Film Background
Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire takes the series into darker territory as Harry faces arch nemesis Voldemort for the first time. Director Mike Newell, new to the franchise, wanted the visuals to reflect this change in tone, as Mark Michaels explains, “All the visual effects we’ve created are based on an organic theme. From the outset Mike was clear that he wanted to steer clear of an overtly magical approach, and instead give it an old-worldly feel based firmly in reality. As the series progresses and the story becomes darker, it’s important for us to reinforce the fact that the characters are at risk and living in a dangerous world. In that respect we used as many real-life references as possible when creating the shots.”
Double Negative’s work on the project includes key sequences such as the Portkey journey to the Quidditch World Cup, the train journey to Hogwarts, Mad Eye Moody’s demonstration of the Unforgivable Curses, and the climactic confrontation between Harry and Voldemort.