Being Geek Chic is a blog about one woman navigating the male-dominated industries of production and tech. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi, Founder, CEO and Director of Mighteor - one of the world's first internet video production companies. Learn more about Mighteor here.
Can I tell you something awesome? I haven’t look at these photos from my trip to Leavesden for months. In fact, it’s been a long, long time since I went. But, holy wow! I want to go back. That seems like the best possible review I could give you. Despite how tedious it would be to get there again… despite the fact that I’d have to take a plane, train and automobile and BUS to get there… well, I want to go! Let’s revisit why:
If you love Harry Potter, there really isn’t anything quite like it anywhere in the world. The sets. The costumes. The props. The makeup. The drawings. The animatronics. Every single element of how the films come together is right there for you to see. The people who go to Leavesden (which is about 45 minutes out of London and requires a lengthy Tube ride and a special bus trip) should go because they love the artistry and detail and beauty of the films. Now, if you’re in the United States, this is an multi-thousand dollar trip. If you’re in England, no excuses. Go! But if you are like me and you are in the US, you also have the awesome option of going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida.
If you want to have a trip where you “experience Harry Potter” or the world of Jk Rowling, I really recommend going to the Wizarding World instead. There is nothing interactive about the experience in Leavesden and most little kids especially were racing through the Studios, because well, it’s just not that fun to see that Dobby is just… not real. So if you have young kids, this might not be the best option either. If your kids are showing a lot of interest in art or movies though, then go for it!
One of the things I love about fall is that it reminds me of Harry Potter. Every book is framed in the beginning of the school year and the new adventures Harry and company will face. For this reason, we opted to go in the fall and I’m so glad we did.
For starters, there will be a lot less kids on their summer break, which I’m told results in really limited availability for tickets to get in. Also, BUY YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE. The fact of the matter is, there is a very high likelihood, especially if you go in the summer or during school breaks that you will make this long trip out to Leavesden (in total, it’s a little over an hour of out London) - you want to get in.
In terms of timing, go in the morning. You can absolutely take as much time as you want to walk through. They say it takes about 2 hours, but for myself, I spent more than 4 hours there. If you go at the end of the day, you may get rushed out early simply because the studio is closing.
There are SO MANY THINGS TO SEE. Literally, there isn’t anything I would want to miss. But there are a few things that really blew my mind. So let’s spend some time on those.
The graphic designers on the film were tasked with creating tons of paper products. Think IDs. The Iconic Newspapers. Think the iconic letter Harry gets in the mail. But what you don’t realize until you get to Leavesden is that there are literally hundreds of newspapers that we never see in the films. There are IDs and badges and buttons and records and invitations and napkins and labels that were teeny, tiny in the background on screen - but up close, they are incredible works of art.
Go inside the Knight Bus. Another amazing detail I couldn’t get enough of was the interior of the Knight Bus. I watched hundreds of people take a picture outside of the Knight Bus, only to miss the back door where you can take a peak at those iconic rolling beds and the shiny chandelier in the ceiling. You can’t sit on the beds, but I swear on Moody’s Eye that it’s still great.
Look for movement. Everywhere! There are so many elements at the Studios that they have tried to recreate some of their special effects for in real life. Some of the ways that they executed special effects on the film (the Weasley’s knitting needles, automatically stirring pots in the Potions classroom) were done with surprisingly simple mechanical techniques. And so, the magic lives!
Hang out at the Hogwart’s Model! For a while! Why is this important? Because the folks at the Studio have installed an incredible lighting system that cycles through a full 24 hours of lighting at Hogwarts. So in the course of about 30 minutes, you can experience the lighting at sunrise, noon, afternoon and sunset on the real model they shot all the exterior shots with in the films. It’s really a special thing and it makes you feel completely immersed in the process.
As someone who has been to both the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Leavesden Studio Tour, I have to tell you that both of these trips offer totally different perspectives on Harry Potter. While my trip to Universal in Orlando offered the experience of LIVING in Harry Potter, my trip to Leavesden was more like a trek to pay homage to one of the greatest film achievements in history. After making the trip, I can honestly say that it was like going to church. And it was SO worth it. And I would absolutely do it again.
Meet Abbie Smith (@AbbieJ_Smith). She lives in cheery Cornwall, England where she daydreams about taking off on her Nimbus 2000, cracking mysteries with Sherlock, and tumbling down Alice’s rabbit hole. She channels these whimsies into fanciful prints and posters that she sells in her Etsy shop, AbbieImagine.
