Directors: The Duffer Brothers
From the very first episode of Stranger Things I was hooked. The creators and directors of the successful series, The Duffer Brothers, gained inspiration from almost everywhere. From Spielberg to Stephen King to Star Wars, Stranger Things includes homages to all of these and more.
The Title / Font
The title font used for the title sequence and the titles within the show (e.g. for dates and locations) is a modified version of ITC Benguiat. [1] From the very first title in the very first episode, there is definitely a sense of a Stephen King type of aesthetic. This is due to the font and the colour looking very similar to that of the one used on Stephen King's paperbacks.
This works very well as a narrative tool as it immediately sets up the audience with ideas of what to expect. The font connotes the sense of horror, suspense and supernatural fiction that is present within Stephen King's novels and therefore sets the audience up to expect the same from the show. This was a very simple directorial decision which has proved to be very effective.
Due to the show being a Netflix exclusive, and the convention that people tend to bing watch the shows on Netflix, the title sequence has been kept relatively short so that it can still deliver its desired effect whilst not taking up too much of the viewer's time and therefore frustrating them. Although the title sequence itself is short, everything within the sequence moves slowly and smoothly. This, along with the synth music behind it, helps to build up an ominous atmosphere. A sense of mystery is also created by the title sequence as it begins with close ups of the letters, we do not see the entire title until the end of the sequence. This helps to allude to the mysterious and ominous atmosphere within the show.
The colour of the titles is also significant as it alludes to the perpetual state of danger the characters find themselves in throughout the show. The titles also have a flickering effect, this helps to add to the sense of 80s nostalgia established in the series as it is not too dissimilar to the flicker of images on an old video tape.
The Visual Style - Colour, lighting and mise en scene
Stranger Things was shot on Red Epic Dragon using Zeiss Prime Lenses. [2] A film grain effect is used over the title sequence in order to establish the sense of nostalgia the series aims to evoke, however, this same film grain is not used in the footage in the actual show as this would compromise the 4K resolution of the series. Although, the directors did still want to evoke a sense of nostalgia through the series, they achieved this through lighting techniques, mise en scene and the actual content of the show.
The colour grading of the show has been done in such a way to mimic the 80s and again help to evoke a sense of nostalgia for that era. Scenes that take place within Mike's house are dominated by brown and orange colours, creating a warm and homely atmosphere. This conscious decision by the filmmakers helps to create an essence of family and 'togetherness' which is a recurring underlying theme throughout the series. [3] This sense of family and warmth helps to create a safe and comfortable environment, which makes the events of the show even more shocking when their safety is put at risk.
The decoration in their house is very up to date with 80s fashions, suggesting their family is financially stable. This contrasts to the decor in the Byres' household. A lot of their furniture is out dated and suggests their house is still decorated from the 70s. This conveys to the audience this family's lack of wealth and therefore evokes a sense of empathy for the characters (especially as they are the main victims of the monster).
However, soon a different atmosphere is created within the Byres household. Joyce decides to string up christmas lights throughout the house as a method of communicating with Will. Whilst these lights work as a narrative device, they also help to create a sense of wonder and mystery. This helps to continue the sense of mystery throughout the show. The lights are also used to spell out the ominous message 'RUN' - this makes it more threatening as the magical Christmas lights are used to spell out such an ominous, frightening message.
Colour again has a great effect in the government science enclosure. The green and blue colours used within the facility create a very cold, isolated atmosphere which is a direct contrast to Mike's happy, friendly family home. This cold environment created within the facility helps to convey Eleven's isolation. Nobody cares for her, she is simply a test subject - the colours within the scenes in this environment emphasise that.
The directors also put a lot of attention to detail into the props. They recruited Lynda Reiss in order to get the realistic 80s props. They didn't want the props of the show to just have the sense of the 80s, Reiss said "I want it to be the 80s. I don't want it to be what everyone thinks is the 80s". [4]
Some of the realistic 80's props include:
- Pentax MX SLR (Jonathan Byres' camera): the camera was produced in 1976 and was quite a high end product. This makes Jonathan's passion for photography even more evident as it would stretch the budget of the Byres' family.
- Panasonic RX-5090 Boombox and Memorex MRX 1 60-Minute Casette (Will's sound system): it was quite a low end model, making it believable that the Byres family may own one. It helps to suggest their social status as a family.
