Harry Potter and the Small Screen

[Ganesha]

Finally got a chance to comment on this thread. Great to see that it is up and running again. Really looking forward to seeing how what is hopefully a better produced adaption of Harry Potter goes.

Just a few thoughts

i) I'm a little worried they are going to run out material during the gap between Books 4 and 5, which is enough time to do at least the first three seasons and possibly even the fourth. Could hit the same problem that Game of Thrones is thundering towards at some point in the not too distant future...

ii) Depending on who gets picked as Luna Lovegood when the time comes, I think we will still see that particular ship gain popularity, although maybe not to the same extent. The problem as I see it is that Luna's interactions with Harry in Book 5 made her seem like a much more interesting character than Ginny. It does make you wonder how interesting Luna could have been if Rowling hadn't put her in as a one-book character who then got promoted.

iii) If its okay, I've put suggestions for potential episode titles using drakensis's episode layout. The titles are in red.

teg

Great titles! I'm not sure how well JK planned out the romantic future of the characters - in other words, if Ginny and Harry were always meant to be that way. She could always change her mind ITTL.

Cheers,
Ganesha

 

[teg]

Great titles! I'm not sure how well JK planned out the romantic future of the characters - in other words, if Ginny and Harry were always meant to be that way. She could always change her mind ITTL.

Cheers,
Ganesha

Thanks. I was trying to get as

I was referring to the way the shipping wars might play out ITTL - honestly I cannot see Rowling changing her mind if she didn't in OTL, what with a better actress playing Ginny and all. I personally suspect that Rowling originally planned for Ginny to have a bigger role in the series but for whatever reason that didn't happen. The whole Designated Love Interest thing could have been avoided if Ginny was given more screen time and the jump between her in Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix hadn't been so sudden. Its one of the shames of the series that among some of the most best written characters in children's fiction, two of the most important ones kind of fall flat... (Voldermort/Riddle being the other)

teg

 

[Stolengood]

Let me amend those, teg:

Episode #1 Letters from No One
Harry Potter and his difficult relationship with the Dursley's, including the Boa Constrictor event. Hogwarts letters start arriving and the Dursley's flee to an isolated island but someone follows them. (Chapters 2-3)

Episode #2 The Boy Who Lived
Hagrid makes his arrival and explains who he is and that Harry is a Wizard. Flashbacks to Hagrid delivering Harry to Privet Drive. They reach the Leaky Cauldron. (Chapter 4 and second half of Chapter 1)

Episode #3 Diagon Alley
Hagrid shows Harry around Diagon Alley, introducing him to the Wizarding World. Harry's last few weeks with the Dursleys and being dropped off at Kings Cross, with no idea how to find the train. (Chapter 5 and first pages of Chapter 6)

Episode #4 9 ¾
Harry meets the Weasleys and rides on the Hogwarts Express, arriving at Hogsmeade and having his first view of Hogwarts (core of Chapter 6)

Episode #5 Out of Sorts
Crossing the lake to Hogwarts, Harry is Sorted and has his first few magic lessons, giving a showcase of what Wizards can do. (end of Chapter 6, Chapter 7 and first half of Chapter 8).

Episode #6 The Potions Master
Harry's first lesson with Snape, meets Hagrid again and learns of the break in. First flying lesson and a challenge from Draco. (second half of Chapter 8 and most of Chapter 9)

Episode #7 Hallowe'en
The expedition to meet Draco for the duel, finding the Cerberus. Halloween. Possibly a flashback to McGonagall's view of Harry's arrival at the Dursleys? Harry and Ron go looking for a missing Hermione and find the Troll. (end of Chapter 9, first half of Chapter 1?, first half of Chapter 10)

Episode #8 The Match
The three children fight the troll. Harry has his first Quidditch Match. (end of Chapter 10, Chapter 11)

Episode #9 Erised
Christmas at Hogwarts. Harry receives the Cloak of Invisibility and finds the Mirror of Erisid. Possibly a flashback to Dumbledore's view of Harry's arrival at Dursleys (alternate to Episode 7 or split)? Learn that Snape is referee for next Quidditch Match. (Chapter 12, first half of Chapter 1?, first half of Chapter 13)

Episode #10 Spiriting Norbert
The Quidditch Match. The three help Hagrid with Norbert the dragon (end of Chapter 13, most of Chapter 14).

