Join Us As We Live-Blog The IGN/George R.R. Martin Q&A

Tonight at 9:30 CST, George R.R. Martin will join IGN for a Q&A at his theater, the Jean Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe, to talk, among other things, about Game of Thrones (and probably A Song of Ice and Fire). Ryan Condal, the co-creator of USA’s Colony, will be on stage with Martin—the Jean Cocteau is screening two episodes of Condal’s show. Here’s the announcement:

"Watch our Q&A with @GRRMspeaking and Colony’s co-creator live on Periscope on Thursday, February 16 at 7:30 pm PT!https://t.co/ac0lbulhBQ— IGN (@IGN) February 17, 2016"

So, as we prepare to live-blog this event, what are you hoping to hear from from our lord and master, George R.R. Martin? Personally, I’m hoping for a Winds of Winter status update. Maybe that’s too much to ask, seeing as we just recently got something from him, but a man can dream. Of course, seeing as he is the creator of Westeros, and since the showrunners of Game of Thrones have to turn to him for answers (especially now that they’re in uncharted territory), I would imagine that Martin is pretty dialed in to what’s coming in Season 6. So maybe we could get a clue or two about what’s coming?

Regardless, yours truly will be hosting a lovely live-blog right here, where I’ll catalog the more interesting comments from Martin and others. Let’s hope something juicy drops. So slip into something comfortable, pour yourself a drink, pull up the computer, and let’s watch it unfold.

Times:

• 7:30 PM Pacific Standard
• 8:30 PM Mountain Standard
• 9:30 PM Central Standard
• 10:30 PM Eastern Standard
• 3:30 AM London

UPDATE 1: The above video was recently added by the IGN Twitter account. Hopefully it won’t be a Colony-only Q&A.

UPDATE 2: IGN Just tweeted they are running late, 15 minutes after they were to start. Thanks guys!

UPDATE 3: We are live! GRRM is now talking to Colony co-creator Ryan Condal. No Game of Thrones stuff yet…

UPDATE 4: Here’s the IGN Periscope LINK

UPDATE 5: The live comments are rather funny/brutal. I feel bad for Condal because he’s having to share the stage with GRRM. Everyone is sending in questions about Game of Thrones and telling the moderators to shut him up. Not nice.

UPDATE 6: Natives getting restless. GRRM and Condal now talking about Nazis and Occupied France. Send Help.

UPDATE 7: Questions are open to the audience and the first question is “Where is the gold? Where is the silver? Do you know where Lord Beric is?”

UPDATE 8: GRRM says this is the Golden Age of television.

UPDATE 9: George is ranting about Science Fiction in the modern era, and I love it.

UPDATE 10: Mr. Martin is asked why he chooses to write from Point of View storytelling. He thinks it’s easier to work in books, but not so easy on TV.

UPDATE 11: J.R.R. Tolkien inspired Martin in his work for A Song of Ice and Fire.

UPDATE 12: Most damning mistake a character has made: George instantly utters the Stark family name. Just “Starks.”

UPDATE 13: Condol’s favorite minor characters in Martin’s works: Sandor Clegane.  Martin’s: Bronn and Shae (he remarks that television has made both better).

UPDATE 14: Martin is asked about how long he plans out his major plot twists. Example: Bran’s assassination attempt. George says he knew that before he started writing.

UPDATE 15: Martin says that the difference between books and television is that with a book, he can plan a major plot twist years in advance, but on television he might have to make a split decision from week to week, or year to year. Actors, after all, leave and change.

UPDATE 16: George just mentioned that battles get bigger with ratings. He mentioned that a battle in Season 1 ended with someone (Tyrion) charging out and falling down. Fast-forward to Season 5 and “Hardhome” and you’ve got and epic battle because of amazing ratings (and the money that comes with them). Condol says “Hardome” probably cost what nine episodes of Colony cost to make.

UPDATE 17: George R.R. Martin uses the technical term for a group of writers hurriedly working all weekend long to get a script together: “Gang-Bang.” You’re welcome, internet.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I feel as if everyone in the Jean Cocteau Theater, at IGN, and on the internet, are collectively afraid to ask Mr. Martin about The Winds of Winter.

UPDATE 18: George says he falls back on Scottish history for a lot of A Song of Ice and Fire inspiration. (Red Wedding, in particular).

UPDATE 19: Final question for Martin: Where does he derive the inspiration for the constant battle between the families, and specifically for the relationships between fathers and sons? His answer was a quote from Tolstoy.

All in all, this was a decent Q&A. It was definitely a Colony-heavy event…which it was billed as, but anytime you have George R.R. Martin involved, fans expect A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones questions to be answered. Well, we really didn’t get any sustenance tonight, folks. Sorry. However, Colony is a great sci-fi show, and Ryan Condol is a terrific director, so if you haven’t given it a chance, go over to USA on-demand and catch-up on the show.