Just ten months to go, guys.

Production prep for Game of Thrones’ fifth season is in full swing, and the director’s chair will be receiving some new blood. As was reported by Winter Is Coming, director Michael Slovis will be taking on the first two episodes of season five. Slovis has an impressive resume of cinematography work, but has shifted more toward directing in recent years. His directing credits include Breaking Bad, Law and Order: SVU, Elementary, Chicago Fire, and CSI.

It may seem like a bold move to give the season opener to someone new to the series, but looking through Slovis’ past work, I think the premiere’s in good hands. I recall one of his episodes of Breaking Bad (“Confessions”) as being particularly good. I’m intrigued to see what he brings to the screen.

Granted, Westeros is a rather different world than the contemporary settings Slovis has typically worked with. He was asked about this during a recent Q&A at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and responded that his approach to directing is equally applicable to fantasy.

The methodology, the method is the same, it really is. You’re looking for an honest, not precious, not put-upon way of portraying the scene. The way that every one of the film sets that I direct runs is…You come in, and you read the material, as a group. Then we put it on its feet and […] you just guide actors, you don’t tell them what you want and very often if you trust them, you’ll get something better than what you ever imagined in your head beforehand. So if you listen and work together — it’s the most collaborative part of the film-making process, is the director and the actor relationship.

Of course, none of this news will make April get here any faster, but such is life.

Previously in Game of Thrones

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