Our favorites? Of course we adore the Union Jack artwork infused with Potter, Dr. Who, and Downton Abbey. And we can’t get enough of her minimalist Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin posters.
Furthermore, Smith’s an avid user of the abbreviation “totes,” so she and I are clearly kindred spirits.
Perhaps the most charming aspect of Smith is her impetus to draw. Originally inspired by a doodling grandpa, she channels her love and happy memories into her work today. But we’ll let her tell you more about that…
Q: How did you discover your passion for designing posters?
A: I’ve always been an artist in some way or another (if you count the questionable scribbles of a toddler as art, which I totes do). My granddad was an amazing artist. He used to do these amazing sketches on the back of cereal boxes or old envelopes or a scrap of paper discarded on the coffee table and without any sort of reference, he’d draw this amazing country landscape or a simple robin or ridiculously detailed sailing ship. So I always drew for him and showed him my art and when he passed, it was a way of staying connected. Then when I was a teenager, I discovered the world of Deviantart and more specifically digital art, which introduced me to the wonders of Photoshop and a graphics tablet, which led me to Tumblr and typography/hand lettering and Illustrator and realising I could combine all of this with my love of telly and books! There’s something I really love about taking a huge fandom such as Harry Potter and making something new out of it.
Q: Where do you find your inspiration in life?
A: From all the things around me! My portfolio is a giant collection of book quotes and Harry Potter graphics and sonic screwdrivers because I watch a ridiculous amount of TV and read a ton of books and these don’t just inspire my art, they inspire my ambition and goals and dreams. The authors, the artists, the production teams, the stories (fictional or not)!
Q: If you could have any superhero power, what would it be?
A: This is a really boring answer, but flight! That’s always been the one super power I’d love! Ironically, I’ve never flown in any capacity whatsoever. I’m 25 and never even been on a plane, so I’m failing quite hugely with this wish! But think how much easier it would make the morning commute.
Q: If you could take any fictional character out for a drink, whom would you choose and what would you drink?
A: This answer might make you all think why is this girl being featured as geek lady of the week? Don’t you mean old lady? But I don’t care. I’d go for a good old cup of tea with Geraldine Granger from the Vicar of Dibley! This is a British sitcom geek answer. But I want a cup of tea with the vicar of Dibley and I want her to tell me a joke because her jokes are brilliant. And I’d respond far better than Alice so she’d defo ask me for afternoon tea more often.
Q: What would you tell your 13-year-old self?
A: That being a boff or a geek or a nerd or whatever else those girls keep calling you isn’t a bad thing. Don’t feel bad that you work hard and enjoy TV and computer games and drawing and spend 99% of your time in your imagination. It’s going to get you exactly where you want to be. Even if the road you’ve paved isn’t as straight as you hoped it would be, keep on walking it!
Emma Bauer is a Being Geek Chic Contributor. Clearly, she’s got great taste. She is a PR enthusiast, dog lover, tea drinker, art appreciator, and of course, aspires to Be Geek Chic. Follow her on Twitter: @emmalynnbauer
Could Emily Kelley be any cooler? We think not. She's a writer, actress, video game junkie, comic book nerd, and future galactic war hero. By day, she’s behind the scenes at Disney Interactive, the mecca of Disney games, websites, and all things digital. Talk about working at a place Where Dreams Come True.
By night, Kelley blogs about geek life, geeking out, and geekdom in general with her partner in crime, Peter. Together, the two founded Wrong Button, an award-winning blog named for the universal feeling of dread upon pressing the wrong button on your video game controller at an inopportune time.
But Kelley wasn’t always the poised, confident, geek girl hero she is today. Read on to discover how a conversation with her mom sparked her pluck, why Harry Potter will always be her #1 man, and her secret passion for hydrokinesis.
Oh! And follow her on Twitter: @thatemilykelley.
Q: When did you first realize you were “geeky”?
A: I have always been into video games and computers and reading and so-called geeky pursuits, but I guess I didn’t put a label on it until I was in 1st grade or so. A girl in my class called me a geek for signing up for an after school science program and I remember crying about it to my mom until she explained what it meant. I just realized that being a geek was just being me, and I’ve thanked anyone who’s called me a geek ever since.
Q: Where do you find your inspiration in life?
