Game of Thrones has revolutionized what a fantasy TV series can be with its amazing visuals and compelling stories.
But it takes a lot of CGI to bring that world to life.
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And some of these behind-the-scenes pics break GOT ‘s illusion of reality.
Four Finger Discount
How dare Liam Cunningham take the role of Ser Davos from an actor who is missing four fingers!
To really commit to the role, Cunningham should have lopped them off himself!
Killer View
Here’s Cersei taking in the view of King’s Landing moments before she blew up her enemies.
We’re sure that Lena Headey is smiling triumphantly, even from this angle.
Mother of Greenball
Yep, dragons aren’t real. And unlike Saturday Night Live ‘s famous skit, this show doesn’t have performers on set in dragon costumes.
Instead, they had these little green balls when the dragons were still growing.
The Great City in the Desert
Qarth isn’t quite as impressive when you realize that only the outer wall exists in this shot. And only part of it at that!
Top of the World
Jon Snow and Ygritte’s famous kiss on top of the Wall probably wouldn’t have been as epic if we only saw green.
But hey, it worked out of Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie!
The Outer Wall
It would have been impractical, if not impossible to build a “real” Wall for the show.
But this does kind of rob the Wall of its mystique.
Another View From the Wall
The actors have to stare at a lot of green on this show, and pretend it’s a long way down.
Fortunately, we don’t have to pretend. We can just enjoy it.
Half Castle
Kings Landing location scenes are typically filmed in Malta, including the walled city of Mdina.
But even those locations still need a CGI boost.
Expanding Grandeur
While it helps that the real location has spectacular buildings, the grandeur of King’s Landing isn’t possible without CGI.
The Bear and the Maiden Fair
Remember the bear that chased Jaime and Brienne around a bear pit?
Turns out he was just getting some grub as he chased them up a wall.
Ride on
Sometimes, it’s easy to forget just how much CGI goes into the show.
Even a simple shot of Daenerys on horseback requires effects to bring out the background.
Battlefield: Westeros
Before the advent of CGI, directors would have had to really fill a battlefield with extras.
But thanks to the effects artists, only a few real people are needed.
Camp Lannister
This is why the Lannisters always pay their debts.
If they didn’t, they’d only be able to get a few tents for their troops!
It’s a Long Way Down
Note the fan on the far right, which gave the illusion of the Eyrie’s Sky Cells an added level of reality.
It’s a great view, but it might be your last!
A Camp Of Nothingness
Every single tent above was added after the shoot was completed. In the left, you can see that very few real life props and actors were used.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Fleeing from a main ship, this entire scene was shot in a small pool of water, later edited into an ever-extending ocean.
Army Of The Dead
White walkers storm down towards an impending battle but in reality, they’re jumping down a manufactured green screen cliff.
Arya’s Walk
As Arya walks towards massive, looming pillars within a hollow building, she’s really walking into the green.
