Improve the intro

[age]

After reading this site for a while it's clear that most people have a similar opinion on the intro sequence for AGoT. The fantastic score, the panoramic map with the raising of towers showing you where the action is taking place in this episode. Put simply, it's bloody brilliant.

Still I think it could be even better. When I heard about the series one of the big questions for me was "how well would the richness of history that Westeros has be conveyed?" It was always going to be tough without narration, and on the whole I'm glad they didn't go down the narration route. I think the opening sequence should be the exception though.

I would love to see a brief background of a peice of the history of Westeros at the beggining of each episode over the existing intro. It would need to be well delivered (preferably by a well known voice), end just before the opening sequence ended, and wouldn't want to drown out the music, but I think it would add so much to the series for those that haven't read the books.

For example.

• 
  
• Episode one could account a brief history of House Stark (from the kings of the North, to Brandon the Builder, to Eddard joining Roberts rebellion)
  
• Episode two could cover the rise of the Targaryens (from the coming of Aegon the conquerer to the formation of the seven kingdoms)
  
• Episode three could cover the strange way the seasons change in Westeros (explaining that they aren't fixed, winters sometimes last a decade, explain the role of maesters in delcaring a season over)
  
• Episode four could cover the raising of the Wall (from the coming of the Others and raising of the Wall to the formation of the Night's Watch)
  
• Episode five could cover the history of House Lannister
  
• Episode six could (generically) cover the rebellion and the formation of Robert's rule
  
• Episode seven could cover the history of House Baratheon
  

And so on. I'm sure you could find enough material in the history of Westeros to talk for one and a half minutes every episode.

I raise this is because I've been watching the series with people that haven't read the books, and I'm spending a ton of time explaining things to them. I think the story stands on it's own without knowing alot of this stuff, but giving them a background of the world and what has happened in the past has been a huge help in getting them immersed in the world, and ultimately the story. I realise it's a bit late for suggestions like this (dvd/blue ray extra's perhaps? ;)) but I think it would add a huge amount for the average joe that was thrown in the deep end without anyone to help them.

Anyway just throwing it out there.

[Captain Tripps]

That kind of stuff is better given to the audience thru exposition (during sex of course) or thru the various viewing guides HBO has created. Hopefully they'll include something like that in an interactive form on the DVDs.

Trying to add a voice over during the opening credits, while still playing music and panning from location to location, is jut going to render it confusing and cluttered. You start getting into the studio cut of David Lynch's Dune.

[Podrick + Arya = Win]

I think backstory is more important to book readers and bringing it to a visual form in a condensed time is problematic. Just look at how much trouble Peter Jackson and co had in making storyboards and voiceovers for the prologue scene in LOTR:Fellowship (which in the end turned out to be one of my favourite sequences in the movies).

Your idea is good, but in some ways it also interferes with the flow of the story in that instead of giving a recap we're taken into a totally different tangent.

Anyway, the intro movie for GoT is kickass. Best I've seen on TV.

[They_China_Food]

I had two ideas for the opening credits before I learned what they'd really look like.

The first was a collage of images relevant to the show (house banners , battles, dragons, etc.) being dissolved over the camera slowly panning up the Iron Throne.

The second (and the one I like better) is showing the Throne, and behind it a tapestry of Westeros. Close in on the tapestry, and begin a little shadow-play on it of the events of Robert's rebellion, beginning with Rhaegar's "kidnapping" of Lyanna, and ending with Eddard finding Jaime seated on the throne.

[Bahimiron]

Don't change a thing. Just keep updating us on locations. GoT's intro could be the best I've seen on TV since Carnivale. It ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Ran]

The documentary intros to The Pacific were informative but gave the whole thing the veneer of a droning history teacher ("Bueller? Bueller?") and negatively impacted its reception by fans and critics. So, no, I don't think this is an improvement at all.

[Bahimiron]

Perhaps next year rather than a map of Westeros the camera could slowly and dramatically pan over a beautifully animated rendering of Walder Frey's family tree.

[Delta1212]

Please, please don't do voiceovers in the credits. If you want to know why this isn't a fantastic move in practice, watch the expository bit of Firefly's opening where Book gives a voiceover history of the show's universe. I cringe every time I sit through it.

Unless you're doing a documentary or do something special with your voiceovers (see: Arrested Development and Dexter for good examples of shows that manage to pull off voiceover narration) it's just going to wind up being clunky. It's very, very difficult to do in a way that doesn't detract from the quality and immersion of the work.

I much prefer the very subtle use of the sigils to tell a brief history of Westeros that they currently have in the open, and I wouldn't be averse to more of a Bayeux tapestry style history dump in the credits, just please don't narrate over it.

[Kaitscralt]

My only suggestion is to stop showing Winterfell in episodes without Bran. :thumbsup:

[K-Raptor]

Perhaps next year rather than a map of Westeros the camera could slowly and dramatically pan over a beautifully animated rendering of Walder Frey's family tree.

But that will make the intro 1 hour long :worried: I think they should just update it with the new locations (Dragonstone, Pyke etc.). I also think it would be cool if they show where the wars are being fought. I had this idea of having the Kraken rising out of the sea near the Iron Islands and have it extend its tentacles to the places the Greyjoys are conquering (Deepwood Motte for example).

But they should definitely keep it in the same style. The intro for this series is one of the best I've ever seen.