Episode #11 Blood in the Moonlight
Harry and Hermione smuggle Norbert to the astronomy tower to be picked up but are caught out of bounds. Detention in the Forbidden Forest. (end of Chapter 14, Chapter 15)

Episode #12 Into the Trap
The three dare the protections around the Philosopher's Stone and Harry manages to reach the Mirror of Eresid. (Chapter 16)

Episode #13 The Servant of Lord Voldemort
Harry faces Quirrelmort and saves the Stone. End of the School Year with Harry off to stay with the Dursleys for the summer. (Chapter 17)

 

[teg]

Let me amend those, teg:

Episode #1 Letters from No One
Harry Potter and his difficult relationship with the Dursley's, including the Boa Constrictor event. Hogwarts letters start arriving and the Dursley's flee to an isolated island but someone follows them. (Chapters 2-3)

Episode #2 The Boy Who Lived
Hagrid makes his arrival and explains who he is and that Harry is a Wizard. Flashbacks to Hagrid delivering Harry to Privet Drive. They reach the Leaky Cauldron. (Chapter 4 and second half of Chapter 1)

Episode #3 Diagon Alley
Hagrid shows Harry around Diagon Alley, introducing him to the Wizarding World. Harry's last few weeks with the Dursleys and being dropped off at Kings Cross, with no idea how to find the train. (Chapter 5 and first pages of Chapter 6)

Episode #4 9 ¾
Harry meets the Weasleys and rides on the Hogwarts Express, arriving at Hogsmeade and having his first view of Hogwarts (core of Chapter 6)

Episode #5 Out of Sorts
Crossing the lake to Hogwarts, Harry is Sorted and has his first few magic lessons, giving a showcase of what Wizards can do. (end of Chapter 6, Chapter 7 and first half of Chapter 8).

Episode #6 The Potions Master
Harry's first lesson with Snape, meets Hagrid again and learns of the break in. First flying lesson and a challenge from Draco. (second half of Chapter 8 and most of Chapter 9)

Episode #7 Hallowe'en
The expedition to meet Draco for the duel, finding the Cerberus. Halloween. Possibly a flashback to McGonagall's view of Harry's arrival at the Dursleys? Harry and Ron go looking for a missing Hermione and find the Troll. (end of Chapter 9, first half of Chapter 1?, first half of Chapter 10)

Episode #8 The Match
The three children fight the troll. Harry has his first Quidditch Match. (end of Chapter 10, Chapter 11)

Episode #9 Erised
Christmas at Hogwarts. Harry receives the Cloak of Invisibility and finds the Mirror of Erisid. Possibly a flashback to Dumbledore's view of Harry's arrival at Dursleys (alternate to Episode 7 or split)? Learn that Snape is referee for next Quidditch Match. (Chapter 12, first half of Chapter 1?, first half of Chapter 13)

Episode #10 Spiriting Norbert
The Quidditch Match. The three help Hagrid with Norbert the dragon (end of Chapter 13, most of Chapter 14).

Episode #11 Blood in the Moonlight
Harry and Hermione smuggle Norbert to the astronomy tower to be picked up but are caught out of bounds. Detention in the Forbidden Forest. (end of Chapter 14, Chapter 15)

Episode #12 Into the Trap
The three dare the protections around the Philosopher's Stone and Harry manages to reach the Mirror of Eresid. (Chapter 16)

Episode #13 The Servant of Lord Voldemort
Harry faces Quirrelmort and saves the Stone. End of the School Year with Harry off to stay with the Dursleys for the summer. (Chapter 17)

No. 2 is good, wasn't especially happy with my original title as is no. 5 and no. 11 [Blood of the Unicorn sounds too horrific]. I'm not too bothered about eps 7, 12 and 10. However I personally prefer my original titles for episode 4, 7, 8 and 13.

4: While 9.3/4 does relate the story, I think the Hogwarts Express is more relevant and it sounds better in my opinion as well. (Oh BTW, it would be nice if they didn't use a Hall or any other Great Western locomotive in the TV version. A Black Five or the surviving V2 would work better in my opinion...)

7: I think after the cliff-hanger in the previous episode, this episode needs to be something other than 'Halloween', in large part because of the three big events of the episode, only actually takes place on Halloween.

8: Again, not really interesting enough. Its not like there it is big surprise that Harry plays Quidditch, even for people who haven't read the books.

13: I like my title better because it sounds more like a Moffat title, same vein of "The Name of the Doctor'. It also has the advantage of hinting at what the really important revelation is, without leaving it immediately obvious.

In any case I'll see what Brainbin thinks.

teg

 

[CaBil]

Let me amend those, teg:

Episode #4 9 ¾
Harry meets the Weasleys and rides on the Hogwarts Express, arriving at Hogsmeade and having his first view of Hogwarts (core of Chapter 6)

Here is a point where the producers and Rowling may want to sit down and has things out, because I can see the producers, after months of searching, not wanting to wait until episode four to introduce Ron as main character, and have Hermione basically be a guest star starting as a guest star in episode 4 but not graduating to main character status until episode 8 out of 13 episodes!

Keeping a strict chapter adaptation may not work in this instance. Solutions would include taking bits of later chapter and working them in earlier, or creating whole new subplots and character bits in the earlier episodes. Having Harry see the Weasley's at Diagon Alley, for instance, so that he knows to approach them at 9 3/4, or running into a bossy girl running amuck in Flourish and Botts while there...