A: To be honest, I find a lot of inspiration from my favorite fandoms. For instance, I’m a huge Harry Potter nerd, and the series affected me on such a deep personal level, but it also inspired me to be a writer. My writing might not be as prolific as J.K. Rowling’s, of course, but I’m always inspired to try and write something that affects people, even just one person. I’m also really inspired by my favorite comic book character, Helena Bertinelli aka the Huntress. She’s suffered so much pain and hurt in her life, but she’s still strong and fierce and wants to help people both in and out of costume.
Q: If you could have any superhero power, what would it be?
A: I think hydrokinesis would be bad ass. I’ve always really liked water and while it gives life, it can also take it away. It’s a very powerful element and it could be used in a variety of ways. I’d use my powers for good, of course.
Q: If you could take any fictional character out for a drink, whom would you choose and what would you drink?
A: While Huntress is my favorite, I’m going to have to go with Red Sonja. Now there’s a lady who can hold her liquor. She’d probably want to drink whiskey or something strong, but I’d choose a good imported beer so I could even have a slight chance of keeping up with her.
Q: What would you tell your 13-year-old self?
A: That everything is going to be OK. My parents got divorced when I was 13 and it was really hard. Being 13 is such a hard time anyway, but aside from the divorce, I got bullied quite a bit for my love of Harry Potter and video games and I didn’t have a lot of friends. I’d just want to tell myself that it would all be OK in the end and that someday people would actually like me for being a geek!
Emma Bauer is a Being Geek Chic Contributor. Clearly, she’s got great taste. She is a PR enthusiast, dog lover, tea drinker, art appreciator, and of course, aspires to Be Geek Chic. Follow her on Twitter: @emmalynnbauer
She’s geek and she’s très chic. She has a BFA in Women’s Sportswear from the Fashion Institute of Technology, she’s interned for Michael Kors, studied knitwear abroad at the Politecnico di Milano, been mentored by Carolina Herrera, and blogs about the relationship between geekery and couture over at Fashion + Geekery. Meet Yissel Ayala (@TheDesignerGeek).
When she’s not celebrating geek-inspired high fashion, Ayala can be found hosting brunch for fellow lady geeks, as a founding member of Geek Girl Brunch, an NYC-based meetup group of ladies who geek out together. Mimosas are usually always involved. Each month has a theme, and August’s is Marvel. Sign up here.
While you wait to discuss the tragedy of Gwen Stacy or a feminist critique of Captain America, check out Ayala’s interview with Being Geek Chic!
Q: Why and how did Geek Girl Brunch become a reality?
A: An excited Twitter convo between geek girls wanting to see each other and hang out IRL led to our inaugural brunch. After all the fun we had, it was natural for some of us to want to spread the joy and invite others into the fold. At that first brunch, Jamila and I briefly mentioned this to each other because: great minds. When Rachel joined us for the first time, she echoed our sentiments, our passion and our commitment. For a group of talented bloggers who enjoy networking, drinking, and meeting new people to geek out with, growth was eminent. Who isn’t a fan of socializing with like-minded folk in a casual, relaxed setting? Finding those girls was the logical next step. That brunch became our first planning meeting for expansion.
Now we’re hosting NYCC’s Fan Girls’ Night Out (they actually came to us), and plans are underway to grow our network internationally. We’re very grateful to have each other, and to have support from our newly appointed Officers Leslie and Melissa. Somehow they find the time between running the International Geek Girl Pen Pal Club, and writing a remarkable YA trilogy (soon to be best seller, just wait) to help out from time to time. A great organization attracts great people.
Q: What geeky fashion trends can we look forward to in the fall?
A: Excuse me while I run back to my blog for reference! Fall has no shortage of geeky trends. That’s due in part to the Advertising geniuses at Disney, that have actively been reaching out to and partnering with designers. Star Wars ruled the runways at fashion week, appearing in NYC and London, and that was by no means a coincidence. That was genius marketing. Even Red Valentino’s fall collection is a Disney collaboration. Entirely inspired by Snow White, it features apple motifs and dresses and accessories emblazoned with the princesses’ face.
This fall also marks the debut collection from the newly rebranded MBMJ (Marc by Marc Jacobs). That collection, inspired by Power Rangers, ninjas, samurai and BMX, harmoniously blended those influences together to bring us… Akira. I watched it and thought… this is a very Akira-esque fashion show. It’s a collection for a tough, strong girl with attitude and it was brilliantly executed.
Along this same vein, the McQ Alexander McQueen fall collection features prints by Manga artist Yoshiyasu Tamura (Fudegami). Prepare to see a lot of cheap copy cat looks of these high-end collections make their way into mass-market chains .
