The SONG OF ICE AND FIRE Thread

[First Blood]

Maybe your Blu-ray player requires a Firmware update?

[echobbase79]

I thought about that but it's working now. Do bluray players update themselves?

[First Blood]

I thought about that but it's working now. Do bluray players update themselves?

If it's connected to the internet you should get a message whenever a Firmware update is required.

[Shasvre]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VARwvVJxnYw#ws

The volume is really low though.

[First Blood]

Awesome. I am really looking forward to the scene of when he pulls Lightbringer from the fires.

Whatever it takes my good man.

[Shasvre]

Here's a really interesting interview with Charles Dance.

http://www.westeros.org/GoT/Features/Entry/Interview_with_Charles_Dance/

And one with Emilia Clarke.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/03/15/emilia-clarke-game-of-thrones-season-2/

What's your character going through at the start of this season?

Things kind of suck, because when you last saw her, it's like magic was being re‑awoken and it's all wonderful. Now [she's in] complete and utter despair. She has dragons, but they are tiny. They're babies. She doesn't even know how to feed them. So, and she's got all her people looking to her, including Jorah, and she's losing the will to kind of see her way through it.

Does your story line pretty much follow the book?

I don't want to give too much away. There are a few things that are slightly different, just to give her a bit more meat this season. Dany is going to get a little glimpse of what else is going on in other parts of the world of Game of Thrones. There's a number of surprises in store for everyone.

Any romantic prospects for Dany with Drogo gone?

I feel that the audience knows at this point that Jorah's feelings toward me are dubious. We're not sure where they lie. Whether it's paternal. Whether it's sexual. We're not sure. And I think that that is something that Dany is becoming increasingly aware of. But I truly believe that she's still in love with Drogo.

What's been the toughest thing about shooting this season?

Working with the dragons, at the moment. They've created these beautiful models of the dragons. I'm getting quite maternal towards them. But then they take them away [during filming, with dragons inserted later using CGI] and that's when I'm seeing nothing. As an actor, there's so much focus [required] and my imagination is being pushed to its limits. I'm trying to see them in my mind's eye and I'm trying to work with this invisible thing. And I can tell everyone around me is going, "what the heck, she's crazy, she's absolutely lost her mind." Because I'm just kind of playing with this invisible ball of air.

On the set, the producer noted "the Daenerys stance" that you have, where you look super tough.

It's kind of "always being ready." She just has a strength and it's not modern. I always try to bear in mind the kind of different physical things that she's up against that give her a core of steel that physically manifests itself.

So that's very much your character, not you?

Yeah. That's that's kind of how she tries to put her armor without actually having any. It's also like within the book, she's always continuously asking herself, "What would Drogo do?"

What's the common reaction on the street when you're recognized?

It's happened twice. Once was the frozen yogurt [shop] where I got free frozen yogurt, which is brilliant. It completely made my day. I just walked in and she just went "Oh! Game of Thrones!"

If I was working a Starbucks, I'd like to think I'd just take your order and say, "It is known."

[Laughs] That would be awesome.

How was Comic-Con?

Oh, it was amazing! I hope that we're going to please the fans. And by the reaction we had at Comic-Con I think we have. I think we will continue to ...all the new characters are like sick. I can vouch for every one of the actors.

With certain popular characters no longer on the show, has there been any concern about the ratings? I suspect they'll go up anyway.

I think that people are hooked and I think that peoples' curiosity will get the better of them. And their curiosity will lead them to even better stuff than season 1, which will lead to the same, if not better ratings. Knock on wood. That's my prediction.

If you had a dragon, what would you do with it?

Oh my, God, what would I do with it? I would definitely keep it where there were no walls, so it would be as big as it could physically be. Rule the world maybe? Have it. Ride it.

And another with Peter Dinklage.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/03/19/peter-dinklage-game-of-thrones-2/

When your name was called at the Emmy's, what was your first thought?

"Uh-oh. I have to get up there in front of a lot of people." I was a little shy about that, but it was a fun night. I promised myself I wouldn't get too cynical about it and it was the best advice I could give myself.

Does the win change anything for you as an actor?

No. I mean, it's lovely to be recognized. I can't deny that, but life goes on. I love that we were shooting the show when the awards happened, because I wouldn't have liked to have gone back home and sit there and stare at it.

You could be submitted for lead actor this time, given how much focus is on you this season.

I don't know how that all works out, but yeah. We'll see. [Note: Dinklage and HBO later decided to submit him and other cast members for the supporting categories]. Or maybe I can just blow the entire season and be terrible and they won't want me.

Do you actually worry that you might go on set and be bad?

Well, you gotta have a certain amount of confidence to pull this type of stuff off, especially this character. But I sort of make it not my confidence, but the character's confidence. So maybe that might seem like I'm confident. It's really just masking it.

Is there anything you do to get in the mindset to play Tyrion?

Sometimes on sets, I shut down, try to focus. But this one, I find myself socializing a lot more. And maybe that helps, because Tyrion's so social and puts himself out there. Other than that, I've never been one to really prep for a role too much. The greatest preparation for a TV show is to already have one season behind you.