-Bil

 

[teg]

Let me amend those, teg:

Also, why have you done this?

teg

 

[teg]

Here is a point where the producers and Rowling may want to sit down and has things out, because I can see the producers, after months of searching, not wanting to wait until episode four to introduce Ron as main character, and have Hermione basically be a guest star starting as a guest star in episode 4 but not graduating to main character status until episode 8 out of 13 episodes!

Keeping a strict chapter adaptation may not work in this instance. Solutions would include taking bits of later chapter and working them in earlier, or creating whole new subplots and character bits in the earlier episodes. Having Harry see the Weasley's at Diagon Alley, for instance, so that he knows to approach them at 9 3/4, or running into a bossy girl running amuck in Flourish and Botts while there...

-Bil

I definitely agree with this. Perhaps Hermonie could turn up during the first episode, maybe as a guest at the zoo, as well, as a background character. I can't think of a way for Ron to turn up any earlier than episode 3 unless he gets shown briefly in episode 1 while the Dursleys are trying to avoid all the letters.

Alternately, you could just decide to throw out the strict adherence to the novel and have Ron and Hermonie's backstories explored a bit in the first episode. Show Ron's constant struggles with his brothers, and Hermonie slowing realizing that she has magical powers. (I could imagine Hermonie figuring out she has them before she gets her Hogwarts letter, she is definitely bright enough for that) The problem is that this would massively overload the first episode. On the other hand it does seem like the sort of thing Rowling would like if it was suggested.

Another solution would be to insert an episode between The Boy Who Lived and Diagon Alley, with the season finale being another hour-long special when first broadcast. Whether this is agreed to or not by the BBC is going to cause friction between them and the production team. Harry and Hagrid would play a comparatively minor role in this episode, with most of the episode being flashbacks to Hermione and Ron's childhood inter-spaced by Harry and Hagrid's journey to Diagon Alley. The key difficulty is how to explicitly link Hermione and Ron to Harry, introducing two new characters without connection to the other characters has the potential to break the momentum badly; the obvious answer would be to have them receive their Hogwarts letters (hence why these scenes could not occur in the first or second episode).

Just my 2c on the issue.

teg

 

[ColeMercury]

If it were up to me, here's roughly how I'd structure the episodes:

Episode 1 (Part 1 of 3):
Chapter 1 and 2

Episode 2 (Part 2 of 3):
Chapter 3 and 4

Episode 3 (Part 3 of 3):
Chapter 5

Episode 4:
Chapter 6 and 7 (Not enough happens in each chapter to justify splitting across multiple episodes)

Episode 5:
Chapter 8 (It's OK to pad this out a little, showing all the different classes.)

Episode 6:
Chapter 9 (This works as a self-contained part and shouldn't be split.)

Episode 7:
Chapter 10 and 11 (Each is too short, so this would be a bit disjointed but nice)

Episode 8:
Chapter 12 (Again, should be self-contained)

Episode 9:
Chapter 13 and part of Chapter 14 (up to the part where Norbert's still an egg)

Episode 10:
The rest of Chapter 14 (from the part where Norbert hatches) and Chapter 15

Episode 11:
Part of Chapter 16 (pad out the beginning, mostly as respite between important episodes; stop just before they enter the trapdoor room)

Episode 12 (Part 1 of 2):
Remainder of Chapter 16 (the obstacles)

Episode 13 (Part 2 of 2):
Chapter 17

 

[teg]

If it were up to me, here's roughly how I'd structure the episodes:

Episode 1 (Part 1 of 3):
Chapter 1 and 2

Episode 2 (Part 2 of 3):
Chapter 3 and 4

Episode 3 (Part 3 of 3):
Chapter 5

Episode 4:
Chapter 6 and 7 (Not enough happens in each chapter to justify splitting across multiple episodes)

Episode 5:
Chapter 8 (It's OK to pad this out a little, showing all the different classes.)

Episode 6:
Chapter 9 (This works as a self-contained part and shouldn't be split.)

Episode 7:
Chapter 10 and 11 (Each is too short, so this would be a bit disjointed but nice)

Episode 8:
Chapter 12 (Again, should be self-contained)

Episode 9:
Chapter 13 and part of Chapter 14 (up to the part where Norbert's still an egg)

Episode 10:
The rest of Chapter 14 (from the part where Norbert hatches) and Chapter 15

Episode 11:
Part of Chapter 16 (pad out the beginning, mostly as respite between important episodes; stop just before they enter the trapdoor room)

Episode 12 (Part 1 of 2):
Remainder of Chapter 16 (the obstacles)

Episode 13 (Part 2 of 2):
Chapter 17

I think the problem with that structure is that it front-loads quite badly and putting only Chapter 1 and 2 in Episode 1 means that on re-runs the series starts with a series of pretty uninspiring cliff hangers. Things need to be mixed up a bit...

