5 Things TV shows like Game of Thrones Tell Us About Showbusiness

5 Things TV shows like Game of Thrones Tell Us About Showbusiness 5 Things TV shows like ‘Game of Thrones’ Tell Us About the Entertainment Industry Image Source: iStockEVEN from the one-minute and 19 seconds of the trailer for season six of Game of Thrones, which landed in the social networks on February 15, 2016, it was possible to see how TV shows like Game of Thrones have become the most significant entertainment earners of all time.#GameofThrones returns 4.24.16https://t.co/WmTxQJJWzZâ€" Game Of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) February 15, 2016Within a day, the tweet announcing the shows return had been shared 20,000 times, Liked more than 16,000, and attracted uncounted thousands of replies along the lines of “OMG! Cant WAIT!”Nearly every new GoT-related item is guaranteed to start a firestorm of anticipation, speculation and debate on the social networks.It’s only  one indication of the global reach and intense interest enjoyed by GoT and  the most popular television series.This arena of anticipation has largely been created  by producers  utilising the best marketing strategies and sparing no expense in production values a nd salaries.It suggest  that while big numbers are there for the taking, even in  the face of an enormous ‘black market’ audience, investment must be of the  â€˜A’ list kind.Here are six remarkable things about the business behind this specific televisual phenomenon and other TV shows like Game of Thrones. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 1. Marketing That Shows But  Doesnt TellTHE GoT trailer aloneâ€"to say nothing of the show itselfâ€"is a masterpiece of suspense, for the initiated and those new to the show. It was  brimful of ‘hooks’, and answered nothingâ€"a huge show, dont tell hook.The trailer was  set  in  the Hall of Faces, first seen in season five. The camera panned over the death masks of characters from previous seasons, while the soundtrack echoed with chunks of their dialogue, including: “The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword”, “Ive won every battle but I’m losing this war”, “Show them how it feels to lose what they love”, “Everyone is mine to torment” and finally, “The long night is coming… and the dead come with it.”The big questions at the time were: What does all this mean? Are characters we thought were dead actually alive? Are those who were apparently alive, doomed?For the makers of any TV shows like Game of Thrones, this trailer is a masterclass in  how to build and grow  a television audience.2. High Production ValuesDATA  compiled by online statistics portal Statista (from USA Today, FinancesOnline, The Richest, E!, and What Culture), confirms that as of July 2015, GoT was the third most expensive US television show of all time, with HBO spending approximately $6m on each episode.Top US  TV Series by Production Cost per Episodeâ€" in Million US Dollars â€"Data source: Statista.comGoT was ranked third behind Friends ($10m) and Rome ($9m), and ahead of Boardwalk Empire ($5m), Deadwood ($4.5m), and, each costing $4m per episode, Fringe and Lost.It is difficult to say how much revenue GoT  has generated since its first season in 2011, but looking at the general data for TV shows like Game of Thrones, and the specific GoT average production cost of $60m for a series is a solid indicator that earnings have been astronomical.How else do we know this? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 3. Viewing figuresUNLIKE almost any other television series, the GoT audience has steadily grown throughout its history.For initial airings on HBO in the US, viewing figures in the US have grown from an average of 2.52m for season one, to 6.88m for season five. When all repeats and on-demand viewings are taken into consideration, the equivalent average gross audiences were 9.3m viewers per episode of season one, and even by season four this figure had grown to 18.6m, surpassing The Sopranos as the most-viewed HBO series on record.While season five was marked by dips immediately after the premiere, there is every reason to expect its average gross viewings per episode will at least equal that of the previous season.4. ‘A’-List SalariesDURING filming of season five, details emerged of a new “three-tier” deal that elevated some of the shows leading actors into the top flight of Hollywoods TV acting talent, with earnings of approximately $300,000 per episode.In October 2014, according to Michael Idato in The Sydney Morning Herald, while the US TV actors on TV shows like  Game of Thrones are signed to six-year contracts, pay increases came early for the GoT cast, ahead of the fifth season broadcast, and with the possibility of a sixth and even seventh season mentioned at that point.The so-called “A-tier” includes Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) and Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen). And the B tier includes Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) and Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell). Then there is everyone el seâ€"and for GoT  the cast per episode can number up to 30 characters.It has been speculated that George RR Martin, on whose fantasy novels GoT are based, and who is an co-executive producer and assistant scriptwriter for the series, has a net worth of some $50m.After Martin, the GoT actor with the most net worth is reckoned to be Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) with $10m; followed by Jack Gleeson (Joffrey Lannister), with $8m; Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), on $6m; Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), on $5m; Kit Harington (Jon Snow), $4m; Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), $3m; Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), $2m; Iain Glen (Ser Jorah Mormont), $1.6m; and Lene Headey (Cersei Lannister), $1.5m. