Season 5 of Netflix’s Stranger Things highlights the use of 3D printing for everything from massive set pieces to intricately detailed miniature props.
The production of Stranger Things’ final season had a clear technical brief: bring the “Mind Flayer” to life as a massive, spider-like structure while placing several child actors in suspended, high-risk positions during the climactic battle sequence.
Conventional rigging and practical effects would have introduced safety constraints, limited flexibility on set, and added significant logistical complexity. The creative ambition of the scene therefore required an alternative approach, hence the use of 3D printing.
Led by makeup department head Eryn Krueger Mekash in collaboration with Vincent Van Dyke Effects, the team produced life-sized 3D printed replicas of the actors to execute the most demanding sequences. Each performer was digitally scanned and reproduced with high geometric accuracy, then hand-finished with paint, wigs, and surface detailing.
Beyond the stunt doubles, the production integrated additional 3D printed props.
“The VFX team built a full-size, physical “dead Demogorgon” for a key scene. It was 3D printed from VFX files, cast in silicone, and fitted with an articulated armature so it would flop realistically. It weighed around 175–220 pounds and required a stretcher and four people to carry it”, Netflix says.
The use of AM across the entertainment industry
Major franchises and production teams increasingly use 3D printing to produce 3D printed costume pieces. The technology is also used by fans who would like to reproduce replicas of their heroes.
Key AM processes often used for applications related to film production include PolyJet, SLA, and binder jetting.
Its growing use in the movie industry positions the technology as a strategic tool in modern visual storytelling workflows.
Read more: “The magic of AMUG is found in stolen moments”
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