David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the creators of Game of Thrones, are back with a new project — a Netflix adaptation of the science fiction novel The Three-Body Problem. It involves secret science program, aliens in a distant solar system, and a video game depicting civilization’s cycles.
While fans are excited to see what they will bring to the table this time around, there’s also a lingering skepticism about how they will handle the adaptation (especially considering the widely criticized ending of Game of Thrones).
Game of Thrones Creators Share Every Creative Responsibility Except Writing
In a recent interview with The Hindu, David Benioff revealed that he and D.B. Weiss share all creative responsibilities except for the actual writing itself. They split most duties — casting, writing, and making decisions — more or less equally.
Each person contributes notes and edits to the other’s work. This approach, according to Benioff, leads to arguments, with the most “passionate” person usually winning. Look at his quote below:
“So when Dan and I did Game of Thrones, we just did everything together. The only thing we don’t do together is the actual writing part! Say, if we’re writing an episode together, we decide ahead of time who gets the first half and who gets the second half. Every now and then, if there was like a big battle scene or some big kill on Game of Thrones, and we both wanted it, then arguments would arise on who got to write the last half of the episode. But other than that, once we finish writing the episodes, we pass them back and forth, and I’ll make notes on Dan’s half, and he’ll make notes on mine. When Alex joined us, we just kind of kept doing the same thing.”
This working style can encourage creativity and new viewpoints. Yet, it may also result in inconsistencies and a lack of a unified vision, particularly for a complex story like The Three-Body Problem.
Creators’ Flawed Creative Missteps Cost Them the 8th season of Game of Thrones
Benioff and Weiss’s collaborative process seems to lack a unified focus, which may have contributed to the decline in quality in later seasons of Game of Thrones.
The final season was criticized for its rushed plot and underdeveloped characters. Fans believe this was due to them running out of source material and not having a clear vision.
The showrunners’ focused more on their own ideas over a singular vision. This may have contributed to the uneven quality of later seasons of Game of Thrones.
While collaboration is crucial in any creative endeavor, there’s also a need for clear direction for cohesive story. In successful shows like Breaking Bad or The Sopranos, there’s usually one person in charge to ensure consistency.
This doesn’t mean there’s no room for debate or input from other writers. But, having a final decision-maker keeps the story focused and avoids the pitfalls of a scattered creative process.
Watch Game of Thrones on HBO.
