To celebrate the finale of Game of Thrones, we checked in with our very own Emmy Award-nominated DGC Ontario Director Jeremy Podeswa who generously shared his experience of Directing episodes on this behemoth production with us.
“Directing GOT had an enormous impact on my work as it is a show which challenges everyone to rise to the occasion and to try to reach the level of the master artists and artisans who are on the journey with you.
Now, after having stretched myself in so many ways, I feel a comfort with this level of production and complexity of storytelling that I know will go on to serve me on other projects. I’ve also gained a deeper understanding of the importance of collaborators and partners, and of what is achievable with the right combination of artists working together with a single purpose. This is something I’ve always known on some level but, when there is the kind of special alchemy that exists on something like Game of Thrones , even the seemingly impossible things become possible.”
On the biggest challenges of directing on a show that has already had made such a huge impression on the world
“Simply rising to the level of accomplishment that has already been established and then, hopefully, raising the bar. You are hugely abetted by the quality of the writing, the brilliance of the casting, and the high level of artistry of the entire creative team, but the challenge is always to absorb the DNA of the show into your bloodstream and then find your own way of telling the story and executing (with your own vision) the elements that are unique to your episodes. It’s a tall order, but if you approach it with the excitement of discovery (and not with fear) then it can be the most fun and exciting thing you can do.”
On what is it like to be part of a world-wide cultural conversation
“It’s fantastic and surreal at the same time. Being in a cafe in Florence or walking down the street in Bali, and hearing excited conversations going on about something you’ve directed is such a humbling experience. People have become so invested in the show, and the dialogue that it has generated is literally a world-wide one. It’s a genuine phenomenon. Having directed (spoiler alert!) the resurrection of Jon Snow and the destruction of the Wall, I know that I have been at the center of a pop culture conversation that is truly unique in the history of television and I’ll always be truly grateful for that.”
