Instead of a new Game of Thrones episode this Sunday, fans were treated to a two-hour documentary by British filmmaker Jeanie Finlay.
Game of Thrones: The Last Watch took fans behind the scenes, pulling the curtain back on what it took for both cast and crew to make the eighth and final season of the acclaimed fantasy drama.
The docu is a true homage to the show’s unbelievable creative work, which included a team of costumes, hair, makeup, set designers, stunt and special effects people among others.
“The way Game of Thrones is developed is that every episode has much in it as any feature film but we have to do it quicker and with less money,” said producer Christopher Newman in the docu. According to production designer Deborah Riley, each hour filmed during the eight and final season of GoT cost $15 million or more. “All we were doing in seasons 4, 5, 6 and 7 were training for season 8,” Riley said. David Nutter, who directed three of season eight’s episodes, gave the creative team its much-deserved credit saying he’s simply “a conductor of fine musicians who basically waves his arms around.”
Here’s some things we learned from The Last Watch:
The moment when Kit Harington found out that Jon Snow kills his love and Queen Daenerys in the series finale. The footage of the final table read shows both actors get quite emotional about the fate of their on-screen love.
“I love this show more than anything. It has never been a job for me,” he told the assembled cast, crew and extras afterward, failing to hold back tears. “It has been my life. This will always be the greatest thing I”ll ever do.”
The behind the scenes of Dany’s braided platinum mane. In earlier seasons, when Clarke’s hair color was darker, the costumes people hid her hair with a white cap to hide the actress’s dark roots.
“That is still the most beautiful hair I will ever have on my head,” Clarke said, looking at her braided wig while sitting in hair and makeup.
