July 14, 2017
Watch: Why Do We Keep Finding Ourselves Hooked on 'Game of Thrones'?
Throughout its six seasons, the fantasy epic has managed to keep us emotionally engaged for a few important reasons.
[Note: GoT season six spoilers ahead.]
Game of Thrones will be kicking off its seventh season this Sunday on HBO, cementing its place as one of the greatest television series of all time. The show has certainly been revolutionary in a number of ways, but when you examine its success, it’s one of the most traditional writing fundamentals that really contributes: Those writers sure know how to craft a scene.
As Robert McKee defines in his classic screenwriting book Story, “A scene is a story in miniature…no matter locations or length, a scene is unified around desire, action, conflict, and change.” In the case of Game of Thrones , a single scene can come to define the plotline for an entire season. Lessons from the Screenplay’s video essay first highlights last season’s reunion of Jon Snow and Sansa Stark as an example.
Source: NoFilmSchool