<P> Steve Kloves was selected to write the screenplay . He described adapting the book as "tough", as it did not "lend itself to adaptation as well as the next two books ." Kloves often received synopses of books proposed as film adaptations from Warner Bros., which he "almost never read", but Harry Potter jumped out at him . He went out and bought the book, and became an instant fan of the series . When speaking to Warner Bros., he stated that the film had to be British, and had to be true to the characters . Kloves was nervous when he first met Rowling as he did not want her to think he was going to "(destroy) her baby ." Rowling admitted that she "was really ready to hate this Steve Kloves," but recalled her initial meeting with him: "The first time I met him, he said to me,' You know who my favourite character is?' And I thought, You're gonna say Ron . I know you're gonna say Ron . But he said' Hermione .' And I just kind of melted ." Rowling received a large amount of creative control, an arrangement that Columbus did not mind . </P> <P> Warner Bros. had initially planned to release the film over 4 July 2001 weekend, making for such a short production window that several proposed directors pulled themselves out of the running . Due to time constraints, the date was put back to 16 November 2001 . </P> <P> Two British film industry officials requested that the film be shot in the United Kingdom, offering their assistance in securing filming locations, the use of Leavesden Film Studios, as well as changing the UK's child labour laws (adding a small number of working hours per week and making the timing of on - set classes more flexible). Warner Bros. accepted their proposal . Filming began on 29 September 2000 at Leavesden Film Studios and concluded on 23 March 2001, with final work being done in July . Principal photography took place on 2 October 2000 at North Yorkshire's Goathland railway station . Canterbury Cathedral and Scotland's Inverailort Castle were both touted as possible locations for Hogwarts; Canterbury rejected Warner Bros. proposal due to concerns about the film's "pagan" theme . Alnwick Castle and Gloucester Cathedral were eventually selected as the principal locations for Hogwarts, with some scenes also being filmed at Harrow School . Other Hogwarts scenes were filmed in Durham Cathedral over a two - week period; these included shots of the corridors and some classroom scenes . Oxford University's Divinity School served as the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, and Duke Humfrey's Library, part of the Bodleian, was used as the Hogwarts Library . Filming for Privet Drive took place on Picket Post Close in Bracknell, Berkshire . Filming in the street took two days instead of the planned single day, so payments to the street's residents were correspondingly increased . For all the subsequent film's scenes set in Privet Drive, filming took place on a constructed set in Leavesden Film Studios, which proved to have been cheaper than filming on location . London's Australia House was selected as the location for Gringotts Wizarding Bank, while Christ Church, Oxford was the location for the Hogwarts trophy room . London Zoo was used as the location for the scene in which Harry accidentally sets a snake on Dudley, with King's Cross Station also being used as the book specifies . </P> <P> Because the American title was different, all scenes that mention the philosopher's stone by name had to be re-shot, once with the actors saying "philosopher's" and once with "sorcerer's". The children filmed for four hours and then did three hours of schoolwork . They developed a liking for fake facial injuries from the makeup staff . Radcliffe was initially meant to wear green contact lenses as his eyes are blue, and not green like Harry's, but the lenses gave Radcliffe extreme irritation . Upon consultation with Rowling, it was agreed that Harry could have blue eyes . </P>

Harry potter and the philosopher's stone shooting locations
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