The Big Picture

“The Seven Harrys” scene in
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
took 95 takes to complete due to the complex transformations of multiple cast members.
Daniel Radcliffe studied his co-stars’ movements to accurately portray their personalities in the scene.
30 cameras were used to capture precise facial expressions of characters transforming into Harry Potter for the
Deathly Hallows Part 1
scene.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is enveloped with countless spells, whimsical creatures, and the magnificent Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It’s no easy task to bring to life such a massively popular book series, but the brilliant cast and crew of the successful franchise were able to gift fans with a magical cinematic experience that many still rewatch every year. The 8-film series continuously proved its dedication to the craft throughout each installment, creating some of the most iconic fantasy scenes in showbiz.

Seeing Diagon Alley for the first time or even the Flying Ford Anglia soaring through England are just some of the many unforgettable moments within the Harry Potter collection. These classic scenes required an immense amount of technical practice, patience, and attention to detail to be able to pull them off. In fact, there is one particular scene the cast and crew of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 found to be just as difficult as performing a real magic trick: “The Seven Harrys” scene, which took 95 takes to complete!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 As Harry, Ron and Hermione race against time and evil to destroy the Horcruxes, they uncover the existence of the three most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows.Release Date November 19, 2010 Runtime 156 minutes

How Was “The Seven Harrys” Scene in ‘Deathly Hallows Part 1’ Filmed?
The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is when the darkest turns come into play for Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends. After Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) murders Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) and Death Eaters are on the rampage, a shadow of unrest and gloom hangs over the future of magic. Harry is left with very few clues to the locations of the remaining horcruxes and finds himself in hiding amongst the chaos. Muggles are being killed and wizards are losing hope, but the Order of the Phoenix has other plans.

“The Seven Harrys” scene takes place right at the beginning of Deathly Hallows Part 1. When Harry, his friends, and the members of the Order of the Phoenix gather at Privet Drive, an air of danger fills the air. With Harry’s magical protection spell now broken, he must be taken to a safe place — the Weasley family’s Burrow. The mission is to transport Harry safely through the air, requiring everyone to transform their physical appearances to mirror Harry’s by drinking Polyjuice potion.

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Ron (Rupert Grint), Hermione (Emma Watson), Fred (James Phelps), George (Oliver Phelps), Fleur Delacour (Clémence Poésy), and Mundungus Fletcher (Andy Linden) all magically become Harry look-alikes, just before the Battle of the Seven Potters. The scene is a marvel to watch unfold in The Deathly Hallows: Part 1. Not surprisingly, “The Seven Harrys” scene was incredibly difficult to film, requiring an estimated 95 takes to accomplish. In order to shoot each character reshaping into Harry’s form, the crew utilized a motion control camera. According to Radcliffe himself, the process was a painstaking one, as it required that the actors barely move an inch:

“Basically you have a motion control camera and it’s programmed by computer so that it does exactly the same moves each time. We’d shoot one version with me as one of the characters and we shoot another version with me as another character. And it was very specific stuff so like if you’ve moved too far an inch to your left, it was unusable because then you would, in theory, be standing on a version of me.”

At the time of the production in 2010, this kind of technology was fairly new to the film industry, but the cast and crew’s excitement to take on the creative process resulted in the magic we see in “The Seven Harrys” scene.

Daniel Radcliffe Was Challenged To Thoroughly Study His Co-Stars

Not only was “The Seven Harrys” scene technically challenging to shoot for the crew, but Daniel Radcliffe had a particularly challenging task. Director David Yates, who directed the last three installments of the Harry Potter film series, urged Radcliffe to intensely study his co-stars so each version of the Harry look-alikes would embody their true personalities. The actors performed their characters in front of Radcliffe, allowing him to analyze their smallest body movements and mannerisms. By doing so, the scene feels more believable and fans are able to spot the differences in each Harry.

Radcliffe confesses it was a great learning experience to study his peers in the film’s behind-the-scenes footage: “You start to look at people in a very analytical way when you’re kind of studying them. Like Rupert [Grint] walks with a real wiggle in his hips. You know it’s actually quite a sexy walk if, you know, if that’s appropriate to say.” Since Radcliffe and his co-stars had to be filmed transforming into Harry Potter, all of their intricate facial expressions needed to be captured precisely. Therefore, not just one camera was used —the scene required 30 backup cameras. To achieve the highest level of effects, the crew paired the newly enhanced technology with ultraviolet make-up techniques to bring about the detailed expressions for the seven Harrys. The 30 cameras shot the characters at every angle possible to ensure the effects of the Polyjuice potion were believable. The result, all these years later, remains a benchmark in the franchise.

“The Seven Harrys” Scene Remains a Standout Moment in the Franchise

With the Harry Potter franchise nearing its end on the big screen and the final battle with Voldemort looming over the story, every scene and moment in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2 mattered. As a result, the final two movies in the franchise contain many memorable scenes that have stayed with fans long after the movies left theaters. It is then a testament in favor of “The Seven Harrys” scene that it was able to stand out in a movie that contained so many iconic moments. Not only does Part 1 include Hermione’s emotional decision to “obliviate” her parents’ memories, but it also featured Dobby’s gut-wrenching death.

“The Seven Harrys” scene is so beautifully executed and eye-striking, it’s no wonder David Yates felt the scene was “the film equivalent of actually doing a magic trick,” as the production is even more magical than the outcome. Ultimately, the hard work and dedication of the cast and crew paid off tremendously, as “The Seven Harrys” is not only one of the most memorable moments in The Deathly Hallows: Part 1, but in the entire series as a whole.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is available to stream on Max and Peacock in the U.S.

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