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Artwork for befores & afters

befores & afters

Ian Failes
Visual Effects
Framestore
Loki
Film Production
Time Slipping
Spaghettification
Halo the Series
Dinosaurs
Marvel Studios
ILM
Rising Sun Pictures
Trickster
We Were the Lucky Ones
Ripley
CG Creatures
Action Choreography
Motion Capture
CGI Animation
Asteroid Impact
Creature Design

The befores & afters VFX podcast from journalist Ian Failes, covering the latest in visual effects, animation and virtual production.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes242Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
TV & FilmTechnology

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for befores & afters

Latest Episodes

Ian Failes from befores & afters chats to visual effects supervisor Jeff White, now creative director at ILM Vancouver, on his roles on the Transformers films, the development of BlockParty, that New York oner in The Avengers and the creature work in... more

Ian Failes from befores & afters chats to Rob Bredow, Senior Vice President, Creative Innovation at Lucasfilm, about his time at ILM.

Ian Failes from befores & afters chats to Wētā FX visual effects supervisor Sheldon Stopsack and animation supervisor Kevin Estey about 'A Minecraft Movie', including the character Malgosha.

Ian Failes from befores & afters chats to Janet Lewin, senior vice president, general manager and head of ILM, on her 30 year-plus history with the studio.

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Recent Guests

Jeff White
Creative director at ILM Vancouver
ILM
Episode: ILM's Jeff White breaks down that incredible oner from 'The Avengers'
Rob Bredow
Senior Vice President, Creative Innovation at Lucasfilm; CTO at ILM
Lucasfilm / ILM
Episode: Rob Bredow shares 'Solo' stories, and how ILM inspired him before he was even at ILM
Janet Lewin
Senior Vice President, General Manager, and Head of ILM
Industrial Light & Magic
Episode: ILM's Janet Lewin reflects on more than three decades with the studio
Edward Douglas
Production Visual Effects Supervisor on Keeper
Image Engine (production VFX)
Episode: The creatures of 'Keeper'
Jenn Taylor
Image Engine's Visual Effects Supervisor on Keeper
Image Engine
Episode: The creatures of 'Keeper'
Dennis Muren
Senior Visual Effects Supervisor and multiple VFX Oscar winner.
Industrial Light & Magic
Episode: Our new ILM podcast series starts with Dennis Muren!
Brian LaBrec
US Head of Capture at Clear Angle Studios
Clear Angle Studios
Episode: How on-set scanning of environments and actor capture works
Chris Bremble
Founder and CEO of Base FX
Base FX
Episode: What it's like to run a visual effects studio in China
Lee Perry-Smith
Co-founder of Infinite Realities
Infinite Realities
Episode: Infinite Realities on the path to 4G gaussian splatting in digital human capture

Host

Ian Failes
Host of Befores & Afters

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 27 ratings
  • Very helpful and interesting

    Love the podcast keep it up.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    @theOrangedragon
    Canada2 years ago
  • Exceptional

    This has been one of the most informative podcasts I could find on filmmaking. I appreciate the deep dive into practical effects (miniatures, forced perspective, etc) as much as the VFX.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    In a Bubble World
    United States2 years ago
  • Fantastic insights

    Ian gives great insight to film and tv lovers in an approachable and conversational way. A great listen

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    lamamamamama
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Insightful deep dives into practical effects and VFX leadership.
Clear, approachable host fosters expert-level conversations.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#204
Argentina/TV & Film

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

ILM's Jeff White breaks down that incredible oner from 'The Avengers'
Q: What was the big challenge on Transformers and how did the team approach it?
The Transformers challenge centered on complex transformations and creature work, which led to the creation of modular tools like BlockParty and the TFM system that allowed on-the-fly regrouping and control of rigged pieces, enabling more dynamic and efficient animation.
Saint Walker on the new Core Skills of VFX Handbook 2025
Q: What was the purpose of the original document? Why did it actually get made?
The original document was created to help universities put on industry-relevant VFX courses and to persuade them that such courses should be legit and in line with industry standards.
Alec Gillis on the practical effects design process for 'Predator: Badlands'
Q: How do you balance practical effects with digital enhancement?
We initially aimed for practical effects but had to adapt to digital solutions due to time constraints and production limitations.
Alec Gillis on the practical effects design process for 'Predator: Badlands'
Q: What were some of the early design decisions you made for Deck?
We focused on his physical handicaps like being the runt of the litter and played with ideas like how he might use high tech goggles to compensate.
The painterly art and tech behind stop-motion animated 'The Girl Who Cried Pearls'
Q: How did you discuss and come up with the look and feel of The Girl Who Cried Pearls? Tell me about that conversation.
Chris and Maciek explained that their background as painters influenced the film's aesthetics, leading them to create a painterly look that transcends traditional animation techniques.

Audience Metrics

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Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About befores & afters

What is befores & afters about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on visual effects, virtual production, and cutting-edge film-making tech through in-depth conversations with VFX leaders, studio founders, and industry pioneers. Across episodes, listeners get behind-the-scenes storytelling on practical effects, digital graining and compositing, in-house VFX workflows, and the evolving role of AI and scanning tech in modern production. A notable trait is the host's ability to extract actionable insights from top VFX professionals and studio leaders, offering a practical angle for practitioners, studios, and brands seeking current industry intelligence and potential collaboration opportunities. The format consistently blends historical context with forward-looking tech trends, making it a va... more

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Which podcasts are similar to befores & afters?

These podcasts share a similar audience with befores & afters:

1. Team Deakins
2. fxguide: fxpodcast
3. The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast
4. The Town with Matthew Belloni
5. The Filmcast

How many episodes of befores & afters are there?

befores & afters launched 4 years ago and published 242 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on befores & afters?

Recent guests on befores & afters include:

1. Jeff White
2. Rob Bredow
3. Janet Lewin
4. Edward Douglas
5. Jenn Taylor
6. Dennis Muren
7. Brian LaBrec
8. Chris Bremble

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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