Podcast Review: “Behind the Wand” Season 1

Are you a die-hard Harry Potter fan? Do you enjoy learning all the little details about how the films were made? Then you are in luck. The new podcast Behind the Wand: Stories from the Harry Potter Films by Flick Miles has just wrapped up its first season. With 18 episodes and approximately 13 hours’ worth of content, you will learn more about the Harry Potter films than you could have dreamed.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, Flick Miles, the creator of the podcast, was the body double of Emma Watson in the first three films. She recently got back into contact with many of her old colleagues and has brought them onto the show to discuss how each section of the Harry Potter films was made.

I have really enjoyed listening to this series. I’m the type of person who can and will spend hours on the Internet learning every tiny detail of the Harry Potter series, whether it be learning about how the books were written, how the films were made, or the general lore and history of the story. However, as a full-time college student, I rarely have the time to go down a rabbit hole and explore the wonderful world of Harry Potter. This brings me to one of the many reasons why I enjoy Behind the Wand so much: I can go about my day while listening to all these new and interesting, fun facts.

Flick Miles has published 17 interviews so far, with one so long that it was split into two parts, and all of them are chock full of incredible information. Whether it be about building sets, costume design, scouting filming locations, or bringing in doubles or actors, there is always an amazing conversation to be had.

Every episode is like a story. Each interviewee is so incredibly descriptive when discussing their role that I always feel like I am right there with them, helping bring the films to life. Flick Miles asks every question you could think of to spare no detail, and I love it. While she does plan out a list of questions to ask ahead of time, each episode has a more casual flow as Flick Miles and her interviewee(s) chat.

Along with the very engaging conversations, there are often a lot of jokes or funny stories as well. I have often found myself laughing out loud while listening to the show. At the very end of the interview, sort of like an end-credit scene, there is always some sort of funny highlight edited in. There have been a few short stories, derailed conversations, and even interruptions from dogs barking in the background, all of which are highly amusing.

Not only are the interviews themselves fascinating, but the podcast editing is amazing as well. Whenever there is an unclear moment, usually when the interviewee goes on to discuss their work in another movie, there is a smooth voiceover transition where Flick Miles explains what exactly they are referring to, and she often provides a little bit of necessary background information or further clarification before the interview continues.

Flick Miles interviews Chris Rankin

There are so many amazing topics in the podcast that it is tough to choose a favorite. I especially enjoyed episode three when Flick Miles brought on Nick Dudman, and they discussed how the various magical creatures were made. As an art major, I was also fascinated by hearing from Pierre Bohanna, the Prop Designer (episode eight), as well as Gary Tomkins, the Art Director (episode nine). Listening to Laurent Guinci, the wardrobe master (episode 13), and Lisa Tomblin from the hair department (episode 14) was also very interesting because they touched on the topics of why Hermione’s dress was changed from blue to pink and why Narcissa’s hair color was modified as well.

If you haven’t had the chance to yet, I recommend checking out this podcast. You will learn so many fun facts that will make you feel closer to the Harry Potter series. Behind the Wand is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.