New German “Cinema” Feature on Order of the Phoenix Movie

There is a new feature on the making of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in the new issue of the German magazine “Cinema.” Included with this article are many new behind the scenes photos of OotP director David Yates, as well as Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood, Dan Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Harry Melling as Dudley, Bonnie Wright as Ginny Weasley, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, and James and Oliver Phelps as Fred and George. Update: You can now see some nice high quality scans of this feature here in our galleries. Please note the article is in German and anyone able to send in a translation, please do!
Thanks to Christian from Harry Potter Xperts! and to Erna for the new high res scans!

UPDATE: Thanks to reader Braque you can now read the translation of the article below. Thanks much Braque!
THE MAIN ARTICLE

Growing up is really no childsplay. Nevertheless, Daniel Radcliffe, Rubert Grint and Emma Watson do exactly that with the filming of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, as firsttime film director David Yates insists on higher expectations from his three leading actors.

The fabulous world of Harry Potter is situated on a former industrial site in the English town of Leavesden. Luxury Rolls Royces were once assembled in the factory halls that since 1994 serve as filming studios for the motion picture industry. The interior scenes to the 007 adventure â€ŔGoldeneye” were filmed here, as well as those to the Episode 1 of the Star Wars saga. And seven years ago, the Harry Potter crew chose this complex as their filming headquarters.

Walking past the great halls, one arrives at Privet Drive – the home of Harry’s caregiver family, the Dursleys. Behind their mockup house is a large Blue Screen wall. A short walk ahead, one sees the hut of Hogwarts Gate-Keeper Hagrid. Parked next to that are two double-decker busses, completely painted lilac.

Tourists unfortunately are not allowed in here, but it is possible to observe everything from above, by typing in Leavesden, England into Google Earth. The studio grounds are easy to recognize westward of the center of Leavesden, a little below which lies a small private airport through which the stars of the movie are flown in every day for filming.

An unusually chilly gust was prevalent on the day of our August set visit. The scene up for filming involved a meeting scene between Harry and his friends Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna and Ginny, where Harry informs his friends that he must break into the Ministry of Magic to free his Godfather Sirius Black, who is being held against his will in the grand government building. Ron insists that they all go alongside him, since they all belong to Dumbledore’s Army. (see the storyline on Page 97). An argument ensues.

Director David Yates is unhappy about his young stars performances for this scene. First, Emma Watson is criticized for not delivering her lines convincingly. Right when she manages to get her part correctly, Rupert Grint breaks character and goes into a hysteric laughing fit. Soon, the team is trying to tackle the fifteenth take of the very same scene.”We were rather ridiculous with this,” declares Daniel Radcliffe in the subsequent filming break. As a seventeen year old, he is astonishingly mature and mannish far beyond the young boy from the first movie.

“My predecessors took on the childlike charms of the lead actors and allowed for their respective personalities to emerge, comments Yates.”I, however, am dealing with young adults, whom I must imbue with personal acting ambitions.” The result: every scene takes longer to film. The Director knows that the audience is not as forgiving of poor performances when it comes to adult actors.

With his elevated expectations, Yates has impressed and inspired the Potter actors. Mike Newell, the director for the fourth film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, had always bellowed whenever he was dissatisfied or frustrated, reveals Daniel Radcliffe.David Yates remains completely calm and objective, even in completely chaotic situations. He has taught me to successfully convey anger and sorrow for the beginnings of the film, when Harry feels frustrated and responsible for the death of Cedric Diggory.

This level of precision and meticulousness has its price: Every new Potter movie has not only raised the story’s darkness factor, but also the production budget. A precise sum is not revealed, but unofficial rumors put the number around 200 million dollars. The construction of the new sets alone costs around nine million. The lion’s share of the budget naturally goes to the special effects, even as the crew had to eliminate scenes involving breathtaking Quidditch games despite the objections of scores of grumbling fans.

