1 00:00:05,005 --> 00:00:07,132 ♪ 2 00:00:07,132 --> 00:00:08,800 It's the movie magic behind the curtain. 3 00:00:10,385 --> 00:00:12,971 Explosions. There is a lot of explosions. 4 00:00:13,972 --> 00:00:15,974 The level of preparation. 5 00:00:16,391 --> 00:00:18,685 Those guys are puttin' their lives at risk 6 00:00:18,685 --> 00:00:20,478 on a constant basis. 7 00:00:20,478 --> 00:00:21,771 Three dragons, not two. 8 00:00:21,771 --> 00:00:23,940 That's gonna be a huge thing for the audience. 9 00:00:23,940 --> 00:00:25,608 They're so clever, those guys. 10 00:00:25,608 --> 00:00:26,985 Once dragons get introduced that way, 11 00:00:26,985 --> 00:00:28,653 there's no turning back. 12 00:00:29,696 --> 00:00:32,699 (epic music playing) 13 00:00:46,838 --> 00:00:49,007 (music fades out) 14 00:00:52,719 --> 00:00:54,346 Ryan Condal: We've talked about this since 15 00:00:54,346 --> 00:00:56,056 creating Daemon as a character 16 00:00:56,056 --> 00:00:57,474 is George always said about Daemon, 17 00:00:57,474 --> 00:00:59,351 "He's heroic and villainous in equal parts," 18 00:00:59,351 --> 00:01:02,187 and that's what makes him fascinating as a character. 19 00:01:02,187 --> 00:01:04,230 ♪ 20 00:01:13,281 --> 00:01:16,951 Well, that was the first shot of the whole season. 21 00:01:17,952 --> 00:01:22,540 - crewmember: Set. - director: Here we go. Cameras set and action! 22 00:01:23,249 --> 00:01:24,584 Matt Smith: And we were the first actors there 23 00:01:24,584 --> 00:01:26,711 because Mills was goin' off to do a play. 24 00:01:26,711 --> 00:01:30,215 So, we were just right into the sort of nuts and bolts of it, really. 25 00:01:31,466 --> 00:01:33,718 Alan Taylor: There was a lot of conversation, uh, ahead of time 26 00:01:33,718 --> 00:01:35,887 and also during the shooting as to whether these were 27 00:01:35,887 --> 00:01:38,723 dreams we were experiencing or visions 28 00:01:38,723 --> 00:01:40,433 or something magical. 29 00:01:40,433 --> 00:01:42,394 PJ Dillon: Should we shoot it on different lenses? 30 00:01:42,394 --> 00:01:45,689 Should we light it in a very distinctive way? 31 00:01:45,689 --> 00:01:47,941 Should we give it its own visual signature 32 00:01:47,941 --> 00:01:49,567 that would signal to the audience immediately, 33 00:01:49,567 --> 00:01:51,111 "Oh, okay, this is a dream"? 34 00:01:51,986 --> 00:01:55,365 And the decision led, of course, by, by Ryan and by Alan 35 00:01:55,365 --> 00:01:56,908 was that, no, we shouldn't do that. 36 00:01:56,908 --> 00:01:58,201 That we should shoot it as we would shoot 37 00:01:58,201 --> 00:01:59,577 a normal scene 38 00:01:59,577 --> 00:02:01,037 and let the content of the narrative 39 00:02:01,037 --> 00:02:02,622 make it apparent that it was a dream. 40 00:02:02,622 --> 00:02:04,249 (muffled High Valyrian) 41 00:02:04,249 --> 00:02:06,334 Daemon Targaryen: I can't understand. 42 00:02:07,252 --> 00:02:10,547 This felt like a real way to dramatize something 43 00:02:10,547 --> 00:02:14,092 very core to Daemon's character that was going on with him. 44 00:02:14,092 --> 00:02:16,636 Dillon: It's a throwback to a scene from season one. 45 00:02:16,636 --> 00:02:18,596 In season one, Daemon was sitting on the throne 46 00:02:18,596 --> 00:02:20,598 and Rhaenyra comes in to meet him. 47 00:02:20,598 --> 00:02:22,934 This time, we reverse that, so that Rhaenyra's on the throne 48 00:02:22,934 --> 00:02:24,978 and Daemon comes in to meet her. 49 00:02:24,978 --> 00:02:27,564 It's Rhaenyra, but it's the wrong Rhaenyra. 50 00:02:27,564 --> 00:02:30,108 Condal: The fact that it meant that we got to bring back Milly delighted me 51 00:02:30,108 --> 00:02:33,445 because I adore her and all that she brought to the show. 52 00:02:33,445 --> 00:02:36,156 And I really did know that the fan base would really delight in, uh, 53 00:02:36,156 --> 00:02:38,908 in, hopefully, the surprise of seeing her come back. 54 00:02:39,784 --> 00:02:42,579 Feels like I never left, which is what's kind of weird. 