This Is How 'Game of Thrones Shot' That Massive Battle Scene
I you haven’t watched the most recent Game of Thrones episode yet, probably best to start reading now, and make sure you really don’t watch the video. Also, if you don’t know what Game of Thrones is and you don’t like cinematic violence, you should also definitely not watch the video.
Now that we’re past the disclaimers: That was some episode of Game of Thrones last night, right? Truly epic stuff. HBO has put together a 10-minute behind-the-scenes that shows exactly what it took to make a battle that massive happen on TV.
One of the most interesting parts was getting a chance to see the camera vehicles used for the high-speed tracking shots of the forces moving across the battlefield. The cameras are mounted to Russian Arms, which are then mounted to customized vehicles, including a very burly-looking Jeep.
Game of thrones battle behind the scenes
Game of Thrones
They don't mention what lens was used for this shot, but seems likely it was something in the telephoto family to make the horses appear as close as possible.
The video isn’t packed with detailed technical information, but it does give an interesting look at some of the logistics. One thing that particularly interested me was the fact that Jon Snow actually faced down those charging horses during that shot near the beginning of the battle. I specifically pointed that out to my wife when it happened, saying, “I wonder if they actually shot that and used a long telephoto lens to make the horses look as close as possible to him.”
