Dobby Pops into Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

Dobby remains a Harry Potter series favorite. Fans love the house elf’s unexpected appearances, quirky outbursts, and fierce loyalty to Harry. So many were understandably distraught when Dobby gave his life in one final act of service to his friends. Now Dobby returns with a hero’s welcome, however, popping into Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in a new exhibit running February 4th through March 31st.

Directing Dobby will present a behind-the-scenes look at the many special effects techniques that brought Dobby to life. Tour guests will not only get an up-close look at the model created by Creature and Make-Up Effects Designer Nick Dudman and his team, they will also experience part of the process firsthand. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London site describes the feature:

“You will be able to take part in an interactive motion capture experience at the Studio Tour. Consisting of three screens, the experience shows Dobby at different stages of motion capture, from an initial wireframe to the fully-rendered Dobby as we know and love him. Standing in front of the dispay, visitors will see three versions of Dobby reflecting their movements in real-time, demonstrating the process used by filmmakers when bringing CGI characters to life on screen.”

According to the Independent, guests will also spy Dobby through the window of 4 Privet Drive, scene of the disastrous but unforgettable first meeting between the elf and Harry Potter in Chamber of Secrets. The Dursley’s home will be reopened for the exhibit, where Hogwarts letters may be seen hanging in mid-air as they appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone.

The Studio Tour is currently hosting Hogwarts in the Snow, which Leaky detailed in an exclusive report. The Great Hall is decked for the recent holiday season, lined with trees while the tables are laden for a feast. The Gryffindor Common Room and Boys’ Dormitory are decorated with authentic props. Guests can also view the Hogwarts castle model, made-over especially for the occasion. The tour site describes what to expect:

“The Hogwarts castle model will be transformed for the occasion by a team led by Model Effects Supervisor José Granell, who worked on the Harry Potter film series. During filming, a member of the crew climbed aboard an elevated work platform and sprinkled the ‘snow’ mixture of granulated paper and grains of salt onto the model by hand with a sieve – like dusting sugar onto a cake. The same process will be used at the Studio Tour.”

For more information on securing tickets to this magical wintry wonderland before it ends January 29th, or to purchase tickets to see Dobby when he arrives at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, visit the official site here.