55 00:02:42,579 --> 00:02:45,457 - (Milly laughs) - It's nice to be back. 56 00:02:45,457 --> 00:02:47,500 Taylor: And it was one of those very "House of the Dragon" moments 57 00:02:47,500 --> 00:02:50,128 where we're doing the scene, and, finally, she comes down into a close-up, 58 00:02:50,128 --> 00:02:53,298 which is sort of the crescendo of what's goin' on between them. 59 00:02:53,298 --> 00:02:55,300 And she's radiant and there's tears in her eyes, 60 00:02:55,300 --> 00:02:57,135 and she's speaking full Valyrian the entire time 61 00:02:57,135 --> 00:02:59,179 without stumbling in perfect accent. 62 00:02:59,179 --> 00:03:01,514 (speaking High Valyrian) 63 00:03:06,227 --> 00:03:09,022 - And we cut. Brilliant. - (indistinct chatter) 64 00:03:09,022 --> 00:03:11,483 So, my brief encounter with her was great. 65 00:03:11,483 --> 00:03:12,984 And then I chopped her head off. 66 00:03:15,236 --> 00:03:16,821 (crown clattering) 67 00:03:16,821 --> 00:03:18,156 Smith: Well, I loved that when I read it. 68 00:03:18,156 --> 00:03:20,158 I always wanted the dream sequences, 69 00:03:20,158 --> 00:03:22,160 or whatever you call them, I was always pushing that 70 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,497 they felt mad and horror-like as possible. 71 00:03:25,497 --> 00:03:27,207 If we're gonna go for it, let's go for it. 72 00:03:27,207 --> 00:03:29,000 Great having Milly back. 73 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,002 Uh, we really miss her. 74 00:03:31,002 --> 00:03:32,504 So much fun, I love Matt. 75 00:03:32,504 --> 00:03:35,507 Matt's such a sweetheart. And he's incredibly talented. 76 00:03:36,257 --> 00:03:37,967 It was actually really nostalgic. 77 00:03:37,967 --> 00:03:40,387 We all sat-- I sat on, I sat on the throne, 78 00:03:40,387 --> 00:03:42,681 which is actually kind of lopsided. 79 00:03:42,681 --> 00:03:44,849 I mean, it's a throne made out of swords, 80 00:03:44,849 --> 00:03:46,184 so it doesn't look very comfortable. 81 00:03:46,184 --> 00:03:47,686 - Don't listen to her, honestly. - Go on. 82 00:03:47,686 --> 00:03:49,062 Taylor: It was great seeing the warmth 83 00:03:49,062 --> 00:03:50,563 between them because they know each other so well, 84 00:03:50,563 --> 00:03:52,482 so, um, there was that. 85 00:03:52,482 --> 00:03:54,401 And I think they were both very happy to get back together, 86 00:03:54,401 --> 00:03:56,069 even if violently. 87 00:03:57,028 --> 00:04:00,031 Very nice. And we cut. Very nice. 88 00:04:01,700 --> 00:04:03,702 ♪ 89 00:04:07,706 --> 00:04:10,208 It's a touch late to be stalkin' about a strange castle 90 00:04:10,208 --> 00:04:12,377 putting its people to the sword. 91 00:04:12,377 --> 00:04:15,046 - You. - I'm called Alys. 92 00:04:15,630 --> 00:04:19,009 Alys Rivers was definitely one of the iconic costumes 93 00:04:19,009 --> 00:04:21,845 in that she's residing at Harrenhal, 94 00:04:21,845 --> 00:04:24,764 but shouldn't really look like she belongs there. 95 00:04:24,764 --> 00:04:27,892 crewmember: ...take one, and marker. 96 00:04:27,892 --> 00:04:32,439 We didn't want to lean too much into the witch thing. 97 00:04:32,439 --> 00:04:34,899 She just needed to look like a sort of strange member 98 00:04:34,899 --> 00:04:36,526 of the household. 99 00:04:36,526 --> 00:04:41,448 We wanted it to have this kind of aged grandeur to it. 100 00:04:41,448 --> 00:04:45,660 And that the palette there is purples and lavenders. 101 00:04:46,786 --> 00:04:48,413 When I saw that they'd cast Gayle, 102 00:04:48,413 --> 00:04:50,248 it was a dream come true. 103 00:04:50,248 --> 00:04:53,918 I always had a vision of that porcelain skin. 104 00:04:53,918 --> 00:04:56,421 We embraced her paleness. 