What is House of the Dragon: The House That Dragons Built about? Everything we know about the documentary
House of the Dragon: The House That Dragons Built is a web documentary series about the making of the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon. The documentary series gives viewers glimpses into what went on behind the scenes of the series.
House of the Dragon: The House That Dragons Built has interviews with the cast and crew and information about the filming of each episode along with the filming locations. It chronicles the journey of the cast and crew across four countries for the four-month production of House of the Dragon.
The interviews look at the challenges faced by the cast and crew while they set up the stage and brought to life the locations in George R. R. Martin's books.
The ten-part docuseries began releasing episodes on August 22, 2022, with the final episode releasing on October 23, 2022. House of the Dragon: The House That Dragons Built is currently available to stream on HBO Max.
What challenges did the crew face during production?
During the production of House of the Dragon, the crew faced several challenges including the fire they had to show in one of the locations.
1) The burning at Harrenhal
Harrenhal was one of the central locations in the series and the creators aimed to realize George R.R. Martin’s vision for this grandiose castle. They borrowed elements from old churches and cathedrals to give Harrenhal an air of gravitas.
The CG recreation of the castle showcased shattered pillars and crumbling stones, emphasizing its legend. The crew built Harrenhal’s throne room inside a green screen soundstage by re-purposing the Red Keep’s set.
However, the burning scenes posed challenges as they involved dragons, fire, and destruction. The team had to ensure that fire effects were visually effective while maintaining the safety of the sets. It also required meticulous planning to coordinate practical fire and visual effects and the actors' performances. It was hard to achieve realism without compromising the safety.
2) Island Filming Challenges
For scenes on an island, the crew faced logistical challenges as it took them two weeks just to transport equipment to the island. Set designers had to arrive a week early to prep the location. They also built a stone platform jutting into the sea, essential for a Velaryon burial tradition depicted in one of the episodes of the spin-off.
3) The Iron Throne
The throne in House of the Dragon is bigger than the iconic throne of swords from the flagship series. It features more swords cascading from the throne and down the steps, adding to its imposing presence. In the books, the iron throne is described as a hulking asymmetric mass of twisted swords, with a steep iron staircase.
However, practically filming on such a throne seemed challenging due to the height limitations. Therefore, instead of following the original description, warped melted swords were placed along the staircase in the series.
How many episodes are there in House of the Dragon: The House That Dragons Built?
House of the Dragon: The House That Dragons Built has 10 episodes exploring the making of the first season of House of the Dragon. Each episode explores the behind-the-scenes and the logistics of its corresponding episode in House of the Dragon.
The titles of all ten episodes are as follows:
Episode 1: The Heirs of the Dragon
Episode 2: The Rouge Prince
Episode 3: Second of His Name
Episode 4: King of the Narrow Sea
Episode 5: We Light the Way
Episode 6: The Princess and the Queen
Episode 7: Driftmark
Episode 8: The Lord of the Tides
Episode 9: The Green Council
Episode 10: The Black Queen
Who are some of the key crew members featured in the documentary?
Several crew members are featured in the docu-series House of the Dragon: The House That Dragons Built including the directors of the House of the Dragon. While Clare Kilner directed five episodes, Geeta Vasant Patel, Miguel Sapochnik, and Greg Yaitanes each directed three episodes with Alan Taylor directing two episodes.
Andrij Parekh and Loni Peristere each directed one episode, adding their unique touch to the series. House of the Dragon: The House That Dragons Built also features interviews with the actors of the show.
House of the Dragon: The House That Dragons Built is available to stream on HBO Max.