With cinemas, filmmakers often send specific instructions to the projectionists about how the reel should be focused and aimed in order to get the best possible viewing experience for audiences.
You've probably seen those letters from the likes of David Lynch or Stanley Kubrick that tell the projectionists to move it a quarter-inch left or turn the contrast up ever so slightly, and so on. With the advent of HD television and the blurring line between television and cinema experiences, it's surprising that people working in TV haven't spoken up about how to get your TV calibrated for their show.
However, that's where the Duffer Brothers and Stranger Things come in. In a recent interview with Vulture, the topic came up of settings on TV - and how frustrating it can be for them when they're not set right on other people's screens. "Us and everyone in Hollywood puts so much time and effort and money into getting things to look just righ...and when you see it in someone’s home, it looks like it was shot on an iPhone," said Matt.
According to them, the "key thing is to turn off anything that says motion", where it be TruMotion, Smooth Motion, Motion Blur - anything with the word motion, turn it off. In fact, this isn't just a good rule for Stranger Things, it's a good rule for watching any kind of show period.
Motion only comes into if you're watching sports and you need that motion blur to deflect from the hyper-sharp images that you'd see nowadays. If worst comes to worst, just call the Duffer Brothers and they'll talk you through it.
Via Vulture