Harry Potter and the Deathly...

London, August 2011 – Prime Focus announces that it has worked closely with director David Yates and Warner Bros. to creatively convert to 3D key sequences for 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2' (HP7B), the eighth and final installment of Warner Bros. Pictures dramatization of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Working as the lead 3D conversion house on the film, and using its proprietary View-D™ process, Prime Focus mobilised its global resources to deliver 400 3D shots for the movie, supervised by its London-based team.

Directed by David Yates, and starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon and Alan Rickman, the final installment of the much-loved franchise is the first of the series to be released in 3D, ensuring an appropriately spectacular send-off for these beloved characters. The final chapter begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione continue their quest to find and destroy the Dark Lord's three remaining Horcruxes, the magical items responsible for his immortality. But as the mystical Deathly Hallows are uncovered, and Voldemort discovers their mission, their biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again.

Working closely with director David Yates and studio stereographer Hugh Murray, the Prime Focus team, creatively led by senior stereographer Richard Baker, took on some of the biggest and most challenging VFX sequences in the movie.

Commenting on the work completed, David Yates said "Prime Focus delivered on every level and helped make our 3D conversion for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 all that we could have hoped for and more."

Matt Bristowe, head of production for Prime Focus 3D in London, commented, "David [Yates] was clear that he wanted 3D to aid the storytelling rather than to be a distraction to the drama. By holding the depth back in certain scenes, he could then really go for it with the key action sequences, creating a depth budget to really enhance the movie. This is what makes View-D™ so appealing to filmmakers; it gives them unprecedented levels of creative control over their work and allows them to really explore the potential of 3D."

Richard Baker added, "We worked on some of the biggest scenes in the movie, and there were some equally big challenges to contend with such as the final battle between Harry and Voldemort, with all the transparencies from the big wand effects. With shots like these, it is crucial to have the elements broken out from the VFX vendors – because we’re also a VFX house, and our pipeline supports the delivery of VFX elements, we were able to finalise these challenging shots quickly, which really aided the progression of these complicated sequences."

"The Harry Potter franchise has created cinematic history, and for Prime Focus to have contributed to this extraordinary series has been extremely gratifying," said Merzin Tavaria, co-founder and chief creative director, Prime Focus, who leads the Indian VFX and 3D offering out of Mumbai. "Partnering closely with the director and Warner Bros. has been a truly rewarding experience, and I am very proud that the global Prime Focus 3D team has contributed to this wonderful series."

Prime Focus CEO and founder Namit Malhotra concluded, "Prime Focus is honoured to have played a part in bringing the Harry Potter series to the big screen. It is incredible how far 3D has evolved since this franchise began – this technology, which wasn’t available for some of the earlier titles in the series, now allows filmmakers to create an even stronger and more intimate bond between the audience, the characters and the story. As a market leader in 3D conversion, with titles such as Star Wars Episode I, Green Lantern, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of The Dawn Treader and many others already under our belts, we’re proud to have contributed to one of the world’s most valuable film franchises. I urge you to go and see this movie in 3D – it is extraordinary."