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A new view for the show


Ser Monte

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I was just thinking how neat would it be to see the series in a PoV style. Basically instead of seeing it like a normal series, we see the show from the point of view (through the eyes) of the characters in the book at that point. What I mean is, we see Jon's chapters through a first person Jon view, and so on for all the characters. That way there would still be the suspense of not knowing what all that is around them like in the story. I'm not saying each episode is one person POV's either, but switch it for the point of the story.

I just think this would be kind of revolutionary on the small screen and help the series stand out. Admittedly it could be kind of confusing unless a subtitle was given at the bottom of the screen when a new PoV was adopted for the moment. Also I'm not greatly confident that I'd like to see something like this "tested" with this series since I want it to succeed.

There would still be actors for all the characters, however some wouldn't have their image shown on the screen as often. Some that would be greatly affected that I can think of would be Daenarys or Jon because we usually see their stories from their view and not through people around them. This would also allow us to experience the things that happen to each character more genuinely.

Do any of you think it is plausible or would work? It would be interesting to see tested but not to build a series around the idea without seeing how it would be received first.
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Sorry for the negativity, but that sounds like a campy Friday the 13th experience to me, POV shots reminds me of either 80's horror movies or narrative from FPS games. People would either expect something jumping out behind corners or think it a documentary if characters where walking POV style through Winterfell. Imagine all the exciting camera work you would loose with lack of cinematography. Imagine the disconnection you loose with the characters as you could not see their faces or emotions.
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It wouldn't work. First of all, it would be hell to shoot because you would have nothing but very long shots with no cut. It would bore the piss out of people because unless a POV shot is active or has action in it, you would get a very static image on the screen much of the time. Doing POV shots means you can't do anything with editing and editing is often used to break up what would otherwise become a monotonous conversation scene. While some things in POV would look very dynamic, most of the movie would be static, and would become very boring.

I have seen things done this way and done well, but even then it is usually just a gimmick. The opening scene of "Halloween," the "flying eyball shot" from "Evil Dead 2." A really interesting episode of M*A*S*H* all from the POV of a soldier wounded in combat and brought to the unit to be operated on was maybe the best example of this ever done - but it was a single episode done as an experiment. It worked well for a single episode, but as an episode it was quite different, involving combat scenes, flying in the helicoptor to the M*A*S*H* unit and even watching the operation from the soldier's POV while the doctors are trying to save his life. It was 47 minutes of mostly action - you can't do an entire show like that all the time, there would be no story, no drama.
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I don't mind the negativity, I agree that it could make the series flat. However really in the books all we get is the conversations experienced from the PoV of the character in the chapter as well as descriptions as to what they physically see. There is no "in another place <this> was happening at the same moment". At the end of the day the thing that makes ASOIAF really amazing is the first-hand intrigue and piecing all the different perspectives together, just like a POV show would.

I agree that it can be campy (everything I've seen has been, although evil dead was on purpose). I'm unsure what the "lost" reference is for, I've never seen the show but I don't think they use first person shooting? Lastly like I said, I don't really wanna see them do it for this series, it would just be an interesting take for creating a show, especially since the book and story are designed to be told that way.

Also that mash episode was where I got this idea, it was really well done. I find when there is TOO much action you miss parts because they get the camera being dropped/shaky. If it was done I'd say that the camera would have to be stable like someones head and not wobbling/turning and missing all the action but seeing straight on to the faces of who the character is talking to along with cursory glances around their setting (just like how a person acts when they chat, they don't just glare at who they're chatting with unless things are intense and when they're in a new location, traveling or before/during a battle they look around to see what is going on).

Think of the killzone 2 trailer, kinda like that is what I envision. Still I'd like to see this story brought to life with an expansive standard view so you could see the characters reactions and the acting chops of the actors. Also I dislike the focused view of first person, at least for myself I'm usually aware of more than just a tunnel vision right in front of me, and I like to see the environment around a character. The "jump out factor" of PoV work is exciting but boring after a while.

lol @ the bedroom scene comment, never really thought of that. Its very true.
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We all need to remember that this is a translation for another medium and while restricted POVs work in books they would be dull and flat if used in TV. As someone else siad it would be fine for use in a battle to show how chaotic it is or perhaps in a vivid dream.
a better compromise would be like in lost, where an episode (used) to be focusing on one character. It's essentially POV but still allows for visual storytelling.
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  • 1 month later...
[quote name='Jesstadreamer' post='1684628' date='Feb 12 2009, 16.36']Did you mean something like "Lost?"

