DVD Special Features: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

DVD Special Features: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

The expected breakdown of DVD special features are;

• Featurettes
• Commentaries
• Documentaries

However, the Harry Potter DVD raised conventions as the disk is designed to take you on an adventure.

Disk 2 contains the extra features and is built as an adventure, where you must discover the secret at the heart of the DVD. This is an example of interactivity because they get the audience to relate to Harry Potter, as they are able to follow the basic path that he does in the film:

• Self-guided tours: Before you start your adventure, you’ll be offered a tour at Hogwarts. The interactive, 3D tour allows you to explore various rooms.
• Diagon Ally: You must view this section in order to access all areas of the features. Like in the film, you must remember the sequence that the bricks on the wall are pushed to gain access into the ally. You also have to visit the shops, Ollivander’s Wands, Gringutt’s Bank, and Eeylops Owl Emporium in order to get a wand, money and an owl respectively.
• Library: In the library, you are presented with a selection of books that either give clues for future reference on the adventure or show clip guides to the characters of Hogwarts.
• Hogwarts Grounds: Before you start here, you must catch the Golden Snitch using your remote. Once this is done, you get a self-guided tour around Hadgrid’s Hut and rules of the Quiddich Game.
• Interview: Here there are only sixteen minutes of the interview featurette, where the transformation of the book from screenplay to film is discussed. There is also behind-the-scenes footage of filming.
• Sorting Hat: This takes you through the four houses of Hogwarts.
• Classrooms: Here you’ll have to sit a potions exam to see how well you remember ingredients of different potions. There are also various clips from the film to explain story elements like spells and charms, and transfiguration.

Technology is used

• The standard DVD player and TV setup
• DVD ROM features that links to…
• … The internet- The Harry Potter Website.