HBO's Game of Thrones: The Last Watch documentarian: I had to keep my work secret for two years

Variety

Jeanie Finlay discusses how she ended up filming the two-hour documentary -- and making longtime series extra Andrew McClay one of its main stars. "My films are known for their intimacy and finding unconventional characters," says Finlay. "I thought that trying to tell the story of 2,000 team members is just unfathomable. Then I thought about the way Game of Thrones is structured. It’s a big story in the larger world of Westeros but you learn it through key characters and focusing in on the personal. What I thought I need to do then is find the Seven Families, seven departments and then seven really great people and follow them through the final season." She adds: "I was given pretty much unfettered access. My main fear was that if there was a leak that it would come from me or my team. The documentary was also a secret. It was meant to be a surprise when it aired. So I didn’t tell anyone anything about what I was doing for two years. It was very overwhelming, trying to keep that secret. It’s very strange at first and then there’s all this relief. It meant that I could make the film without the pressure of fan expectations. I could really concentrate on doing the work. That’s a real luxury because the fanbase is both large and ardent *laughs*." As for McClay, she says, "sometimes you just get so lost in filming when you’re following someone who’s got real charisma or exactly what you need. It’s like time slows down and you’re watching the film already. I just absolutely knew. As soon as I’d filmed him, I said, 'I’ve found the heart of our film.'" ALSO: Meet the Minnesota couple who won a life-sized replica of the Iron Throne -- and put it in their backyard.