LFTVD (Stranger Things) Flashcards

Question

How long did it take to film Season 1 of Stranger Things?

Answer 1

6 months to film the first season and 11 days to film each episode

Answer 2

Dean Zimmerman

Answer 3

A mixture of practical and digital effects to create the monster/Demogorgon (they used real constructed props for the monster itself but for other scenes (such as the monster bursting through a wall) they used digital CGI effects) A film grain was added over footage to make it look more old and outdated like the 80s; they achieved this effect by scanning in real film stock from the 1980s.

Answer 4

Created digitally in post-production by the studio Imaginary Forces, who took inspiration from 80s media/pop culture, the show’s script, synth background music and book covers from authors such as Stephen King. In the title sequence, they made letters vanish to reflect the “missing” theme of the show, and made letters cast shadows over each other to represent the “mystery” and “hidden” aspects of the show.

Answer 5

DVDs of the first season had packaging that looked like VHS tapes to pay homage to the time period of the 1980s (when the show is set in and when VHS tapes were popular). The show’s soundtrack was released on cassette tapes again as a reference to the 80s. A 360-degree VR experience was created shortly after the release of season 1 to immerse the audience into the ST universe of Hawkins. Audiences could access the VR experience on YouTube (or use it in a Google Cardboard VR headset) and it gained at least 13.5 million views. This was an example of low cost strategy marketing with a high return. A 4-hour long Twitch stream was held before the release of the first episode which featured Twitch influences playing games in the famous ST basement. This offered an interactive and immersive experience where the audience watching live could vote in the comments for “creepy” things to happen to the unsuspecting gamers, such as for the lights to flicker or for a door to slam shut. Poster created by artist Kyle Lambert, hand drawn using Procreate on iPad and Adobe Photoshop, inspired by the work of other poster illustrators such as Drew Struzan, Bob Peak, John Alvin and Richard Amsel. The poster was designed to pay homage to the 80's era of hand-painted movie posters.

Answer 6

West-end stage show “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” set in Hawkins in 1959 and follows the stories of a young Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper. 16-bit beat-em-up style mobile video game called Stranger Things 3, available to play on the Netflix app for Android and iOS, which is based off the 3rd season of the show. There is another mobile game called Stranger Things: 1984. Original board game called “Attack of the Mind Flayer” Monopoly collaboration

Answer 7

There are fanfictions, fan-made MVs and memes which help to circulate the product. These are all examples of prosumer content. Fans also cosplay characters of ST which helps to promote the TV show to new audiences. There is a ST Wiki where people can read and learn everything about the show, as well as contribute to the wiki page with information. There is a r/StrangerThings subreddit on the online forum website Reddit where fans ask questions about the show, answer people’s questions, post theories, discuss episodes, share Youtube videos and make polls (favourite character, best character etc). This subreddit has 1.5 million members and is part of the Top 1% of subreddits on the website.

Answer 8

mystery/sci-fi/horror/supernatural drama

Answer 9

The episode intertextually reflects 1980s family and gender relations (Mike’s family as the conventional, nuclear, “American dream” family VS Will’s family as unconventional, “broken”, single mother household)

Answer 10

Set in the Spielbergian, suburban, mostly white American neighbourhood of Hawkins (white fences, mowed lawn, sprinklers)

Answer 11

Stereotypical Western family dynamics of the mother being hardworking, looking after the kids, taking responsibility VS fathers being absentminded, distracted (Mr Wheeler) or not physically present at all (Lonnie)

Answer 12

Young boys are represented as loyal to one another, close bond with inside jokes, sticking together in a hostile world (bullying, supernatural occurrences, Will going missing) Stereotypical “nerds” / social outcasts; bullied at school, called “freaks”, made fun of for race/disability, love science and technology, part of the AV club, love D&D, X-men, Lord of the Rings etc

Answer 13

Nancy represented as both a stereotypically feminine teenage girl (has a secret boyfriend Steve, wears dresses, likes pastel colours) and as subverting from conventional norms (academically intelligent, excels at science, traits stereotypically associated with masculinity

Answer 14

A cultural representation of small town America developed by Hollywood cinema, globally recognised as “80s suburban America” by audiences

Answer 15

Reflects society's anxiety about the power of the central state/US government during the Cold War; rising tensions between USA and Russia/USSR Reflects the community's lack of trust towards the government Reflects anxiety about secret government experiments; Duffer Brothers stated that the Demogorgon could either be an supernatural entity or a government human experiment gone-wrong, it is up to the audience to decide

Answer 16

As an all-powerful, omnipotent secret state Cold, evil and sinister secret enforcement agents

Answer 17

As humanised and relatable

Answer 18

As a local police officer, his identity is humanised through his relatable, gritty representation (messy house, beer cans, smoking, overweight = depressed) which evokes empathy from the audience Finding out Hopper has a daughter who died from cancer at a very young age also personifies his character, allowing the audience to sympathise with him and see him as a real person with real issues He is good-natured but lazy and complacent until forced into action As a stereotypical American cop from 80s films (eating donuts, drinking coffee, lazy) as an intertextual reference Anti-hero/maverick hero

Answer 19

Reflects the continuing success of streaming services (Netflix) who need to maintain the brand with innovative and original programming

LFTVD (Stranger Things) Flashcards

(43 cards)