Before After

---
name: before-after
description: Job skill for a before-and-after video, showing life without the product, then with it. Adds before/after questions, idea patterns, moves and pitfalls. Load once, before asking.
---

# Before and after

The viewer should feel the difference, not read it. Build it as the `motion`
skill describes; this page adds what is specific to comparisons.

## Ask (on the motion skill's single card)

Use the shared visual-approach question from `motion` when unsettled, ahead of
an optional idea pitch. Adapt its choices to this job; keep the card to four
questions total and skip choices the brief or requested reference already settles.

- "What's the annoying part of life without it?" Offer two or three guesses
  from the prompt, plus "Let GG Motion choose".
- "Where will people mostly watch this?" (from the `motion` skill).
- "Should it have music?" (from the `motion` skill).
- "Which idea should we go with?" Pitches below, plus "Let GG Motion choose".

## Ideas that suit comparisons

- **The same task, twice, side by side.** Both halves start together; the
  "before" side keeps getting interrupted while the "after" side simply
  finishes. Then the losing half falls away.
- **One drawing, broken and whole.** A shape or line is drawn twice: broken up
  by the problem on one side, unbroken on the other. The whole one becomes the
  logo.
- **Rewind.** Play the messy version, rewind it in one motion, and play it
  again with the product.

The comparison must use one measure the viewer can see (time, steps, mess),
shown on both sides in the same way.

## Beats that work

- Set up both sides in one frame so the comparison is fair.
- Let the problem build, quickening, on the "before" side.
- A held breath when the "after" side finishes: a real, still rest.
- The winning side's result carries into the name.

## Moves

`kit.impact` for interruptions; `kit.camera` with a local shake on one side
only; `kit.openFrom` from the finished result; `kit.converge` into the logo.
Pieces: `before-after-split`, `open-from-subject`, `gather-to-logo`,
`camera-rig`.

## Pitfalls

- Two separate scenes, before then after, with a cut between. Show them
  together, or carry one into the other.
- An unfair comparison: different tasks or different measures on each side.
- Captions that state the difference instead of showing it.
- Invented statistics about the improvement.