to enlist the input of cinemagoers to create a film that they are passionately engaged with and we’ll be using workshops to give our contributors the opportunity to learn about the filmmaking process.”
His previous film, ‘Lad: A Yorkshire Story’ was critically acclaimed, screened at international film festivals around the world and reached No.5 in the iTunes independent film chart. Dan has vast experience in the film industry having worked as a video co-ordinator on films including the Harry Potter series, Clash of the Titans 2, The Bourne Ultimatum and Maleficent.
He’s currently working on the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but he’s under strict instructions to give nothing away. In an interview with the Yorkshire Post, he discusses his time on the Potter films.
“It acted as a very long film school,” he says of the experience. “I never went to film school so I learned on the job. A series of guys kept getting fired, which meant that I went from a trainee to managing a department on a huge film not really knowing what I was doing.”
“As an independent film maker, you haven’t got any money, backing or studios behind you,” says Hartley. “That could be incredibly negative, but if you turn it around it can be a huge positive.
“We will ask people which element they would like to get involved in – directing, camerawork, acting or editing – and then hold classes on each of them. We’re looking for somewhere between 500 and 2,000 contributors. Obviously we can’t have them all on set with us, but there will be consultation throughout.”
“I just like the idea that we are doing something new and something with technology that we couldn’t have done a few years ago,” he says. “It’s exciting, we want to be pioneers.”
MuggleNet’s global book club, Alohomora!, continues its reread of the Harry Potter series by discussing Chapter 15 of Order of the Phoenix: “The Hogwarts High Inquisitor.” Join hosts Caleb, Kat, Michael, and special guest host, Megan (me!) as we discuss the latest act of Ministry meddling at Hogwarts.
On Episode 92 we discuss…
Episode 91 Recap: Fudge manipulating; Percy’s still a prat; Racism and other prejudices; JKR’s intentions; Molly’s validation
The sixth annual LeakyCon is almost upon us and today we have a press release announcing some information on the fan conference taking place this July in Orlando, Florida (July 30 – August 3). LeakyCon is one of the largest and most recognized annual fandom conventions in the world and is attended every year by thousands of fantasy film, television and book fans. The event was started in 2009 as a conference for Harry Potter fans and has since grown to include fans of some of the most popular films, television shows and books.
Attendees can participate in programming that caters specifically to them and meet a community of like-minded enthusiasts. LeakyCon includes a wide array of special events, panel discussions, Q&A sessions, workshops, live performances, music concerts, celebrity meet-and-greets and a marketplace with a variety of vendors. Attendees will get a chance to meet their favorite authors, take pictures with celebrities from film and television and have 5 days of nerdy fun.
This year’s LeakyCon will also feature a special private event at the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando. The new attraction will be closed to the general public and available only to LeakyCon attendees, who will have an exclusive opportunity to see the Harry Potter-themed park.
In addition to the main convention, LeakyCon offers a special literary track with programming focused on books, featuring hands-on sessions and events with some of today’s most popular authors for teens and young adults.
Special guests to-date for this year’s event include: Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima (Mina Lima), graphic designers responsible for the visual look of the Harry Potter films; John Green, author (“Looking For Alaska,” “The Fault in our Stars”); Scarlett Byrne, actress (Pansy Parkinson in three Harry Potter films; Jon Cozart, YouTube sensation; Joe Moses, actor (“A Very Potter Musical”); Tessa Netting, Broadway performer (“Billy Elliott”) and creator of popular YouTube parody videos (“HELLO-Harry Potter Book of Mormon”); Laurie Halse Anderson, author (“Speak,” “Prom,” “Wintergirls”); Holly Black, author (“The Spiderwick Chronicles”); Rainbow Rowell, author (“Eleanor & Park,” “Fangirl”). Musical acts scheduled to appear include Alex Carpenter and Harry and the Potters (Paul and Joe DeGeorge). Additional special guests and musical acts will be announced regularly leading up to the event.
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Attendees can choose between four different types of tickets. General admission tickets are available for $175 and include access to most of the events at the convention; general admission plus literary tickets are available for $275 and include general admission access plus special literary track programming; Rockstar tickets are sold for $375 and include preferred access to all events including literary track programming; and literary focus tickets are available for $125 and include access to literary track programming only. Tickets can be purchased online at www.LeakyCon.com.
Team StarKid was also recently announced to attend the event:
Team StarKid will perform a special one-time-only reading of “Starship: Requiem,” the romantic sci-fi comedy sequel to their 2011 space odyssey “Starship.” The story follows the adventures of Mega-Girl the robot and her half-witted Starship Ranger husband. The newlyweds are sucked into a black hole of trouble when they go to visit Mega-Girl’s human-hating family, including her overbearing mother-unit, her jealous sister-unit and the return of her hunky ex-boyfriend-unit.
As an added bonus for LeakyCon attendees, Team StarKid will celebrate their five-year anniversary at a retrospective panel where they will answer questions, share stories and read some of the deleted scenes from their “Very Potter Musical” series.
Indie/rock band Sleeperstar has released a Harry Potter song & video! The song started as a passionate joke in the studio for the band (whom are all huge HP fans) and turned into a real song that you can purchase on iTunes! Watch the video below and sure to like and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! If you post the video on social media use the hashtag #HarryPotterSong. Enjoy!
Back in August we posted a fun infographic showing how much The Burrow would cost in today’s market. The same company, Movato, have created a brand new scenario for Number 12 Grimmauld Place, the Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix.
While you may need magic in order actually see 12 Grimmauld Place, I didn’t need any charms or spells in order to find its value. I just needed three things:
The location
The size
Comparable properties
Unlike The Burrow, which required a little more investigation and imagination, the location, size, and comparable properties for 12 Grimmauld Place were actually pretty straightforward.
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So with the cost per square foot of $975 and the house’s square footage of 3,780, the final listing cost of 12 Grimmauld Place is $3,685,500—£2,336,875 or 501,429 Galleons*—and that doesn’t even include Kreacher (though unless you have a counter for a Permanent Sticking Charm, it does come with the screaming portrait of Mrs. Black. Sorry!)
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