It might not be a bad idea if it were something to that effect, as I really think some of the series' charm has to do with the "gray" areas (not everything being black or white).[/quote]


I think what Jesstadreamer is means is how each episode is centered around a certain character, not first person view. I'd love for the show to be like Lost in that sense. In a way, I feel that is the only way they can do it, seeing how each chapter in the book centers around a single character. Lost and ASOIAF are very similar in that sense.
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[quote name='Blue' post='1723152' date='Mar 18 2009, 02.13']In a way, I feel that is the only way they can do it, seeing how each chapter in the book centers around a single character.[/quote]
It wouldn't work. POV style is fine for a book when you have 60 chapters (or whatever). Not when you have 12 episodes and 8 POV characters.
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[quote name='Padraig' post='1723528' date='Mar 18 2009, 05.18']It wouldn't work. POV style is fine for a book when you have 60 chapters (or whatever). Not when you have 12 episodes and 8 POV characters.[/quote]

Gah, I keep forgetting that HBO seasons are so short! Well, I guess what they probably will end up doing is splitting the book into twelve chunks, cut what they need, and add a little (if that screenplay leak I heard about on the forum is true about Tyrion and Jamie in a pub or something of the sort) i guess that would be the best way to do it, seeing as to how there will only be 12 or so episodes.
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[quote name='Blue' post='1723152' date='Mar 17 2009, 22.13']I think what Jesstadreamer is means is how each episode is centered around a certain character, not first person view. I'd love for the show to be like Lost in that sense. In a way, I feel that is the only way they can do it, seeing how each chapter in the book centers around a single character. Lost and ASOIAF are very similar in that sense.[/quote]
Reading the original post, I'm pretty sure he meant specifically "through the eyes" as he says. Anyway, the abbreviation POV is a technical term in film that means a shot is done as if "through the eyes" of a character. A POV shot is meant to express what a character sees. You show a character looking at something off screen, then cut to what he/she sees. An OTS shot is an "over the shoulder" shot, similar to a POV shot but you are literally looking over the shoulder of one character while he/she is looking at something or someone (often used in dialogue scenes).
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[quote name='Brude' post='1725105' date='Mar 19 2009, 02.54']Reading the original post, I'm pretty sure he meant specifically "through the eyes" as he says. Anyway, the abbreviation POV is a technical term in film that means a shot is done as if "through the eyes" of a character. A POV shot is meant to express what a character sees. You show a character looking at something off screen, then cut to what he/she sees. An OTS shot is an "over the shoulder" shot, similar to a POV shot but you are literally looking over the shoulder of one character while he/she is looking at something or someone (often used in dialogue scenes).[/quote]

Well this was my original idea, a la Evil dead floating eye without the wonky movements but instead talking to someone's face. However after thinking about it, it would be kinda neat if they instead just experienced all the situations that the character sees while stuff that we don't see in the book is only mentioned. This would cut costs.

Although to be honest, I'm one of those viewers who likes to see things as well as have them explained. So I'd love to see snippets (and not the random montage kind) of things like Robert's Rebellion when they talked about or see some of the fighting in the Riverlands before Robb enters battle. Stuff like that.
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  • 1 month later...

Each medium has its strengths and weaknesses. The transition from a book to television would inevitably and without question lose some things - so why do it at all? Because it could also gain some things. A series must capitalize on the strengths of the medium. This means that, although POV shots would be true to the books in some way, it would be wrong to restrict the medium in this manner. So I have to say no to this one, not because it's not an interesting notion that isn't appreciated, but because a variety of different shots would do the series much more good than this arbitrary restriction.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The books themselves aren't written in first person, so to use what would ultimately be a gimmick for the series would be quite off-putting.

That said, Brann's roof climbing / listening in to Jaime and Cerci scene would be absolutely beautiful in first person. So, using it as an occasional tool, sure. The entire series, nah.

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