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Making the magic mirror
Retro

Making the magic mirror moment in ‘The Matrix’

"Neo looks at his hand; fingers distended into mirrored icicles that begin to melt rapidly, dripping, running like wax down his fingers, spreading across
Retro

Anatomy of a crash: ‘The Matrix’s’ stunning helicopter scene

I knew it. He's the one.
The Matrix
Retro

Secrets of ‘The Matrix’ code

It comes from Japanese cookbooks, it’s back to front, and it didn't always flow vertically.
Articles

The Solid Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride

A sticky post with a regular landscape featured image on the corner of a nondescript block in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is a bank, or
The Hudsucker Proxy VFX
Retro

A visual journey inside the miniatures of ‘The Hudsucker Proxy’

Shooting models sideways, making Tim Robbins act in reverse, and the movies where the same miniatures made surprise reappearances.
Skrull transformations
Articles

Skrull transformations: inventing a new type of morph

All about ‘Captain Marvel’s’ shape-shifting Skrulls, and ponytails.
Sphere
Retro

‘We tried a million things’ – the oral history of ‘Sphere’s’ sphere

The sphere in 'Sphere', and how it was made.
Shark VS Grodd: Encore VFX
Articles

OK, so a shark man needs to fight a gorilla – what do you do?

“I was surprised no one scratched my car after that conversation.”
Alita: Battle Angel VFX
Articles

‘She eats a lot during this film, you know’ – giving CG characters some bite

How do you make a CG character eat, anyway? Weta Digital reveals all.
Dennis Muren on the art of crafting VFX shots
Articles

Dennis Muren on the art of crafting VFX shots that don’t reveal how they’re done

The ILM veteran breaks down 3 of his classic 'how did they do that?' film effects.
VFX oral history of Guinness
Retro

‘I felt like it was a poem’: the VFX oral history of Guinness ‘Surfer’

Original CFC crew members reflect on bluescreen horses, crashing waves and a St. Patrick's Day debut for the famous Jonathan Glazer spot.
exploring more diversity in VFX
Articles

‘No more talk, we need positive action’: exploring more diversity in VFX

A report from the joint VES and SPARK CG Society Diversity & Inclusion Summit.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Articles

That Moment When You Have to Reveal Your Work to the World

What it was like for Sony's 'Spider-Verse' artists after the film's first teaser trailer was released in 2017.
Super Mario Bros.
Retro

‘Super Mario Bros.’: the other huge VFX film from 1993

The first film to use Flame in a big way, as well as several other VFX 'firsts.'
Ruby’s Saloon
Retro

Remembering ‘Ruby’s Saloon,’ and how it helped make Maya

The untold oral history of the short that helped promote Maya to the world.
Oral history of Iron Man
Retro

Heads up: the oral history of ‘Iron Man’s’ original HUD

It changed HUDs forever - members of the original Iron Man HUD design group look back on the work.
Deep Rising behind the scene
Retro

Tracking nightmares: behind Blur’s half-digested Billy shots in Deep Rising

Tracking was (still) hard 20 years ago.
The Matrix VFX
Retro

Three things you might not have known about Bullet Time

For befores & afters patrons.
Articles

How to prepare breakfast

Mister Trouble never hangs around when he hears this Mighty sound: “Here I come to save the day!” That means that Mighty Mouse is
Retro

Viewpaint: ILM’s secret weapon on ‘Jurassic Park’

Do you really know how they texture painted the dinosaurs?
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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

MOST READ

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  • Olivier Gondry on the making of Kylie Minogue’s ‘Come Into My World’

About b&a

befores & afters is an online, podcast and print publication dedicated to VFX, animation, CG, games and virtual production run by longtime industry journalist Ian Failes.
"beforesandafters.com is the website about visual effects I have always dreamed of, talking about the new tour-de-force and looking back at the past chef-d’œuvre.” - Visual effects supervisor Stephane Ceretti

© 2026 befores & afters.

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