Making the "Harry Potter" Films Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. To begin filming, a script is required. The task of adapting the immensely popular book series by J.K. Rowling for the big screen went to screenwriter Steve Kloves. He wrote the scripts for seven out of the eight films. However, for one of the installments he wasn't available, so Michael Goldenberg stepped in. He gave voice to new characters such as the horrible Dolores Umbridge and the quirky Luna Lovegood. Which film did he write the screenplay for?

Answer: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", the fifth installment in the series, is based on the longest book in the series. The challenge Goldberg faced was to adapt it into one film of appropriate length. In order to achieve this, several storylines were left out and some causal relations, such as Kreacher's involvement in Sirius Black's death, were altered. Goldberg was also one of the initial contenders for the first film, but got turned down in favour of Steve Kloves. However, since the latter was committed to a personal project at the time the fifth script was to be written, the producers turned to Goldberg as his substitute.
The film was also noted for being the first featuring scenes in 3D - the battle between the Order of the Phoenix and members of Dumbledore's Army versus Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters.
Though at first anxious to see someone else writing about the world she created, Rowling has said multiple times that she is very satisfied with Kloves' adaptations of the other six books, as he "gets" her characters. He, in turn, has stated that she has been a great help to him during the writing process. Since at the time of filming of the first films the last books weren't written and published yet, the author gave him several tips regarding characters' traits and motivations which helped develop their lines for the screenplays.

2. Back in 2000, after a long search and casting calls all over Britain, the filmmakers of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone" were finally able to announce the names of the three (then-unknown) young actors playing Harry Potter and his two best friends, Ron and Hermione. As this was the first film of the series, they also needed to cast every other part, too. Though not as news-worthy, this included some of Harry's closest family and relations. Which of these characters wasn't cast for the first film? (They did appear in later installments).

Answer: Harry's godfather, Sirius

In both books and films we first meet Sirius Black in the third part, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" - Sirius being the prisoner. Thus an actor for the part wasn't required at the time the first film came out. Sirius would later be played by Gary Oldman.
The three lead roles are played by acrors Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Rupert Grint (Ron) and Emma Watson (Hermione). Though unknown at the time, the immense success of the "Harry Potter" films have brought them international fame.
The producers offered "Potter" author, J.K. Rowling, the (then non-speaking) part of Harry's mother. However, she stated she was afraid of not being able to do it properly, so she declined and the part went to actress Geraldine Somerville instead.

3. The "Harry Potter" films have been noted for keeping the same core cast throughout ten years of filming the series - from the child actors playing the Hogwarts students to the numerous British A-list thespians. Sadly a major character had to be recast after the second film, since the actor playing him or her died. Who was this character?

Answer: Albus Dumbledore

Richard Harris, who played the Hogwarts' Headmaster in the first two films, died of cancer just days before the premier of the second one, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets". He was replaced by Michael Gambon.
Sadly, another actor - 18 year old Robert Knox, who played a Hogwarts student named Marcus Belby in the sixth film, was killed in a bar stabbing while trying to protect his younger brother. Since his was only a minor character without relevance to the plot, the part wasn't recast.
At one point or another, all and any of the three major leads, including Emma Watson (Hermione), were rumored to not be returning for the later installments. However, this turned out not to be true, thus giving viewers the rare possibility of watching them grow from pre-teens to 20+ years old in front of the cameras.

4. An important part of creating the world of Rowling's books are the very detailed and beautifully designed sets. For each film new sets had to be designed for the various places that Harry, his friends and enemies inhabit. Which of these sets was created for the second film, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"?

Answer: Dumbledore's office

Dumbledore's office is a place where Harry and the Headmaster have many important conversations - including those regarding Lord Voldemort's dark past and the Horcruxes he made. It's a place filled with magical contraptions and portraits of previous headmasters.

The first time we see it is in the second film, in the scene where Harry first sees the phoenix Fawkes, who comes to his rescue in the battle with Slytherin's basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. Since all eight films were shot at Leavesden Studios, many of the sets created for the earlier installments were preserved and used again in later films. Some, like the Great Hall, were created as early as the first one and used in filming as late as the eighth and last one - where the set was demolished to reflect the damages of the Battle of Hogwarts.

