befores and afters

A closer look at befores and afters

What befores & afters publishes

befores & afters is a visual effects and animation magazine run by journalist Ian Failes. The site publishes breakdowns, on-set pictures, interviews and features that focus on how VFX and animation were made for films and series.

What you can actually read and watch there

You can find VFX breakdown videos and articles for projects such as The Mandalorian & Grogu, East of Eden, Backrooms, Disclosure Day and The End of Oak Street. There are pieces about techniques, tools and workflows - for example coverage of Pixar’s use of Katana, Nuke and USD for Toy Story 5, and how Blender was used on Backrooms.

The site also runs features on effects history (for example the Dykstraflex), profiles of supervisors and coordinators, and on-set pictures from productions like The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping and Dune: Part Three.

Who will find this useful

Readers interested in the craft of visual effects and animation - students, artists, supervisors and fans who want technical or behind-the-scenes detail - will find the site useful. It hosts interviews and in-depth features (for example on making creatures, de-ageing actors, vehicle builds and production VFX stories).

Questions people ask about befores and afters

Does the site include video breakdowns?

Yes - the site features VFX breakdown videos for projects like The Mandalorian & Grogu, East of Eden and Backrooms.

Are there interviews with VFX professionals?

Yes - there are interviews and supervisor profiles discussing workflows and industry developments.

Is the coverage only recent productions?

No - the site mixes recent project breakdowns with historical pieces such as stories about the Dykstraflex and notable effects moments.

befores and afters was shared on NexURLs by Nexis on October 29, 2026, in Movies & TV.