105 00:04:56,421 --> 00:04:58,757 Rosalia Culora: When I read the book, I saw long hair, 106 00:04:58,757 --> 00:05:01,092 and we managed to pick quite an inky raven color, 107 00:05:01,092 --> 00:05:03,094 which, you know, is so beautiful against 108 00:05:03,094 --> 00:05:06,306 the complexion of her skin tone and her eye color. 109 00:05:06,306 --> 00:05:08,767 And I don't think there's anything witchy about it. 110 00:05:08,767 --> 00:05:10,435 Thirteen delta, take two. 111 00:05:11,936 --> 00:05:15,607 Gayle was very happy and she looks fantastic. 112 00:05:15,607 --> 00:05:19,569 It's been a complete, complete pleasure. 113 00:05:19,569 --> 00:05:24,616 To feel embraced by the cast and the crew was just really special. 114 00:05:26,159 --> 00:05:28,161 (indistinct chatter) 115 00:05:29,788 --> 00:05:31,623 Matt and I got to have the experience 116 00:05:31,623 --> 00:05:33,291 of meeting each other for the first time. 117 00:05:33,291 --> 00:05:36,795 And he's such a generous actor, 118 00:05:36,795 --> 00:05:39,089 um, and just so fun to work with. 119 00:05:39,673 --> 00:05:42,008 Smith: She's a fabulous, fabulous actor, 120 00:05:42,008 --> 00:05:44,302 and I think she's created a really great character. 121 00:05:44,302 --> 00:05:45,845 Here, drink this. 122 00:05:46,221 --> 00:05:49,224 You'll need your sleep if you're to win this place to your side. 123 00:05:51,518 --> 00:05:53,520 ♪ 124 00:05:58,525 --> 00:06:00,485 Rook's Rest is the biggest thing that 125 00:06:00,485 --> 00:06:02,779 "House of the Dragon" has mounted, to date, 126 00:06:02,779 --> 00:06:05,949 in terms of, uh, the size and expense of a set piece, 127 00:06:05,949 --> 00:06:07,575 and we needed to get it right. 128 00:06:10,245 --> 00:06:12,831 Rook's Rest, for us, is a big setup. 129 00:06:14,374 --> 00:06:17,711 You never quite can understand how big something is 130 00:06:17,711 --> 00:06:19,963 until you really turn up on the day, 131 00:06:19,963 --> 00:06:22,799 and you see the size of the operation. 132 00:06:22,799 --> 00:06:24,884 crewmember: Stand by, guys, stand by to shoot. 133 00:06:26,261 --> 00:06:28,138 And this is a big operation. 134 00:06:28,722 --> 00:06:31,558 Lynch: Rook's Rest was our biggest obstacle 135 00:06:31,558 --> 00:06:33,059 of this season for sure. 136 00:06:33,059 --> 00:06:35,186 We were shooting down in the home counties. 137 00:06:35,186 --> 00:06:39,024 We had 500 crowd in total, four different houses. 138 00:06:39,024 --> 00:06:41,359 So, we had Rosby, Stokeworth, Darklyn, and Hightower, 139 00:06:41,359 --> 00:06:43,194 all in different looks , 140 00:06:43,194 --> 00:06:45,488 in different stages of the battle. 141 00:06:46,364 --> 00:06:48,700 - (indistinct chatter) - Oh, it was brilliant. 142 00:06:48,700 --> 00:06:50,410 - crewmember: It's alright? - Yes, that was great. 143 00:06:50,410 --> 00:06:51,494 Good, good, good. 144 00:06:52,037 --> 00:06:54,205 That was a complicated scene. Big battle. 145 00:06:54,205 --> 00:06:58,209 Dragons, dragon fire, horses, dead people. 146 00:06:58,209 --> 00:07:01,546 Complex, uh, logistical thing to put together. 147 00:07:03,089 --> 00:07:06,092 (indistinct shouting) 148 00:07:06,092 --> 00:07:07,761 Taylor: What should be a small campaign 149 00:07:07,761 --> 00:07:09,054 to take a small keep 150 00:07:09,054 --> 00:07:10,930 turns into a kind of watershed moment 151 00:07:10,930 --> 00:07:12,807 that, uh, tilts the war. 152 00:07:15,101 --> 00:07:16,728 (roars) 153 00:07:17,145 --> 00:07:18,563 We experienced what it really is like 154 00:07:18,563 --> 00:07:20,065 to unleash dragons for the first time. 155 00:07:20,065 --> 00:07:22,567 ♪ 156 00:07:22,567 --> 00:07:25,111 guards (yelling): Dragon! 157 00:07:28,782 --> 00:07:30,784 ♪ 158 00:07:31,993 --> 00:07:34,079 guard (shouts): Advance! 159 00:07:35,830 --> 00:07:37,207 Condal: Thankfully, we had Alan Taylor, 160 00:07:37,207 --> 00:07:39,250 the veteran filmmaker on "Game of Thrones" 161 00:07:39,250 --> 00:07:41,294 and countless other shows to do it. 162 00:07:41,294 --> 00:07:43,129 Alan came to it and really brought 163 00:07:43,129 --> 00:07:46,049 just kind of another level of scale to it. 164 00:07:46,049 --> 00:07:47,300 Tim Lewis: Working with Alan's fantastic 165 00:07:47,300 --> 00:07:48,802 'cause he's one of those directors 166 00:07:48,802 --> 00:07:51,846 who knows what he wants before he gets there. 167 00:07:52,847 --> 00:07:55,308 The thing with Rook's Rest is that Alan storyboarded 168 00:07:55,308 --> 00:07:58,853 Rook's Rest really, really carefully in advance. 169 00:08:04,693 --> 00:08:07,570 Taylor: Shout out to Jane Wu, our main storyboard artist, 170 00:08:07,570 --> 00:08:09,906 because I was collaborating with her, that designed the action, 171 00:08:09,906 --> 00:08:11,908 both in the air and on the ground 172 00:08:11,908 --> 00:08:13,743 and sort of shaped it into the story 173 00:08:13,743 --> 00:08:15,787 that we wound up shooting and telling. 174 00:08:17,455 --> 00:08:19,666 And then I was shown Bourne Wood. 175 00:08:23,128 --> 00:08:25,255 Bourne Wood is a bit of a popular location 176 00:08:25,255 --> 00:08:28,341 because it goes back to "Gladiator" days and Ridley Scott. 177 00:08:28,341 --> 00:08:30,760 So, you think, "If Ridley Scott chose it, 178 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:32,470 then it's gotta be pretty good." 179 00:08:32,470 --> 00:08:34,639 Um, uh, and it is. 180 00:08:36,641 --> 00:08:38,268 Condal: I had been out there before 'cause we had, we-- 181 00:08:38,268 --> 00:08:39,686 I think we had scouted it in season one. 182 00:08:39,686 --> 00:08:41,354 It was pointed out to me, and I just said, 183 00:08:41,354 --> 00:08:43,148 "Oh, we have to come back here." 184 00:08:44,315 --> 00:08:46,151 We needed a tree line 185 00:08:46,151 --> 00:08:48,445 and we also needed an open space 186 00:08:48,445 --> 00:08:50,113 and a ridge where the castle could be based. 187 00:08:50,113 --> 00:08:52,991 So, we did look at a number of different places. 188 00:08:53,867 --> 00:08:55,285 And Bourne was the winner. 189 00:08:55,285 --> 00:08:57,328 (soldiers shouting): King Aegon! 190 00:08:58,872 --> 00:09:00,874 Fabien Frankel: You really felt like you were at a battle. 191 00:09:00,874 --> 00:09:02,959 You know, what was so amazing is that it felt like 192 00:09:02,959 --> 00:09:04,794 we were talking about it for such a long time, 193 00:09:04,794 --> 00:09:08,673 Alan and I, and Freddie and Ryan. 194 00:09:08,673 --> 00:09:11,468 It felt like we were in endless conversations about it, 195 00:09:11,468 --> 00:09:13,678 and watching previs, and talking through each beat 196 00:09:13,678 --> 00:09:15,680 of every single scene, and then you finally get there, 197 00:09:15,680 --> 00:09:20,685 and it's just this incredibly, uh, iconic set. 198 00:09:21,353 --> 00:09:23,313 It's like one of those moments, me and Freddie were talking about it, 199 00:09:23,313 --> 00:09:26,358 where you go like, "Ah, this is pretty amazing." 200 00:09:27,859 --> 00:09:29,903 Freddie Fox: I mean, the battles in episode four, I think, 201 00:09:29,903 --> 00:09:33,490 are probably gonna be water cooler conversation 202 00:09:33,490 --> 00:09:35,200 for quite some time. 203 00:09:40,747 --> 00:09:42,749 ♪ 204 00:09:47,128 --> 00:09:49,714 Taylor: I never really thought it was a battle until I got there 205 00:09:49,714 --> 00:09:51,508 and saw the scale that we were bringing with us. 206 00:09:51,508 --> 00:09:53,718 So, you know, four battering rams moving across the field 207 00:09:53,718 --> 00:09:56,680 and more horses than I can count, all in full armor. 208 00:09:56,680 --> 00:09:58,056 Not just the riders, but the horses. 209 00:09:58,056 --> 00:09:59,724 Three or four houses with different livery 210 00:09:59,724 --> 00:10:02,060 and different banners and different insignia 211 00:10:02,060 --> 00:10:03,770 all marshaling together. 