See 'Game of Thrones' Before and After the CGI Effects Are Added

Some shots in "Game of Thrones" require obvious special effects. After all, you can't just go out to Petco and get a dragon.

But others are far more subtle, as this video from CGI effects studio Mackevision shows. The video is essentially a highlight reel of the special effects that the studio did for the show over the fourth season, with a focus on the incredible environments created through VFX.

You can really tell that the CGI is good when you don't even think about it while you're watching. Sometimes, when watching scenes in King's Landing, it's easy to overlook the massive crowds or the expanse of buildings or mountains in the background. Those weren't there when they were originally filming the scene!

Additionally, the video reveals a lot about the nautical scenes, showing that even a quick shot of a ship sailing over water is almost always CGI and not a practical effect.

That's not to say that the show doesn't lean on practical effects as well. In fact, that now-famous wight scene at the end of the season featured a mix of CGI and actual actors in an attempt to make the scene a little more realistic...and a little more affordable, too.

Check out the video below: