Documentaries

Introduction

So far, the only DVD documentary I have is “Harry Potter Kids.” I’ve watched it several times and it spurred me to think through the importance of “casting chemistry,” especially with a film series like this one where episodes add up to an epic and it may take 10 years to complete an extensive filming project!

However, it looks as if nothing new has been produced for over 5 years, beyond new behind-the-scenes and bonus features available on various Harry Potter film DVDs. These “official” productions are likely to be our best video sources for biographical information on J.K. Rowling, and for production information from the movies’ cast and crew. (I will eventually have listings of video documentaries and other special features from the Harry Potter DVDs on the Films, Scripts, and DVDs page.

Individual DVD Documentaries

Harry Potter DVD Documentaries

The available descriptions for many of these older separate documentaries indicates their producers had little access directly to J.K. Rowling or the film production personnel. So, how useful they are, I don’t know … but I’m listing them here as a reference in case you do want to know!

Harry Potter Kids. “Biography® reveals the magic behind the success of the Harry Potter stars.” This documentary DVD focuses on finding actors for the three main characters in the series: Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Produced by Biography/A&E Television Networks. (ISBN 1-4229-2095-X; 2008; 50 minutes)

They were virtually unknown when they were cast in the first ‘Potter’ pic in 2000; Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint have since become spectacularly famous around the globe.

Born in 1989, Radcliffe first expressed a desire to act at the age of five. His first acting role, however, didn’t come until 1999, and when he won the coveted lead role as Harry Potter in ‘The Sorcerer’s Stone’ a year later he was plucked from almost compete obscurity. Potter pal Rupert Grint was a fan of the books and so wanted a part in the films that he sent a video of himself rapping about how much he wanted the role; he has since reportedly invested part of his earnings in an ice cream truck, which he jokes is his ‘fallback’ if his film career fails. Emma Watson was just 11 and had almost no experience when the first Potter film was released; she has since become known round the world as Hermione.

Discovering the Real World of Harry Potter. (Questar; 2002; 72 minutes). Advertising this DVD as, “The only Warner Bros. approved companion DVD to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” Questar’s website describes this as “Receiving high ratings on American Public Television, this critically acclaimed documentary (produced by Atlantic Productions, London) explores the inspiration behind the popular book and film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and includes an interview with author J.K. Rowling.” Extra Features:

• The Ghostly Visitors of Harry Potter
• Harry Potter’s Alchemical and Herbal World
• In the Footsteps of Harry Potter
• Harry Potter and the Holy Grail

J.K. Rowling and The Birth of Harry Potter. (Cobra Entertainment LLC; 2004; 60 minutes). Cobra Entertainment runs its catalog through Amazon.com. The product description that appears there is as follows: When the first Harry Potter books magically appeared in bookstores, the world of children’s literature changed forever. Every child and adult alike reveled in the highly imaginative, fantastical world of the boy wizard and when Hollywood spun out its cinematic versions of these beloved tales, the Harry Potter phenomenon was elevated to the status of cultural legend. But just who was responsible or dreaming up such a wild world of witches and wizards, ghosts and giants, spells and sorcery? The answer? JK Rowling. And although today this name is now synonymous with the world of magic and wizardry, just who is this enigmatic author, and what influences shaped her life enough to create such fantastical fiction? The truth be-hind the legend reads like a fairy tale itself, for JK Rowling started her illustrious career as a struggling, poverty-stricken single mother who penned her manuscript in an Edinburgh coffee shop and rose to the ranks of a celebrity multi-million-aire. J.K. Rowling and the Birth of Harry Potter, a fascinating new unauthorized biography, offers an insight into this “rags to riches” story, exploring Rowling’s meteoric rise to fame as well as the people and places that shaped her as an author. So if you’re ready for an adventure, climb aboard and let this DVD take you on a journey of magic and discovery. This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com’s standard return policy will apply.

The Magic Touch of Harry Potter : A&E Documentary. (A&E Home Video; 2004; 50 minutes). I couldn’t find any additional information on this A&E documentary other than the bit that appears on Amazon, however, it apparently is part of the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Ultimate Edition Blu-ray set, so the material is not lost.

The Magical World of Harry Potter: The Unauthorized Story of J.K. Rowling. (Eaton Entertainment; 2000; 50 minutes). Here is a description from the CD Universe listing of this DVD: Ms. Rowling was an unknown before she became one of the best selling authors in history, but she can hardly be called an overnight success. She wrote the first Harry Potter book while unemployed, and outlined the stories of all the characters in the Potter universe, mapping out in advance each book she planned to write. Several publishers turned down her novel, all of whom currently butt their heads against the wall each time a new Potter book hits the best seller list. This unauthorized documentary tracks the genesis of Rowling’s popular hero, as well as the personal turmoil that accompanied her rise to fame.

60 Minutes segment on Harry Potter – September 12, 1999. (CBS, 2006, 15 minutes). From the Amazon product description: Meet the wizard behind Harry Potter: British writer Joanne Rowling, whose phenomenal novels for children have transformed her from a poor single mother to the world’s most successful author. Lesley Stahl reports. This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com’s standard return policy will apply.