How that shocking DC villain splitting scene was made
(It came as somewhat of a surprise to the VFX team behind it, too)
How does cinematography work on a stop-motion film?
‘Pinocchio’ DOP Frank Passingham breaks down his extensive lighting, camera, motion control and lens choices on the Guillermo del Toro movie.
The surprising inspiration for that crazy Warg in ‘The Rings of Power’
Chihuahuas can be scary. But the real reason it served as reference for the Warg was: reality.
Inside the mechanical and 3D printed puppet head process used for Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pinocchio’
We break down how the puppets were built for the stop-motion feature.
Bending the physics
Why the VFX of ‘RRR’ are both outlandish and grounded in reality at the same time.
How those Talokan underwater scenes in ‘Wakanda Forever’ were made
Find out more details about how the civilization under the surface was brought to life by Wētā FX, including all that corn.
Making the koids in ‘The Peripheral’ involved some ingenious deepfake techniques
One of the computer game sim sequences also relied on AI approaches.
They sent us Shuri’s costume with a very big note saying, basically, ‘Do not burn this’
How the emotional main-on-end title sequence for Wakanda Forever was made with real cloth, wind and fire.
Going from bluescreen partial set to intense Wakandan/Talokanil at-sea battle
How Digital Domain helped craft Wakanda Forever’s ship attack.
Motion bases and making mayhem, in the volume
How that stunning ‘House of the Dragon’ series one finale dragon fight was brought to life with new approaches to virtual production.
‘Show me something gross’
The special effects and visual effects behind Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’.
The puppet, mocap and CG tests behind the characters for ‘Lost Ollie’
And how ILM crafted the final intricate performances of Ollie, Rosy and Zozo.
How Digital Domain helped The Rock melt a mercenary
And how one hilarious moment in ‘Black Adam’ done by the VFX studio didn’t make it to the theatrical cut.
Korean VFX and digital humans are highlights of SIGGRAPH Asia 2022
befores & afters is hosting a special session with local studios.
Here’s how Framestore helped make Idris Elba fight a lion
Behind the scenes of ‘Beast’, including incredible lookdev reels.
Shannon Tindle and Peter Ramsey: a ‘Lost Ollie’ conversation
The writer and the director of the Netflix series both discuss the creation of the show, working with puppets and working with
‘He had so much stuff on him it was crazy’
The making of Werewolf by Night’s Man-Thing.
Performance, hair and…sequins: Wētā FX on its toughest tasks in ‘She-Hulk’
The VFX studio’s history in crafting photoreal CG humans and human-like characters was further extended on the series.
What you need to know about the ASC Framing Decision List
It's a new specification for standardizing how the documentation, tracking and use of framing.
Working on ‘She-Hulk’ gave animators a rare chance to bring a fully CG photoreal female character to life
Wētā FX on the unique challenges of this superhero.
Where the invisible effects sing
Crafty Apes breaks down their key shots in ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’.
Digital Domain on the art and tech of a female CG character
How new developments in the studio’s Masquerade and Charlatan tools were part of its digital human work for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
What it’s like stepping onto a giant LED wall volume
My visit to Pixomondo's Vancouver virtual production stage.
Does A.I. kill art, the tech behind ‘Love and Thunder’, and getting a job in VFX
Here's what befores & afters is up to this year at the VIEW Conference.
You can now watch this ‘Love, death, and Tim Miller’ AWS session from SIGGRAPH
Hosted by Ian Failes from befores & afters, and also featuring Gretchen Libby.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Get issue #52
Order my new book
Industrial Light & Magic: 50 Years of Innovation
Creativity meets technical curiosity: an FX TD’s role on Predator: Badlands.
From classroom to credits, with Campus VFX