212 00:10:03,770 --> 00:10:06,398 Sadly for them, most of them are there as dragon fodder 213 00:10:06,398 --> 00:10:08,024 and they don't know it. 214 00:10:08,024 --> 00:10:10,068 Jim Clay: It was a much bigger dress time 215 00:10:10,068 --> 00:10:13,571 for set dec when we had various army encampments. 216 00:10:14,739 --> 00:10:16,241 Claire Nia Richards: We did all the tents and the bivouacs 217 00:10:16,241 --> 00:10:19,077 and our fabulous drapes department 218 00:10:19,077 --> 00:10:20,578 made all of those for us, 219 00:10:20,578 --> 00:10:23,373 and then, props department put them together. 220 00:10:23,373 --> 00:10:25,875 Rook's Rest was a logistical issue for us 221 00:10:25,875 --> 00:10:27,377 to make sure we had enough bodies, 222 00:10:27,377 --> 00:10:31,089 we had enough dead horses, we had enough war machines 223 00:10:31,089 --> 00:10:32,215 and that we could move 'em around. 224 00:10:32,215 --> 00:10:33,883 It's a big location, 225 00:10:33,883 --> 00:10:36,219 multiple cameras shootin' in multiple areas. 226 00:10:36,219 --> 00:10:38,555 It was about havin' the right crew there that could cope with 227 00:10:38,555 --> 00:10:40,432 rushing things from one area to the next. 228 00:10:44,519 --> 00:10:47,272 We had our main unit working for us 229 00:10:47,272 --> 00:10:50,442 and a, uh, sizable splinter unit working for us. 230 00:10:50,442 --> 00:10:53,945 Any of the larger kind of stunts or tricks and flicks 231 00:10:53,945 --> 00:10:56,072 were led by Rowley Irlam, the stunt coordinator. 232 00:10:56,072 --> 00:10:58,491 ...battering ram dropping down, yeah? 233 00:10:58,491 --> 00:10:59,951 That's where it goes from. 234 00:10:59,951 --> 00:11:01,953 Taylor: I worked with Rowley many times before. 235 00:11:01,953 --> 00:11:03,663 His field of operations was close to mine, 236 00:11:03,663 --> 00:11:05,665 so he could send me images and I could watch takes 237 00:11:05,665 --> 00:11:08,001 and ask for adjustments if necessary, 238 00:11:08,001 --> 00:11:09,961 but he also embellishes things and raises things. 239 00:11:09,961 --> 00:11:11,254 Rowley Irlam: And then guys doin' the arrow hits, 240 00:11:11,254 --> 00:11:12,464 you can come a little bit closer 241 00:11:12,464 --> 00:11:13,965 to the battering ram, please. 242 00:11:13,965 --> 00:11:17,302 The huge setup there with the big burns of, of dragons. 243 00:11:17,302 --> 00:11:20,138 So, Meleys would be flying through 244 00:11:20,138 --> 00:11:21,598 and setting fire to people. 245 00:11:21,598 --> 00:11:23,350 We can do things in CGI, but actually shooting 246 00:11:23,350 --> 00:11:24,809 real people doing these things, 247 00:11:24,809 --> 00:11:27,979 it just gives it another level of authenticity. 248 00:11:29,064 --> 00:11:30,940 Irlam: That was kind of our big number. 249 00:11:30,940 --> 00:11:33,109 There was a lot of stuff done in the tree line. 250 00:11:33,109 --> 00:11:35,111 We did a lot of fire work there. 251 00:11:35,111 --> 00:11:37,530 We burned eight people on a battering ram 252 00:11:37,530 --> 00:11:39,282 with a, with a strafe. 253 00:11:39,991 --> 00:11:42,160 Taylor: Every time there's a dragon strafe, it's just so much fun. 254 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:43,661 Dragon roaring flame is different, 255 00:11:43,661 --> 00:11:45,789 but when you're in the field and it (mimics explosions) 256 00:11:45,789 --> 00:11:47,457 it's, uh, it's quite exciting. 257 00:11:47,457 --> 00:11:50,335 - (explosions) - (person shouting) 258 00:11:50,335 --> 00:11:54,130 I've never seen another human so happy to burn people alive, 259 00:11:54,130 --> 00:11:55,507 let me tell you. 260 00:11:55,507 --> 00:11:57,008 Irlam: So we should do another one 261 00:11:57,008 --> 00:11:59,302 - at 45 degree, then, yeah? - crewmember: Yeah. 262 00:11:59,302 --> 00:12:01,846 We set down 20 (indistinct), 263 00:12:01,846 --> 00:12:03,348 which we bury in the ground 264 00:12:03,348 --> 00:12:05,850 and special effects basically ignites the flames. 