TITANCON: Extras panel; Water Dancing with Syrio; Adapting the Book panel

Hear Me Roar: Alongside the large number of panels and other events on Saturday, a smaller panel with extras took place as well. Due to the busy schedule of the day, fewer people attended this one as the guest signing session ran at the same time. Chaired by Rimshot, whom we all know and we appreciate his comments on this site (*waves*), the panel consited of three Game of Thrones extras and Sam, who has experience as an extra in England.

The discussion was aimed at informing the public of how to become and extra and what it looks like to be one. Naturally, the conversation drifted towards GoT quite quickly. As you all surely know, the extras on the Northern Ireland part of the show were provided by the ExtrasNI agency. I had in mind to write that the extras are (one of) the unsung heroes, but luckily we just had a great interview with one of them, full of cool little details that complement this post.

The consensus was that being an extra is overall great fun, gives you a chance to see the workings of a production up close, and instills cameradery and a sense of belonging to a special group. Still, sleep deprivation, boredom from waiting, and extreme weather conditions often need to be braved. We had a survivor of the hurricane wind disaster in the audience (photo to the left), who escaped unscathed. Do you want an anecdote from the S2 filming? Okay, gather around. During the shooting of the aftermath of a battle (not Blackwater, but I won’t mention any names beyond that), some of the corpses were played by extras. One of them fell asleep, as it happens. No big problem, since he was supposed to be a corpse, if he hadn’t woken up and sat up startled during a scene! Either the CGI guys are going to have to do some overtime fixing that, or there is going to be a cool zombie soldier in the background for us to spot. If they kept the shot at all, that is.

And yes, Rimshot is still considering writing that book he once mentioned in the comments, his Memoirs of an Extra. I would definitely read that.

Fire and Blood: One of the more exciting moments of TitanCon had to be when Miltos Yerolemou leapt to the ballroom stage and proceeded to instruct the gathered gaggle in the art of water dancing—which is to say he became, for a moment, Syrio Forel, and woe to anyone who did not get to see that live.

(I’m hoping they bring Miltos in next year as well. I could not get any video. People, you need to see this!)

Miltos was aided by a number of victi—err, participants, including the Amazin’ Maisie Williams, “Lord” Jo, Joe “Get Joe On The Show” Campo, and a few others, all of whom were willing (and frequent) targets. Smoothness of step and precision of blade-point were drilled into the minds of participants and audience members alike, and we were treated to a rudiment lesson in “dramatic” (over-the-top) (or “stage”) fighting as well. It was great.

It’s probably not entirely coincidental that HBO cast the fantastic Yerolemou in a teacher’s role, because he is clearly comfortable in those shoes; long a stage actor, the indefatigable Miltos strode the stage willingly and with flair. It felt as though you were privy to a peek behind the curtain, so to speak. We were also treated to a number of Syrio-isms, some of which (I’m partly certain) he made up on the fly.

It was entertaining to say the least.

Finally: in our neverending quest to Always Support the Bottom, we here at WinterIsComing.net can never be accused of taking a momentous gathering like TitanCon lightly; no indeed, as it’s mid-October now and we’re still talking about the first day. (What, did you want it all at once?) Have no fear—we’re almost done…

… with Day One.

Lost in the archives that are my tricksy little MacBook Air’s video catalogue was this nearly-forgotten gem: The rumored and reclusive Adapting the Book panel!

See here in two parts (approximately 20 minutes in total) how various adaptation subjects were touched upon and discussed. The panel was moderated by the author Ian McDonald, and included Miltos Yerolemou, William Simpson, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Art Parkinson, and Kristian Nairn.

Part 1 starts (in the middle of) the question, “What prop would you have taken for yourself (to keep) from season one?” Which… alright, that has almost nothing to do with adaptation, but there you have it.

Part 2 gets into the meat of the question of adaptation.

Kristian Nairn’s stirring and heartfelt thank-you—essentially a love letter (in his own words) from Belfast to the production—was exceptionally moving. There were more than a few misty eyes at the end of that. It’s amazing how well the city has embraced this production, and take it from someone who roamed the streets: Belfast is proud of the fact that Game of Thrones found a home there. And nothing drove that home as much as Kristian’s humbled words.

Loved it. Next: Day 2 … perhaps!

• Published on 10/17/2011 at 4:00 AM CDT
• Last updated on 10/20/2016 at 6:03 PM CDT