What the New 'Game of Thrones' Teasers Reveal About Writing

We post a lot about Game of Thrones on No Film School. Aside from breaking news and trailers and other campaigns, I love taking a minute to dissect how HBO markets a show like Game of Thrones. I do that because I work in copywriting on the side and like to keep up with trends and ideas, but I also do it to help sharpen my screenwriting tools. 

But what can a screenwriter glean from one of the biggest marketing campaigns of all time? 

Breaking Down Game of Throne's Story Lessons 

Game of Thrones is a television show built on an endless story. Someone will always have to rule Westeros. As we learned in The Long Night, this story has been told before, but this time we have a new set of characters to follow. What I love about the driving force behind this narrative is that the story creates perpetual motion and drama. 

People always want power. 

So each episode and each season have their story driven by who wants the power. 

But what happens when those characters start working together - and what happens when a new threat enters that's even worse and scarier than the other characters? 

One of the lessons I think we can take away from Game of Thrones is that it finds many ways to circumvent the traditional protagonist v. antagonist setups. Game of Thrones is a show where you're rooting for a group of antagonists. Almost every character does the wrong thing at some point. We have fun watching these characters do that, but when they have to team up, as shown in this teaser, we get incredible tensions. 

The idea of "together" spews tension all over the screen because we know these characters are essentially enemies. These stakes keep pushing the boundaries and create scenes that keep millions coming back week to week. Writers need to think outside the box when building a story. Game of Thrones continues to make allies out of enemies and make tension drive the story forward. 

The other main idea I think people can take away from the Game of Thrones marketing is how they handle "the aftermath."

These tensions explode, but every season takes its time to show the implications of these explosions. 

Season eight appears to be built around the repercussions of such an explosion with the White Walkers. 

This final Game of Thrones teaser dictates the show's ability to make you think of the consequences of violence. So when you're writing your big set piece think about what happens when it's over. It's not just about who lives or dies, but how the world of the characters change as we push through the story. 

What does the aftermath contribute to your story? 

What lessons can your characters learn? 

How can the aftermath of a battle change your perception of who fought inside it? 

Use Game of Thrones to guide you. 

What's next? Which GoT character has the best odds to sit on the throne? 

We all know the biggest question in Game Of Thrones is who will end up on the Iron Throne. Now, BetOnline has released a list of who they think the odds on favorites are to sit on the Iron Throne at the end of Season Eight. The odds are favoring the usual suspects, but you can place your bets on lots of longshots too. 

Click the link and get your bets in before April 15th!