I think the best to structure the episodes is as such:

Episode 1: The Letters from No One

• Aunt Petunia goes out to put out the milk bottles, only to find her infant nephew with a letter addressed in his basket. [On the TV, there is a report about a gas explosion, which in reality the aftermath of Pettigrew's battle with Sirius.]
• At the Burrow, Arthur Weasley returns with news of Voldermort's defeat. The Weasley's celebrate as little Ron watches on...
• Summer 1988: Ron's brothers finally let him go on one of their broomsticks. Harry, while being chased by Dursley's gang, somehow ends up on the roof of the school. Meanwhile, Hermione is climbing a tree but loses her grip and falls a great height. Her mother runs over, only to find her daughter completely unharmed, commenting that its like "magic".
• June 1991: Harry is woken up by his aunt and told to the bacon as it is Dudley's birthday. Dudley has lots of presents but is still not happy. Just before setting off for the zoo, Harry is warned by Vernon that there is not to be 'any funny business'. Harry promises but protests that it just 'happens'.
• In the Reptile House, Hermoine is babbling to her parents about serpents being seen as symbols of evil. Focus then shifts to the Dursleys and Harry. Harry talks to the snake and accidentally sets it on Dudley after vanishing the glass. Harry gets thrown in the cupboard when the Dursleys return home.
• A few weeks later, letters start arriving for Harry. When the Dursleys try to stop Harry getting them, an escalating number of them start to arrive. Desparate to escape them for unknown reasons and they run away. They stay at various different places until they go to the Hut on the Rock.
• During the night there is a massive storm as Harry counts down to his eleventh birthday. A few seconds to midnight, there is a loud banging and at the stroke of midnight, the door gives way to reveal a huge man standing in the doorway.

So that's the first episode. Effectively the same as drakensis's plus some original content, which is necessary in my opinion to introduce Ron and Hermione early on. I'm not that happy with Ron's second segment, it just gives things a way a bit too obviously. Let's see what brainbin/everyone else thinks.


Episode 2: The Boy Who Lived

• The giant man strides into the hut, to reveal a kind-hearted man who apologizes profusely and asks for a cup of tea.
• The giant is delighted to see Harry and introduces himself as Hagrid, Keeper of Keys of Hogwarts. He becomes angry when Harry does not about Hogwarts and cowers Vernon. He then says "Your a wizard Harry" [obviously in a Somerset accent]
• Admiring monologue about Hogwarts from Hagrid, after which Harry protests he can't be a wizard. After Hagrid's comment on Harry's parents reveals Harry doesn't know they were wizards, Hagrid gets even more angry. Petunia goes into an angry rant about Lily [flashback to Lily getting her Hogwarts letter] and the Dursleys retreat into the other room of the hut.
• Hagrid then explains about Voldermort. A flashback shows Hagrid going to retrieve Harry. As he picks up the crying Harry, he looks to see a dark figure [this is Sirius Black, his face obscured by the dust/light], to which Hagrid says, "I'm sorry." Hagrid, with Dumbledore and McGonagall, leaves Harry at the Dursleys.
• Harry is still uncertain he can be a wizard but Hagrid reassures him; "Seven Years. Seven years and you won't recognize yourself. You'll be learning magic at the greatest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world, taught by the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever known..." [needs Somerset accent]
• While Hagrid is giving this speech, we see McGonagall arriving at Hermione's house to give the Hogwarts letter; and Percy strutting around the Burrow's living room with his new prefect badge [Fred and George snorting all the time], while Ron clutches his new rat apprehensively...
• Harry curls up to sleep while Hagrid watches over him; Hermione and her parents are on a train heading to London; the Weasleys are getting ready to use the floo powder to travel to Diagon Alley...

Pretty much all of chapter 4 plus the latter half of Chapter 1 and some events which were mentioned in Prisoner of Azkaban in addition to the OC. I think having Sirius appear will work as a sleight of hand; he seems to be being set up as a big bad, always appearing after some disaster has occurred but never identified or fully shown [meaning he can be played by anyone until Season 3]. Not too sure whether this episode is too heavily loaded.

This is taking longer than I thought it would so I'll continue later if nobody minds.

teg

 

[Stolengood]

Also, why have you done this?

Because, as an informed reader, I wish to give my own two cents.

4: While 9.3/4 does relate the story, I think the Hogwarts Express is more relevant and it sounds better in my opinion as well. (Oh BTW, it would be nice if they didn't use a Hall or any other Great Western locomotive in the TV version. A Black Five or the surviving V2 would work better in my opinion...)

For me, Nine and Three-Quarters was one of those defining phrases of the early series, particularly in this book and when Ron and Harry are blocked from entering in Chamber of Secrets. Having it be mysterious, a literal portal to a world of magic... it's the gateway. A perfect way to frame the episode; you've truly entered the Wizarding World.

7: I think after the cliff-hanger in the previous episode, this episode needs to be something other than 'Halloween', in large part because of the three big events of the episode, only actually takes place on Halloween.

Fair enough. But I've always thought that chapter title was an iconic part of both the book and the film; I'd keep it not just for nostalgia's sake, but because that moment in the OTL film when the camera pans down to the Hallowe'en feast with that epic restatement of the main theme... I don't know. I like it. It might help, of course, to have the scuppered midnight duel take place on the evening of the 30th, leading properly into Hallowe'en.

