Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is the final book in the bestselling Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.

Each novel has been adapted for the big screen and this one is no exception. However, the main difference between this and previous adaptations is that this time the story is told over two full-length movies, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2.

These movies were filmed back to back from February 2009 until June 2010. They star the same core cast of Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Rupert Grint (Ron) and Emma Watson (Hermione), supported by a strong and well known British and Irish ensemble cast. They’re directed by David Yates, who has been at the helm of the movies since Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and is the longest-serving director of the franchise.

Filming a huge blockbuster movie franchise like Harry Potter is no easy task. There are a large number of complex plots, magical surroundings, and visual effects needed. This means that what the movie looks like behind the camera is very different to what we see on our cinema and TV screens.

Read on to find out more about what goes on when the cameras stop rolling, how they create some the stunning effects and what Hogwarts really looks like. These 20 behind the scenes images will show a totally different side to the movie, making you look at iconic scenes in a new light.

20 Mind The Extra

Via Pinterest

This scene from the Battle of Hogwarts shows how much of the set is often overtaken my camera equipment. The tracks on the floor are used to get smooth panning shots and as you can see they get very close to Daniel Radcliffe.

The tape in front of his feet marks his position. This ensures he is in the right place for the shot and also so that the cameras won’t run into him as they travel forwards. I feel sorry for the extra who has to lie on a stretcher as a camera rolls by right next to him.

19 The Battle Of Hogwarts Looks Bright

Via Fanpop

For those who have seen the movie the most striking thing about this image is how bright it is. Sunlight floods the room as the actors fight in the epic battle which defines these movies.

It’s definitely unnerving to see an early morning battle playing out.

In the movie, the battle scenes all take place at dusk and some run into the night. There isn’t a single scene that looks even close to this level of brightness. You can tell by looking at this photo that visual effects were used to create the lighting of those scenes.

18 Escaping The Green Screen

Via FXGuide

I always find green screen fascinating and this shot is no exception. Not only does it show that James Phelps, who plays Fred Weasley, is flying away from nothing but it showcases the broom's mechanisms.

The brooms are fascinating as the props team had to come up with a solution that allowed some movement in the air as well as hovering effects. The result is the pneumatic contraption you can see below the broom which enables it to move as James rides it.

17 Taking Direction

Via Quirkybyte

In this scene, you can see director David Yates giving direction to Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. It shows an interesting take as it appears that the two are already in character due to the emotion you can see in their eyes, but yet they must pause to listen for directions.

Being able to focus on the director's instructions without breaking your flow is a much needed acting skill and one I think is shown in this image. These young actors have come a long way since they started filming this series.

16 Even Dark Lords Need A Break

Via YouTube

In this scene from the Battle of Hogwarts, you can see Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort and Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom. Both appear very chilled as they take a short break between shooting.

You can see several parts of the effects in this shot.

As with so many of these shots, you can see that the entire set is surrounded by green screen once again. Both Ralph and Matthew also have a large amount of special effects make up on.

You can really notice the detail in both costume and make up seeing it here in the light, rather than plunged into darkness in the movie.

15 Wandless Harry

Via IMDB

Understandably wands played a huge part in the franchise. In this scene, you can see Daniel Radcliffe as Harry brandishing an entirely invisible wand.

According to the documentaries, different scenes were filmed in different ways. Some had prop wands, while others added the wands in during post-production.

I’m unsure exactly what the criteria is for using a fake wand over a nonexistent one but Daniel Radcliffe was known for frequently breaking wands by using them as drumsticks. Maybe that had something to do with it.

14 Hogwarts Is Tiny

Via Cinesite

As expected in movies of this scale many of the locations are small sets and the larger buildings are models. Hogwarts is no exception.

This intricate model was used for the external shots of the wizarding school.

I always love seeing the models which are used to bring movie locations to life. It can be slightly underwhelming though sometimes when you realize how small they actually are.

The detail, however, makes up for it as you can see here the different shades and textures that have gone into each brick and roof slate. Amazing modeling work.

13 Bellatrix Creates Quite The Drama

Via Fanpop

This iconic scene sees Julie Walters as Molly Weasley battling with Helena Bonham Carter’s Bellatrix Lestrange.

It gives a whole new insight into the filmmaking process to see it played out with so many cameras and crew members surrounding them. That’s a large amount of both tech and crew that you’d need to block out.

I’d actually love to see a scene a few moments from now when Bellatrix is surrounded by what must be a haze of visual effects. Still, at least we got this stunning image to capture the moment.

12 The Making Of The Dark Lord

Via Pinterest

This image shows the huge amount of attention to detail, care, makeup and special effects involved in creating Voldemort’s look.

Not only is Ralph Fiennes covered in very detailed and intricate makeup but he also has dots on his face which are used to add additional effects to his look in post-production.

From the visible spidery veins to the dark eyes, the makeup is a work of art, seen here being touched up with care. The makeup and visual effects in this movie are incredible and this image really showcases that.