[Abaddon]

The intro would be far more engaging if the map of Westeros were tattooed on the naked body of Ros. Seriously, naked Ros, boring inside of a sphere... naked Ros... how hard can this be?

[Podrick + Arya = Win]

But that will make the intro 1 hour long :worried: I think they should just update it with the new locations (Dragonstone, Pyke etc.). I also think it would be cool if they show where the wars are being fought. I had this idea of having the Kraken rising out of the sea near the Iron Islands and have it extend its tentacles to the places the Greyjoys are conquering (Deepwood Motte for example).

But they should definitely keep it in the same style. The intro for this series is one of the best I've ever seen.

That's a very good suggestion.

[Phostopheles]

The intro would be far more engaging if the map of Westeros were tattooed on the naked body of Ros. Seriously, naked Ros, boring inside of a sphere... naked Ros... how hard can this be?

Implying Ros is more than just the main character of the series. I approve.

The only change I think is NECESSARY would be slapping an Arryn sigil on the Eyrie. Seriously, why the hell did the Twins get a Frey symbol while the Eyrie got nothing? Dying houses should be given just as much prominence as upcoming houses as far as geography is concerned.

[jellydonut]

Voiceovers? Sheesh dudes. SHEESH.

Have you guys watched Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles?

Lena Headey got the dubious honor of delivering voiceovers during the first season. It was cheesy as all hell.

They went away from it after a while though, at least in S2 if not before then.

Firefly is a good example too.

My only suggestion is to stop showing Winterfell in episodes without Bran. :thumbsup:

They have to keep it to keep the length correct. Perhaps in S2 there will be so many locations each episode they won't have to use 'filler locations' in the intro. :cheers:

My only suggestion for the intro: pan a little more over the ground on the way to Vaes Dothrak (next season Qarth) to make the distance more obvious. Before I saw the other maps, I had no idea Vaes Dothrak and Qarth were THAT FAR AWAY from the Free Cities.

[Smog]

I had never even heard of sexposition before this series. I'm a 31 year old man with no negative thoughts about Ros or her tits.

In regards to improving the intro, I imagine the intro will look a hell of a lot similar only with relevant destinations rather than irrelevant ones.

edit : Wtf is wrong with the start credits? I thought they were pretty epic first time I saw them but then, like any other series I fast forward to the start of the episode.

[Smog]

After reading this site for a while it's clear that most people have a similar opinion on the intro sequence for AGoT. The fantastic score, the panoramic map with the raising of towers showing you where the action is taking place in this episode. Put simply, it's bloody brilliant.

Still I think it could be even better. When I heard about the series one of the big questions for me was "how well would the richness of history that Westeros has be conveyed?" It was always going to be tough without narration, and on the whole I'm glad they didn't go down the narration route. I think the opening sequence should be the exception though.

I would love to see a brief background of a peice of the history of Westeros at the beggining of each episode over the existing intro. It would need to be well delivered (preferably by a well known voice), end just before the opening sequence ended, and wouldn't want to drown out the music, but I think it would add so much to the series for those that haven't read the books.

For example.

• 
  
• Episode one could account a brief history of House Stark (from the kings of the North, to Brandon the Builder, to Eddard joining Roberts rebellion)
  
• Episode two could cover the rise of the Targaryens (from the coming of Aegon the conquerer to the formation of the seven kingdoms)
  
• Episode three could cover the strange way the seasons change in Westeros (explaining that they aren't fixed, winters sometimes last a decade, explain the role of maesters in delcaring a season over)
  
• Episode four could cover the raising of the Wall (from the coming of the Others and raising of the Wall to the formation of the Night's Watch)
  
• Episode five could cover the history of House Lannister
  
• Episode six could (generically) cover the rebellion and the formation of Robert's rule
  
• Episode seven could cover the history of House Baratheon
  

And so on. I'm sure you could find enough material in the history of Westeros to talk for one and a half minutes every episode.

I raise this is because I've been watching the series with people that haven't read the books, and I'm spending a ton of time explaining things to them. I think the story stands on it's own without knowing alot of this stuff, but giving them a background of the world and what has happened in the past has been a huge help in getting them immersed in the world, and ultimately the story. I realise it's a bit late for suggestions like this (dvd/blue ray extra's perhaps? ;)) but I think it would add a huge amount for the average joe that was thrown in the deep end without anyone to help them.

Anyway just throwing it out there.

[Smog]

I can just imagine you talking over the episode " Look in the book he growls when he says this, and his face is really more burned"

I could murder you with a boneless chicken wing. We will never be friends.

[GreyJackal]

Wouldn't change a thing personally....

[Todd Sand bastard of AZ]

Implying Ros is more than just the main character of the series. I approve.

The only change I think is NECESSARY would be slapping an Arryn sigil on the Eyrie. Seriously, why the hell did the Twins get a Frey symbol while the Eyrie got nothing? Dying houses should be given just as much prominence as upcoming houses as far as geography is concerned.

Sorry, this is off topic, and I don't see a private message option(new here). Where is your sig from, sir or madam? A fic?

[j52y]

I think the intro fulfills it's purpose very well. It situates the audience with where everyone is (mainly). Though, it'd be nice if they made the effort to try to show where characters are if they're not right by a big castle of city. But, that might be hard.