8: Again, not really interesting enough. Its not like there it is big surprise that Harry plays Quidditch, even for people who haven't read the books.

Ahhh, but it that episode, "The Match" would be taking on a double-meaning; referring both to the Quidditch match itself and to the match between Harry, Ron, and the troll in the bathroom, in which they prove their bravery. I think it covering both situations lends it perfectly as a title.

13: I like my title better because it sounds more like a Moffat title, same vein of "The Name of the Doctor'. It also has the advantage of hinting at what the really important revelation is, without leaving it immediately obvious.

But that's not a Moffat title; it's a Doctor Who title. "______ of the ______" is something of a tradition for that show's titles, as is "_______ of the Daleks". Moffat normally goes with something much snappier. And, of course, up to that point in the story, Harry has thought Snape is with Voldemort; the title helps disguise the reveal... plus, of course, it's an OTL authentic Rowling title, albeit from a later book.

 

[Evan]

I oppose cutting from Harry to Ron or Hermione in the opening episodes; as much as it helps establish their characters in respect to the overall series, it detracts from the immediate storyline where people want to follow Harry. Yes, let's show Ron in Diagon Alley or show Hermione in the zoo - have Harry see them earlier - but nothing that actually cuts away from the thread of Harry's story.

(I'm willing to grant one exception: show the Weasleys celebrating Voldemort's first defeat, if we want to show the wizarding world that early.)

 

[Brainbin]

Well! Looks like this thread has come roaring back once again! I'd like to thank you all for your compliments on my mini-post. And to all of this thread's new readers, welcome! I'm very intrigued to see a new discussion arising over the plotting of the first season, and it's inspired a lengthy discussion amongst the production staff over the backchannels. Though teg was good enough to quote the original outline by drakensis, he unfortunately overlooked his later revision, made at my behest, which you can find right here.

The main thing to take away from our discussion is that the first two episodes are going to be aired as a single hour-long episode in its initial airing. This means that the first appearance of the various main characters will be one "week" earlier than many of you have anticipated. But the debate about the titles also led myself, my story editor, and our creative consultant to make a decision, based on the suggestions by teg, the alternatives by stolengood, and from the chapters of Philosopher's Stone.

The original pilot movie will, of course, be called "The Boy Who Lived". In re-broadcasts (and syndication), the two parts will be divided as follows:

1. "The Letters From No-One"
2. "The Keeper of the Keys"
   
   And all subsequent episodes will be entitled as such:
3. "Diagon Alley"
4. "The Hogwarts Express"
5. "Snake or Lion"
6. "The Potions Master"
7. "Hallowe'en"
8. "Quidditch"
9. "Erised"
10. "Norbert"
11. "The Forbidden Forest"
12. "Through the Trapdoor"
13. "The Man with Two Faces"

You'll note that we went with fairly simple, conservative naming choices (other than for episode five). Now, of course, these are all based on the drakensian outline. I'm noting several challenges to that model, and I would certainly welcome discussing it further. However, be sure to plan for the first two episodes airing as one hour-long in your outlines. In addition, many of you have suggested that Ron and Hermione should be introduced earlier, but all of us on the writing staff are in agreement that we should meet them only when Harry does. And finally, one more thing to bear in mind: as mentioned previously, since the episodes are exactly 30 minutes long, the slots in which they'll be aired in Canada and the US will be somewhere between 42 and 44 minutes (out of an hour, with the remainder for commercials). The extra time will be devoted to behind-the-scenes and "making of" material (similar to what you'd find on DVD extras) and promos for upcoming episodes. If you have any other ideas of how to fill that time, let us know!

 

[Francisco Cojuanco]

Brainbin, do you work in TV? Because I wish you were...

 

[drakensis]

I do see the advantages of showing Hermione and Ron early on but the only way I can see that that could be done without having scenes of them before the Hogwarts Express (which I agree is not a good idea) would be to bring the Hogwarts Express itself forward in the story and putting even more of the events leading up to it in as flashbacks.

One thing about HP&tPS is that it's not entirely a story about Harry at Hogwarts. He doesn't get there until the end of chapter six (of seventeen) which in my paperback copy is page 92 out of 223. That's almost half of the book!

Now I don't think that we should push it that far back in the TV series - there's a very tight focus on Harry so that part shouldn't take as much time in TV format as the scenes where the cast has expanded a bit. We have it at the end of episode #4 which is about right - the arrival at Hogwarts and the Sorting is the end of 'Act One' of the story. Perhaps that ought to be the end of an episode rather then mid-episode #4 but I'm rather attached to the first sight of Hogwarts being the last scene of an episode and stretching the sorting out over a whole episode is a bit much.

Act Two then stretches out to the end of chapter 13 (episode 10) with the three leads aware of the Philospher's Stone and Act Three comprises the detention in the Forbidden Forest and the 'quest' to reach the Stone and keep it from Voldemort.

