How does Hagrid look so big in the Harry Potter films?

Feek · 28-06-2009, 19:50

We've had a Harry Potter weekend and I keep wondering what effects are used to make Hagrid look so huge? I'm guessing a similar technique was used in the LoTR films to make the hobbitses look small but I don't know how it's done.

I'd like to.

So come on, who knows?

Matblack · 28-06-2009, 19:52

I believe it was a mix of green screen and forced perspective sets for LOTR

MB

Matblack · 28-06-2009, 19:54

Quote:

Rosemary, 15, Enfield
How were the hobbits made to look so small in the films?
Billy Boyd: They used a lot of different techniques which I think works to great effect.
But it's not all done with blue screens, it's not as though we were standing in front of a blue screen every time there was a scale shot.
Sometimes it would be as simple as the hobbits would be on their knees and that was enough to sell the idea that they were smaller.
There's also a thing called force perspective, that they've been using in movies for years, and in force perspective what happens is because a camera is a two dimensional thing that if someone's closer to the camera they look bigger.
So they would have Ian McKellen close to the camera and have me further away and it just looks as if he's 11 foot and I'm 3 foot.
But what they did on Lord of the Rings, which had never been done before was force perspective could only ever be done if the camera was standing still but not anymore.
It was invented now that they had a camera that could move, but because the camera moves the actual set has to move as well.

MB

Feek · 28-06-2009, 19:57

Well I sort of get that, but then you have a shot of Hagrid and Harry walking along in a crowd of people where Hagrid is mah00sive and everyone else is tiny.

Belmit · 28-06-2009, 20:00

Some of those you don't see his face IIRC. It'll be a long or wide shot and a double.

leowyatt · 28-06-2009, 20:04

The Bilbo scene was done with 2 sets and the scene where Frodo meets gandalf was done with fixed perspective and dwarfs wearing masks

EDIT: English rugby union footballer Martin Bayfield has portrayed Hagrid as a stunt performer in longer shots due to his large size to emphasise Hagrid's height.

Dymetrie · 29-06-2009, 10:06

Robbie Coultrane is actually a half giant. The correct question to ask is how they made him look normal size in everything else he's ever been in!

Kitten · 29-06-2009, 13:05

^^ this!

28-06-2009, 19:50	#1
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	How does Hagrid look so big in the Harry Potter films? We've had a Harry Potter weekend and I keep wondering what effects are used to make Hagrid look so huge? I'm guessing a similar technique was used in the LoTR films to make the hobbitses look small but I don't know how it's done. I'd like to. So come on, who knows? __________________

28-06-2009, 19:52	#2
Matblack Baby Bore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Svalbard Posts: 9,770	I believe it was a mix of green screen and forced perspective sets for LOTR MB __________________ "we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two"

28-06-2009, 19:57	#4
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	Well I sort of get that, but then you have a shot of Hagrid and Harry walking along in a crowd of people where Hagrid is mah00sive and everyone else is tiny. __________________

28-06-2009, 20:00	#5
Belmit The Mouse King of Denmark Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The Winchester Posts: 6,476	Some of those you don't see his face IIRC. It'll be a long or wide shot and a double. __________________

28-06-2009, 20:04	#6
leowyatt Chef extraordinaire Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Infinite Loop Posts: 11,143	The Bilbo scene was done with 2 sets and the scene where Frodo meets gandalf was done with fixed perspective and dwarfs wearing masks EDIT: English rugby union footballer Martin Bayfield has portrayed Hagrid as a stunt performer in longer shots due to his large size to emphasise Hagrid's height. __________________ "Dr Sheldon Cooper FTW!" Last edited by leowyatt; 28-06-2009 at 20:08.

29-06-2009, 10:06	#7
Dymetrie A large glass of Merlot Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Letchworth with a Lightsaber Posts: 5,819	Robbie Coultrane is actually a half giant. The correct question to ask is how they made him look normal size in everything else he's ever been in! __________________ Khef, Ka and Ka-Tet....

29-06-2009, 13:05	#8
Kitten Spinky-Spank Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: 668. The Neighbour of the Beast Posts: 11,226	^^ this! __________________ "You only get one life. There's no God, no rules, except for those you accept or create for yourself. Then once it's over... it's over. Dreamless sleep for ever and ever. So why not be happy while you're here?" Nate Fisher

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