265 00:12:05,850 --> 00:12:08,061 So, you end up with a sort of 12-, 15-foot fireball. 266 00:12:08,061 --> 00:12:10,355 Please clear behind the barriers! 267 00:12:12,190 --> 00:12:13,650 We had eight of my guys in there. 268 00:12:13,650 --> 00:12:15,902 They're all covered in, like, really 269 00:12:15,902 --> 00:12:17,737 flammable accelerant gel. 270 00:12:17,737 --> 00:12:19,906 I, personally, would turn and run, 271 00:12:19,906 --> 00:12:22,325 but they just stand there and it just comes towards them 272 00:12:22,325 --> 00:12:24,160 and they're engulfed in it. 273 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:25,537 We ended up doing these garments, 274 00:12:25,537 --> 00:12:27,163 which had burns built into them, 275 00:12:27,163 --> 00:12:28,498 so you've got a shirt like this 276 00:12:28,498 --> 00:12:30,375 with the burn makeup on it, 277 00:12:30,375 --> 00:12:32,002 so you could, literally, pull it on 278 00:12:32,002 --> 00:12:34,546 without having to do an application. 279 00:12:34,921 --> 00:12:37,048 We are, and we should be, quite good 280 00:12:37,048 --> 00:12:39,050 at settin' people on fire by now. 281 00:12:41,886 --> 00:12:43,888 ♪ 282 00:12:47,976 --> 00:12:49,894 Dillon: The big dragon fight that's happening in the sky, 283 00:12:49,894 --> 00:12:52,689 a lot of it was shot on something that's a cross 284 00:12:52,689 --> 00:12:54,399 between a Volume and a blue screen stage. 285 00:12:55,150 --> 00:12:57,193 Condal: This was buck 2.0 this year. 286 00:12:57,193 --> 00:13:00,363 I mean, they did learn from the first season and improve it. 287 00:13:00,363 --> 00:13:02,574 It can be programmed in ways that the other one was not. 288 00:13:02,574 --> 00:13:04,868 So, to simulate the flaps of wing movement 289 00:13:04,868 --> 00:13:06,703 and sudden changes in direction. 290 00:13:06,703 --> 00:13:09,581 It's very animal-like. You know, almost feel the breath 291 00:13:09,581 --> 00:13:10,999 of the, of the beast. 292 00:13:11,583 --> 00:13:14,836 The camera's, um, adjustin' to your movements as well. 293 00:13:15,795 --> 00:13:17,589 (yells) 294 00:13:17,589 --> 00:13:19,090 Irlam: We did it slightly differently this year. 295 00:13:19,090 --> 00:13:22,093 We, we have a, a robot, uh, camera. 296 00:13:22,844 --> 00:13:25,972 We worked out a plan to attach the camera 297 00:13:25,972 --> 00:13:27,057 to the buck rig, 298 00:13:27,057 --> 00:13:28,224 and having the movement 299 00:13:28,224 --> 00:13:30,101 match to the buck. 300 00:13:31,853 --> 00:13:34,981 And the two working together can provide almost any angle. 301 00:13:36,941 --> 00:13:39,944 The way World War II dogfights were shot, plane to plane, 302 00:13:39,944 --> 00:13:42,572 most of our stuff is shot dragon to dragon. 303 00:13:42,781 --> 00:13:45,992 You want the camera to feel like it's, essentially, on another dragon. 304 00:13:45,992 --> 00:13:47,660 (wind blowing) 305 00:13:47,660 --> 00:13:50,997 director: And three, two, one, action. 306 00:13:52,791 --> 00:13:56,461 The buck work, all of my-- only memory of the buck work 307 00:13:56,461 --> 00:14:00,507 is a large amount of wind on the face. 308 00:14:01,216 --> 00:14:04,969 The Rook's Rest work, this saddle's throwing itself around all over the place. 309 00:14:04,969 --> 00:14:07,514 - director: Action. - Angos Meleys! 310 00:14:07,514 --> 00:14:10,975 The most critical character work has to happen, 311 00:14:10,975 --> 00:14:13,061 you know, while the-- bein' slammed around. 312 00:14:13,645 --> 00:14:15,647 The quality of performance you're used to with her was all there, 313 00:14:15,647 --> 00:14:18,316 even though she's being flung around on a bucking dragon 314 00:14:18,316 --> 00:14:19,984 and chased by a robotic camera. 