Here's how I'd see Episodes 3 and 4 playing out:

Episode #3
Scene #1
Harry follows Hagrid through the bustling streets of London and into the Leaky Cauldron. He's crowded by patrons and meets Quirrel. Hagrid moves them on and opens up the back wall into Diagon Alley.

Scene #2
Harry reads the list of requirements for Hogwarts and walks down Diagon Alley with Hagrid pointing out shops for later until they reach Gringotts.

Scene #3
Inside Gringotts: the counter, the roller-coaster like ride to Harry's vault and then to Hagrid picking up the package.

Scene #4
Hagrid leaves Harry to be measured for robes at Madame Malkin's. His first meeting with Draco Malfoy

Scene #5
Montage of other shops - apothecary, books, purchase of Hedwig

Scene #6
Ollivanders and the purchase of Harry's Wand.

Scene #7
Hagrid leads Harry out of Diagon Alley and Harry admits to being nervous about his fame and expectations of greatness when he's not sure he's a real wizard.

Scene #8
A grumbling Vernon drops Harry off at King's Cross, walking him to Platform Nine, smirking at the lack of a platform 9 3/4 and then walking away leaving Harry alone.

Episode #4
Scene #1
Harry asking for directions from people in the station and being given short shrift. He Harry hears Molly Weasley mention muggles and follows the family, seeing some of them go through the barrier. He asks Molly and is advised how to go through

Scene #2
The twins help Harry load his trunk onto the train and he listens to their farewells. The train moves off.

Scene #3
Ron enters the compartment and he introduces himself and by proxy his family. They buy snacks and Harry gets Dumbledore's chocolate frog card,.

Scene #4
Neville and then Hermione visit while in search of Trevor. Ron tries a spell to turn Scabbers yellow which fails.

Scene #5
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle arrive looking for the 'famous' Harry Potter. Malfoy and Ron quarrel over their families and Scabbers bites Goyle

Scene #6
The train arrives at the station and Hagrid gathers up the first years, walking them through the woods to the lake shore where they get their first look at Hogwarts.


Episode #3 starts with Harry getting a look at the wizarding world and has the hopefully exciting cart-ride in the middle. However it ends on a low note, Harry nervous about whether he can actually do magic and being abandoned at King's Cross, uncertain how to go on.

Episode #4 then picks this up and gets him moving onwards into the story when he asks for help and receives it. It also sets up Ron and to a lesser extent Hermione, along with Neville and firmly moving Draco into the antagonist role - at least half the episode (probably 20 minutes, actually) takes place in Ron and Harry's compartment which is relatively little time to show a journey that would take several hours, but fortunately a lot can be skipped over. Still it builds from the low point where Harry started up to the climax of his first sight of Hogwarts

 

[CaBil]

The introduction of Hermione and Ron

I had some thoughts, some of which have been superseded by Brainbin's post, but I think I can make a strong argument, so I will take my swing and see what happens.

First of all, several people have thrown out ideas for how Ron and Hermione could show up earlier. I actually think it is important that Harry is isolated and even alienated in the first episode (or the first half of the double-length introduction episode). That the words magic and wizards are not even spoken in that first episode. It first makes Hagrid's reveal at the end of the episode that much more powerful. It also heightens the sense of isolation that Harry has. He is strange, and weird, has no friends and has no explanation for what is happening to him.

That way, when you have the 2nd episode (and/or the second half of the double length introduction episode), Hagrid is literally the Keeper of the Key for Harry to reach a new world, a world made for him, and in which he is actually important. It is starting then that Harry should see that there are other magical children that are like him. This difference will not be literal, such as the black and white/color transition in the Wizard of Oz, but it should feel that revelatory for Harry.

(Yes, the first two episodes are going to be shown together, but I think it can work, especially if you play with the color palettes before and after the revelation, so that while the first half of the episode is dreary, the second half can look and feel very different, making the effect that much stronger in the combined two-parter.)

Now Brainbin has stated he thinks that Harry should meet Ron and Hermione at the original canon times. And I agree with him.

But there is no reason why the viewers (as compared to Harry) cannot meet Ron and Hermione earlier.

For instance, imagine a scene where Hagrid is telling Harry about the whole Boy Who Lived story. As Hagrid tells it, how it is so important to Magical Britain, we see that it is important because we cut to a scene where we see Ginny is in bed in an obviously magical bedroom, Ron (who is trying to pretend that he wants to be anywhere but here but is still listening) sitting on the edge of the bed, as their shot from behind parent is reading from a Boy Who Lived storybook. Still under Hagrid's voiceover, the cut scene continues to Hermione pulls out a BWL storybook from a bookshelf at the bookstore.

Or imagine this. As Harry learns that he is not alone, that there are many magical children, and he will meet them all, as he receives the magical letter from Hagrid, we cut to other children receiving their magical letters, such as Ron and Hermione...

In the scenes in Diagon Alley, we should see some of the children that are going to be Harry's classmates in the background, even if we do not meet them like we met Draco.

