At IndieWire’s Craft Roundtables, VFX supervisor Betsy Paterson explained why “Stranger Things” needs both meticulous storyboarding for timed, choreographed action and the flexibility to respond to surprises that happen on set.
Working in visual effects means always being ready for the unexpected. For “Stranger Things,” where the world is vast and the on-set magic can shift from day to day, preparation can’t be one-size-fits-all.
At IndieWire’s Craft Roundtables. the conversation centered on that constant tug-of-war: storyboard everything so every department moves together. or leave room to adapt when something real changes in front of the camera. VFX supervisor Betsy Paterson described “Stranger Things” as a show that lives in the middle.
Paterson said the amount of preparation a “Stranger Things” VFX shot demands depends on what the scene includes—especially how many practical elements are tied to specific timing. When an effect is built around atmosphere rather than interaction, she explained, the team’s planning can be looser.
“If you know that it’s just an environment. then all you can be prepared for is which direction the camera is gonna look. So for things like that, storyboards are not as important,” Paterson said. “But if you have a fight between a bunch of stunt people and a bunch of CG characters. everyone really wants to know exactly how it’s gonna go. From camera to props, everybody needs to understand the overall ballet of it.”.
Even with that choreography in place, Paterson emphasized that real artistry shows up when teams adjust without losing the story’s thread. The goal isn’t to cling to a plan at any cost—it’s to meet what the scene needs, even when the final direction arrives with surprises.
“There’s still always room for ‘a B camera is over here doing this thing that you didn’t know about,’” she said. “It’s a balance.”
The discussion is presented in partnership with Netflix. “IndieWire’s Craft Roundtables” will premiere on PBS SoCal on Thursday, June 11, with subsequent re-airings scheduled throughout the weekend.
Stranger Things VFX visual effects Betsy Paterson IndieWire Craft Roundtables Netflix PBS SoCal filmmaking storyboarding CG characters stunt people
So they’re basically saying just wing it? lol
I don’t get it, “storyboards not as important”?? That sounds like bad planning to me. Like how do they even know what’s happening with the stunts and CG?
This is why the CGI in Stranger Things looks weird sometimes. They’re like half planned, half “surprise on set,” so you end up with different timing or whatever. Also Netflix partnership on PBS SoCal seems random.
My brain stopped at “it lives in the middle” like what does that even mean. B camera doing a thing you didn’t know about… that’s just filming, right? I feel like they’re selling flexibility but then saying everyone needs to know the ballet of it, so which one is it? Anyway I’ll probably watch, but I’m confused.