George R.R. Martin began writing what would become his epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire in 1991, intending it initially as a trilogy. The first book, A Game of Thrones, was published in 1996. HBO optioned the rights to produce a TV adaptation in 2007. They filmed a pilot in 2009 and ordered the first season in 2010. The show has been a major critical and commercial success for HBO, with subsequent books and seasons of the TV series continuing the complex stories of the characters and their struggles for power in the fictional world of Westeros.

1. He began writing very young and he used to sell monster stories
to other children in the neighbourhood for pennies.
His first professional sale was made in 1970 at the age of 21. He
then did a degree and masters degree in Journalism. George
then went on to teach journalism while writing part time.
In 1979 George became a full time writer then in 1986 he
moved to hollywood and started writing for ‘Twilight-Zone’ at
CBS. In 1987 he became executive story consultant for ‘beauty
and the beast’ at CBS, becoming the co-supervising producer by
1989.
George R. R. Martin believes the most profound influences to be the ones experienced in childhood.
Having read H. P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, J. R. R. Tolkien, Robert A. Heinlein, Eric Frank Russell, Andre
Norton, Isaac Asimov, Fritz Leiber, and Mervyn Peake.
Martin is widely credited with broadening the fantasy fiction genre for adult content.

2. The books which Martin has or will be released are named as
listed, with dates:
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•
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A Game of Thrones (1996)
A Clash of Kings (1998)
A Storm of Swords (2000)
A Feast for Crows (2005)
A Dance with Dragons (2011)
The Winds of Winter (forthcoming)
A Dream of Spring (forthcoming)
Genre and purpose
The genre intended for game of thrones is based and mixed around large scale, medieval, fantasy novels… These
usually have lots of characters with a storyline which progresses, such as Daenarys Targaryen starting out as a
young woman being sold into marriage then becoming a leader of an army fighting to retake her rightful throne or
Jon Snow a bastard son of Ned Stark who becomes a member of the nights watch and follows the story of him
become the Lord Commander.
As the story progresses more magical, mystical events start to happen and then the medieval side of the story
with swords, castles and crusades give the show the intended, overall look.

3. HBO is an American premium cable and satellite television network that is owned by Home Box Office Inc., an
operating subsidiary of Time Warner.
HBO bought an option on the television rights to George R.R. Martin's novel series A Song of Ice and Fire in January
2007, with David Benioff and D.B. Weiss attached as show runners. Development of the project and the writing of a
pilot script was delayed due to the Writer's Guild of America strike in late 2007. HBO exercised its option to buy the
television rights in September 2008 and ordered a pilot in November of that year, which was produced in OctoberNovember 2009. The pilot episode was filmed in Northern Ireland and Morocco in October and November 2009.
After viewing the pilot, HBO ordered a full season of 10 episodes in March 2010, with a view to begin airing the series
in Spring 2011.
HBO have now released three seasons and in April they will be broadcasting the fourth season.
Previous Work
Previous work which HBO have broadcasted has been Rome which was aired from 28 th August 2005 until 25th March 2007 after two seasons.
This show is based on the 1st century BC, during Ancient Rome’s transition from Republic to Empire.
The series primarily chronicles the lives and deeds of the rich, powerful, and historically significant, but also focuses on the lives, fortunes,
families, and acquaintances of two common men: Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo.

4. David Benioff was sent a collection of the first four novels in the series (A
Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords and A Feast for
Crows) by George R.R. Martin's agent. Benioff became a big fan of the
books and invited his friend D.B. Weiss to develop the project with him for
a screen adaptation. They initially considered a movie adaption, but
realized this would mean losing most of the plot and characters from the
books. They met with George R.R. Martin and spent several hours
discussing the project. Martin was impressed with their enthusiasm and
that they had already worked out the resolutions to several key mysteries
in the books. He agreed with them that the series was a good fit for the
cable company HBO to be filmed as a TV show.
Game of Thrones is now the 2nd biggest TV show ever to be aired on HBO and is following cloesely behind The
Supranos which is the top rated show ever on HBO.
Form and Style
The mise en scene of the show is very lavish and the use of locations internationally make it very high in production values, almost like a
Hollywood film such as The Lord of the Rings. The style of the show is also set as a medieval like world with fantasy building up further into
the story which is captured with scenes shot in or edited into castles or forts. This makes the show very unique because there isn’t a show
around which has the mix of medieval, fantasy and such vast character story lines in as Game of Throne’s does and in my opinion this is
what allows it to have such a high fan base.
Game of Thrones lasts around 50 minutes each episode with 10 episodes per season with an episode playing once a week.
The CGI used in the show are to create some battle scenes, the direwolves of the starks and the dragons which Daenarys Targaryn has.

5. Contains spoilers ;)

6. In 1991 George R. R. Martin began to write what would eventually turn into his epic fantasy series, A Song of
Ice and Fire. The A Song of Ice and Fire franchise is inspired by the Wars of the Roses and Ivanhoe.
Before A Game of Thrones, Martin had started out writing a Sci-fi novel
called Avalon. After a few chapter in he realised that he had a much bigger,
very different idea which would make a much better, longer story and
changed the genre to a fantasy. So he started to draw maps and genealogies
to help map out the story line/world/characters within the story.
Initially Martin planned on creating a trilogy which he showed to his agent
after writing up 200 pages and a two page story projection, this was its
original purpose.
On the 6th of August 1996 A Game of Thrones was released.
The first book named A Game of Thrones which was released in 1996 but
didn’t do as well as the publishers had planned it would.