The Atrium is first seen in the fifth film, when Arthur Weasley took Harry to his trial. Malfoy Manor - home to Draco Malfoy and his family, is seen in the first part of "Deathly Hallows" as Lord Voldemort's headquarters.

5. Not all locations that the story takes Harry to can be recreated in the real world. In "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", for a huge room filled with glass orbs, the filmmakers decided to use a completely computer-generated set. The actors played in front of a green screen and the surrounding "set" was inserted digitally in post-production. Which was this place?

Answer: The Hall of Prophecy

The Hall of Prophecy is in the Department of Mysteries of the Ministry of Magic, where the first showdown between Death Eaters and members of Dumbledore's Army takes place. The digitally created hall was used in order to avoid the costs of making several thousand glass spheres and the difficulties connected with setting them up and keeping them clean.
While Prof. Trelawney's office does contain glass orbs - the crystal balls she uses for divination - there certainly aren't thousands of them.
The office of the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was specially redecorated for its use by Dolores Umbridge. The predominant colour was pink and the walls were decorated with porcelain plates depicting moving kittens. These, too, were inserted digitally in post-production from video filmed specifically for this purpose during a 24-hour shoot.
The Ravenclaw common room, though described in the seventh book, is never shown in the films.

6. Another use of green screen technology in the series is the creation of Quidditch. J.K. Rowling has stated in multiple interviews that this was the thing she anticipated most from the adaptation of her books to the big screen. With the help of the technology, the magical game played on flying broomsticks can be shown in all its intensity. Do only four out of the eight films show the wizarding sport being played?

Answer: yes

In the first book and film Harry became the youngest Seeker in a century. He goes on to play Quidditch in the second and third film, but in the fourth the annual competition at Hogwarts is canceled in favour of the Triwizard Tournament. While the book features Quidditch scenes at the World Cup, in the film these were left out.
Similarly, the "Order of the Phoenix" book features a Quidditch storyline with Harry being banned from playing by Professor Umbridge. Since the fifth book is the longest in the series, this and other storylines not directly connected to the main plot were cut to allow for the adaptation into one film.
The sixth film introduces Ron in the position of Keeper. This is also the last time Quidditch is played on both books and films. From then on the main focus is Harry's quest to find and destroy the Horcruxes and, ultimately, defeat Voldemort.

7. The films' main lead - actor Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry, had to acquire many new skills in the course of filming in order to perform some of the things his character does. These include ballroom dancing, speaking in the made-up snake language Parseltongue, performing choreographed wand movements and many more. Which of the following did he learn for the shooting of the fourth film, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"?

Answer: underwater diving

The second task of the Triwizard Tournament takes place in the lake on the grounds of Hogwarts Castle. In order to shoot the underwater scenes, Dan had to take diving lessons with a special instructor. While none of the wrong answers were ever required from him for a "Harry Potter" film, Dan did have to learn many others, including those listed in the question.

The ballroom dancing, specifically, was also a part of "Goblet of Fire", at the Yule ball. Since Daniel had more scenes than the rest of the cast, he had less time to study the choreography than the other actors and actresses who participate in the scene. Consequently he didn't learn the dance moves as well as the others. Since Harry himself shouldn't be too proficient at dancing, the director and producers decided to shoot the dance as it is, without further rehearsals. Still, Dan has said in interviews that his inept dancing was the reason most shots of that scene show him only from the waist up.

8. Inside the sets thousands of props - wands, books, broomsticks and many more - were used for the characters to interact with. A central role amongst these play the (non-living) Horcruxes containing pieces of Lord Voldemort's soul, which Harry seeks to destroy. Which of these objects is created earliest?

