The art of magic
Year 8 learned creative secrets behind the Harry Potter films on a magical visit to the Warner Bros studios.
During the Art department trip, boys were encouraged to draw parallels between their classwork and the professional practices they saw at the studios in Watford.
Craig Wheatley, Head of Art and Design, who organised the trip said: “The visit was a remarkable experience for Year 8, blending education with inspiration and offering a behind-the-scenes look at the artistry and innovation that goes into film production. It truly fostered a deeper appreciation for the craft and ignited the creative passions of young aspiring artists.
“Our students explored the many creative industries that bring these iconic films to life, enriching understanding of film production and inspiring their own artistic journeys.
“Through our QE Flourish co-curricular programme – and thanks to QE’s advantageous location – we can offer educational experiences like this to bring classroom subjects to life, broaden horizons and develop future-ready skills.”
The day began with a lesson specially tailored for the pupils that was led by the studios’ education art department team. They delved into topics such as set design, architectural model-making, costume creation, and character design.
After that came a tour in which pupils immersed themselves in the world of Harry Potter and saw the stage sets, enjoying the chance to examine some of the special effects deployed there.
“Many pupils recognised similarities in their own projects, such as creating concept art for dystopian landscapes and developing storyboards, underscoring the relevance of their studies in the context of the creative industry,” said Mr Wheatley.
There were rave reviews afterwards from the boys. It was, said Akhil Kotha, “a truly beneficial trip, pulling out the secrets of designing a movie, with all the complex roles and activities clearly explained, aided by the hospitable staff”.
Akhil’s Pearce House classmate, Neil Mann, said: “I learned a lot about the process of making the film sets in Harry Potter, particularly the various stages used to produce the final outcome – from carefully calculated blueprints to scaled paper structures of the set – to ensure it is absolutely perfect.”