Behind the scenes Harry Potter footage of iconic scene has fans feeling majorly sorry for the crew

Harry Potter fans got a glimpse of what went on behind the magic with a look at how they filmed an iconic scene from the first film.

But as well as dispelling the sorcery we saw on the big screen, it also shows how much graft the film crew had to put in each day.

The first film of the legendary franchise, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, introduced us to the boy wizard, played by Daniel Radcliffe, and kicked off his wizarding journey which brought him to Hogwarts.

His acceptance letter to the extraordinary school had already been intercepted by Vernon and Petunia Dursley, but Harry's aunt and uncle were no match for magic.

To ensure the schoolboy got the correspondence, hundreds of letters flew into 4 Privet Drive via the letterbox, chimney and every other crack in the Dursley household.

Each letter was painstakingly printed on special thin paper to allow them to float through the scene - created by design studio MinaLima.

It took them hours to jot down the details of Harry's Hogwarts acceptance with a fountain pen to ensure they appeared authentic in close-up shots.

Warner Bros

But as well as the designers, we also need to spare a thought for the crew who had to keep rearranging the set when filming the iconic moment.

Incredible behind the scenes footage shows that they didn't use any special technology - the letters were literally blown across the Dursley's living room repeatedly.

A producer can be heard telling a young Radcliffe: "Alright Dan, remember - you're looking up, you got your glasses on your eyes are going to be fine. Looking up and reach up and grab with your hands, OK?

"Keep grabbing until you get one. Got it?"

Harry Potter fans could hardly believe that they actually shot the letters across the room - and that the crew had to constantly pick them all back up and do it all over again.

Warner Bros

The team were seen gathering up the bits of paper on their hands and knees as they prepared the set for another take.

One film fan said: "No wonder Vernon hated those letter, constantly having to pick them up between shots. He really sold it knowing this is how they did it."

Another wrote: "That’s why the best films are the first two, less CGI."

A third said: "I’d be afraid of the paper cuts that would come along with this."

A fourth commented: "The fact that they had to pick up all the letters between each take!"

And a fifth Potterhead added: "A friend actually got one of those letters in the scene, he said some were empty so they'd all fall at different rates.

"Something was distributing the envelopes, some were empty and others had letters. He happened to get one with a letter. So jealous, but he deserves it."

And the crew deserved a stiff drink after that hard day in the office.