315 00:14:20,985 --> 00:14:23,363 ♪ 316 00:14:23,363 --> 00:14:26,658 - Fuck me sideways. - (crew laughs) 317 00:14:28,493 --> 00:14:30,495 ♪ 318 00:14:32,414 --> 00:14:35,750 crewmember: Fire in three, two, one! 319 00:14:38,878 --> 00:14:40,672 Adam Lawrence: We have a set on the backlot 320 00:14:40,672 --> 00:14:42,173 pickin' up lots of different elements 321 00:14:42,173 --> 00:14:44,009 so we don't have to go for a CG approach 322 00:14:44,009 --> 00:14:46,344 because, of course, real fire looks real. 323 00:14:49,014 --> 00:14:52,017 It is mental, yeah. I wanted to go bigger. 324 00:14:52,851 --> 00:14:54,644 Because we've got Vhagar, 325 00:14:54,644 --> 00:14:57,647 I really wanted to go dirty burn, 326 00:14:57,647 --> 00:15:00,066 you know, like, an intense burn and big burn. 327 00:15:00,066 --> 00:15:02,277 And it is horrific. 328 00:15:07,741 --> 00:15:10,201 And it goes 50 foot maybe. 329 00:15:10,201 --> 00:15:11,453 It's a weapon of mass destruction really. 330 00:15:16,791 --> 00:15:18,793 ♪ 331 00:15:24,466 --> 00:15:26,885 I think the most showstopping moment 332 00:15:26,885 --> 00:15:30,096 is when, um, the two bigger dragons engage in the air 333 00:15:30,096 --> 00:15:32,223 and it comes to a death spiral. 334 00:15:32,223 --> 00:15:33,892 Condal: What Alan did was went back and actually 335 00:15:33,892 --> 00:15:36,770 did a bunch of research around birds of prey 336 00:15:36,770 --> 00:15:38,521 and how they fight with each other. 337 00:15:38,521 --> 00:15:40,940 Dadi Einarsson: Alan was really keen on this kind of ritual 338 00:15:40,940 --> 00:15:43,360 where they lock talons and they spin around. 339 00:15:43,943 --> 00:15:45,403 Taylor: A lot of the work was dumped on previs 340 00:15:45,403 --> 00:15:47,572 'cause you can have two dragons spiraling 341 00:15:47,572 --> 00:15:51,868 in a kind of triple-axis turn to the ground, uh, blowing fire, 342 00:15:51,868 --> 00:15:55,163 but it takes a lotta work to work out what that really means (laughs). 343 00:15:58,208 --> 00:15:59,668 (soldiers shouting) 344 00:16:06,341 --> 00:16:09,427 ♪ 345 00:16:09,427 --> 00:16:12,097 I kept trying to protect that as the "nuclear event" in the story. 346 00:16:13,682 --> 00:16:16,935 Storywise, is the, is the kind of the turning of the tides 347 00:16:16,935 --> 00:16:20,605 in terms of what kind of war people have experienced. 348 00:16:20,605 --> 00:16:23,608 Taylor: The idea was that Cole has-has been broken by this experience, 349 00:16:23,608 --> 00:16:24,943 and he's basically been completely knocked out. 350 00:16:24,943 --> 00:16:26,611 And when he wakes up, it's to a new world sort of. 351 00:16:26,611 --> 00:16:28,905 And the world had to feel almost surreal 352 00:16:28,905 --> 00:16:30,865 in its level of devastation. 353 00:16:32,450 --> 00:16:34,577 You've got people crawling along. 354 00:16:34,577 --> 00:16:38,039 We had amputees with their legs burnt off, with arms burnt off. 355 00:16:38,623 --> 00:16:40,959 People walkin' around on fire. 356 00:16:42,002 --> 00:16:44,921 Condal: Waldo and his team created, 357 00:16:44,921 --> 00:16:47,924 uh, the-the Dust Man, as we called him. 358 00:16:48,550 --> 00:16:50,093 Frankel: When I, you know, went to touch it, 359 00:16:50,093 --> 00:16:51,636 it was just a really intricate affair 360 00:16:51,636 --> 00:16:53,013 where you had to time it just right, 361 00:16:53,013 --> 00:16:54,639 touch it with just the right amount of pressure, 362 00:16:54,639 --> 00:16:56,975 so they could pull it. 363 00:16:56,975 --> 00:16:58,309 Yeah, it was pretty amazing. 364 00:16:58,309 --> 00:16:59,978 Every time they had to reset that, I was like, 365 00:16:59,978 --> 00:17:02,313 pfft, I don't envy them. 366 00:17:02,313 --> 00:17:03,606 Taylor: Just sort of crumbles into ash, 367 00:17:03,606 --> 00:17:05,108 that was a way of saying, 368 00:17:05,108 --> 00:17:06,651 whatever you thought you knew about soldiery 369 00:17:06,651 --> 00:17:09,696 has been burned to a crisp and, uh, you're on your own. 370 00:17:09,696 --> 00:17:11,990 crewmember: And we cut. Checking. 