The Duffer Brothers
The Duffer Brothers are two American writers, directors, and producers. They studied film at Chapman University’s: Dodge College of Film and Arts, and graduated in 2007. They’ve won many awards (eg. the Guild of Music Supervisors Awards and three awards on Fangoria Chainsaw Awards) and worked on various films such as Wayward Pines and Hidden.
However, I will be zooming in on their most popular series Stranger Things as the show skyrocketed their popularity in Hollywood.
Today’s society has brought so much light to mental health issues and the Duffer Brothers definitely portrayed it well in the series. In the show, the ‘Upside Down’ is an analogy of mental illnesses and struggles that are very real and not just Will’s imagination. It also portrays the problems many young people around the world face every day. Mental health doesn’t just affect the individual but also causes a ripple effect on family and friends (i.e. Will’s loved ones practically going insane).
They use low-key lighting to give a supernatural and dark filmic look that portrays what mental health looks like and affects people. We see this via the chiaroscuro technique of using the contrast between light and dark.
The show’s visual that they had in mind was a mix of nostalgia and sci-fi horror. The Duffer Brothers loved putting old movie references into Stranger Things. Some scenes had similar settings to them. For example, the children were walking on the train tracks in Stand By Me (1986) or the Ghostbusters costumes for Halloween. This brought out 80s nostalgia in the older audience while also making the younger ones learn about the existence of these blockbusters. Since the show aired, many have talked about the revival of old classic movies which became a trend.
Lighting made the setting as close to the 80s as possible. The Duffer Brothers analyzed cinematographer, Alan Daviau’s works (E.T, Avalon, etc.) that had a perfect mix of softness and emphasis. Thus, they often paired warm interior orange lights with blue exterior lights to provide contrast. The colors would remain muted in calmer scenes. They also used front lighting for exteriors that most filmmakers avoid. However, they figured that this lighting helps create an ‘old photograph’ look — a nostalgic visual.
Colour is also crucial in the series, not just in cinematography, but also in design and wardrobe. It indicates the context of the setting. For example, the context of season 3 is summer vacation and growing up, causing the biggest visual shift. It was also fully in the 1980s, explaining their use of neons and primary colours.
The bright visuals in this season indicated that the lead characters are not children anymore. Therefore, the Duffer Brothers wanted to emulate an 80s teen classic instead of a children-oriented film.
Stranger Things also sparked the revival of 80s fashion of bright and primary colours. Brands have reached out for collaborations like H&M, Pull&Bear, Cotton On, Champion, etc. which shows how the fashion industry welcomes back 80s fashion with open arms.
Citations:
How The Duffer Brothers Created Stranger Things. (n.d.). Retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://www.thethings.com/how-the-duffer-brothers-created-stranger-things.
Stranger Things: Duffer Bros. Explain Every Movie Reference in …. (n.d.). Retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://www.cbr.com/stranger-things-duffer-brothers-every-movie-reference.
Stranger Things: 10 Similarities To Stephen King’s Books. (n.d.). Retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://screenrant.com/stranger-things-stephen-king-similarities-parallels-easter-eggs.
How Stranger Things Season 2 Tackled Social Issues. (n.d.). Retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://www.cbr.com/stranger-things-social-issues-season-2.
“Stranger Things” as an Analogy for the Effects of Mental Illness on …. (n.d.). Retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://danielfarb.com/stranger-things-as-an-analogy-for-the-effects-of-mental-illness-on-family-friends-and-society.
Stranger Things Season 4: Satanic Panic Explained. (n.d.). Retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://collider.com/stranger-things-satanic-panic-explained.
‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 Tackles Mental Health: Trauma …. (n.d.). Retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://www.hollywoodinsider.com/stranger-things-4-mental-health.
Stranger Things Cinematography Explained — Camera, Lighting …. (n.d.). Retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/stranger-things-cinematography.
That syncing feeling: how Stranger Things supercharged the music …. (n.d.). Retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jul/12/that-syncing-feeling-how-stranger-things-supercharged-the-music-industry.
Pictures:
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