Along with the obviously geeky, I’m really looking forward to a not-so-geeky, but happy trend: COLOR. Drab and dark this fall/winter ain’t. from color blocked fur coats (thank you Prada), to bold graphics and painterly prints, this coming season will be more saturated than cell animation. Matter of fact, cartoons do make an appearance in some of these prints. Rest assured there will still be plenty of black and grey if you’re anti color. But plenty of metallics for you to work into your wardrobe too.
Expect fantasy too. Fairytales a la the aforementioned Snow White collection. Precious motifs like roses, stars, hearts, cute woodland creatures… show up in cocktail and evening dresses. Every girl can be a princess this season.
Oh, and the fellas? They’ll be Knights and Princess.
Q: When did you discover you were “geeky”?
A: You know, when I was camping out for a midnight Harry Potter release in a hooded cloak, brandishing a wand and a drawn on lightning bolt scar (directly over my real one)… I thought nothing of it. I think you realize when someone actually tells you. The moment you wax poetic about a character/book/film that someone else couldn’t care less about, and they respond in kind with a roll of the eyes. I don’t remember having that moment. I do vaguely remember my first trips to the Way Station. Developing friendships with people who identified as geeks and having them welcome me into the fold is probably what helped me accept the label. Attending Wasabassco burlesque shows and becoming a part of that sexy geek family didn’t hurt either!
Q: If you could take any fictional character out for a drink, whom would you choose and what would you drink?
A: I wont even attempt to give some haughty contrived answer here. Harry Potter and I are splitting a bottle of merlot and I’m hoping for a hook-up here. Ginny be damned.
Q: What would you tell your 13-year-old self?
A: If I may be so candid here… I grew up with an abusive father who took every opportunity to remind me that, I was fat, I was ugly, I would never find love, and I would never achieve anything. I wish I could go back and warn myself not to listen, and refuse to be broken. Because he was wrong…..He was so wrong.
Emma Bauer is a Being Geek Chic Contributor. Clearly, she’s got great taste. She is a PR enthusiast, dog lover, tea drinker, art appreciator, and of course, aspires to Be Geek Chic. Follow her on Twitter: @emmalynnbauer
Editor’s note: At Being Geek Chic, we believe being a geek and being a chic woman can be synonymous. When Gemma asked if she could provide her top tips for feeling like a fab geek, well, we had to oblige. Thanks, Gemma, for your excellent guest post!
Low self-esteem is something which can affect all of us at some point in our lives. Everyone has ‘bad days’ where we don’t quite feel our best, especially if you find your nerd status causes people to treat you differently. But it’s not always a love of Harry Potter that causes the problem. (Actually, that’s never the problem…)
Sometimes the issue is more deep-rooted and can have an impact on our career and relationships. However, there are lots of things you can do to boost your confidence and achieve all the things you want to in life. (While still being a nerd, of course!)
There are no quick-fix solutions and the process can be a long one, but here’s my nerd-friendly guide to feeling fabulous:
1. Surround yourself with other nerds who make you feel happy.
Making sure you spend time with people who appreciate you and make you feel good about yourself can be an important part of our feeling of self-worth. There’s no point hanging out with someone who puts you down or makes you feel insecure about yourself. Sometimes all it takes is a friend to tell you how great you are looking to give you confidence boost throughout the day. (Especially if that friend says things like: You’re as smart as Hermione and as beautiful as Arwen.)
If you’re feeling down, try visualising yourself through the eyes of a loved one and pick up all the good points they see in you.
2. Make some “me” time to enjoy the things you love.
Yeah, sometimes grown up life sucks. Work and family responsibilities can make it difficult to make time for yourself. However, little things like taking yourself on a shopping trip for some new geeky tees or getting a tough new haircut can really improve your confidence levels. Try hitting the gym for a boost of endorphins. It’s science! And those happy chemicals will make you feel better about yourself.
3. Don’t spend time on the dark side. Or, just eliminate negativity.
Sometimes negativity can come from other people (those people suck), but more often than not, we imprint negativity on ourselves. Try to adopt a mantra of positivity (like your own personal patronus), which you can take with you through your day. This may be difficult at first but there are lots of self-help guides online about improving confidence which are available to make this easier. A happy Weasley approach to life is likely to bring you more success and happiness than one which is filled with negativity.
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Guest post by Gemma Collier is a mum of one and lover of all things vintage. She works part-time as a personal shopper, but when she’s not working she loves writing, playing dress-up with her little girl and curling up with a good book. She also loves to play games on bgo.com
