HBO’s Harry Potter adaptation is still a ways out, but the information that’s already trickling in is more than enough to get fans buzzing. Adriano Goldman, who’s worked on Netflix’s The Crown and Disney’s Andor, will serve as Director of Photography for the Harry Potter show. In a recent interview with Forbes Brazil, we got even more insights into the show itself and what we can expect from it.
First, Goldman confirmed that there will be eight episodes in Harry Potter Season 1. Out of those eight episodes, Goldman will serve as lead photographer for four of them. Before production began, Goldman said that Director Mark Mylod wanted to go for a more realistic approach with the series and felt that Goldman would be a good fit.
In terms of the look and feel of the series, we can expect a more vibrant take on the IP. “I have a special relationship with color,” Goldman says, “I think this series needs to be more vibrant. I like the idea that my work inspired Mark Mylod, both in The Crown and Andor which, despite being a sci-fi show, has a more realistic visual treatment.”
Fans of the earlier movies will also be pleased to know that the show will make use of practical effects and camera tricks as much as possible, rather than CGI, which can be a little hit-or-miss in most modern productions. Goldman said that this was discussed extensively during the pre-production period. He mentions that while fantasy is a new genre for him, he’s learning a lot, especially when it comes to special effects.
“During the pre-production period,” Goldman explains, “We had very rich discussions about what can be done with photochemical elements, what can be represented visually and what turns into magic from elements of nature. It was a fascinating process. But as for the rest, it remains secret.” He confirmed that a lot of the cinematic solutions the team is seeking out were carried out on camera, and not with computer graphics.
So far, so good. Everything that we’ve seen and heard about the Harry Potter series has been promising. We know that production and filming have started, and apparently even Voldemort has been cast, though HBO wants to keep that a secret until the show airs in 2027.
HBO’s Harry Potter will be available for streaming in 2027 on HBO Max.
