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'Game of Thrones' mastermind George R.R. Martin talks Blackwater, TV changes and playing favorites

'Song of Ice and Fire' scribe discusses his annual HBO episode

By Daniel Fienberg Wednesday, Mar 20, 2013 3:59 PM

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On Monday's (March 18) "Game of Thrones" premiere red carpet in Hollywood, I had short conversations with many of the show's stars.
 
You've already seen my interviews with Rose Leslie and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, which only ran around two minutes apiece.
 
Somehow, I ended up getting a meatier seven minutes with franchise author George R.R. Martin, which was good because the "Song of Ice and Fire" scribe was in a thoughtful mood, starting right off the top with a simple-silly question asking him to play favorites with the books in his series. 
 
In this conversation, Martin discusses the changing nature of TV from the more procedural-driven format he had to work in back in the '80s to its more serialized permutations now. He also talks about the pleasure of writing last season's "Blackwater" episode and seeing that epic battle brought to the screen. He also talks about what drew him to the episode he wrote in Season 3. 
 
It's a good chat.
 
"Game of Thrones" returns to HBO on Sunday, March 31.

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Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor
A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.
Related Searches: Interview, Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin, Blackwater

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  • Default-avatar

    Bunny Colvin

    Good interview, Dan! It was night to get a little more insight from him on why he chose his episodes to direct. As a fan of the books, I have a guess as to what episode 7 might be and that's exciting! Also, did you hear anything else about the possible release date of book 6? Thanks!

    March 20, 2013 at 4:31PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Default-avatar

      Bunny Colvin *nice

      March 20, 2013 at 4:32PM EST
    • Gizmo_bigger_talkback_profile

      dan Bunny - I heard him give the same answer about Book 6 to a couple reporters before me, so I just didn't feel like making him repeat it. He doesn't have a timetable for release and it's gonna be LOOOOOOOONG. Like 1500-pages...

      Daniel

      March 20, 2013 at 4:44PM EST
    • Default-avatar

      Bunny Colvin Cool, thanks Dan! And thanks for the warning that it will be a long book ... still working my way through book 5 but not in a hurry since there's no release date for book 6. I hope he's in good health and has written a good outline!

      March 20, 2013 at 4:49PM EST
    • Dwight-schrute_talkback_profile

      sauloccl Only 1500 pages? I highly doubt it. We(well, those who read the books)know when winter arrived, but how long is "winter" going to be?

      Let's face the truth: he won't be able to finish all these characters' stories with only two more books.

      And that's for me is the big problem: he's going to kill them all. His beard should be bigger, so he could say, like a khal: that's for every character that I've killed. I've never been defeated by fans' stupid wishes.

      March 20, 2013 at 6:15PM EST
  • Mr_burns_89_01_talkback_profile

    Jonas.Left

    As someone who devoured the Games books in less than a year, I don't like the idea he watches t.v. or does anything but write. I feel like a mother telling her son, "You can turn on the television AFTER you finish A Song of Ice and Fire." Hopefully it doesn't take the sort of event that convinced Stephen King to finish The Dark Tower series.

    March 20, 2013 at 4:49PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Annie8bit_talkback_profile

      Stormshadow4life I can 100% understand where you're coming from...but give this a read.

      http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/05/entitlement-issues.html

      March 20, 2013 at 6:00PM EST
    • Hitfix_talkback_profile

      Ricardo To put it simply: I don't care when the books come out as long as they do come out. They could be released 10 years from now. I don't mind. But to be so invested in a story and not have an ending would be... you know... bad.

      March 20, 2013 at 6:18PM EST
    • Mr_burns_89_01_talkback_profile

      Jonas.Left Well I did, I hope, leaven my comment with humor. I certainly agree with Gaiman's thoughts on the subject (its pretty damn hard to disagree with him on anything). I actually consider myself lucky that unlike early adopters of the series, I only had to wait a few months as, opposed to the better part of a decade. I guess in the way people smugly declare "first world problems" I declare "best selling author problems." If anything, I imagine its an ego boost that so many people are so impatient for his novels.

      Incidently, I'm reminded of a bit from Jon Stewart's stand up where he was talking about musicians using drugs as part of their creative process. He joked that no one would say an acountant would need heroin "to do the math." As much as I truly revere writers, the idea of taking six years to build a house or waiting for the inspiration to finish your reports for an office job wouldn't fly. Joe Lansdale, for one, seems as committed to the idea that writing is a job as he is to it being an art form.

      March 20, 2013 at 6:31PM EST
    • Dwight-schrute_talkback_profile

      sauloccl Great article, Stormshadow4life! Thanks for sharing!

      March 20, 2013 at 6:43PM EST
    • Mr_burns_89_01_talkback_profile

      Jonas.Left ... I only had to wait a few months for A Dance with Dragons.

      March 20, 2013 at 6:47PM EST
    • Dwight-schrute_talkback_profile

      sauloccl @Jonas.Left If you think about how complex his books are, six years don't seem that long.

      March 20, 2013 at 6:55PM EST
    • Mr_burns_89_01_talkback_profile

      Jonas.Left Don't get me wrong, I respect that the creative process is a personal thing, unique to each creator. I just think its interesting to juxtapose the standards for artists versus "normal" professions.

      SAULOCCL Fair enough. Still, all the books are dense with characters, mythology, interconnected storylines, geography, culture, and history. The rest of them didn't take six years.

      March 20, 2013 at 7:18PM EST
    • Default-avatar

      Temmink I find a lot of long form series start to feel rushed or subject to diminishing returns and I think it has to do with publishing deadlines and pressure from readers. That being said I do look forward to the next book and will probably drop almost anything I am reading when it arrives (which I rarely do) but I would rather the epic, richly detailed and intricately plotted version to anything he could spew out in 12 months like some other authors I have read.

      In case anyone didn't see this song
      'Write like the Wind'

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7lp3RhzfgI

      March 20, 2013 at 9:39PM EST
  • Annie8bit_talkback_profile

    Stormshadow4life

    Kind of mean...but I really hope he has a detailed outline for the last 2 books (like Robert Jordan did)....just in case

    March 20, 2013 at 5:59PM EST Reply to Comment
  • Hitfix_talkback_profile

    Ricardo

    Fantastic interview Dan!

    I just wish he would give priority to the books instead of the series. I'm not saying that's *all* he should do, but I'd hate for this epic and amazing story not to have an end.

    March 20, 2013 at 6:13PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Dwight-schrute_talkback_profile

      sauloccl George should ask his doctor to write an open letter to all the fans who think he's dying soon, mentioning that everything is ok, he is healthy and will live to finish the other two books.

      March 20, 2013 at 7:12PM EST
    • Hitfix_talkback_profile

      Ricardo XD

      March 20, 2013 at 7:35PM EST
  • Default-avatar

    Bruce

    Given the nature of the series/books, I was amused to see this event took place across the street from Hooters ;)

    Thanks for the interview. I enjoyed that he seemed to be taking it slow and giving thoughtful answers instead of just pushing a few rehearsed soundbites.

    March 20, 2013 at 6:42PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Mr_burns_89_01_talkback_profile

      Jonas.Left If Hooters existed in Westeros, they would be incredibly popular and Littlefinger would own the chain.

      March 20, 2013 at 7:05PM EST
  • Default-avatar

    osiskars

    I ended up looking at Lena Headey behind his back for the most part. She has a nice smile..

    March 20, 2013 at 8:59PM EST Reply to Comment

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