With the end of May creeping ever closer and no casting news, one wonders whether HBO’s initial target of a June filming start date is feasible. This production listing from the Irish Film & Television Network states only that production is set to begin “Summer 2010.” Interestingly, it also lists Tom McCarthy as the director, might this mean McCarthy will be directing the entire first season?
Searching around a bit more, I found this quarterly business review from Time Warner, HBO’s parent company. On page six, they have a short blurb about Thrones getting picked up. You’ll notice that they list the production start month as July 2010. This document was released on May 5, so it seems the official start month has changed since HBO first announced the series pick up back in March.
The good news is that it is likely that the ground work for the filming is being laid now. Based on this tweet, it sounds like, at least for this one prop designer (probably Gavin Jones), he is leaving to work on the series soon. I would wager that set construction and costume creation are also getting underway. Perhaps one of our Belfast-area readers can confirm if there is any activity at the Paint Hall?
[Thanks to Paul Gude for the IFTN link and Westeros for the prop designer info.]
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33 Comments
You should start offering money for pictures of sets and inside info from the production.
Lightning LordQuote Reply
Why don't you put the money up, Lightning? I'm sure we'd all be grateful.
JohnQuote Reply
Based on what has been going on with Gizmodo and the leaked iPhone I'm thinking paying for leaked info is probably not the best idea.
Winter Is ComingQuote Reply
I'd rather wait for my news than ask Winter or anyone involved in the production to risk running afoul of either the producers or the law.
paulgudeQuote Reply
I'm an actor based in Belfast and I've heard from a secondary source that production was way behind schedule.
http://jamesmcanespy.co.uk
jamesimcanespyQuote Reply
As for start of the shooting, we were getting constantly two different information, since the series have been greenlited.
One was late june – confirmed by GRRM in one of his last blogpost, and the other was July (wich was pointed out by the cast members Momoa and Coster-Waldau).
The other interesting is that some time before the shoozing of the pilot, we knew the exactly date of the production start.
Now, it seems it is not the case.
Could be easily that HBO wants to keep it secret, or they are not sure when they would start probably because of the shooting in Morocco, due to the Danys recasting.
The_Rabbit01Quote Reply
Hi James!
Thank you for sharing this with us.
We are bunch of impatient fans who gets pretty excited on every little news.
Could you tell us some more information on this (not to reveal your sources, of course).
The_Rabbit01Quote Reply
Thanks for the info. I've gotten that feeling myself, so I'm not surprised to hear that is the word on the street there in Belfast.
Winter Is ComingQuote Reply
I just think HBO hasn't set an official start date yet. From what I've been told by those-in-the-know, when pressed on giving an exact date, they were reluctant. Which says to me that they are waiting until they get more of the cast in place before setting a date.
Winter Is ComingQuote Reply
Like Winter said, not surprising, but great to get more information. Thanks!
paulgudeQuote Reply
That sounds logic, I hope the cast is the only problem they got at the moment.
The_Rabbit01Quote Reply
Well, I'm not sure how much this can be relied upon, I was talking to other actors at an Equity meeting, and this film is the biggest thing happening here, so local actors want to be involved. One said that he was talking to a prop painter of some sort who said they were miles behind schedule.
It is odd, and I'm sure they hadn't figured on reshooting the pilot – it seems an odd thing to do, they didn't with Sopranos, I know that. http://jamesmcanespy.co.uk
jamesimcanespyQuote Reply
I just want to say that this site is increasingly annoying to use. It's impossible to find the thread that I was interested in earlier in the day because all the threads collapse. And on top of that, entire threads seem to disappear. I have done this more than once: from the bottom up, expand all threads. and then run a search. Gone, and annoying.
I'm a casual user. There is no thread history, no traces of history.
SteveQuote Reply
I am sure that lots of local actors are interested in the project. It is big HBO production, with a quite big buzz around it, even at that stage of pre-production.
Do you know perhaps if they assembled the crew by now? There was a big call for crew why back in March?
I apologize to be such curious, we are just "hungry" for every bit of the news, and I hope you would have any kind of trouble for speaking here on this blog.
The_Rabbit01Quote Reply
Bad news: There is also someone who is well behind. . :D
Good news: Rast, Mord, Jhogo, Lysa Arryn : confirmed for the series. !
The_Rabbit01Quote Reply
you beat me to this by about a minute :)
I guess we can at those to the "Not Cut" list
Phoenix_tornQuote Reply
Yeah, I just did it at my Excel table on my disc.
I did a lots of adding, and I am very pleased with that. Yay!
The_Rabbit01Quote Reply
I seriously doubt McCarthy will be directing the whole series. It's just not how HBO does it. He may well be doing a large percentage of the episodes, but by large percentage I mean 3 or 4 of them, at most, in the first season. The main directors on their shows seem to do about that much per season, with one or two episodes per other director, per season besides that.