- Dungeons and Dragons (Mike's game in his basement): the books used in the show are replicas based on one of the show's art directors' real copies. The demogorgon figure is one of the show's only mistakes - it was not actually released until 1984 (a year after the show is set).
As well as the props, the costumes also provide a real sense of 80s authenticity. Corduroy is a common fabric used within the series due to its popularity in the era.
The visual design of Stranger Things really helps to set the time period of the 80s and the themes of the show. The colours and lighting used really help to evoke a sense of 80s nostalgia, whilst also alluding to the themes of mystery, threat and wonder within the show.
The Visual Style - Camerawork and Editing
The camerawork within Stranger Things is visually beautiful. From establishing the scenery to showing the emotions of sheer terror on the children's (and adult's) faces, the camerawork enhances every aspect of the show.
The opening scene of the first episode features a pan down from the dark sky to the Hawkins National Laboratory. This is directly parallel to the opening scene from E.T. This similarity sets the show up to be of the science fiction / fantasy genre.
It is also interesting that the ending shot of the first episode where the kids find Eleven is also parallel with another scene from E.T where they find E.T in the bushes. The use of lighting in this scene, coupled with the camera work, helps to create a sense of mystery. Most of Eleven is left in the shadow, leaving the audience to question who she is, where she came on and what she is doing in the middle of the woods.
Stranger Things includes many more fascinating bits of camera work. The high angle the director's have chosen for this scene helps to put Holly in a vulnerable position as she follow the lights towards the monster. The framing and angle (featuring the lights in the corner of the shot) also allows the audience to see her expression of childlike wonder.
When Will is using the lights in order to communicate with his mother. Close up shots are used when the word 'RUN' is spelt out. This is to create a sense of enigma, as the audience can not see the entire message until it has been spelt out in its entirety. This keeps with the sense of mystery and threat the series aims to convey.
The editing within Stranger Things is also very creative. Match on action cuts are commonly used, such as when Eleven is walking through the store and has a flashback to the government science facility. This has the effect of showing the audience her mental state and fragility whilst giving more information to us about the Hawkins National Laboratory and what happens in their facility. There are many creative edits featuring Eleven which work to reveal her back story whilst maintaining narrative symmetry.
The editing is often used to create a sense of dread, where the character (mainly Eleven) is reacting to something in front of them (behind the camera and audience). This is a simple convention used within horror / science fiction fantasy films in order to create a sense of tension, mystery and fear.
The Sound Design
Stranger Things features an entirely electronic score. The Duffer Brothers reference Cliff Martinez's work on The Knick and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' work for David Fincher as their inspiration for the use of an entirely electronic score. They felt their electronic soundtracks "whilst very modern and cutting edge, also inevitably evoke the sounds of 80s music (most notably Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, and John Carpenter)." [5] The synth music used for the title sequence of Stranger Things sounds very similar to that of John Carpenter's score for Halloween. This immediately sets Stranger Things up to have themes of horror, fear and threat. The Duffer Brothers recruited Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon from the band SURVIVE to compose the musical score for the series. The Duffer Brothers also revealed another reason why they wanted to go down the electronic route; they wanted to play against expectations. They knew their series would be riddled with Spielberg references, so they wanted to take the musical score in a completely different direction from his typical orchestral musical scores in order to differentiate Stranger Things.
The soundtrack often matches up with the action occurring within the scene. The editors and sound designers worked together to match the edits with appropriate sounds for transitions. The 'One Blink for Yes' soundtrack matches up with the flickering lights in Joyce's house. Such attention to detail is what makes The Duffer Brothers' Stranger Things such a success.
As for the diegetic 80s music featured within Stranger Things, the only planned music was The Clash's 'Should I Stay or Should I Go?'. All of the other 80s music was determined by The Duffer Brothers listening to popular 80s music, especially that which would have been played in 1983 and then deciding which sounds created the right tone in the show. The 80s music in the show is frequently used to distinguish Jonathan from Nancy. The music Jonathan can be seen listening to is quite punk, whereas Nancy appears to prefer the popular songs of the time. Much of the diegetic 80s music actually becomes non diegetic (i.e. the music starts playing within the scene, but the actual music is then inserted in post production).
The sound team did use ADR within the series, however, they couldn't use Gaten Matarazzo (who played Dustin) for ADR due to his voice changing so much by the end of production.