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 5.  High Level of PiracyTHE popularity of GoT is also reflected in the inglorious fact that in 2015, for the second year in succession, it was the most pirated television show of the year. The piracy activity around TV shows like  Game of Thrones is phenomenal. GoT itself was downloaded 14.4m times last year; far ahead of the closest rivals for pirates attentions (The Walking Dead, 6.9m; and The Big Bang Theory, 4.4m).Industry efforts to stop the pirates have failed, so far, with even the HBO Now service (which saw HBO streaming all of its content to subscribers for $15 per month) making no impact whatsoever on illegal downloading of one of its hottest properties. If HBO or any company is investing even an average of $60m per season on a television programme, and paying top bracket salaries for acting talent, then the return on investment in terms of revenue must be colossal, even in the face of the  substantial revenue drain from 14.4m unlawful downloads.If success on this scale tells us anything, it is that  television companies will continue to play a central role in our lives for some time to come, with cinema-standard production values  and  elite acting talent increasingly likely to be the hallmark of the mos t successful productions. 5 Things TV shows like Game of Thrones Tell Us About Showbusiness 5 Things TV shows like ‘Game of Thrones’ Tell Us About the Entertainment Industry Image Source: iStockEVEN from the one-minute and 19 seconds of the trailer for season six of Game of Thrones, which landed in the social networks on February 15, 2016, it was possible to see how TV shows like Game of Thrones have become the most significant entertainment earners of all time.#GameofThrones returns 4.24.16https://t.co/WmTxQJJWzZâ€" Game Of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) February 15, 2016Within a day, the tweet announcing the shows return had been shared 20,000 times, Liked more than 16,000, and attracted uncounted thousands of replies along the lines of “OMG! Cant WAIT!”Nearly every new GoT-related item is guaranteed to start a firestorm of anticipation, speculation and debate on the social networks.It’s only  one indication of the global reach and intense interest enjoyed by GoT and  the most popular television series.This arena of anticipation has largely been created  by producers  utilising the best marketing strategies and sparing no expense in production values a nd salaries.It suggest  that while big numbers are there for the taking, even in  the face of an enormous ‘black market’ audience, investment must be of the  â€˜A’ list kind.Here are six remarkable things about the business behind this specific televisual phenomenon and other TV shows like Game of Thrones. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 1. Marketing That Shows But  Doesnt TellTHE GoT trailer aloneâ€"to say nothing of the show itselfâ€"is a masterpiece of suspense, for the initiated and those new to the show. It was  brimful of ‘hooks’, and answered nothingâ€"a huge show, dont tell hook.The trailer was  set  in  the Hall of Faces, first seen in season five. The camera panned over the death masks of characters from previous seasons, while the soundtrack echoed with chunks of their dialogue, including: “The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword”, “Ive won every battle but I’m losing this war”, “Show them how it feels to lose what they love”, “Everyone is mine to torment” and finally, “The long night is coming… and the dead come with it.”The big questions at the time were: What does all this mean? Are characters we thought were dead actually alive? Are those who were apparently alive, doomed?For the makers of any TV shows like Game of Thrones, this trailer is a masterclass in  how to build and grow  a television audience.2. High Production ValuesDATA  compiled by online statistics portal Statista (from USA Today, FinancesOnline, The Richest, E!, and What Culture), confirms that as of July 2015, GoT was the third most expensive US television show of all time, with HBO spending approximately $6m on each episode.Top US  TV Series by Production Cost per Episodeâ€" in Million US Dollars â€"Data source: Statista.comGoT was ranked third behind Friends ($10m) and Rome ($9m), and ahead of Boardwalk Empire ($5m), Deadwood ($4.5m), and, each costing $4m per episode, Fringe and Lost.It is difficult to say how much revenue GoT  has generated since its first season in 2011, but looking at the general data for TV shows like Game of Thrones, and the specific GoT average production cost of $60m for a series is a solid indicator that earnings have been astronomical.How else do we know this? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 3. Viewing figuresUNLIKE almost any other television series, the GoT audience has steadily grown throughout its history.For initial airings on HBO in the US, viewing figures in the US have grown from an average of 2.52m for season one, to 6.88m for season five. When all repeats and on-demand viewings are taken into consideration, the equivalent average gross audiences were 9.3m viewers per episode of season one, and even by season four this figure had grown to 18.6m, surpassing The Sopranos as the most-viewed HBO series on record.While season five was marked by dips immediately after the premiere, there is every reason to expect its average gross viewings per episode will at least equal that of the previous season.4. ‘A’-List SalariesDURING filming of season five, details emerged of a new “three-tier” deal that elevated some of the shows leading actors into the top flight of Hollywoods TV acting talent, with earnings of approximately $300,000 per episode.In October 2014, according to Michael Idato in The Sydney Morning Herald, while the US TV actors on TV shows like  Game of Thrones are signed to six-year contracts, pay increases came early for the GoT cast, ahead of the fifth season broadcast, and with the possibility of a sixth and even seventh season mentioned at that point.The so-called “A-tier” includes Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) and Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen). And the B tier includes Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) and Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell). Then there is everyone el seâ€"and for GoT  the cast per episode can number up to 30 characters.It has been speculated that George RR Martin, on whose fantasy novels GoT are based, and who is an co-executive producer and assistant scriptwriter for the series, has a net worth of some $50m.After Martin, the GoT actor with the most net worth is reckoned to be Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) with $10m; followed by Jack Gleeson (Joffrey Lannister), with $8m; Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), on $6m; Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), on $5m; Kit Harington (Jon Snow), $4m; Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), $3m; Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), $2m; Iain Glen (Ser Jorah Mormont), $1.6m; and Lene Headey (Cersei Lannister), $1.5m. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 5.  High Level of PiracyTHE popularity of GoT is also reflected in the inglorious fact that in 2015, for the second year in succession, it was the most pirated television show of the year. The piracy activity around TV shows like  Game of Thrones is phenomenal. GoT itself was downloaded 14.4m times last year; far ahead of the closest rivals for pirates attentions (The Walking Dead, 6.9m; and The Big Bang Theory, 4.4m).Industry efforts to stop the pirates have failed, so far, with even the HBO Now service (which saw HBO streaming all of its content to subscribers for $15 per month) making no impact whatsoever on illegal downloading of one of its hottest properties. If HBO or any company is investing even an average of $60m per season on a television programme, and paying top bracket salaries for acting talent, then the return on investment in terms of revenue must be colossal, even in the face of the  substantial revenue drain from 14.4m unlawful downloads.If success on this scale tells us anything, it is that  television companies will continue to play a central role in our lives for some time to come, with cinema-standard production values  and  elite acting talent increasingly likely to be the hallmark of the mos t successful productions. 5 Things TV shows like Game of Thrones Tell Us About Showbusiness 5 Things TV shows like ‘Game of Thrones’ Tell Us About the Entertainment Industry Image Source: iStockEVEN from the one-minute and 19 seconds of the trailer for season six of Game of Thrones, which landed in the social networks on February 15, 2016, it was possible to see how TV shows like Game of Thrones have become the most significant entertainment earners of all time.#GameofThrones returns 4.24.16https://t.co/WmTxQJJWzZâ€" Game Of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) February 15, 2016Within a day, the tweet announcing the shows return had been shared 20,000 times, Liked more than 16,000, and attracted uncounted thousands of replies along the lines of “OMG! Cant WAIT!”Nearly every new GoT-related item is guaranteed to start a firestorm of anticipation, speculation and debate on the social networks.It’s only  one indication of the global reach and intense interest enjoyed by GoT and  the most popular television series.This arena of anticipation has largely been created  by producers  utilising the best marketing strategies and sparing no expense in production values a nd salaries.It suggest  that while big numbers are there for the taking, even in  the face of an enormous ‘black market’ audience, investment must be of the  â€˜A’ list kind.Here are six remarkable things about the business behind this specific televisual phenomenon and other TV shows like Game of Thrones. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 1. Marketing That Shows But  Doesnt TellTHE GoT trailer aloneâ€"to say nothing of the show itselfâ€"is a masterpiece of suspense, for the initiated and those new to the show. It was  brimful of ‘hooks’, and answered nothingâ€"a huge show, dont tell hook.The trailer was  set  in  the Hall of Faces, first seen in season five. The camera panned over the death masks of characters from previous seasons, while the soundtrack echoed with chunks of their dialogue, including: “The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword”, “Ive won every battle but I’m losing this war”, “Show them how it feels to lose what they love”, “Everyone is mine to torment” and finally, “The long night is coming… and the dead come with it.”The big questions at the time were: What does all this mean? Are characters we thought were dead actually alive? Are those who were apparently alive, doomed?For the makers of any TV shows like Game of Thrones, this trailer is a masterclass in  how to build and grow  a television audience.2. High Production ValuesDATA  compiled by online statistics portal Statista (from USA Today, FinancesOnline, The Richest, E!, and What Culture), confirms that as of July 2015, GoT was the third most expensive US television show of all time, with HBO spending approximately $6m on each episode.Top US  TV Series by Production Cost per Episodeâ€" in Million US Dollars â€"Data source: Statista.comGoT was ranked third behind Friends ($10m) and Rome ($9m), and ahead of Boardwalk Empire ($5m), Deadwood ($4.5m), and, each costing $4m per episode, Fringe and Lost.It is difficult to say how much revenue GoT  has generated since its first season in 2011, but looking at the general data for TV shows like Game of Thrones, and the specific GoT average production cost of $60m for a series is a solid indicator that earnings have been astronomical.How else do we know this? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 3. Viewing figuresUNLIKE almost any other television series, the GoT audience has steadily grown throughout its history.For initial airings on HBO in the US, viewing figures in the US have grown from an average of 2.52m for season one, to 6.88m for season five. When all repeats and on-demand viewings are taken into consideration, the equivalent average gross audiences were 9.3m viewers per episode of season one, and even by season four this figure had grown to 18.6m, surpassing The Sopranos as the most-viewed HBO series on record.While season five was marked by dips immediately after the premiere, there is every reason to expect its average gross viewings per episode will at least equal that of the previous season.4. ‘A’-List SalariesDURING filming of season five, details emerged of a new “three-tier” deal that elevated some of the shows leading actors into the top flight of Hollywoods TV acting talent, with earnings of approximately $300,000 per episode.In October 2014, according to Michael Idato in The Sydney Morning Herald, while the US TV actors on TV shows like  Game of Thrones are signed to six-year contracts, pay increases came early for the GoT cast, ahead of the fifth season broadcast, and with the possibility of a sixth and even seventh season mentioned at that point.The so-called “A-tier” includes Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) and Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen). And the B tier includes Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) and Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell). Then there is everyone el seâ€"and for GoT  the cast per episode can number up to 30 characters.It has been speculated that George RR Martin, on whose fantasy novels GoT are based, and who is an co-executive producer and assistant scriptwriter for the series, has a net worth of some $50m.After Martin, the GoT actor with the most net worth is reckoned to be Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) with $10m; followed by Jack Gleeson (Joffrey Lannister), with $8m; Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), on $6m; Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), on $5m; Kit Harington (Jon Snow), $4m; Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), $3m; Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), $2m; Iain Glen (Ser Jorah Mormont), $1.6m; and Lene Headey (Cersei Lannister), $1.5m. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 5.  High Level of PiracyTHE popularity of GoT is also reflected in the inglorious fact that in 2015, for the second year in succession, it was the most pirated television show of the year. The piracy activity around TV shows like  Game of Thrones is phenomenal. GoT itself was downloaded 14.4m times last year; far ahead of the closest rivals for pirates attentions (The Walking Dead, 6.9m; and The Big Bang Theory, 4.4m).Industry efforts to stop the pirates have failed, so far, with even the HBO Now service (which saw HBO streaming all of its content to subscribers for $15 per month) making no impact whatsoever on illegal downloading of one of its hottest properties. If HBO or any company is investing even an average of $60m per season on a television programme, and paying top bracket salaries for acting talent, then the return on investment in terms of revenue must be colossal, even in the face of the  substantial revenue drain from 14.4m unlawful downloads.If success on this scale tells us anything, it is that  television companies will continue to play a central role in our lives for some time to come, with cinema-standard production values  and  elite acting talent increasingly likely to be the hallmark of the mos t successful productions.