As for being "well behind" on the production, well, a prop painter who is well behind may not know what's going on with the rest of the production. Did he mean his group was behind schedule or the whole thing? It's not clear. If just props are behind, then HBO might simply hire a bunch more prop people to right the ship, like the one who mentioned something in his tweet the other day about joining the production. I imagine the number of original props being created for this show is as great, if not greater than what was done for Rome or Deadwood.
BrudeQuote Reply
Yes, I remember hearing some talk of July. I never really thought we'd get a June start, but I'm still hoping for July.
LexQuote Reply
What, no jokes today?
LexQuote Reply
That was about stolen (physical) property, not information. Information is why it was a big deal, but it's not why it was illegal.
pualoQuote Reply
How frequently can productions of this type requisition props and costumes from other completed projects? For example, I just saw Robin Hood and there were TONS of appropriate medival era props and costumes in that film that GoT could get alot of use from…especially all the chainmail. Does this type of cooperation occur, or will GoT costume designers have to do all their own armor and such?
Andrew ClaytonQuote Reply
Interesting note in the comments section:
Someone asked:
You mentioned "keeping up with the auditions" — do you have a role (or a say) selecting the actors or just curious who's auditioning for what?
GRRM answered:
I have a voice, yes… but final decision rests with David & Dan, subject to the approval of HBO.
That "subject of the approval of HBO" tacked on there at the end was always something I suspected but never knew for sure. Possible explanation for recasts?
paulgudeQuote Reply
GRRM mentioned that shooting will start in July this past weekend at Leprecon.Great shot of Paint Hall btw.
Lord Ned's HeadQuote Reply
Well, yes.
It seems that WiC sources are reliable ones – HBO is still not sure about the exact date.
The_Rabbit01Quote Reply
Hello!
Well, I haven't heard anything on the grapevine but I drive past the Painthall every day and for the last few days I've noticed that the huge doors have been open and I can definitely see sets inside. When the doors are open it means construction is happening. I still think early July is the likely start date. As I mentioned before a film called 'Christopher and his Kind' is currently in production here (starring Matt 'The Doctor' Smith no less!) and once that is done, in mid-June, GOT should be next.
BTW – I mentioned on here ages ago that my brother-in-law's girfriend had worked in the costume department on 'Your Highness' and was hoping to get work on GOT. Well, firstly, she is now my bro-in-law's fiancee and also her CV has been successful and she has an interview with the GOT costume department tomorrow at the paint hall!
So can you all say a prayer to whatever Gods you kneel to before tomorrow that it goes well? I'll let you know as soon as I do, along with any other news that I can share.
Not long now!
RimshotQuote Reply
Can confirm that the costume department at least are finally getting into gear.
Dolorous EddQuote Reply
It happens all the time, reusing old props is the norm. "Prop houses" and "costume houses" are companies that have nothing but big warehouses full of props and costumes of any conceivable type to rent out. The studios also keep warehouses full of props. In Los Angeles, these even get highly specialized – I lived near one that had nothing but cars from all possible eras. Some do just weapons, etc.
When it comes to your run of the mill, regular soldiers on screen, I'm quite sure a lot of them will be using recycled prop swords and such that have been used in other productions. For main props that will be seen on screen in close-up, used by lead characters, most likely we'll have special props built for any of that, if only because they can make multiple, identical copies but also so they can get the look exactly as they want it.
BrudeQuote Reply
Fear not, I've made my requisite sacrifices to Moloch of blood, fire and wine. His power is with her.
BrudeQuote Reply
Thanks for the info Rimshot. And good luck to your brother-in-law's fiancee. Sounds like working on Game of Thrones may soon become a family affair!
Winter Is ComingQuote Reply
Topic: Actress for Dany
Just saw "The Lovely Bones". Wonderful little movie, even though maybe a bit overly religilous. Still, wonderful script and acting.
The main female actress is Saoirse Ronan, born in NY 1994.
I think she really fit my picture of Dany. She's not the classic beauty….more like the akward ugly duckling ready to turn into the swan. She's got glowing blue eyes that would dtill be glowing turned into purple.
She is woulnarable, still strong…..just like Dany.
The only problem is that she's an american.
What do you all think? Look at the movie. Her acting is really okay. She's got a light in her eyes.
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1391693568/nm1519680
covenantQuote Reply
The only problem is that she's an american
She may have been born in NY but her family is Irish and they live in Ireland.
MormegilQuote Reply
Did your brother-in-law's fiancee get the job?!? I'm dying to know about the costumes!!!
JustStacyQuote Reply
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