Stranger Things 4 production secrets: The 16 best behind the scenes facts Who we are Contact Advertise Tips UK Write Tips News Trash Agenda Trends Opinion Guides UK Belfast Birmingham Bournemouth Bristol Brookes Cambridge Cardiff Coventry Durham Edinburgh Exeter Glasgow King's Lancaster Leeds Lincoln Liverpool London Manchester Newcastle Nottingham Oxford Sheffield Soton St Andrews Sussex University of East Anglia Warwick York Stranger Things 4 production secrets: 16 behind the scenes facts about making the show Teams were on set at 2am to create the monster Vecna, and it took them up to seven hours 5 months ago UPDATED 5 months ago Hayley Soen Trash UK It’s been nearly three years in the making, so it’s no surprise that creating Stranger Things 4 has been a monumental job, with a lot of production secrets and behind the scenes tricks behind making it look so good. From the pretty insane production budget of the Stranger Things 4, to precise details about the hair and makeup and costumes that were made for the characters, Netflix has shared with us some great behind the scenes secrets. Here are all the best facts about how the latest episodes of the show were made. via Netflix Eleven’ s costuming this season is less vibrant and that was done on purpose You may have noticed Eleven’s costuming this season is less vibrant than in season three. The outfits are meant to still be very tied to the Hawkins colours as opposed to integrated into the brighter California colours, visually showing that she’s still out of place in her new home. Will’s costuming is also still very tied to Hawkins colours and patterns, showing he’s not adjusting to California life easily either. This season cost Netflix $300million to make Each episode of season four is said to have cost $30million – meaning the entire season has had a budget of around $300million. It’s one of the most expensive Netflix shows to date – good job we all love it then! via Netflix There were three main filming locations in Stranger Things 4 Production this year was set across three main filming locations, more than any previous season: Atlanta, Georgia; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Lithuania. The scenes set at Pennhurst Mental Hospital were filmed at Berry College in Rome, Georgia, about an hour and a half outside of Atlanta. It’s the largest college campus in the world, with 27,000 acres of land. Creel House is real and used to be a bed and breakfast via Netflix The real-life Creel House location is in Rome, Georgia, just a few miles from Berry College. The creative team was looking for a uniquely “frightening” house with a distinct presence, vertical architecture, and a third-level attic. When production designer Chris Trujillo first saw the house, it reminded him of Norman Bates’ house in Psycho. The real-life Creel House was built in the 1870s and was previously a bed and breakfast. The homeowners moved from Minnesota with the intention of renovating it. About a month after they closed on the house and began renovations, the locations team for Stranger Things knocked on their door. The costume team worked with Quicksilver this season Heading to California for some of the filming has seen a bit of a change of vibe in Stranger Things 4. The costuming team collaborated with Quiksilver to design Argyle’s California-specific look this season. His shoes were custom-made by Vans, and he wears custom tie-dye socks. Mike’s California costume was also manufactured by Quiksilver. It’s meant to look a little too “matchy matchy.” via Netflix Converse was also part of the costume making For the Hawkins High looks, Converse custom-made shoes in three different colours to match the school’s palette. The costume team went to Poland to make historically accurate designs To source historically accurate costuming pieces for the Russian portions of the season, the costuming team went to Poland to pick pieces, and also relied on a military advisor. The pieces you see in the show are historically accurate uniforms. The colour palette in Russia skews colder, with monochromatic blues and greens, and contrasts with the California and Hawkins settings. via Netflix Russian prison scenes were filmed in a real prison Authenticity was an important part of the Russian storyline in Stranger Things 4. The Russian prison scenes were shot at Lukiškės Prison in Lithuania, a former prison that shut down operations in 2019. The monster Vecna was heavily influenced by Freddie Krueger via Netflix The Stranger Things 4 monster Vecna was heavily influenced by Freddy Krueger from The Nightmare On Elm Street films, as well as Pinhead from the Hellraiser series. Robert Englund, the actor who famously plays Krueger in the franchise, also plays the character Victor Creel this season. It took a four-man team over six hours to create Vecna To apply Vecna’s full-body practical look, it took a four-man team between six and seven hours. The character had to be camera-ready early in the morning, so the application process usually began around 2 or 3am, and would take an extra hour at the end of the day to remove. Argyle is wearing bloodshot contact lenses this season via Netflix Because of Argyle’s specific interests, Eduardo Franco (who plays him) is wearing bloodshot contacts throughout the season. It was the first time Franco ever had to wear contacts. Some actors had makeup applied to drain colour from their skin Everyone in all of the institutions this season — the Hawkins Lab, Pennhurst Mental Hospital, and Kamchatka — have been made up to reflect their drab, colourless surroundings. The makeup team used green makeup to remove the pink, healthier tones from the actors’ skin. Some of the characters’ hairstyles are based on film stars and celebrities Originally, the Duffer Brothers wanted Eddie’s hair to have a look similar to David Bowie’s iconic mane as Jareth in Labyrinth. The hair team based the final look on Ozzy Osbourne and other well-known band members from the ‘80s. Chrissy’s hair design was inspired by Olivia Newton-John’s character Sandy in Grease – very American good girl, classic cheerleader – but with very ‘80s bangs. Jason’s hair design was based on Tom Cruise’s hair as Joel in Risky Business. via Netflix All scrunchies in the show are custom-made You might have noticed a lot of the characters wearing hair scrunchies, which is very ’80s. The costuming team makes all of the scrunchies on the show so that they match the rest of the costuming exactly. This season, Max’s scrunchie has been dyed a darker colour to show she’s been wearing the same one for over a year, so it looks a little dirtier and sadder. Plus, at the end of season three, the Stranger Things hair team intentionally gave Eleven the same green scrunchie that Max wore earlier in the season, as a small parting gift from her friend. Eleven is wearing a ring this season Ok, I can forgive you for not noticing this, but in Stranger Things 4 Eleven is wearing a ring. This was meant to have been given to her by Mike at some point. Cute! via Netflix The characters’ hairstyles also have a meaning behind them You should know by now that nothing on this show is done by accident. Lucas’ new flat top haircut signifies his transition into a more popular jock, and was inspired by the hip-hop duo Kid ‘n Play. This season, Mike is trying to grow his hair out like Eddie, his new role model, so it’s a little longer in the back with short layers. Will has the same bowl cut hairstyle to show he is still very tied to childhood, and wants things to remain the same. Eleven’s hair this season is meant to look frizzy and mousy, and mirror the character’s insecurity and lack of self-esteem now that she doesn’t have her powers. Hopper’s shaved hair this season is meant to match Eleven’s shaved look in season one, a full father-daughter moment. Stranger Things 4 is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops, quizzes and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. Related stories recommended by this writer • This is how old the cast of Stranger Things are compared to their characters • Ranked: The 12 most expensive shows and films Netflix has ever made • Quiz: Can you match the Netflix show to the school that appears in it? Hayley Soen Trash UK RECOMMENDED READ So here’ s how to get into HUNDREDS of museums art galleries and exhibitions for free All you need is a fiver Art Fund Sponsored BRANDS ‘If I’m not winning, no one should’: Sminty Drop on her shock early exit from Drag Race UK Harrison Brocklehurst Trash UK ‘They had to get rid of me to give somebody else some airtime’ Kwasi Kwarteng only lasted 38 days, but these memes will live on forever Izzy Schifano Agenda UK ‘I’ve had some cheese in my fridge that’s lasted longer than him as chancellor’ This is where the real life family from Netflix’s The Watcher are now Georgia Mooney Trash UK They suggested Netflix include a scene where the house burns to the ground MAFS UK was the wildest show of the year and these 22 memes from the final prove it Harrison Brocklehurst Trash UK Kwame’s bench will haunt us all forever This is what everyone is dressing up as for Halloween, according to Google Georgia Mooney Trends UK Going as anyone from the cast of Euphoria is so pick me x George has been ‘ruled out’ of the Married at First Sight UK reunion by Channel 4 Harrison Brocklehurst Trash UK The rest of the cast will reunite on Monday and Tuesday next week Guys Francis Bourgeois has his own show coming out next week Hayley Soen Trash UK Chloe Burrows from Love Island features too! These 20 Russell Group universities are officially the best in the UK right now Izzy Schifano News UK Brb applying to Edinburgh right now x Real Broaddus family was paid by Netflix for The Watcher and made demands about the show Hayley Soen Trash UK They’ve said they won’t be watching the thriller series about what happened to them Who lives at 657 Boulevard now What happened to real house from The Watcher on Netflix Hayley Soen Trash UK The Broaddus family sold up in 2019 Every cast member of Married at First Sight UK 2022 definitively ranked from worst to best Harrison Brocklehurst Trash UK I will remember the drama they gave us til the day I die Meet the iconic cast full of famous faces in Netflix’s The Watcher Georgia Mooney Trash UK Jennifer Coolidge AND Hannah Montana’s grandma omg The creepy letters in The Watcher are real – here’s what they each said in real life Hayley Soen Trash UK ‘Will the young blood play in the basement? If you were upstairs you would never hear them scream’ People are making their houses into Stranger Things sets for Halloween and it’s incredible Hayley Soen Trash UK HOW do people make them look this good?! Omg, apparently the MAFS UK reunion is so explosive producers had to step in Harrison Brocklehurst Trash UK ‘The previous dinner parties have nothing on what’s about to happen’ As a student with OCD, this is what my university experience has been like Amy Varley Guides UK It’s changed my approach, but I’m still capable Just every single type of seller you will encounter on Vinted Ella Dickson Guides UK 3. The one who should get back to Depop Brianne Howey says season two of Ginny and Georgia is ‘done’ but explains its delay Hayley Soen Trash UK Finally some news! Here’s the chilling true story behind The Watcher, Ryan Murphy’s latest Netflix show Georgia Mooney Trash UK This is my idea of hell Rex Orange County fans are straight up burning their merch and removing tattoos Georgia Mooney Trends UK ‘Who wants to cut my arm off?’ An ode to Adrian: How the world fell in love with MAFS UK’s ‘Captain Curtains’ Harrison Brocklehurst Trash UK The nation cheered when he told Whitney to f*ck off Most Read Who lives at 657 Boulevard now What happened to real house from The Watcher on Netflix Hayley Soen Trash These 20 Russell Group universities are officially the best in the UK right now Izzy Schifano News All the 2022 MAFS UK cast s first Instagram posts compared to their most recent Katelyn Mensah Trash The creepy letters in The Watcher are real – here s what they each said in real life Hayley Soen Trash Meet Ruth Codd The 26-year-old who went from TikTok fame to The Midnight Club on Netflix Harrison Brocklehurst Trash Right just how successful are the millionaire cast of Bling Empire really Hayley Soen Trash The full true story behind the disgusting meat sandwich scene in the Jeffrey Dahmer series Hayley Soen Trash George has been ruled out of the Married at First Sight UK reunion by Channel 4 Harrison Brocklehurst Trash Guys Francis Bourgeois has his own show coming out next week Hayley Soen Trash Real Broaddus family was paid by Netflix for The Watcher and made demands about the show Hayley Soen Trash