Scorsese has nothing on D&D!

[Miodrag]

D&D more than deserved their chance to direct again. While I keep being disappointed in their writing, they’ve done a better directorial job than professional directors in previous episodes (in fact, I’d put only Alik Sakharov above them at this point). That horse chase was craftily filmed and edited, just like the Jaime-Locke scene with cuts to Brienne’s face that were really welcomed, and the opening funeral scene was also shot skillfully enough for my taste – yes, Edmure and Blackfish were written heavy-handedly and striped of the proper introduction (no unsullied viewer could realize that the guy who’s trying to hit the boat with arrows is actually the son and heir of the deceased), but it was filmed pretty effectively.

I even find the actors’ work in the last episode to be significantly better than usual, which could mean that either actors were more assiduous when D&D were leading the shooting, or that D&D’s devotion lead to the refreshing camera-work which resulted in a better footage with the same actors. For example, it was the first time that Emilia didn’t have to just stay there while other people are talking: in previous episodes, she’s practically always in the frame, whether she has anything to do/say or not, and it greatly undermines her screen-appearance. This time around, the camera wasn’t fixed on her all the time, nor on anyone else, really. Compare that to the negotiation scene in the first episode of the season, which was shot from like only two different angles, both of them showing Deny almost all the time. Or, compare the Theon’s chase scene, with the manticore scene: it looks like manticore scene was done in one take, while chase scene was filmed over and over again until the final result was good. Both action scenes, but so different they appear as coming from different shows.

Yes, D&D proved themselves capable directors. Now, if only they find a way to command/inspire/beg actors and directors to give their best even when two of them aren’t calling the shots on the set. And a way to much better scripts, of course.