The new season of Game of Thrones begins in less than two weeks, thank the old gods and the new. After April 24, we’ll never have to over-analyze season five ever again, especially all things Jon Snow. But until then, let’s take a moment to appreciate last (and every) season’s unsung heroes, the visual effects team, via this new HBO behind-the-scenes video. Ever wonder how your dragon sausage is made? Here’s how.
In the words of VFX supervisor Joe Bauer, “Now what we need to do is get a flamethrower that shoots 50 feet, strap it to a robotic crane, and put it in a bowl ring in Spain and hit 20 people with it… And there we were, and we did it.” It’s a massive job — Game of Thrones employs three units — and not an easy one. If even one CGI White Walker looks off, that scene will appear in the Worst Special Effects Ever supercuts until the end of time. But at the end of the day, it’s a job worth doing, because you get to turn a flamethrower into a dragon.
That’s the American dream.
