In The News
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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That was really the most wonderful thing I have ever seen in my life. I loved every minute of it.
I really liked learning about the process from finishing the book to it getting on the shelves. Jo looked all emotional once she’d typed the last few lines of DH. She seems so down to earth despite her fame and success. The kiddy pictures were funny and it was touching when she discussed the loss of her mother and difficult relationship with her father. Her desk is exactly as described on her website LOL and I love the new family tree. Charlie/Dragon LOL
It was unbelievable. And emotional. I started sobbing around the middle and at the end. Thank you so much Jo. I can’t say much more without starting to cry again. You’re a jewel.
if the people that are not from britain wants to see it then just go to the itv website or watever. It gives u the very link and u just have to clikc on the phrase “being played on ITVs website”...........that will take u directly to it u know! Like i am from canada and watched it still! It was pretty cool learning from JK Rowling s past. And i wonder whether that politcal fairy tale will be another world from her imaganation. If it is then i am so reading it. If it isnt i will still be reading it!
I am still enchanted with the soundtrack and have been doing some hunting on the composer. Alas he coomposed the music specially for this documentary and so isnt available as a track or album. But he has a great portfolio and is young and up and coming. I reckon this guy has potential to score for big movies as I have been listening to his other work http://www.paulleonardmorgan.com/
Isnt it possible that the political fairytale could be the Tales of Beedle the Bard? It was never mentioned and JK did say she wrote that straight after as a way to say goodbye to Harry’s world. Just a thought
Well, I love JKR and all, but I found that to be an incredibly dry and dull documentary, all things considered. :( This filmmaker spent a whole YEAR with Jo – one of the most tumultuous and eventful years in an already remarkable life, mind – and still provided almost nothing in terms of new insights about her as a person.
The problem, as far I could see, is that this James Runcie guy seemed to have decided exactly what tone he was going to strike with this documentary (melancholy, solemn, introspective) at a very early stage, and wasn’t going to let anything alter that “vision”, least not Jo, the ostensible subject of the documentary. As such, at no stage did I get the impression that I was seeing the full, rounded reality of Jo; instead, we saw the James Runcie’s version of Jo, as conveyed and forced out through po-faced, leading questions, intrusive and overly dramatic narration, and manipulative use of shots and music.
Frankly, such a documentary is of no use to me whatsoever. I’m an autobiography person, not a biography person; if I really want an insight into what a person is really like, I want to hear it from them in their own words and on their own terms, instead of through the lens of a third party who probably has their own agenda. I’ve read Jo’s website, heard her speak on her own terms in other, better interviews (such as the ones conducted on this very site), and I know that she has a fantastically engaging personality; witty, down-to-earth, earnest without taking herself too seriously. A more fly-on-the-wall, hands-off documentary allowed us to explore that Jo, on her own terms and in her own voice, would have been fascinating; instead, Runcie forced his own drab voice and personality upon us at the expense of his subject, meaning that the experience, for me at least, led to nothing but frustration. :(
As I say, I love Jo, and will be waiting to see what comes next from her with bated breath. The same cannot be said for James Runcie…
i really want to see it, but the link sends me to the site, but it won’t let me view it! so i went to youtube and saw the first 3 parts, but then they were all taken down. so i can’t view it at all. and that makes me sad. =[
A political fairytale is a fable involving politicians. I read one recently where there was this anciant land which I think was called ewok – or was it imac, or maybe iraq. Anyway, they were suspected of having dangerous flying carpets of mass destruction (FCMD) by a land called oosa or ooza or usa, something like that. The King of Ooza whose name was King Flush knew that Imac had no FCMD but wanted his Kingdom to think that because secretly he wanted to have their most precious treasure, sand. Flush knew if Ooza can own most of Imac;s sand, Ooza will be prosperous and on top of that, his family had shares on it. So King Flush set about an attack on Imac calling it, war on terror, resulting in the hanging of its leader and killing of millions of citizens. I forgot the details but there wasnt a happy ending.
Guys, I’m afraid Youtube took off my upload of the Rowling documentary. Seems like it was a no-go to upload it. I’m a little surprised because I thought its ok to upload as other JK documentaries are on youtube. I think they banned me (theycallmemrglass). Oh well. I hope those who saw it enjoyed it. I’ll try and stay out of trouble now!
well, professor potter, i’m very dissapointed as well. i saw the first three parts, like i said above, but when i got to the fourth it said it had been taken off. that makes me really sad, since the that is given above doesnt work, for me that is. i cant believe that everyone else gets to watch it, but not me! have you tried uploading it on myspace videos or some other place? if you do, please let me know.
Professor Potter, I would like to THANK YOU for your download on UTUBE. I saw it early this morning and was so excited i woke up my sister and we watched it. I thought it was also cool the way you said this was for everyone at TLC. We watched it again on itv but yours was the first. THANK YOU AGAIN>
For some reason the one posted on Leaky last night is no longer working, but this link still works, if anyone didn’t get the chance to watch the entire thing last night :)
http://www.tvcatchup.com/watch/15050/
FINALLY! I can see it! yes yes yes yes! thank goodness for direct connection. wireless connection=no.
Muddtallica
agreed. I thought it was rubbish. The first half was really scraping the barrel for her early life and trying to make it into some sob story when it seemed just ordinary to me. LOL’d at the bit about her childhood home having a cupboard under the stairs (how unusual..) “but Joanne was not made to sleep there”!!
second half was a bit better but really nothing we didn’t already know about the phenomenal success, secrecy surrounding publishing, theme park, etc etc.
The only bit I thought interesting was the Weasley and Potter second generation family tree.
I love the family tree! Though I feel a bit sad for Charlie. He is the one Weasley we hear almost nothing about and he’s not married. Besides that, seeing it makes me smile. Bill and Fleur, George & Angelina, Ron & Hermione squee and Harry and Ginny (Lily’s middle name is Luna ;) AWESOME JO!
For some reason the one posted on Leaky last night is no longer working, but this link still works, if anyone didn’t get the chance to watch the entire thing last night :)
http://www.tvcatchup.com/watch/15050/
Posted by Danielle on December 31, 2007 @ 02:21 PM
this video stops at when she goes to her old house. What happen to the rest of it or is that the whole documentary?
For those of you wondering what happened to the first tvcatchup link, see http://www.tvcatchup.com/forums/12/thread/222/ in their forums.
Sorry, comments are closed for this article.
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The part that really got me was when a question was raised about another book JK paused and then said no,no no more. Too bad, however we can always hope:)