Answer: Tom Riddle's diary

The diary is created and used in the second film - at a point when Harry isn't yet aware of its purpose as a Horcrux. He nevertheless destroys it with a basilisk fang to rescue Ginny Weasley and himself from the incarnation of Tom Riddle that comes out of it.
The locket is first shown in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" in the form of the fake duplicate Dumbledore and Harry find in the cave. It later reappears in the first part of "Deathly Hallows", where Harry, Ron and Hermione have to first take it from Umbridge and subsequently destroy it. The cup and diadem are the last non-living Horcruxes to be discovered and "killed" by the Trio in the second part of "Deathly Hallows". In the book, the diadem is destroyed by the Fiendfyre that burns the Room of Requirement, however in the film version a basilisk fang is used once again.
Wands and broomsticks have a special place amongst the props created for the films. Though many wizards fly and all have wands, there isn't a uniform look for these objects. Instead, every wand and broomstick was designed specifically for the respective character who used it.

9. The Hair and Makeup department often had to go to great lengths to change the actors' appearance for them to resemble their characters. An example of this are the twins James and Oliver Phelps, who play Fred and George and had to dye their hair the signature Weasley red. However others, like actor Domhnall Gleeson, didn't need to resort to such measures, being naturally ginger-haired. Which character - the last to join the ranks of the Weasleys in a speaking part - does he play?

Answer: Bill Weasley

Bill Weasley is the eldest Weasley brother. Though featured in earlier books, his character first appears in the seventh film, where he is set to marry Fleur Delacour and aid Harry in his escape from the Dursley house. He is played by Domhnall Gleeson, son of actor Brendan Gleeson, who in turn plays Mad-Eye Moody.
Charlie Weasley never appears in person in the films and is only briefly seen in a photograph in the "Prizoner of Azkaban" film, in a photo from the Weasleys' holiday in Egypt. Young Arthur Weasley isn't featured in either the books or the film, as there is no storyline relating to his past.
The part of Ron Weasley in the Epilogue scene is once again played by Rupert Grint, who plays his younger self as well. His appearance is altered with makeup, a prosthetic belly and a different hairstyle to convey the effect of aging 19 years.

10. The rich world of "Harry Potter" features many characters - not all of them human. For some - the mythical beasts, CGI was required to "bring them to life". Which of the following, however, required an animal trainer rather than a computer expert?

Answer: Hedwig

Harry Potter's pet owl, Hedwig, is played by three live Snowy Owls named Gizmo, Ook and Sprout. Other characters played by real animals include Hagrid's dog Fang, Hermione's cat Crookshanks, as well as Sirius Black's dog form.
The giant three-headed dog Fluffy, who guards the Philosopher's Stone (or, in the US version, the Sorcerer's Stone), Hagrid's pet dragon Norbert, as well as the centaur Firenze are all computer generated. Other CGI-creatures include the hippogriff Buckbeak, Voldemort's snake Nagini and the house-elf Dobby.

11. Though computer-generated imagery (CGI) is often applied throughout the series, it consists of almost completely live-action films. Only one of the installments features a brief animated sequence. Which one?

Answer: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

The sequence tells the "Tale of the Three Brothers" - the legend of the Deathly Hallows, from "The Tales of Beedle the Bard". The story is told through shadow-style animation with a voice-over by Emma Watson (Hermione). The animation allows for the comparatively scary story, which features a murder and a suicide, to be told in a less-frightening manner. Furthermore, animation highlights its fairytale character and distinguishes it from the rest of the film. The fairytale is a slightly abridged version of the story featured in the book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", as well as in the companion book "The Tales of Beedle the Bard", which Rowling published in 2008 with proceeds donated to charity.

12. A skilled cinematographer is required to capture the performance of the actors on camera in the most advantageous manner. From visually-stunning wide shots to close-up during dialogue, the six cinematographers involved in the filming of the series have had their fair share in bringing the magic of "Harry Potter" to the big screen. One of them, Bruno Delbonnel, even received an Oscar nomination for his achievement. Which film, which features Ron Weasley's first kiss, a new Potions teacher and the death of Dumbledore did he work on?

Answer: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Delbonnel filmed the sixth film in the series. He lost the Oscar to the director of photography of James Cameron's film "Avatar", Mauro Fiore. The cinematographer of "Order of the Phoenix" was Slawomir Idziak, whereas the two parts of "Deathly Hallows" were shot back-to-back by Eduardo Serra. The scene of Ron kissing Lavender Brown in the Gryffindor common room required two different types of shooting.

