Game of Thrones up for Cinematography Award for “Hardhome”

Awards-wise, Game of Thrones has been having a very good year. A couple months back, it broke the record for most Emmy wins by a television show in a single year, but there could be more awards in its future. The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) announced their nominations yesterday, and Game of Thrones was on the list.

Episode of a Regular Series:

• Vanja Cernjul, ASC, HFS, Marco Polo, “The Fourth Step” (Netflix)
• David Greene, CSC, 12 Monkeys, “Mentally Divergent” (SyFy)
• Christopher Norr, Gotham, “Strike Force” (Fox)
• Crescenzo Notarile, ASC, AIC, Gotham, “Scarification” (Fox)
• Fabian Wagner, BSC, Game of Thrones, “Hardhome” (HBO)

German cinematographer Fabian Wagner has been with the show since Season 4, and was nominated for an ASC Award last year for his work as the director of photography on “Mockingbird.” He didn’t win, though—that honor went to an episode of Boardwalk Empire.

Incidentally, Wagner was also nominated for an Outstanding Cinematography Emmy for “Hardhome,” but he lost there, too…to Boardwalk Empire. I don’t see Boardwalk Empire in the running for this year’s ASC Awards, so maybe this’ll be Wagner’s year.

It’s also good to see that “Hardhome,” in particular, stands to get more recognition. At the Emmys, fully four episodes of Game of Thrones were nominated in the Outstanding Cinematography category: “Sons of the Harpy,” “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken,” “Hardhome,” and “The Dance of Dragons.” At the ASC Awards, however, it’s just “Hardhome,” which seems like a well-earned endorsement of that episode’s considerable virtues.

“What’s that coming over the ridge?” “I think it’s recognition!”

Win or lose, Wagner will return for Game of Thrones Season 6, if this clapboard is any indication. He’s serving as the director of photography on the Season 6 finale, where he’ll re-team with “Hardhome” director Miguel Sapochnik. Has potential.

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