How Rodeo FX brought 'Vecna' to life for Stranger Things 4

One of the most memorable scenes in the newest season of Stranger Things is in episode 3 when the camera follows the flight path of a creepy Demobat through the seething, smoky underground that is the Upside Down. Rodeo’s longest running shot on the show, gliding along with this creature in the red skies of a completely CG environment, took their teams nearly 2 years to complete. Though the audience experiences this shot in the 3rd episode, but for Rodeo, it’s a real show opener, giving viewers a sense of the depth and scale of an epic season. Their teams were also behind the dramatic reveal of Vecna, in the attic, as he rises up in resurrection fashion and connects to the Mind Lair through a network of spider-like vines.

They finished season 3 of Stranger Things with a massive fight featuring the Mindflayer, fireworks, and neon lights. So of course, they couldn’t wait to continue Eleven’s adventure against the Upside Down in this fourth season of Netflix’s massive hit show. And while many waited (and waited and waited…) during the 3-year hiatus for our favourite kids to return, it gave their teams the opportunity to craft even stranger stuff.

Season 4 returned to the show’s roots, opening the doors to the Upside Down like never before, and reintroducing familiar creatures like the Demogorgon or the Demodogs, and even new additions like the Demobats. However, unlike in earlier seasons, evil no longer lurks in the hazy shadows. That’s why the teams revamped the original versions of these iconic monsters and gave them a full ‘2022’ treatment, expanding their look and feel so that they could be fully exposed in well-lit sequences like the epic showdown between Hopper and the Demogorgon in the Russian prison.

Season 4 was one of Rodeo’s proudest accomplishments, working not only on creatures but also epic environments, hives, lairs, villains, and CG doubles—a wide range of VFX that perfectly illustrates the ambitions behind this incomparable show.

VFX Breakdown by Rodeo FX:

Stranger Things 4 - Vecna - VFX Breakdown by Rodeo FX from Rodeo FX on Vimeo.

Posted by Prabhkirat Singh

Prabhkirat Singh is a senior editor at BehindFilmMaking. He is an award-winning VFX Artist who has contributed in various Feature Films, Music Videos, YouTube Content, Advertising agencies & Animation Studios.