The power of the Duffer brothers

You probably don't know the name Duffer very well, but may I introduce you to the boys who are responsible for one of the most successful Netflix series ever? This twin duo consists of the men behind the Netflix sensation Stranger Things. Their motivation for creating this? They wanted to create something that Tim Burton and Steven Spielberg did in the eighties, but even better. And according to many, myself included, they have certainly succeeded in that.

But honestly, if you're a fan of Stranger Things, you must be wondering who they really are? I mean, who comes up with such a bizarre storyline with creepy AF monsters like Dart, a girl with supernatural powers, an Upside Down world, and let's not forget Barb? She had a mini role, but everyone became so in love with her character that a campaign was even built around it: #FreeBarb. Anyway, the men behind your beloved series are the thirty-two-year-old Matt and Ross.

The duo has been obsessed with movies since they were young, with their favorite (when they were kids) being Tim Burton's Batman film. Tim is the man who left a clear trademark of himself in every film he produced afterward. They found his style so distinctive that they became idolized by the director and their parents gave them a camera as a gift to make their own Tim Burton-like films for fun. This was followed by a study at a film school in California, where their graduation project was a short thriller about a global epidemic including crazy monsters – something we recognize from Stranger Things, only with less favorable reviews.

As budding directors and screenwriters, it didn't start very easy for the men in Hollywood. People didn't quite understand their pitches for film ideas, and I somewhat understand that; take Stranger Things as an example. If you had to explain the story to someone who has never seen the series, it doesn't exactly come across as ‘watch-worthy’. I think you'd rather skip the series. At the beginning, the boys also had a bit more trouble with that, especially because they wanted to present it as a movie instead of a series, until they both started working as writers for the series Wayward Pines by M Night Shyamalan (known for his horror films). They thus discovered the television world and the idea arose to transform Stranger Things into a series. Television became more cinematic – film-wise, if I say it correctly. Their examples were True Detective and Game of Thrones, and what I just mentioned (what Spielberg created in the eighties (E.T., Poltergeist, etc.)), is what these guys also wanted to achieve, but then in a series format and with a contemporary twist.

The timing of their release also contributed significantly to the success, Matt and Ross believe. With Game of Thrones one of the most successful shows out there, it was as if everyone suddenly was open to storylines that were previously always associated with ‘the nerd culture’. Marvel movies are popular, while many people haven't even read the comic books, and the same goes for Lord of the Rings. But also for Game of Thrones – probably most fans have never read a page in the books (guilty), so when you come up with a series about an Upside Down world and supernatural powers; there's a good chance that it will also be loved by a large audience.

Their imaginative mindset also comes from reading fantasy books like The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit while growing up. The love for horror was just in them, and that's how Stranger Things came to be. The success that came with it was something they never saw coming. When they pitched their idea to Netflix, they worked with a mood board to capture that nostalgic eighties vibe. They took old books by Stephen King (you know, the man behind the film It), made a sort of fake trailer, and used footage from E.T. to clarify the tone of what they wanted to create. And guess what? It worked. Netflix wanted to embark on the journey with Matt and Ross, and before they knew it, Winona Ryder was also part of the team.

Anyway, now it is two seasons later and saying that Stranger Things is big is an understatement. The so-called ‘nerd culture’ is hot and the countdown to season three can begin.

Source: The Guardian