Overview

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Before they turned our world upside down with "Stranger Things," Matt and Ross Duffer honed their scare tactics on Wayward Pines and their debut thriller, Hidden. Now, the acclaimed showrunners reveal the dark science of creating a monster hit. Craft gripping story arcs, conjure unforgettable characters—like Eleven or Jim Hopper—and turn your raw idea into a pitch for the next big thing to cross over from the other side.

Syllabus

Meet Your Instructors: The Duffer Brothers

Matt and Ross Duffer share highlights from their journey to creating the hit TV series "Stranger Things" and provide an overview of their class.

How to Develop a TV Series Idea

The idea is everything. Matt and Ross share their process for coming up with one you’ll love: Seek inspiration, brainstorm, and embrace the importance of a “core drive.”

Conceiving the Idea for “Stranger Things”

In this case study, Matt and Ross walk you through the first brainstorming documents from the concept that would become the hit TV series "Stranger Things."

Writing Demo: How to Write a Logline

Get an exclusive look into how Matt and Ross collaborate as they conceive a logline for a fake "Stranger Things" spin-off.

The Duffer Brothers’ Writing Approach

It’s important to develop good writing habits as you begin to flesh out your series idea. The brothers share their tips for holding themselves accountable, staying disciplined, and finishing their scripts.

Expanding on the Idea

Using never-before-seen documents from the "Stranger Things" concept development, Matt and Ross walk you through their “blue-skying” process for building out and improving ideas.

Character Development

Matt and Ross teach you how to develop ideas for characters and how to introduce the most essential character arcs in your pilot script.

Setting and Worldbuilding

The world of "Stranger Things" is one of its most engaging aspects. Matt and Ross discuss how they developed the setting for the series by drawing inspiration from films, games, and their own childhood.

Developing a Season Arc

After you have settled on a series idea, an important next step is building a season arc. Matt and Ross share how they ideated an arc for "Stranger Things" and how the character arcs converge into the overarching story.

Writing Your Story Outline

Outlining is a sacred step for Matt and Ross. In this lesson, explore the brothers’ two-step outlining process—and see how they used that process to build the "Stranger Things" pilot. Plus, learn how they approach opening hooks and story beats.

Building Your Final Outline

Once your first outline is ready, your “scaffolding” is in place. Learn how to build on your previous work to create a final outline for a pilot that skillfully integrates storylines and conflict.

Starting Your Pilot Script

In this lesson, learn to convert your final outline into a pilot script and get an inside look at how Matt and Ross built the "Stranger Things" pilot, originally called “Montauk.”

The Elements of a Script: Description, Action & Dialogue

Using the screenplay for the film "Panic Room" as a case study, plus examples from their own work, Matt and Ross unpack the key elements of a script: description, action, and dialogue. They also address scene transitions and character voices.

Writing Demo: How to Write a Hook

Continuing their imaginary Steve and Dustin spin-off concept, Matt and Ross demonstrate how they write an opening hook, and showcase their process for brainstorming, outlining, and scriptwriting under extreme time constraints.

Getting to the Pitch

The brothers discuss how they initially navigated the pitching process without Hollywood connections. Learn tips for finding representation and getting your script noticed.

The “Stranger Things” Pitch

Using materials they created when they pitched "Stranger Things," Matt and Ross cover the most important components to include in a pitch and share advice on how to practice.

You’ve Sold Your Script. Now What?

Matt and Ross share what they learned from developing "Stranger Things" after it was greenlit, including how they worked in writers’ rooms and created multiple seasons.

"Stranger Things" Season 4 Behind the Scenes

In their class send-off, Matt and Ross offer an inside look at what it was like to develop Season 4 of the hit TV series in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.