The wide shots of the kissing couple with the cheering crowd in the background were shot normally. For the close-ups on Harry and Hermione talking, the other actors and extras were asked to cheer silently, so that the dialogue between the two leads could be recorded clearly.

13. To create the right atmosphere during a scene, the film score can often be of paramount significance. Four composers - John Williams, Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper and Alexandre Desplat - have through their music helped shape the feel of the series. Though mostly instrumental, one of Williams' soundtracks includes a choir song named "Double Trouble". Which film was it performed in?

Answer: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The lyrics of the song were taken from the play "The Tragedy of Macbeth" by William Shakespreare. In the film it is performed by a choir of students, conducted by Professor Flitwick, upon the arrival at Hogwarts. This choir was created specifically for the film, as it is not referenced in the books. Williams also composed the widely recognized "Hedwig's Theme" - an instrumental piece which functions as the series' musical leitmotif, featured in some form in all the films.

He has also composed the score for other well-known film series like "Star Wars", "Jurassic Park" and "Indiana Jones".

14. One of the most important positions in a film production is the director. Though Rowling had insisted on a British cast, no such specification existed for the directing position. Thus two of the four directors - Chris Columbus and Alfonso Cuaron, are US American and Mexican, respectively. The other two, Mike Newell and David Yates, are British. Of these, Newell was the first and was complimented by many for giving Hogwarts school an authentic feel of a British boarding school. This came to be important, as the film he directed was the only one to feature foreign students as well. Which installment was this?

Answer: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

For the Triwizard Tournament that takes place in Hogwarts, students from three schools compete against each other. Thus, delegations from the foreign schools, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, come to visit.
Director Chris Columbus, who helmed the first two films, was chosen for his ability to direct young actors. He had previously worked on such films as "Home Alone" and "Mrs. Doubtfire". After stepping down from the directing post, he offered the position to Mexican Cuaron, whose previous film "The Little Princess" also deals with a young girl in a boarding school. Since he was still busy with post-production at the time filming of the fourth installment was about to begin, the director changed again and Mike Newell got the job.
David Yates was the fourth and last director in the series, staying on board to complete the story. Due to a funny coincidence, he and the two producers of the series, David Heyman and David Barron were sometimes jokingly referred to as the "three Davids".

15. Not all scenes of the films were shot in the Leavesden Studios. Some were filmed at least partially "on location" outside the studio, at real-world places. An example of this is the Epilogue, which takes place 19 years after the final Battle of Hogwarts and was, in part, shot at King's Cross Station in London. Was this the only time this train station serves as a setting in the second "Deathly Hallows" film?

Answer: No

King's Cross Station comes up in an important scene near the end of the film. After Voldemort kills Harry, he wakes up in what appears to be a dream version of the train station's platform. He then discovers the mutilated piece of Voldemort's soul that had been residing inside his body. After a conversation with a vision of Dumbledore, Harry is then faced with the decision whether to take a train, i.e. move on to the afterlife, or return to his old life and continue the battle.
The reason behind this setting is the fact that for Harry, King's Cross symbolizes the beginning of his life as a wizard. It is the train station from which Hogwarts students board the Hogwarts express each year. The train leaves from the hidden Platform 9 3/4, which can be reached by walking through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. So accordingly, for the young wizard it represents the starting point of a journey to something new and life-changing.
King's Cross also has a special significance for the books' author. J.K. Rowling has told the story in interviews that she came up with the idea of the boy wizard while aboard a train headed to King's Cross Station. This was probably the reason why she chose to conclude her series in this place that means so much to both author and character.
It was originally planned to shoot the Epilogue scene only on location. However, since the huge crowds of fans that had gathered during the filming proved to be distracting to the actors, some reshoots were done in the studio after production had officially ended.
In an example of the impact "Harry Potter" has made on culture, a real-life "Platform 9 3/4" has been built at King's Cross Station. It depicts a luggage trolley partially submerged in the wall and a sign with the platform's name and has become a popular spot for fans from around the world to visit when in London.

Source: Author mchem

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor skunkee before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

In this quiz, you answer questions concerning the creation of the eight "Harry Potter" films - relating to castings, props, sets etc. However, to answer correctly you only need to have watched the movies - no film-making skills required! Have fun!

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