December 18, 2025

The Duffer Brothers: Creating STRANGER THINGS, Directing the Finale, and Surviving Hollywood Rejection

40 minutes

Filmmakers, we have the creators of the biggest show on the planet. The masterminds who took 80s nostalgia, Dungeons & Dragons, and a group of kids on bikes, and turned it into a global empire. I am talking, of course,

about Matt and Ross Duffer—The Duffer Brothers!

Now, you know them as the creators of Stranger Things,

the show that literally breaks the internet every time a new season

drops. But what we love about this conversation is that we go right back

to the start. We talk about their 2015 low-budget horror thriller, Hidden—a film that got caught in studio limbo but taught them the vital lessons of directing and how they pitched Stranger Things around various studios and TV execs getting rejections along the way.

We dive into how they work as a duo, how they pitch to networks (and deal with rejection!), and the absolute mountain of work it takes to land

the final season of the most popular show in the world.

From the Upside Down to the top of Hollywood, this is a masterclass in long-form storytelling and sticking to your vision.

Grab your Eggos and turn up the volume. Let’s welcome... The Duffer Brothers!"

STRANGER THINGS s5 is OUT NOW on NETFLIX!

Links

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PODCAST MERCH

Get your very own Tees, Hoodies, on-set water bottles, mugs and more MERCH. https://my-store-11604768.creator-spring.com/

COURSES

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Take our POST PRODUCTION COURSE https://cuttingroom.info/post-production-demystified/

PATREON

Big thank you to:

Serena Gardner

Mark Hammett

Lee Hutchings

Marli J Monroe

Karen Newman

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CREDITS

The Filmmakers Podcast is written and produced by Giles Alderson @gilesalderson

Edited by @tobiasvees

Logo and Banner Art by Lois Creative

Theme Music by John J. Harvey

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By Giles Alderson

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