game of Thrones is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed television series of all time. Despite its much-debated and mostly hated series finale, the Fantasy Epic is an incredible accomplishment and modern wonder of visual film making.
One of the show’s most impressive creations is the incredibly realistic trio of computer-generated imagery (CGI) dragons, seamlessly paired with the show’s actual elements and actors. After hatching at the end of the first season, the three Drogon dragons, Rhaegal and Viserion, grow from tiny hatchlings to fire-breathing giants that dominate the heavens.
The actor who interacts with CGI dragons is his mother, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). Shooting and editing scenes involving the dragons was challenging for the creative team behind the show, especially the tricky battle seasons in later seasons.
One of the longest and most difficult. game of Thrones sequences to shoot was in the seventh season episode The spoils of war which lasted 18 days for Clarke and her character Daenerys.
What is ‘Game of Thrones’ about?
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Based on the George RR Martin series of novels, game of Thrones Combine fire-breathing dragons, family and political drama, taboo romances, explicit violence, blood magic, and an army of undead ice zombies to create an epic and unforgettable fantasy story. The show aired on HBO for eight seasons, focusing on a wide range of characters, both good and bad.
The main objective of many of these characters is to sit on the Iron Throne, which gives them dominance over the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. The main family groups competing for the Iron Throne are the Starks, Arryns, Baratheons, Tullys, Greyjoys, Lannisters, Tyrells, Martells, and Targaryens. Targaryen’s claim to the throne lies in who is believed to be the last of the dragon blood family, Daenerys.
Who is Daenerys Targaryen in ‘Game of Thrones’?
Bound with his nephew / lover-turned-murderer Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and his deadly enemy Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) for the second-highest number of episodes in Game of Thrones, Daenerys is one of the main characters in the long-running series. Also known by her preferred name – Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, First of her name, The Burned One, Queen of the Andals and First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Sea of Grass, Chain Breaker and Mother of Dragons – Daenerys is the last of the powerful Targaryen family.
The Targaryens founded and dominated Westeros for hundreds of years, until the Usurper Robert Baratheon defeated Daenerys’ brother Prince Rhaegar and father King Aerys to claim the Iron Throne. Daenerys begins her story on the show with a forced marriage to Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), during which she receives three invaluable dragon eggs as a wedding gift.
Finally, Daenerys and her eggs are placed in a large fire, from which the Khaleesi emerges unburned and with her three dragon sons. Dragons grow in both size and importance in the show, especially as Daenerys grows bolder in her bid to win the Iron Throne.
Which Daenerys-focused scene took 18 days to film?
In the seventh season of the show, Daenerys and her army begin their invasion of Westeros while the last remaining Targaryen seeks to claim his rightful place on the Iron Throne. Her first major military move in her conquest was to destroy a Lannister supply train and loot with her fierce dragon son, Drogon.
According to Mental Floss, this attack is known as the “Booty Train Attack” by the creator of the show DB Weiss, who has said that the epic sequence took 18 days of production to film. The challenging scene took almost three weeks to film due to the 80 shots in which Daenerys and Drogon appeared together.
Shooting Drogon and the other dragons is extremely technical and extremely expensive. In the end, all the hard work and time invested in the scene resulted in an impressive show of power, both for Daenerys and her dragon, and for the game of Thrones Creative team.
