• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Stranger Things Team Confirms No CGI Was Used To Create Vecna's Full Body

Home> Film & TV

Updated 16:29 4 Jul 2022 GMT+1Published 16:28 4 Jul 2022 GMT+1

Stranger Things Team Confirms No CGI Was Used To Create Vecna's Full Body

It took about seven hours to transform Jamie Campbell Bower into the Stranger Things villain

Emily Brown

Emily Brown

With his hollow eyes, tentacled neck and pointy fingers, it would be easy to assume the Stranger Things creators had used the magic of CGI to create the villain Vecna, but they've since confirmed his look was entirely practical.

Footage of Jamie Campbell Bower being transformed into Vecna went viral ahead of his return as the evil monster in Stranger Things 4: Volume 2, the video showing the actor hanging out in a chair with a Starbucks while the impressive effects team got to work around him.

Despite the transformation playing out before our eyes, it's still hard to believe Vecna was brought to life with what is essentially some very impressive makeup.

Advert

Check it out below:

It's clear a lot of post-production work went into creating Stranger Things 4 and the dark, dangerous world of the upside down, but the creators assured computer-generated imagery (aka CGI) wasn't necessary for Vecna's look - not even to give him his eerily long fingers.

In a statement released on Facebook, the official Netflix Geeked page wrote: "That's no CGI: to apply Vecna’s full-body practical look, it took a four-person team between 6-7 hours every day to apply the full-body transformation in STRANGER THINGS 4."

Advert

The concept for Vecna's appearance came from creators the Duffer brothers, who had a 'clear vision in mind of how they wanted Vecna to look', according to Barrie Gower, the makeup effects department head on Stranger Things.

Vecna's look took about seven hours to create.
Netflix

Speaking to Metro, Gower explained: "[The creators] were very keen to return to a lot of the traditional techniques of the 1980s of having prosthetics and a character in a makeup, rather than approaching it from a visual effects, digital point of view."

When Campbell Bower was cast in the role, the team created a 'full body copy' of the actor so they could sculpt Vecna's prosthetics. They initially considered using digital methods to create his hands, but mechanic Adam Keenan was able to create finger extensions that gave the actor 'actual extended fingers'.

Advert

Vecna's look took approximately seven hours to apply and consisted of prosthetics, makeup, silicone rubber and foam latex. It then took an hour and a half to get the make up off each day.

Campbell Bower would have to start his day at around 2:00am or 3:00am to undergo his transformation before actually stepping foot in front of the camera, and as a result the production team made sure to schedule his scenes on alternating days, giving the makeup team time to recharge between each epic stint on the job.

If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]  

Featured Image Credit: Netflix

Topics: Stranger Things, Netflix, Celebrity, Entertainment, Film and TV

Emily Brown
Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Stranger Things fans are all making the same point as Netflix reveals season 5 release date
  • People think Winona Ryder just took a shot at her Stranger Things co-star Millie Bobby Brown
  • Netflix viewers praise 'charming' comedy that has them doubled over laughing 'in first 45 minutes'
  • People mind-blown after seeing what Squid Game looks like without CGI

Choose your content:

4 hours ago
9 hours ago
14 hours ago
17 hours ago
  • 4 hours ago

    Stephen King recommended Netflix series with ‘flat-out terrific’ first episode and 97% ratings

    Critics say the show is 'merrily unhinged'

    Film & TV
  • 9 hours ago

    Netflix to pull '10/10' mini-series fans binged in one day labeled ‘best TWD spin-off’

    Fans aren't happy

    Film & TV
  • 14 hours ago

    Stephen King’s favorite disaster movie is 'hugely underrated' and free to stream in the US

    Fans say it's 'quintessential' 80s viewing

    Film & TV
  • 17 hours ago

    Brother of woman who went missing onboard ship makes brutal dig at cruise director after Netflix doc about her

    Cruise director Kirk Detweiler's reaction angered people on social media, too

    Film & TV