Synopsis:

‘Ministry’ is ‘Order of the Phoenix’ but with a lighter mood to match the earlier movies. Bad things have happened, but we humans find ways to cope and process and move on. Harry's feelings of isolation are central to the movie though, so there are changes to bring that in more gradually and to have them resolve somewhat as Harry takes on a leadership/teacher role. There are also changes to scenes with dumbledore to ensure that the emotional distance between them is maintained until the conversation at the end. The colour grading is done throughout, reducing the cold blue tint and increasing the warmth.

Intentions:

The movies after the goblet of fire get really grim and dark. People say it's because Harry is 'growing up' but I'm definitely an adult and my life isn't depressing and bleak like that. I've been through some bad stuff too. We learn how to deal with the stuff we experience and we hold on to the things we Cherish. For Harry, that is Hogwarts and his friends. The movie needs to be brightened to match the earlier movies and it needs to be focused in the right places to accentuate the actual challenges he has on screen. This is a case of colour grading the world to be magical and warm and editing some sections to accentuate how Harry feels in response to what we are shown.

Change List:

colour graded entire movie to remove heavy blue tint and add warmth in places masked 'order of the Phoenix' subtitle cropped some shots to make Harry seem just a smidge less isolated and depressed removed crazy camera angles as storm gathers around Harry and Dudley removed frantic running away sequence, it is too frantic too soon removed Harry using violence and scaring hedwig, cutting from car door slam to Harry waking with a start reframed some shots when Harry reunites with Ron and Hermione, to contrast and accentuate his feelings of isolation in that moment reframed dinner table shot to frame the newspaper better removed the dutch tilt in the trial, reducing the tension a smidge reframed Dumbledore leaving trial chamber, to emphasise him and Harry and how he completely ignores Harry. introduced shots from deleted scene of Prof. Trelawney during Umbridges speech in the great hall introduced Deleted 'scene' of Neville denouncing the Daily Prophet in common room removed distracting image of Sunset from Harry's nightmare reframed shots of Harry as he rebukes against Umbridge in first dark arts class removed Harry's line "can I join you?" as it gives a false sense of closure to the isolation plot thread removed shots of empty dilapidated Hogs head as it undercuts the hopeful build up to the resolution of the isolation plot thread Cut just before Harry and Cho kiss, and removed Harry replying to Ron "wet", as both these things are very cringe for me and I can't abide them removed another shot of a setting sun from Harry's nightmare cut the attack on Arthur Weasley so we see him recoiling in fear and then see him fall to the ground clearly injured added music "Darkness Takes Over" as Harry is taken to Dumbledore's office and through that scene removed another shot of the sunset when Snape uses occlumency on Harry and in his vision of Sirius in trouble introduced delected scene of Umbridge's monologue in the forbidden forest removed aerial shots of deatheater/order fight in ministry. removed bits of Dumbledore's fight with Voldemort, to focus on Harry and retain emotional distance between them (will be inserted at beginning of next film) reframed all the 'edgy voldemort' music video shots from the bit where he's in Harry's head, to be really close up and remove the corny feel colour grade changes when voldemort is in Harry's head and seeing his friends restores warm colours introduced deleted scene, Ron checking in on Harry before the feast introduced deleted scene, Harry entering Dumbledore's office colour grade changes throughout Dumbledore office scene, as Harry's relationship with him slowly mends

Special Thanks:

Thanks INIGHTMARES for cheering me on!