The latest season of Stranger Things has been a roller coaster ride for the characters and fans alike. With each episode clocking in a runtime of over an hour, there was so much content for fans to process. One of the scenes that stood out in Vol. 1, though, was the Demogorgon prison fight in episode 7, and The Duffer Brothers have unveiled some behind-the-scenes secrets about how that scene was brought to life.
In a new Stranger Things featurette released by Netflix, titled Behind the FX, Matt and Ross Duffer revealed that the Demogorgon was first conceptualized seven years ago, and the monster's journey to season 4 has been an interesting one. While in its first appearance in season 1, the Demogorgon was mostly spotted in the shadows, in the latest Stranger Things season, fans are able to see firsthand how it moves or fights. That transformation was an important factor for the creators, and they wanted to make sure that it was done right.
Ross reveals that “there is no MoCap (motion capture) involved, this is just pure animation.” In what he refers to as the “first animation pass,” the designers present just a “gray clay rendering” to the creators to give them an idea of what the final scene could look like. Matt confirms that this is the point where they “are able to give notes,” whether it is to alter the monster’s appearance, movements, or just the way it connects with the Stranger Things scene. It makes it easier for the animators to edit “in this rough stage.”
Once all the notes have been submitted, the animators then render the scene, adding the final touches and editing the lighting. “That’s where he really comes alive,” Ross said. “It’s really exciting when those shots finally come together and all the elements just meld, and you get… the final look.” To make sure they get the right shock value when the Demogorgon first bursts into the cage, the creators decided to go with a single shot, with the camera following the monster’s movement. It rushes in and starts to fight the inmates, throwing them up against the wall, biting their heads off, and just being in control of the moment.
Bringing the entire scene to life required more than one shot. In order to ensure a smooth flow, the creators went with “three big stunt sequences stitched together.” An important part of the fight is when David Harbour's Jim Hopper finally comes face-to-face with the monster, and some of those scenes were filmed with a stuntman in a green suit, with “a tennis ball attached to his head.” The moment where Hopper finally throws the spear at the monster was Harbour's idea. The creators reveal that initially Hopper was just meant to stab the monster, but Harbour wanted to “throw the spear like a javelin.”
Stranger Things is streaming on Netflix and vol. 2 of season 4 arrives on July 1, 2022.
Source: Netflix/Twitter