From the dramatic POV, I think we have to at least see (but not meet) Hermione and Ron during the Diagon Alley episode, because other important characters such as Draco and Quirrel are introduced there. If I had my druthers, I would suggest making sure that McGonagall and Snape are seen somewhere in that episode. So by the end of it, all of the major characters of the series have been introduced (excepting Dumbledore because he has a nice intro during the sorting Feast, being all benevolent and stuff from the head table.)

As an aside, McGonagall intro will have to be finagled. Her intro at the top of the stairs should be tweaked, because compared to Snape, Hagrid, Dunbledore and even Quirrel's intro, it lacks the same impact. From that intro, we can't tell if she is important or not. Creepy, yes, but important, who knows? That scene would have to be punched up and portrayed more strongly than it was in the book and in the movies, I think.

Back to the introduction of Hermione/Ron, I think that these are strong ways you could introduce the characters to the viewers, earlier, even if not to Harry, without rewriting the book. The long arc of Pottermania has yet begin, and the writers are working even before the 'Crazy about Harry' blitz that Brainbin mentions started during filming, so I can see them while in the planning stages wanting to be sure to introduce the relevant characters as early as possible.

-Bil

 

[CaBil]

TV Butterflying the Novels

Could the making of the TV series actually influence the later books as JKR is influenced by what works and doesn't work in the show? I doubt any of the major plot points would change, but would how she looked at the characters, how the actors react, change her portrayal of them as the book series continues?

One thing I have seen kicked around is that the movies gave her 'permission' to retain the tight focus on the core three characters, because the movies simply didn't have time to allow any other characters to breathe. If the TV show, that gave time for the supporting characters to attract their own fans, showed that the HP concept could support the wider cast, that may encourage JKR to let the characters breathe in the books.

At the end of the Order of the Phoenix, it looked like that the core three characters had expanded to include Luna, Ginny and Neville, roles that Neville and Ginny had been flirting with since their introduction while Luna had certainly become a fan favorite. The Defense Association had created a strong source for additional supporting characters, including for the first time characters from Hufflepuff (Susan Bones being the most prominent) and Ravenclaw. But in the Half Blood Prince, those links were ignored and in Deathly Hallows, most of those characters were engaged in a guerrilla conflict in Hogwarts that was mostly 'offscreen' until they were pulled out for the final battle. Imagine how much more powerful the final battle would have been if we had more emotional investment in those supporting characters. With a TV show showing that viewers were interested in the supporting characters, could JKR decided to spend time in the mushy middle of both books with some of the supporting characters?

-Bil

 

[CaBil]

Filler Segments

During one of the tv specials about Harry Potter (HP and me, Christmas 2001), Rowlings flashed a list of everyone in Harry's school year, so she knows who all of them are, even those that were not explicitly introduced in the novels. In fact, there are several places online that have reconstructions of the list that fans have put together, with the most complete I've seen called the Secrets of the Classlist, which includes interpretation of what the names and houses mean for those characters (link). I would suggest that there would be a great opportunity for filler material for the viewers be introduced to the 40 students of Harry's year. A short character introduction, maybe even short interview of each child actor would fill up the time as they talk about how they think about their character.

While in the ideal world, there would be 4 such bits of filler, the fact that the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw houses have very little to do in the first few books, and in many cases important characters from those Houses are not even from Harry's year (Luna, Cho and Cedric for example) means that it will probably work out that while Gryffindor and Slyetherin will have their own segments, the Puffs and the Claws will probably have share one.

Quidditch would a natural filler segment, having one about the game, and perhaps going into the team. Other than Flint, the Slytherin Captain, I don't think any member of the other teams are even mentioned in the first book, except through perhaps Lee's announcements. But a segment of the Gryf team, the 7 players and their positions, how you play those positions, would probably fill things out.

I'm not sure about the timing, but the two charity books JKR did, one about Quidditch, the other about Beasts, could tie into filler segments. While the Quidditch book could tie into the above suggested Quidditch segment that would be broadcast after the Quidditch episode, a Beast episode that focused on Norbert and Fluffy but touched on some of the other critters (such as Dementors and Basilisks) could be shown after the Norbert episode. It could tie into the whole charity books, as in to find out more.

Also, the Teachers would be an another filler segment, as we meet the House Heads, the Headmaster, and the other primary teachers such as Hooch and Sinistra. Since it will include Quirrel, though hopefully not giving too much away about him, it should be one of the last segments aired. That way, in the interviews the actor can sort of hint that Quirrel has more to him, since Snape has by that time approached him, without giving away the whole game to people that have yet to read the book.

-Bil

 

[drakensis]

For instance, imagine a scene where Hagrid is telling Harry about the whole Boy Who Lived story. As Hagrid tells it, how it is so important to Magical Britain, we see that it is important because we cut to a scene where we see Ginny is in bed in an obviously magical bedroom, Ron (who is trying to pretend that he wants to be anywhere but here but is still listening) sitting on the edge of the bed, as their shot from behind parent is reading from a Boy Who Lived storybook. Still under Hagrid's voiceover, the cut scene continues to Hermione pulls out a BWL storybook from a bookshelf at the bookstore.

