Stranger Things – Season 4


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Editors – Dean Zimmerman ACE, Kat Naranjo, Casey Cichocki and VFX Editor Brad Tobler

The STRANGER THINGS editing team reunites once again to chronicle the fantasy/horror phenomenon taking place in Hawkins, Indiana; this time with a greater emphasis on the horror.  Although there was a longer break than usual between the two seasons, this tight knit team was never far apart, collaborating on the feature films, FREE GUY and THE ADAM PROJECT.

Season Four of STRANGER THINGS is set in March 1986, eight months after events of the third season, the fourth season is split between different plotlines.  The first plotline takes place in Hawkins, where several teenagers are killed in mysterious ways.  The second plotline involves Mike Wheeler visiting Eleven, Will and Jonathan Byers at their new home in California.  The third plotline follows Joyce Byers and Murray Bauman, who learn that Jim Hopper may still be alive and are told to bring money to arrange for his transfer home from a Russian prison.

DEAN ZIMMERMAN ACE

In addition to working with the Duffer Brothers as their lead editor for STRANGER THINGS, Dean is a frequent collaborator with STRANGER THINGS director and longtime friend, Shawn Levy.  The two have been working together for over twenty years on projects like the NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM franchise, FREE GUY and THE ADAM PROJECT.

KAT NARANJO

Kat started her journey on Season 1 as an assistant, but over the following seasons started picking up full time editorial duties as well.  She also assisted Dean on his features, THE ADAM PROJECT and FREE GUY.  Earlier in her career, Kat assisted on HALT AND CATCH FIRE and served as post coordinator on ONE TREE HILL.

CASEY CICHOCKI

Casey started on STRANGER THINGS in season one as a post coordinator and then in subsequent seasons moved into assistant editing. For Season Four Casey has multiple additional editing credits. Like Kat, Casey assisted Dean on FREE GUY and THE ADAM PROJECT as well.

BRAD TOBLER

VFX editor Brad Tobler joined the STRANGER THINGS team in Season Three and also helped out Dean as VFX editor on FREE GUY, as well as pre-vis editor on THE ADAM PROJECT.

Editing STRANGER THINGS – SEASON 4

In our discussion with the STRANGER THINGS – SEASON 4 editing team we talk about:

  • Ramping up the VFX workload
  • Reasons for, and benefits of, splitting the season into two parts
  • Creating the voice of Vecna
  • Developing a “flashback” tracker
  • Breaking the show out into multiple storylines

The Credits

Visit ExtremeMusic for all your production audio needs

Watch VFX Editor Brad Tobler walk you through the VFX process on Stranger Things

See the STRANGER THINGS picture editing and sound team discuss Season Three

Heat the O.G. interview with Dean Zimmerman ACE from 2019

Editor Dean Zimmerman ACE discusses FREE GUY

Jonathan Corn and Dean Zimmerman ACE on cutting THE ADAM PROJECT

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