INTERVIEW Q&A with Neville Longbottom
Matthew Lewis, who portrayed Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter series; Eddie Newquist, president of Branded Entertainment and Exhibitgroup/Giltspur; and Paul Fontaine, Vice President of Education of the Boston Museum of Science, discussed the Harry Potter exhibition at a roundtable discussion with The Tech.
TT: How long did it take for the Exhibition to come together?
Newquist: From conception to finish, the project took around three years.
TT: How is the exhibit different from the one that was in Chicago?
Newquist: The two exhibits are identical, but some artifacts could be different because some may be needed for the filming of the last movie.
TT: What message is the museum trying to send to kids by hosting the Harry Potter Exhibition?
Fontaine: Innovation, imagination, and creativity. People who come for the Harry Potter experience will hopefully take a look at the rest of the museum as well.
TT: What are your favorite parts of the exhibition?
Lewis: The mandrakes. When you watch the film, it’s one thing, but actually pulling it is another.
Newquist: The Great Hall.
Fontaine: Buckbeak. Each of its thousand feathers were put in by hand!
TT: What part of the exhibition was the hardest to build?
Fontaine: The Great Hall was the hardest because a part of the roof of the museum had to be blown out in order to fit in the stained-glass windows.