Or imagine this. As Harry learns that he is not alone, that there are many magical children, and he will meet them all, as he receives the magical letter from Hagrid, we cut to other children receiving their magical letters, such as Ron and Hermione...

I think it would be mopre powerful for any cut scenes to be of the events - Voldemort entering Godric's Hollow, a flash of green light from the house, perhaps even Hagrid entering the house and finding James and Lily. It's a dark event and having it described over scenes of children's safe homes would be rather disconcerting and prematurely threatening to those homes.

In the scenes in Diagon Alley, we should see some of the children that are going to be Harry's classmates in the background, even if we do not meet them like we met Draco.

I don't see any reason that there couldn't be other students in the Alley, seen in backgrounds. People like the girls from the Quidditch team, the Patil twins or even Neville being towed along by his grandmother. Just seen in the background.

From the dramatic POV, I think we have to at least see (but not meet) Hermione and Ron during the Diagon Alley episode, because other important characters such as Draco and Quirrel are introduced there. If I had my druthers, I would suggest making sure that McGonagall and Snape are seen somewhere in that episode. So by the end of it, all of the major characters of the series have been introduced (excepting Dumbledore because he has a nice intro during the sorting Feast, being all benevolent and stuff from the head table.)

As an aside, McGonagall intro will have to be finagled. Her intro at the top of the stairs should be tweaked, because compared to Snape, Hagrid, Dunbledore and even Quirrel's intro, it lacks the same impact. From that intro, we can't tell if she is important or not. Creepy, yes, but important, who knows? That scene would have to be punched up and portrayed more strongly than it was in the book and in the movies, I think.

In the current outline, McGonagall and Dumbledore are introduced to the viewers in a flashback during the second episode showing Harry being placed at the Dursleys. So they are already introduced and probably Sirius Black's name has been dropped.

The problem with Snape or any other staff member being at Diagon Alley is that Hagrid would be very likely to see them, say hello and introduce them to Harry. While that's not a huge problem for other staff members, can you see Snape not being... well, a dick... about being introduced to Harry on the street? And that would shift the feel of the scenes which would by my current feel have a sense of wonder to them, albeit coloured by Harry's concern that he won't fit into the Magical World.

I disagree with bringing Ron and Hermione into view earlier. Moving the focus away from Harry would dilute the focus on viewing the Magical World through his eyes and if they enter his focus it would be out of character for them to interact with Harry - Hermione's just that brash and Ron would be accompanied by the Weasleys who either know Hagrid or (in the case of Ginny) would want to approach the Boy Who Lived. The set-up of them appearing an episode later, on the Hogwarts Express with Ron surrounded by the other Weasleys and Hermione taking over Neville's search for Trevor make important impressions about where the two of them are coming from as characters and I think that these should be first impressions.

 

[Mefisto]

I would be a pity if this thread was forgotten. I have a few thoughts about the points mentioned by my precedessors.
1. I wouldn't introduce Ron and Hermione earlier. If there is one thing I really disliked in the books it was an introduction of Ginny - it was heavily hinted that she would end as a romantic interest for Harry. And even though he wasn't really interested in her by the sixth part, he was somehow attached to her. No, let the heroes and heroines evolve without any previous hints how they will end.
2. I think that there would be some influence on the books from series. For example the Goblet of Fire - you have to fill somehow the time when pupils from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are guests in Hogwarts. More tasks for champions? More activity of false Moody? He has to pretend that he conducts the investigation.
3. And maybe J.K.Rowling would introduce more Griffindors? After all she hinted in the first book that in every house there were 10 new pupils. She had the list of characters ready. It would be usefull for filling the background.

 

[Dan1988]

I would be a pity if this thread was forgotten.

It comes and goes. Don't worry about it.

1. I wouldn't introduce Ron and Hermione earlier. If there is one thing I really disliked in the books it was an introduction of Ginny - it was heavily hinted that she would end as a romantic interest for Harry. And even though he wasn't really interested in her by the sixth part, he was somehow attached to her. No, let the heroes and heroines evolve without any previous hints how they will end.

I can definitely agree with that.

2. I think that there would be some influence on the books from series. For example the Goblet of Fire - you have to fill somehow the time when pupils from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are guests in Hogwarts. More tasks for champions? More activity of false Moody? He has to pretend that he conducts the investigation.

Oh definitely. That's one of the several things I did not like about Goblet of Fire - that Beauxbatons and Durmstrang could have been expanded upon.

3. And maybe J.K.Rowling would introduce more Griffindors? After all she hinted in the first book that in every house there were 10 new pupils. She had the list of characters ready. It would be usefull for filling the background.

That could work for the beginning of each new season. Somewhat like Rebelde (in Mexico) or Glee, but not really.