The final version of the episode was apparently significantly rewritten by the producers.
Werthead Send a noteboard - 28/05/2012 12:10:58 PM
This happened a bit last year, when they inserted scenes such as Drogo killing Mago, into GRRM's episode. However, this year was a much more severe rewrite as the changing budgetary restrictions meant that had to keep rewriting the episode.
For example, originally they had no extra money so outlined the episode as a near-two-hander between Sansa and Cersei with people rushing in with battle reports. They realised this would be awful, so negotiated more money with HBO. GRRM then wrote a version of the episode with the effects toned right down, but I believe with several extra elements (the chain included, IIRC) retained.
The producers then rewrote THAT version with even the watered-down effects sequences reduced to not very much at all, a bit more than their original outline, but not much. Then they got the more money they had asked for and then (at the last minute) they got Neil Marshall to direct. Marshall, who is a master of taking tiny amounts of money and making it go a long, long way, was able to get more battle scenes out of the budget then they had planned for, so they then had to rewrite the episode again (on the eve of filming) to accomodate that.
So in short, whilst some of GRRM's script is in there, a lot of it is David Benioff and Dan Weiss. In particular, they have severely changed and weakened the Sandor/Sansa stuff throughout the whole series (something that I know GRRM was concerned about in the first season), so I'd be surprised if that scene wasn't written by them.
For example, originally they had no extra money so outlined the episode as a near-two-hander between Sansa and Cersei with people rushing in with battle reports. They realised this would be awful, so negotiated more money with HBO. GRRM then wrote a version of the episode with the effects toned right down, but I believe with several extra elements (the chain included, IIRC) retained.
The producers then rewrote THAT version with even the watered-down effects sequences reduced to not very much at all, a bit more than their original outline, but not much. Then they got the more money they had asked for and then (at the last minute) they got Neil Marshall to direct. Marshall, who is a master of taking tiny amounts of money and making it go a long, long way, was able to get more battle scenes out of the budget then they had planned for, so they then had to rewrite the episode again (on the eve of filming) to accomodate that.
So in short, whilst some of GRRM's script is in there, a lot of it is David Benioff and Dan Weiss. In particular, they have severely changed and weakened the Sandor/Sansa stuff throughout the whole series (something that I know GRRM was concerned about in the first season), so I'd be surprised if that scene wasn't written by them.
This message last edited by Werthead on 28/05/2012 at 12:12:36 PM
Game of Thrones - Season 2, Episode 9 - The Battle of Blackwater! (SPOILERS)
28/05/2012 01:36:41 AM
- 1321 Views
Awesome episode. *SPOILER*
28/05/2012 05:24:03 AM
- 971 Views
What was the best line of the episode?
28/05/2012 03:22:47 PM
- 878 Views
Re: What was the best line of the episode?
28/05/2012 03:33:01 PM
- 989 Views
Re: What was the best line of the episode?
28/05/2012 09:45:37 PM
- 938 Views
Is Martin now officially a whore?
28/05/2012 08:53:37 AM
- 1063 Views
The final version of the episode was apparently significantly rewritten by the producers.
28/05/2012 12:10:58 PM
- 888 Views
Hey, the chain! Did they mention it at all this year? I thought I recall someone asking me about it
31/05/2012 05:58:16 AM
- 1044 Views
Re: Hey, the chain! Did they mention it at all this year?
31/05/2012 08:12:57 AM
- 829 Views
Are the ratings good? I don't usualy follow that. I get the impression the show is fairly popular...
04/06/2012 04:31:17 PM
- 697 Views
I agree with all but the part about Joffrey
29/05/2012 10:51:56 AM
- 864 Views
Yeah, but he didn't even come into the equation in the books. He was a mere playing piece
31/05/2012 06:13:24 AM
- 884 Views
Re: Yeah, but he didn't even come into the equation in the books. He was a mere playing piece
03/06/2012 06:46:45 AM
- 791 Views
Really well done, maybe even the best this season
28/05/2012 01:56:38 PM
- 914 Views
Re: Really well done, maybe even the best this season
28/05/2012 04:18:39 PM
- 880 Views
They didn't need the chain with this version of things.
28/05/2012 06:01:08 PM
- 950 Views
This is a good example of a common sense TV revision.....
29/05/2012 03:32:25 AM
- 1085 Views
Re: This is a good example of a common sense TV revision.....
30/05/2012 09:54:17 AM
- 738 Views
It was during the day, late afternoon likely
29/05/2012 03:11:57 AM
- 896 Views
Yes, truly amazing episode, probably the best of the entire series so far!
28/05/2012 03:18:48 PM
- 804 Views
The guy who plays Stannis is phenomenal.
28/05/2012 04:36:51 PM
- 917 Views
When Stephen Dillane was announced to play Stannis, I was very concerned.....
28/05/2012 04:47:21 PM
- 907 Views
He and Tywin are the only two who have replaced my mental images of the characters.
29/05/2012 10:19:08 AM
- 914 Views
I liked this episode, but the battles were confusing and kind of a let-down.
28/05/2012 06:10:03 PM
- 914 Views
I haven't read the books, and the whole ending was quite a confusing sequence.
29/05/2012 03:44:29 AM
- 843 Views
Re: I haven't read the books, and the whole ending was quite a confusing sequence.
30/05/2012 09:58:26 AM
- 782 Views
But we, as viewers, are not soldiers; we're more like historians. Or gods, if you prefer.
30/05/2012 04:45:37 PM
- 756 Views
You're right, but I simply saw it as a way to work with their tight budget
31/05/2012 09:05:29 AM
- 782 Views
Re: But we, as viewers, are not soldiers; we're more like historians. Or gods, if you prefer.
03/06/2012 06:44:28 AM
- 615 Views