I waited a few days (to make time for any fan of the show to watch the ep) to make a thread about this honestly amazing scene, not just for television, but in general. I think it deserves to be showcased with a thread of its own. If you don't watch the show, it was basically two entirely different armies clashing, with the major difference being that one has a giant fire-breathing dragon.
The set piece in question
As a reader of the books, for the longest time I wonder how HBO was going to tackle dragonriding, since it seemed to me that it had no chance but to look ridiculous on screen. But man they nailed it somehow. The dragon is simultaneously awesome, imposing and terrifying, and you easily see the impact it makes on the battlefield.
HBO's Making Of featurette. This is a must watch, it shows how much actual stunt work and real pyrotechnics went into it. Most of it is real stunt work, even. I really appreciate the use of real locations and real people, it's perfectly combined with CGI. I think this is definitely the most impressive set piece I've personally seen in a long time, no matter the format, television or cinema. Certainly one of the most thrilling and awe-inspiring in recent memory. For me, anyway.
Bonus video: The Nerdwriter show the multiple cinematic influences behind the creation of the scene. Really cool video that shows how and where from did the showrunners borrow to construct the entire sequence.
The set piece in question
As a reader of the books, for the longest time I wonder how HBO was going to tackle dragonriding, since it seemed to me that it had no chance but to look ridiculous on screen. But man they nailed it somehow. The dragon is simultaneously awesome, imposing and terrifying, and you easily see the impact it makes on the battlefield.
HBO's Making Of featurette. This is a must watch, it shows how much actual stunt work and real pyrotechnics went into it. Most of it is real stunt work, even. I really appreciate the use of real locations and real people, it's perfectly combined with CGI. I think this is definitely the most impressive set piece I've personally seen in a long time, no matter the format, television or cinema. Certainly one of the most thrilling and awe-inspiring in recent memory. For me, anyway.
Bonus video: The Nerdwriter show the multiple cinematic influences behind the creation of the scene. Really cool video that shows how and where from did the showrunners borrow to construct the entire sequence.