Check out Rodeo FX’s impressive special effects work on Game of Thrones Season 5

With Season 5 already available to download, it’s time to take a deep dive into what went into the making of some of those amazing special effects. Rodeo FX, whose work on Season 4 won the studio both an Emmy and a VES Award last year, has released a video detailing a breakdown on their work on Season 5.

According to the blurb that accompanies this video, Rodeo’s team completed “nearly 200 visual effects shots” over the course of ten episodes. They are nominated for an Emmy Award for their work, and it is assumed this is one of the few categories where their win is already a lock.

And of course, they start with one of the most effective images from the premiere, with the Unsullied pull down the Great Harpy of Meereen, which began Dany’s season-long headache with the locals. I know perfectly well it was computer generated, but seeing how it’s made is still something of a stunner. (Like going to see the Great Oz, and then peaking behind the curtain.)

It should be noted that many of the moments that show here are more of the “taken for granted” type stuff. None of the “big spectacular” moments we voted for in our Best VFX reel are included (it’s a little odd how nothing from “Hardhome” appears, given how special effects-heavy that episode was). It just goes to show how much CGI is in every episode that we don’t even notice.

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