Nonetheless, the one scene that most are particularly excited about is one that might not strike someone as particularly extraordinary: When Harry takes his love interest Cho Chang (Katie Leung) in his arms and kisses her.

With the filming of that particular scene, our set visit comes to an end, but even as the day’s work has been completed, Daniel Radcliffe has recollections of the aforementioned scene with lighted eyes. Was it purely a matter of nerves or a concern for technique that required thirteen takes for the kiss scene to be deemed satisfactory? â€ŔWell,” he grins, â€Ŕat first we were a little nervous, and already by the second time our lips touched, they were tingling so much that we had to try out different things to make it work. It was great fun!”

So, we guess the hero of millions of teenagers can’t be that grown up!

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HERE ARE THE INDIVIDUAL VIGNETTES AND CAPTIONS, DIVIDED BY PAGE:

PAGE 96

Set Exclusive

On the set of the fifth adventure of the young wizard

Kissing will also be learned

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PAGE 97

The Story
These new challenges await Harry and his friends:
At the end of Film 4, Harry fought against Lord Voldemort, who was widely believed to have been vanquished, and barely escaped with his life. Yet no adult seems convinced of this story, expect for the Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Scoffing the wise Wizard, The Ministry of Magic appoints the devious Dolores Umbridge as a warden for the school and as instructor of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, a post, as Potter fans know, is infamous for the misfortunes that befall its possessors. In response, students establish “Dumbledore’s Army” to genuinely prepare themselves, and break into the Ministry of Magic to rescue Harry’s Godfather Sirius Black, whom Harry believes to be locked up in the Ministry headquarters due to a recurrent dream he has had. The dream turns out to be a trap, however, that results in Harry and his friends having to confront Voldemort and his dark minions. As Harry’s side appears to be winning t!
he ensuing battle, Harry suddenly feels an exceedingly strong pain…

The magic of the set-builders allowed for the creation of an entire forest in Hall 3 of Leavesden Studios.

Expressing his criticism in a friendly manner: Director Yates with his main actors.

On this set, real forest sounds -no doubt- cannot disturb the sound recorder.

Under bombardment both from the storyline and the camera crew: Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore.

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PAGE 98

David Yates explains to Daniel Radcliffe and Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) what is to come.

“My contribution is helping the kids grow up” Director David Yates

The New Faces
For the first time as part of the Harry Potter team:
David Yates: The 43 year-old Brit has directed countless films for English television. The fifth adventure of the young wizard will be his silver screen debut.
Helena Bonham Carter: As Bellatrix Lestrange, cousin of Harry’s Godfather Sirius Black, the 40 year old actress plays one of the characters with whom one is never quite sure which side they are on.
Imelda Staunton: The 51 year old was first known for the lead role in the abortion drama “Vera Drake”. This time, she is playing Dolores Umbridge, who, by orders of the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge is appointed to Hogwarts and consequently leads the whole School to chaos.

Harry Potter tries out magic on his cousin Dudley.

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PAGE 99

What has happened so far:
Part 1
Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone introduces us to the boy wizard, who, is picked up by representatives of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on his 11th birthday. There, he makes friends and discovers that his parents’ killer is on the hunt for his life as well.
Part 2
Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets deals with mysterious voices within Hogwarts. As Harry follows them to a long-lost underground chamber, he stands face to face with Lord Voldemort, his mortal enemy.
Part 3
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban has Sirius Black, Harry’s Godfather, escaping from years of darkness in a prison cell. The entire wizarding world believes him to be a dangerous criminal, but Black is determined to pursue the real perpetrators.
Part 4
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the story of a tournament where Harry and his competition rivals have to undergo dangerous tests, the last of which is a trap that leads directly to the regenerated Lord Voldemort’s an encounter that Harry’s friend Cedric Diggory does not survive.

Hansel and Gretel in the forest? No. Daniel Radcliffe and Evanna Lynch in the studio.

Shooting in front of the Hogwarts Groundkeeper Hagrid, who in this film has to take care of a few things.

David Yates tries out a scene with the Weasley siblings.