Exclusive! That Harry Potter film set in exclusive detail
We gain exclusive access to the set of the new Harry Potter film
by Kieren McCarthy, exclusives editor
EXCLUSIVE
"And that's where he is zapped by the evil Mordrake," says the man exclusively pointing to a small spot in the vast Chamber of Secrets that has brought alive the incredible second installment of the world-famous Harry Potter books to millions of children worldwide and will be released next month to hordes of expectant kids — both the young sort and the adult kind.
"And this is the classroom where Professor Rickets accidentally turns one of his pupils into a ballpoint pen," my guide chuckles.
It really is incredible to exclusively see the fantasy world created by J K Rowling turned into a movie set. Everything is here from the big hall to the stairs that move and of course the toilet where Hermione Granger sits in one of the books that hasn't even been filmed yet.
Looking around you can almost sense the magic that goes on here during the day, the magic that makes real magic come alive. If you look closely you can even see the remnants of owl droppings on the plasterboard floor, no doubt from one or more of nearly 25 owls which are kept on site for filming the owl scenes.
I see a sign saying Top Secret. "You can't go in there," says the old man. "I haven't got the key for it." And as his torch moves off the door, you can almost hear Professor Dumbledore chuckling under his breath on the other side. "Couldn't we open it with an opening spell?" I asked the nightwatchman. "Yeah," he says before shumbling off to another area for our exclusive look round the film set of the Harry Potter new film.
Seven hours later, I talk to one of the film's young stars. Daniel Haines plays the troublesome Extra #59 and has already made the pages of his local freesheet. He tells me that working on the film is really great and that the big stars are all really nice and haven't let fame go to their head, but won't talk to anyone either.
The film's director Chris Columbus — who has made some other films — is in total agreement in an interview he did in April. "The kids are really great to work with. They're maturing both as people and as actors as they get older," he said. "It's really great to work with them, especially when they're not letting the fame go to their heads."
Everyone agrees and there is also complete agreement when it comes to the film maybe being even be better than the first one. "This film is probably even better than the first one," says a quote in a press release from the film company.
But whatever happens after our exclusive preview, one thing's for certain: the kids are going to love it. And even if they don't, they'll already have paid £7 a head.
"We've got to go, my shift ends at three," our guide tells us. But as he does so, I could have sworn I could see a little twinkle in his eyes. It seems there is a Harry Potter fan in all of us.