Harry Potter Cast and Crew Interview Round Up for HBP DVD Release

A slew of interviews with actors and producers from the Harry Potter films are now online in conjunction with the recent DVD release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. In the first of three articles from the Toronto Sun, Potter producer David Heyman comments on why the Half-Blood Prince DVD was produced with more special features than previous film released. In part, he says:

“I have very mixed feelings about it. I made ” we made ” a conscious decision early on to reveal very little. If you look at the early DVDs, there is very little behind-the-scenes materials. That was for a couple of reasons. We wanted to preserve the mystery. And I think there is real validity to that, although we are probably the only film in the world that now takes that position. The other reason that we withheld is that we didn’t want to put anything on the DVDs that would show how things were being done in the upcoming film. We wanted the pleasure of the new film not to be interrupted. Now that we’ve come to the end (with the production of Deathly Hallows), we’re a little more comfortable. On this sixth DVD, for instance it is much more open in terms of what we are showing.”

Actress Jessie Cave (Lavender Brown) relates this feeling as well, saying in a second article from the Sun, “I think it’s great because you see people having fun on set as well. You see what they’re really like.” Among the special features included on the DVDs, Miss Cave is featured during owl handling training. Regarding this experience, and its inclusion on the DVD, Miss Cave is quoted as saying:

“I learn to fly an owl, which is cool. It was beautiful, but docile. I was a bit shocked. I thought I was going to be really squeamish but I was okay. And I was just happy to share with everybody how much goes into this.”

A third article from the Canadian publication relates the feelings of Mr. Heyman on the futures of Potter Stars Dan Radcliffe (Harry), Rupert Grint (Ron), and Emma Watson (Hermione). Giving the tremendous success of the young actors to “luck,” Heyman goes on to give his predictions at the possible futures of the trio. Quoteage:

“Dan will continue acting and maybe directing. I think he’s interested in that.

“Rupert will continue acting. Rupert is one of the most original people you will ever meet, really lovely. He’s a one-off. And I think Rupert is a really talented actor with great comic timing.

“Emma, if she wants, can be a movie star. She is hugely talented and incredibly in touch with her imagination. She is fiercely intelligent and I think she could do whatever she chooses to do.”

A fourth and final article comes from The Welland Tribune, in which producer David Barron discusses the plethora of special features found on the Half-Blood Prince DVD. Noting that “it is about enhancing the experience,” Mr. Baron goes on to say regarding the responsibility of balancing the business and entertainment sides of things, “anything that we can do that provokes a genuine additional interest is very worthwhile. And it provides something extra for our audience, our very loyal following. We do have a responsibility.”

The Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince DVD is currently available on DVD and BluRay.