Netflix’s adaptation of The Witcher was a huge hit when it debuted last year on the streaming platform: it picked up a second season order before it premiered, as well as a companion anime film and prequel series.
The show’s second season is currently back in production, and while we wait for it to debut, Netflix has dropped a surprise behind-the-scenes documentary to watch, Making The Witcher.
The Witcher has gotten some marketing featurettes in the last couple of months—actors reading from the book and a look into how they wrote the show’s earworm. But Making The Witcher is a rare behind-the-scenes look in this streaming age.
This particular documentary runs 30 minutes, and covers everything from casting to stunts, to the music, to adapting Andrzej Sapkowski’s epic fantasy story for television. For fans, it’ll be a good way to check in with the show and get a bit of insight into how the series came together.
There’s something to be said for the convenience of streaming services: no need to store boxes of DVD or BluRay discs somewhere in your home. But with streaming services, you’re largely just getting the film or TV series itself; no extra disc filled with hours of behind-the-scenes documentaries about costumes, stunts, storytelling, and so forth, not to mention no directors commentaries. These features might be extra, but they’re fascinating to watch for cinephiles and budding filmmakers—they’ve certainly inspired many people to pick up a camera over the years.
That does seem to be changing a bit. Earlier this year, Disney launched an extensive behind-the-scenes series called Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, which delved into a number of elements of the series, while places like Netflix and HBO have launched podcasts featuring either directors commentaries or discussions with show creators. Hopefully, there’ll be more to come.
