Will the pilot air as the first episode, or will it be re-shot?

[SerJosh]

My definition of a pilot has always been "The first episode filmed". After the pilot, it is screened for producers, executive producers, and the like, so that they can figure out if anything needs to be changed or tweaked before airing, but after whatever tweaks, etc. are performed, the episode airs.

I'm aware that sometimes pilots are totally re-shot, but my belief was always that this was due to the writers, etc., deciding to approach the story or characters differently, or due to realizing that some of the actors cast might not be the best choices (such as the infamous original Star Trek pilot, and the lesser-known original Buffy pilot with Riff Regan as Willow).

However, a recent post, I think it was here or perhaps on Winter is Coming, said that this pilot is using sets and props from a different production so that they can show HBO what this series will be like with the actors and script, but after shooting this pilot will shoot the series proper, seemingly meaning that they would build original sets and re-shoot the pilot episode to fit the rest of the series.

Am I wrong to think that? Will this pilot, assuming the producers stick with the cast they have now, be the one that airs?

[Halfhand]

It is all speculation but based on reports from the Your Highness set and the fact that Thrones will be filming immediately after Highness wraps, it seems likely that they will use at least some of the same sets, props, what-have-you. This led to the belief that once the pilot was finished filming and HBO decided to go ahead with the series, they would build their own custom sets and reshoot most of the scenes on them.

Also, it is possible that they could keep the Highness sets and use them as the permanent sets. I mean, Your Highness isn't going to be needing them after they finish filming, so maybe HBO worked out a deal with Universal and is getting the sets for cheap. They'll make a few minor changes to them to make them look more Westeros-like and just use that for the first season.

Even if they do that though, they may still need to re-shoot certain scenes for whatever reason. But I suspect that at least some of the footage they shoot in Oct will make it's way into the actual first episode.

[Andhaira]

I'm pretty sure the pilot will be the first episode. The tricky part is when it will be shown. When the series is greenlit (which I am confident it will) it will take a long time to film the first season. It will most likely air in 2011. So thats a long time to wait for the pilot.

I hope its (deliberately) leaked.

[Silverstar]

I guess, depending on how long it is between the filming of the pilot, and the filming of the actual series, they may, at least, need to refilm some of the scenes with the young children (Bran, Rickon, possibly Arya). Children can change an awful lot quite quickly at that age, and it would be a bit odd for them to look a lot older in the second episode than the first, considering it's supposed to take place very shortly afterwards.

[theMountainGoat]

Very shortly after in this case being the next day of course.

Otherwise it would be a case of, so Bran yesterday you fell from a tower and broke both your legs. It must have been even more traumatic than we thought, it looks like you aged a year and a half.....

[Song of Roland]

Well for the unaired Trueblood pilot, there was a different actor playing the role of Tara.There was also a scene cut out that was short but important to the storyline and is still listed in the synopsis but never aired.