11 Double Trouble

Via Teen Vogue

In this shot, Robbie Coltrane can be seen casually chilling out with his Hagrid stunt double. My favorite part of this image is that they both appear to be in almost the exact same pose while crew members brandish tape measures.

I’m unsure what they are measuring and if I want to know.

I think the stunt double gets the short end of the stick though as he is without a drink or box to sit on.

10 The Snake Handler

Via FXGuide

You’d be forgiven for not recognizing this scene, which is, in fact, taking place inside Gringotts vault. The differing height of platforms are to ensure actors are in the correct place but the entire vault is a CGI creation.

My favorite part about this image, however, is that you can see Nagini here played by a stuffed snake held by a man in green. Since you can still see his eyes I wonder if somewhere in that vault you can see a tiny pair of floating eyes if you look closely enough.

9 Relaxing Between Takes

Via IMDB

This image is an awesome shot of the downtime between takes. We can see a very relaxed Voldemort just chilling in James Christopher’s chair as he shares a joke with Arben Bajraktaraj who plays Antonin Dolohov, one of the death eaters.

Quite why he’s not sitting in his own chair I have no idea.

I mean it’s right there across from where he is. It even has his name on. Still, no one's going to ask the dark lord to move are they? Maybe he just likes to be cheeky.

8 Weddings Are Boring

Via Fanpop

This shot is from the filming of Bill and Fleur’s wedding. It takes place in a luxurious marquee but our heroic trio look less than pleased to be there in this shot.

Often shoots can take a large amount of time and this could easily be at the end of a very long day. It’s not often you see actors off their a game but Emma especially looks like she may be cold in her wedding attire.

Still who can blame them, this wedding has a lot of uninvited guests and I don’t just mean the large amount of crew you can see in the background, brandishing cameras to capture every angle.

7 Voldemort Is Overly Dramatic

Via PInterest

I love this photo of Ralph Fiennes in full makeup. I think it shows a lot about his personality and how he portrays his role.

The whole pose just looks completely over exaggerated.

I love everything about it, from the fake teeth posed in a dramatic grin to the hands about to grip his wand. Dramatic, quirky and slightly menacing it seems to sum up Ralph in character as the notorious dark wizard who shall not be named.

6 19 Years Later We Still Have Green Screen

Via FanPop

This shot is from the end of the movie when we see an older Hermione and Ron taking their kids to the Hogwarts express.

There was controversy over the directors choice to use the current actors, rather than recast older counterparts. I personally think it works but what stood out to me most from this behind the scenes glimpse was the glaring green screen in the carriage.

It seems that almost everything in the background of this movie is entirely computer generated, even King’s Cross Station.

5 The Magical Tent

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This scene takes place inside the magical tent the trio are staying in on their journey to stop Voldemort. The most noticeable part of this shot is just how much camera equipment is involved in capturing this simple exchange.

There are at least 5 crew members in shot as well as the camera, sound equipment, and lighting rig.

It’s so chaotic looking Daniel is even standing between the tracks for the camera. This will all have to be carefully moved as well so as not to displace the props you can see around the outside.

4 Flying Through Nothing

Via FXGuide

In this scene, Robbie Coltrane, who plays Hagrid, is in his motorcycle. There is literally, nothing else around. He is on a green base in a green room surrounded by nothing but cameras.

Acting when you have to imagine your entire surroundings is a challenge not everyone is able to manage.

Luckily Robbie is a veteran actor and has no difficulty flying off into his imagination as he sits onboard the too small looking motorbike in his gigantic costume.

3 Bellatrix Isn’t So Bad

Via Geek Tyrant

This shot is the kind often found on movie sets and will have likely been taken between scenes. In it you can see Helena Bonham Carter, who plays Bellatrix Lestrange, showing some love to Daniel Radcliffe, despite their characters being bitter enemies.

I suspect this took Daniel by surprise as he looks shocked as the actress plants one on him. It’s a great little moment, however, to see actors dropping character and showing some real emotions, the ones we aren’t usually privy to. By this point in filming, this cast are very close and this image shows that.

2 The Room Requires Green Screen

Via YouTube

This shot is of the room of requirement when it’s transformed into an immensely overcrowded storage room. The room contains all manner of Hogwarts treasures including lost relics, a vanishing cabinet, and portraits.

Unlike other sets, this combines both green screen and actual items to recreate the cluttered room.

In this shot, you can see towering piles of books and furniture. It really does look like you could get buried by books or lost in the room, in spite of it only being a partial set.

1 Hagrid Is Out Of Place

Via Pinterest

This scene makes me speculate what’s going on. In it you can see what appears to be Hagrid’s stunt double grabbing hold of Harry whilst Robbie Coltrane, who plays him, is sat on a stool out of costume.

This shot shows how so much happens to get each shot perfect.

I can only assume they are testing out angles to get the scene perfect, and allow Robbie to see where he needs to be and how to carry and move Daniel Radcliffe. Maybe the stunt double is doing the heavy lifting so he has a break? Either way it's interesting to see what is essentially two Hagrids side by side.