371 00:17:13,742 --> 00:17:15,744 ♪ 372 00:17:20,206 --> 00:17:22,459 Condal: I mean, I think it's a Pyrrhic victory for both sides. 373 00:17:22,459 --> 00:17:24,544 The Blacks lose Rhaenys's dragon and a dragonrider 374 00:17:24,544 --> 00:17:27,464 and one of Rhaenyra's most trusted councilors. 375 00:17:27,464 --> 00:17:29,841 And the Greens, we don't really know the condition 376 00:17:29,841 --> 00:17:31,217 of Sunfyre or Aegon, but certainly, 377 00:17:31,217 --> 00:17:33,303 Sunfyre is not going to fly again tomorrow 378 00:17:33,303 --> 00:17:35,764 and the king is not, uh, in good shape. 379 00:17:36,181 --> 00:17:39,976 Well, I mean, all of Aegon's worst fears come true when 380 00:17:39,976 --> 00:17:42,854 he's plummetin' to the Earth after being hit 381 00:17:42,854 --> 00:17:44,981 by a ball of fire. 382 00:17:44,981 --> 00:17:46,399 Taylor: Because they cross the nuclear line, 383 00:17:46,399 --> 00:17:47,692 it's been devastating for everybody. 384 00:17:47,692 --> 00:17:50,862 Both sides have lost something major. 385 00:17:50,862 --> 00:17:54,574 Oh, my God, massive loss. What a disaster. Total disaster. 386 00:17:54,574 --> 00:17:56,868 Best fighter down and best dragon down. 387 00:17:56,868 --> 00:17:59,079 I mean, the whole thing's total chaos. 388 00:17:59,079 --> 00:18:02,749 But, yes, if you've gotta go, going on the back of a dragon 389 00:18:02,749 --> 00:18:06,544 in the middle of the best, kickass fight 390 00:18:06,544 --> 00:18:08,588 that there's ever been, is quite a good way. 391 00:18:10,382 --> 00:18:12,884 It's never nice. Um, as particularly, 392 00:18:12,884 --> 00:18:14,886 someone who is such a wonderful person 393 00:18:14,886 --> 00:18:16,888 and such a brilliantly talented performer, 394 00:18:16,888 --> 00:18:19,224 and we've become very close and very good friends 395 00:18:19,224 --> 00:18:21,059 over this short period of time. 396 00:18:21,059 --> 00:18:24,688 But it's an absolute, absolute dream to work with her. 397 00:18:24,688 --> 00:18:27,273 So, it was a bit, uh, like, "Oh, wow. 398 00:18:27,273 --> 00:18:29,109 Oh, that's really, you know," 399 00:18:29,109 --> 00:18:32,153 but we are-- we're not gonna stop being friends so, you know. 400 00:18:36,282 --> 00:18:38,910 ♪ 401 00:18:38,910 --> 00:18:40,954 Lawrence: To deliver these really 402 00:18:40,954 --> 00:18:43,957 dynamic dragon flying shots, 403 00:18:43,957 --> 00:18:47,752 and have those intercut with this sort of drama and action 404 00:18:47,752 --> 00:18:50,630 happenin' on the ground, it's comin' together to be 405 00:18:50,630 --> 00:18:52,924 a really incredible scene. 406 00:18:54,467 --> 00:18:57,387 I think Alan pretty much got, uh, an incredible 407 00:18:57,387 --> 00:18:59,514 battle sequence that he's put together. 408 00:19:00,849 --> 00:19:02,267 Really proud to be a part of that. 409 00:19:02,851 --> 00:19:05,812 You're in the middle of something so huge 410 00:19:05,812 --> 00:19:07,731 that the kind of thing that, as actors, 411 00:19:07,731 --> 00:19:09,149 you don't get to do very often. 412 00:19:09,149 --> 00:19:11,943 - (laughter) - Alright, mate. Thanks, Alan. 413 00:19:11,943 --> 00:19:13,820 You just have to pinch yourself every so often 414 00:19:13,820 --> 00:19:15,447 that you're on this thing. 415 00:19:15,447 --> 00:19:18,825 I sincerely doubt I'll ever be a part of this grand, uh, 416 00:19:18,825 --> 00:19:20,827 scene again for the rest of my career, 417 00:19:20,827 --> 00:19:23,538 so I felt very, very lucky. 418 00:19:24,622 --> 00:19:26,458 Condal: It's the hardest thing that I've ever done 419 00:19:26,458 --> 00:19:28,501 as a, uh, producer and a showrunner, 420 00:19:28,501 --> 00:19:29,961 uh, and frankly, as a writer. 421 00:19:30,545 --> 00:19:32,964 But I'm very, very proud of the result. 422 00:19:34,466 --> 00:19:36,634 (music fades out)