Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneThe Great Hall](https://ew.com/thmb/4Wfdy4yL5gIgeaXBxRPH2cwwjMY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/kit-1-2000-216d826da8bb4e76b39ade5757717312.jpg)
The Shot: Hogwarts students entering the Great Hall
"Our special-effects team painstakingly attached hundreds of candles to the ceiling. The very first time we shot it, the kids walked in with the camera craned up. We reset, and the candles started to fall. We only had one crack at it. When we got the dailies...everyone gets chills. I've got tears in my eyes. The crew applauded. We created the magic without CGI." —Chris Columbus
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
![Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsHarry Potter (DANIEL RADCLIFFE)](https://ew.com/thmb/NqlxpNlyKZCnN5vVtFLZ9kSeDoo=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/6999r-2000-edea883d6a464669901a29b536f60843.jpg)
The Shot: The first reveal of the Chamber of Secrets
"That was a practical set that [production designer] Stuart Craig built. I was just blown away by the scale, again, without any CGI work whatsoever. It was stunning. To see that projected on the big screen for the first time was a moment where we all gasped." —Chris Columbus
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
![C517-30](https://ew.com/thmb/tEeWvczzIrzOGdYGJRqJnCJ3juc=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/c517-30-2000-28ea5ae569c54ed9a36ddbd2ce7db4a8.jpg)
The Shot: The tense showdown at the Shrieking Shack
"I remember fondly shooting the Shrieking Shack scene just because I had the joy to be working with Daniel [Radcliffe] and Rupert [Grint] and Emma [Watson], but also with Gary Oldman and David Thewlis and Timothy Spall and Alan Rickman. All of them in this very crazy scene but with such conviction." —Alfonso Cuarón
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
![Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireDaniel Radcliffe](https://ew.com/thmb/W5arYFjJHKtPWGn6D0fA9TGldvY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/goblet-of-fire-2000-3afafd59e1df4ef7b9f3bb7ebf35156b.jpg)
The Shot: The underwater challenge during the Triwizard Tournament
"Filming in an actual loch would have been too cold and impractical. We looked into doing a process called 'dry for wet,' where you suspend an actor and blow wind on them to give the illusion that they are underwater, but the hair didn't undulate convincingly." —David Heyman, producer (courtesy of Warner Bros., 2005)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
![Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixHarry Potter (DANIEL RADCLIFFE)](https://ew.com/thmb/R8kjWoWirL9RDch5rUSUY77rmf4=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/hp5-tl2-0080-2000-8387dd24f1554bd5aad980ebfd8408ba.jpg)
The Shot: Harry firing his wand at a Dementor in an urban subway
"I wanted to bring the films into the real world, and an urban underpass feels very real and threatening at night — the perfect place to come across a Dementor." —David Yates
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
![Harry Potter 6](https://ew.com/thmb/JWnQZ-rrqQmu5A20hu_idqgobn8=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/hp6-vfx-00369-2000-22d2cd24017d4020b42f971fac0f8327.jpg)
The Shot: Everyone standing in darkness after the death of Dumbledore
"There was always something stirring and moving about seeing pupils and teachers stand together against the darkness, united." —David Yates
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 (2010)
![Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1](https://ew.com/thmb/eXPpjFJ2iMxe4WnnfKek9JwgGmc=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/hp7a-tr2-076-2000-a0dad06e7c0246b69a299d66711c2d2f.jpg)
The Shot: Order of the Phoenix members impersonating Harry
"This happens at the beginning of the movie when everyone takes Polyjuice Potion to become Harry and act as decoys to wrong-foot Voldemort and his Death Eaters. We filmed multiple versions of Dan being different characters. It was fun." —David Yates
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 (2011)
![Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2](https://ew.com/thmb/6YMXecJYh_Z_73MgGS1mamkZsBk=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/hp72-fp-00658-2000-5622153e84bc423db269c287db951c9b.jpg)
The Shot: When Harry, Ron, and Hermione convene on the bridge and Hermione lowers her head
"This is where they were saying goodbye to their extraordinary journey and their childhood." —David Yates