Influences and Inspiration - homages
The Duffer Brothers found inspiration from Steven Spielberg, Stephen King, John Carpenter and many more places. Their DNA runs through Stranger Things, whilst its also its own original story.
Inspiration from E.T:
- The shots in the opening and closing scene of the first episode of Stranger Things are directly parallel to a couple of scenes within E.T.
- The bike chase scene in Stranger Things is very similar to that in E.T. Both scenes feature kids on bikes being chased by adults. Because of all the ET references and homages, Stranger Things builds up the expectation that Eleven will make the bikes fly over the government officials, which makes the surprise of flipping the truck have an even greater impact.
- Will spells out 'right here' with the Christmas lights, the same message as the last line in E.T.
Inspiration from Alien:
- The beginning elevator scene in Stranger Things is very similar to that in Aliens (1986) - the sequel the Alien. This aims to evoke the same anxiety and terror featured within the Alien films.
- Will coughing in the hospital bed - similar to the cough in Alien which lead to the alien bursting out his chest.
- Suit design with light on faces worn by the adults in the Upside Down is similar to the space suit design in Alien.
- Monster similar to that in Alien. Cocoons its victims and incubate them with tentacle / slug like things.
- Joyce hacking away at the wall with the axe is very similar to Jack in The Shining.
- Kids walking on railway tracks - parallel to Stand By Me where kids also walk along railway tracks. Stand By Me is based on Stephen King's The Body.
Inspiration from Nightmare on Elm Street:
- Monster pushing through the wall in Joyce's house - parallel to nightmare on elm street where Freddy pushes through the wall.
- Jonathan, Nancy and Steve capturing and setting the monster on fire is same method used by the teens in Nightmare on Elm Street. False victory - weakened monster but not finished off.
How has this influenced my work?
I have realised colours, lighting and sound design are all an absolutely vital part of production. I have already decided that colour will be a key part of my production, focusing on the colour red in order to show my female as the object of affection. However, I need to also make sure not to neglect the colour grading of the whole product. I will need to get the white balance right and make sure the colours within the setting reflect the mood of the piece. As quite a romantic yet awkward scene, I aim to use both warm and cool colours (the warm colours will represent the romance and the cool colours will represent the awkwardness.)
I will use soft lighting within my production in order to convey my female lead in the most beautiful possible way, this will show why the male is so infatuated with her. I will also be using Christmas lights as props which will help to convey the warm and friendly atmosphere that I'm aiming for.
Due to the awkwardness of the first scene which takes part in Mark's flat, I didn't want to use any non diegetic background music. Instead I will use natural sounds (i.e. birds tweeting) and using this to enhance the silence and awkward atmosphere. In the second scene at Juliet's doorway, I will be using diegetic music in the form of 'silent night' whilst Mark shows his presentation to Juliet. I will need to ensure this music does not over power the dialogue. I will take inspiration from the Duffer Brothers and add the music in post production instead of having it playing during the scene the whole way through like they did in many scenes (such as Will and Jonathan Byres listening to 'Should I Stay or Should I Go' on Jonathan's record player).
[1] The Hollywood Reporter (2016) The Duffer Brothers Talk 'Stranger Things' Influences, 'It' Dreams and Netflix Phase 2 [online] Available at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/fien-print/duffer-brothers-talk-stranger-things-916180 [Accessed on: 11/02/2017]
[2] Indie Colour Grading (2016) Stranger Things: Analysing the Colour [online] http://indiecolorgrading.com/stranger-things-color/ [Accessed on: 11/02/2017]
[3] Rob Bessette / Colorist (2016) The Grading Style of 'Stranger Things' [online] Available at: http://robbessette.com/2016/07/29/the-grading-style-of-stranger-things/ [Accessed on: 11/02/2017]
[4] Wired (2016) The Stories Behind Stranger Things' Retro 80s Props [online] Available at: https://www.wired.com/2016/07/stories-behind-stranger-things-retro-80s-props/ [Accessed on: 11/02/2017]
[5] Entertainment Weekly (2016) Stranger Things episode 5: The Duffer Brothers explain the show's soundtrack [online] Available at: http://ew.com/article/2016/07/19/stranger-things-duffer-brothers-episode-5/ [Accessed on: 11/02/2016]
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