7. A Clash of Kings picks up the story where A Game of Thrones left off. The Seven
Kingdoms are plagued by civil war, the Night's Watch mounts a reconnaissance in
force north of the Wall to investigate rumours of wildling activity, and in the
distant east, Daenerys Targaryen continues her quest to return to the Seven
Kingdoms and claim her birth right.
A Storm of Swords picks up the story where A Clash
of Kings ended. The Seven Kingdoms is in the grip of
the War of the Five Kings, with Robb Stark, Balon
Greyjoy, Renly, Joffrey and Stannis fighting to secure
their crowns, although Renly Baratheon has already
been killed. Stannis Baratheon's attempt to take
King's Landing has been defeated by the new
alliance between House Lannister (backing Joffrey)
and House Tyrell, whilst House Martell has also
pledged its support to the Lannisters thanks to a
dynastic marriage. Meanwhile, a large host of
wildlings is marching on the Wall under Mance
Rayder, with only the tiny force of the Night's Watch
in its path, and in the distant east Daenerys
Targaryen is on her way back to Pentos in the hope
of raising the forces she needs to take the Iron
Throne.

8. A Feast for Crows picks up where A Storm of Swords left off and runs simultaneously with events
in the subsequent novel, A Dance with Dragons. The War of the Five Kings seems to be winding
down. Robb Stark, Joffrey Baratheon, Renly Baratheon and Balon Greyjoy are dead. King Stannis
Baratheon has fled to the Wall, where Jon Snow has become Lord Commander. King Tommen
Baratheon, Joffrey's eight-year-old brother, now rules in King's Landing under the watchful eye of
his mother, the Queen Regent Cersei Lannister. Lord Tywin Lannister is dead, murdered by his son
Tyrion during his flight from the city. Sansa Stark is in hiding in the Vale, protected by Petyr
Baelish, who has murdered his wife Lysa Arryn and named himself Protector of the Vale and
guardian of eight-year-old Lord Robert Arryn.
Dance with Dragons picks up where A Storm of Swords left
off and runs simultaneously with events in A Feast for
Crows. The War of the Five Kings seems to be winding
down. In the North, King Stannis Baratheon has installed
himself at the Wall and vowed to win the support of the
northmen to continue his struggle to claim the Iron Throne,
although this is complicated by the fact that much of the
west coast is under occupation by the ironborn. On the Wall
itself Jon Snow has been elected the 998th Lord
Commander of the Night's Watch, but has enemies both in
the Watch and beyond the Wall to watch for. Tyrion
Lannister has been taken by ship across the Narrow Sea to
Pentos, but his eventual goals are unknown even to him. In
the far east, Daenerys Targaryen has conquered the city of
Meereen, but has decided to stay and rule the city, honing
her skills of leadership which will be needed when she
travels on to Westeros. But Daenerys' presence is now
known to many in Westeros, and from the Iron Islands and
Dorne, from Oldtown and the Free Cities, emissaries are on
their way to find her and use her cause for their own ends.

9. HBO agreed to option the project in 2007 and active development of a pilot script began.
In October 2008 HBO exercised its option to buy the rights to the series and ordered a pilot episode a few weeks later.
Casting announcements were made throughout 2009, with Peter Dinklage the first actor formally announced for the
series. The pilot episode was filmed in Northern Ireland and Morocco in October and November 2009.
HBO officially greenlit the series on 2 March 2010. Filming of Season 1 began on 23 July. The season wrapped filming on
15 December. HBO later confirmed that the first season had a budget of $60 million. The first season aired on HBO on 17
April-19 June 2011, garnering critical acclaim and steadily rising ratings. HBO confirmed after the transmission of the first
episode that a second season had been commissioned.
Production of Season 2 began on 25 July 2011 and wrapped on 12 December. The budget for Season 2 was 15% higher
than Season 1, necessitated by the addition more ambitious effects sequences and the use of CGI creatures such as
direwolves and dragons. Also during that year on July 12th the 5th book of A song of Ice and Fire was released.
The second season aired from 1 April to 3 June 2012, garnering additional critical acclaim and increased ratings. By the
end of the second season, the show had become the third-most-successful series in HBO's history. The DVD and Blu-ray
set of Season 1 was released and immediately became HBO's fastest-selling media release in its history.
Production of Season 3 began on 10 July 2012 and wrapped on 24 November. Morocco was added to the filming roster
alongside Croatia, Iceland and Northern Ireland, with the complexities of filming requiring the addition of a third filming
unit to the existing two. An additional scene was shot in Los Angeles for safety reasons, meaning that Season 3 was
filmed in five separate countries on three continents. The season aired from 31 March to 2 June 2013. The penultimate
episode The Rains of Castamere won widespread critical acclaim for its shock twist ending. By the end of the season the
show had outdone True Blood as the second-most successful HBO show in the United States.
Production of Season 4 began on 8 July 2013 and concluded on 21 November. Production was more focused this season,
with only two units used and filming restricted to Northern Ireland, Iceland and Croatia. This was to allow more of the
budget to be concentrated on several major action and effects sequences late in the season.