George R.R Martin Talks Game Of Thrones

In an interview with EW, Martin discusses the journey Game Of Thrones has gone on to make it from page to screen. In the following excerpts the author speaks about the changes that were made from the source material, casting, and why HBO was always the only home for the series.

On the reason he began the books after working as a screen writer forst..

“I had worked in Hollywood myself for about 10 years, from the late ’80s to the ’90s. I’d been on the staff of The Twilight Zone and Beauty and the Beast. All of my first drafts tended to be too big or too expensive. I always hated the process of having to cut.”

“I said, ‘I’m sick of this, I’m going to write something that’s as big as I want it to be, and it’s going to have a cast of characters that go into the thousands, and I’m going to have huge castles, and battles, and dragons.”

The books are pretty graphic. There is a very good reason why we will be seeing them make the transition to the small screen via HBO..

I knew it couldn’t be done as a network television series. It’s too adult. The level of sex and violence would never have gone through. I said, “The one way this could be done is by HBO.” And when I met with David and Dan, we had the same ideas. When I left, I thought I was in good hands.

The show has a terrific cast, with Sean Bean leading as Ned Stark. How did all of that come about?..

Sean Bean [as "King's Hand" Sir Eddard Stark] and Peter Dinklage [as the queen's trouble-making "imp" brother, Tyrion Lannister] were our first choices. It’s amazing we were able to get them.

And finally, on the changes made in the adaptation process. Something many fans obsess over..

There are changes, but I’m not sure how many of them are important. Like in the sets. The High Hall in the Eyrie, the one I described was long and rectangular with columns, and the one they built is round with curving staircases up. I had the Moon Door in the wall; they had the Moon Door in the floor. I know they tried, but they were not able to do the purple eyes for the Targaryens. You can do colored contact lenses, but that’s difficult for the actors and doesn’t always look right anyway. I have some great fans, but some of them get a little obsessive about things like that and are going to go crazy. But I’ve worked in Hollywood too long to worry about things like that. I’ve been on the other side of the process.

Pity, I actually would have liked the purple eyed Targaryens! But what can ya do. The show looks fantastic. If you haven't seen the first 14 minute preview check it out Here. Game Of Thrones premiers April 17th on HBO