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J.K. Rowling...A Year in the Life Documentary Airs on ITV
J.K. RowlingTonight, the “J.K. Rowling…A Year in the Life” documentary by James Runcie was broadcast in the UK on ITV, and is now being playedon iTV’s web site.
We have early reports on some of the new things contained in the program. TLC reader Andy writes that after Jo completed writing “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” Jo “puts on the page numbers and plays Lily Allen’s “Smile.” Andy writes that new artwork “for Ollivanders at Universal can briefly be seen,” and Jo would “like to be remembered as someone who did “the best she could, with the talent she had.”
Readers will remember that we saw three preview clips from the documentary (clip one, preview clip two, and this trailer) with the media currently making much ado of a question posed in the recent Time magazine interview, and posed in this video regarding a possible eight book, but as we saw, Jo says No. Specifically, she said “I think no, it’s time to stop, it’s time to stop now. It gives me a certain satisfaction to say what I thought happened and to tell other people that, because I would like my version to be the official version still, even though I’ve not written it in a book, because it’s my world.” As we first reported several days ago, there is new information in the documentary about the second generation of students at Hogwarts, found in the form of a handwritten family tree that you can see here in our galleries, or via the office on JKRowling.com. Thanks Andy!
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Professor Potter, thank you so, so much for posting those YouTube links, (for some reason the ITV one isn’t loading.)
Jo Rowling is simply a one off. What she has achieved, not just in a literary sense but also on a humanitarian one is staggering. I was so moved by this documentary but it also made me laugh out loud. The scenes with her sister are hysterical. She appears so grounded despite the plaudits and this was a really special way to finish off the year.
Thank you Jo for what you have given us. I feel priviliged that I was here to witness and live through it.
That was the most moving programme I’ve ever seen. Nothing, with the exception of book 7 has made me cry so much. It was amazing to learn so much about Jo’s family, and really seeing the effect they all had on even the smallest aspects of the series. It was so motivating that at the very emotional point where Jo is returning to her old flat and reflecting on how much everything has changed, I had a major epiphany- I realized that I wanted to be a writer. Not to achieve the fame or wealth or respect that Jo has gained over the years, but because it’s really what I love to do. I never really realized it though. I am good at writing in class essays, but not as good in at home essays. I even started writing an editorial about how Harry Potter has influenced my life for fun- and wrote the first 4 pages in fifteen minutes. I can write extremely fast about something that I am passionate about. Anyway, this is not about me, it’s about Jo. This was an amazing thing to watch and I never thought that a documentary (no less a one-hour documentary) would change my life so drastically-or at least I hope my life will change from this.
Woohoo 7th and final part on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVY01cV6beY Now I feel bloody sleepy, its 3:30am here :( part of my idea of getting this uploaded quickly was to chat with everyone about this great insight into her life! I so love this documentary, what a great way to end this fantastic potter year. Nite all.
Just noticed Fragestella’s observation! I’m glad its available in hi-res and I didnt know ITV had a catchup TV website – will bookmark that one ;) Yawn…really got to sleep now :-)
great stuff! i have to say, the family tree thing was awesome! it was amazing and heartwrenching to see some of the middle names given to some of the kids! ex: James SIRIUS!!
this – is – bloody – AMAZING… thank you SO SO SO much jo for letting us have this incredible glimpse into your life!!!
Fantastic program – so well done! It’s just totally inspiring. Thanks, Jo, for doing this. I am truly inspired by your courage and tenacity and your fidelity to your vision.
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Just finished watching it. I was bawling my eyes out…lol She’s such an amazing woman and an incredible inspiration!
Wow…that was really good. Emotional. I loved it, beautifully done.
Awesome. I could watch that show for hours (if it was hours long). I’ll probably watch it for hours anyway, just re-watching. I think the reason I enjoy her so much is because I am so accustomed to seeing celebrities with lesser talent who act like they are the most genius people who ever lived. With JKR, it’s vice versa. She has this otherworldly talent, and yet acts like a normal person. It’s so refreshing to see for a change.
Thank you for the link to this video. I feel like I’m just beginning to know and understand the person that is Jo Rowling. I was deeply touched by this documentary. Thank you Jo for opening your home and your life to us.
If you’re reading this Jo, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! That was such an amazing documentary and it was very nicely done.
You are truly an amazing person, and I don’t think luck could have picked a better person to be with on the day you thought up Harry Potter. You are truly an inspiration to me. Seriously, though—all of that mail makes me truly wonder what made my letters so special. They’re really nothing extraordinary!
that documentary was beautiful! Jo is an amazing woman and I am grateful for what she has given the world. Best of luck to her and her family.
Thank you for providing the link. I watched the show and found it very informative. (I had to fib to register at the ITV site so that I could thank them as well…seems I had to become a UK Resident living in the US)
I am more and more impressed with Mrs. Rowling. I hope that she and her family have a very happy and full life together.
Oh…and after the polit0ical thriller book I hope she writes “The Scottish Book” and names it “Hogwarts, A History” (sorry, couldn’t resist).
Well, the “tvcatchup” link that is posted here only shows part of the show – it doesn’t play through until the end (at least on my computer). I managed to look it up on YouTube, but still have only found sections 1 thru 6 …. and I know there’s more, because they haven’t played the bit they showed in the preview where she goes to her old apartment.
Eventually I hope to be able to locate all the segments to this show, so I can see the ending – it has been a wonderful documentary so far! I can’t help wondering if some of the bits are a little “set up” for the camera, though… like when she finds a Harry Potter book on the shelf in her old flat, or when she finds a name in the church registry book that she “stole for the Harry Potter books”, and she slams the book shut before the camera can focus in on it…
Even if some of the documentary was staged, her life is still an amazing story, and I’m glad they filmed it. Her husband was a bit of a turd on the plane, though – criticizing her personal defense mechanisms while his arse was sitting in a huge comfy private jet that he wouldn’t have been in if it wasn’t for HER. He should have found something nice to say about her, since they only put him on camera for five seconds. Prat.
- M
Well, a big THANK YOU to the person (above) who gave out the YouTube address for that last part to the program – it was FABULOUS!!!
Cheers, M
You can see it on youtube if you can’t get it on ITV at this link; youtube.com/profile?user=theycallmemrglass
I loved the documentary. It was quite moving.
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Fragsteller: Yes, but many of us started watching it via the Professor before that link was available and just want to see the end. So thanks again for all the effort Professor!