What's been the difference in shooting season 2 versus season 1 so far?

The mood generally seems to be much better. We all know each other, we're like a family. For me, it's a very different season in terms of Tyrion because season 1, I'm a prisoner half the time, on the road, or being thrown around. And this one, I'm Hand of the King, so I've been shooting mainly interior sets, so it's been a bit more civilized and warmer.

You still have to shoot the battle scenes, though. Is there anything in particular they'll have you doing for those?

For all those people who were disappointed that you didn't see the battle last season, they will be pleasantly surprised that I do engage in a serious battle this year. I think that was a brilliant way of dealing with my character [last season], 'cause he's not a fighter. He's sort of more of an intellectual. I thought that was great. But this season, for all the people who miss battles, we definitely will serve them up.

Is it fun to be a leader this season?

The character, Tyrion, enjoys it. He's surprised by how much he enjoys it. So you gotta sort of get in that mindset. It's fun because this is a character that's been shit upon his whole life. I mean, he comes from great wealth, but he's treated very poorly, so now there's a newfound respect where if somebody calls him a name, he can have them killed. He never had that before. Tyrion definitely enjoys that part and he's trying desperately to hold onto it. He's enjoying it while it lasts 'cause he's not sure it's gonna last very long.

What's been the toughest thing to shoot so far?

Last season we shot one scene on horseback on the side of a cliff during a serious windstorm. Although it didn't seem like it from what we shot, the horses were very nervous. One guy was thrown from the horse literally a couple feet away from the edge of a cliff. Other than that, it's been a real joy ... I guess what makes it difficult is that you want to do justice to the material. Sometimes, when the material is really good, you put expectations on yourself to make it the best possible show. You're not just serving up the regular hash and doing your job and going home. When [the cast and crew] go out at night, we don't talk about the weather. We talk about the show. We go out to dinner and we're still talking, we're in it, which is such a testament to the show.

Are you still going from script to script instead of reading the books?

I read the first book and then I stopped because I really am picturing people I know as the characters and I'd rather — no offense to them — but I'd rather come up with my own characters in my head. Like I could never read a book after I see the movie version. I'll just be thinking of the movie and that sort of negates the whole idea of a book. They're lovely books, but I also don't want to know too much about my character's future. I like to know all about his past, but I don't like to know his future, 'cause I'm afraid I'll play the end result a bit. The less I know of my future, the better.

Since you're not reading ahead, it's not a spoiler to ask: How do you hope your character ends up?

He's been treated very poorly his whole life. So I like to think that he finds happiness. He deserves it.

[Michael Harper]

Here are five videos for the houses Stark, Targaryen, Baratheon, Greyjoy, and Lannister - Pledge Your Allegiance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc2uA-Fyito#ws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCetVN04tV8#ws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aeu8JVBCc-g#ws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zVfUm_hIpw#ws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uMduionFQg#ws

Great to see more of Grey Wind in motion - it's looking good. But, my favourite video was of House Greyjoy. Everything is looking great for the Iron Islands. That shot of the ship was epic!

Only 12 Days to go!

[Shasvre]

Stannis Baratheon all the way.

[Michael Harper]

Stannis Baratheon all the way.

I agree!

[SpaceMarines]

I'll forever be a man of the North. Starks and Snows for me.

[First Blood]

Stannis Baratheon all the way.

I agree!

Yes.

[Shasvre]

By the way, how far have you gotten into A Clash of Kings now, First Blood?

[First Blood]

Spoiler

I've finished it and loved it! The battle at the end is pretty epic, with the ships – and I am very curious to see if HBO will have the budget to pull that off or have the battle without actually showing the battle, similar to the one Tyrion was supposed to be a part of before being knocked unconscious. And it was finally nice to see what the chain was used for - trapping Stannis' fleet in the bay, Tyrion you magnificent bastard. But Stannis lives to fight another day!

Bring on Season 2.

[close]

[Shasvre]

Spoiler

I've finished it and loved it! The battle at the end is pretty epic, with the ships – and I am very curious to see if HBO will have the budget to pull that off or have the battle without actually showing the battle, similar to the one Tyrion was supposed to be a part of before being knocked unconscious. And it was finally nice to see what the chain was used for - trapping Stannis' fleet in the bay, Tyrion you magnificent bastard. But Stannis lives to fight another day!

Bring on Season 2.

[close]

Spoiler

So far, it definitely sounds like the Battle of the Blackwater will be shown. Point in case, the interview with Dinklage above.

You still have to shoot the battle scenes, though. Is there anything in particular they'll have you doing for those?

For all those people who were disappointed that you didn't see the battle last season, they will be pleasantly surprised that I do engage in a serious battle this year. I think that was a brilliant way of dealing with my character [last season], 'cause he's not a fighter. He's sort of more of an intellectual. I thought that was great. But this season, for all the people who miss battles, we definitely will serve them up.

Looking forward to seeing Tyrion go berserk.

[close]

[First Blood]

Excellent.