The VFX in Game of Thrones is consistently great for a TV show, with some scenes rivaling the very best of any visual medium. And this past season’s battle (or massacre) at Hardhome between the White Walkers and wights vs The Night’s Watch and the wildlings might very well be the best we’ve seen. At the very least, it’s the most visually impressive battle scene the series has given us given all the moving parts. Here’s how they made it.
The amount of work done to make everything just right is so, so impressive. The scene relies heavily on VFX and effects but because it’s done so well (and used so well, like to make the scale of the fight bigger) that it’s totally necessary.
Look how many things come together to perfect the smashing of a wight’s head:
Or the hilariousness of putting together a giant with a tennis ball (jokes aside, the full breakdown of the giant is probably the coolest thing in the video):
Here’s the full VFX breakdown of Hardhome from El Ranchito Imagen Digital: