Deep within the recesses of a production studio, away from the lights, cameras and action, you will find a small room filled with old shoes, car doors, a selection of fabrics, bits of wood, plates, scrap metal, the odd coconut, all packed in tighter than a lost property cupboard. Amongst this bizarre trove of forgotten treasures dwells a being with a penchant for audio so strong they spend day after day being paid to make noise. This is no ordinary person; this is a Foley person.
Foley is the art of recreating everyday sounds in a recording studio which are then used to augment or completely replace the audio recorded in films, television, gaming and radio. Practically everything broadcast with sound will have had a little bit of Foley magic added to it, so it’s a perfect skill to teach through the 14-19 Creative and Media Diploma.
Foley in Industry
Foley is used for a number of tasks in the film making industry; replacing lost dialogue, creating controlled ambient noise and even making sound effects a little more convincing. It’s a way of eliminating anything that could distract the audience (like a rogue seagull or rumbling thunder) and adding sounds that give the production a bit more credibility.
Despite the best efforts of every sound recordist, the real world can be a very loud place. All it takes is a low flying plane or a clumsy person behind the scenes, and the spoken word can be completely obscured. This is a problem, because the main priority of an audio recordist is to capture the dialogue of the actors.
Microphones can be strategically placed to minimise background intrusion and optimise the quality of voices but, although this cuts out as much unwanted noise as possible, it results in quite a flat sounding track. This is when Foley is used to add layers of sound to fill the dips and make the track richer; be it clattering cutlery or the low hum of machinery, Foley can create any sound to make the finished piece of film a little more believable.
Foley is split into three areas: movements, feet and specifics. ‘Movements’ recreates sounds like the rustle of clothing, patting, and scratching. Without a movement track, the film would sound too perfect and sterile. ‘Feet’ (shockingly) recreates the sound of footsteps. This job is usually left to an experienced Foley artist known as a ‘Foley walker’. It’s renowned for its difficulty as every step has to be matched to the sync of the actor’s steps, the surface being walked on and their ‘feeling’.
‘Specifics’ are the real fun in Foley and the part of the job likely to go down best with students. Every time an actor touches something a Foley track has to be created to emphasise and enhance the sound. There are some weird and wonderful tricks employed: the crunch of snow is made by squeezing a box of corn starch; melting bin bags make satisfying drip sounds and taped up phonebooks are used to get the perfect punch.
Even in scenes without any background disturbance or voice dubbing, Foley is invaluable; original recordings of everyday sounds can sometimes sound unrealistic so Foley is used to enhance them. It’s perfect for giving props extra believability; no matter how much that wooden sword looks like the real thing, no one is going to believe it unless they can hear metal-on-metal in a fight scene!
Nothing too techy is needed for Foley in the classroom; just a mic, a Mac or PC, and perhaps some headphones. It’s a great way to get students working as a team making and recording the sound effects, and it’s good fun too (if a bit noisy!)
Foley as a Career
After a day of crashing, banging and other onomatopoeia, your students will probably be full of questions: Do people really do this for a living? Is it one person or a whole team? How can I get into Foley work? Why won’t you let me cut the lettuce in half with the cleaver?
Well, we’ve got all the information you need to answer them (except for the last one – you’re on your own there!) Like most other creative careers, Foley is divided between a number of professionals, each specialising in a different aspect of the process:
Foley Artists are the ones to get down to the nitty gritty. They often find themselves in strange situations, doing anything it takes to make the specific sound they need; even the burliest man could end up wearing high heels and running on wooden planks to imitate the panic-stricken footsteps of a heroine! Any student interested in becoming a Foley Artist needs to have a good imagination, a willingness to try new things and the ability to think on their feet. It’s something of an art form, with some interesting tricks being employed to make believable sounds such as using a phone book to get the sound of the perfect punch, or chopping a frozen head of romaine lettuce for the sound of a decapitation!
The sounds themselves are recorded by a Foley Mixer or Recordist, who is responsible for the positioning of microphones and ensuring the correct acoustics of the recording. Students with an interest in sound production will really enjoy this aspect of Foley.
Foley editors are the head honchos. They are in charge of keeping track of the thousands of elements that will be recorded, as well as monitoring the overall feel of the combined sounds as post-production progresses. They have to know how to work to deadlines and organise their team, as well as having in depth knowledge of audio editing software. It’s a role to aspire to, but only after a good few years of practice and experience.
A typical Foley editor will usually be a graduate of Art, Music, Electronics, Maths or Sound Technology who has pursued postgraduate study in sound. There are various ways of getting onto these courses, but all require a dedication to the subject and a certain amount of perfectionism. The skills recommended for the job are the same as many others in the creative industries: a familiarity with professional-standard software such as ProTools, an eye for detail, a creative mind, the ability to work to deadlines, good organisation and excellent communication skills.
The truth is there is no set path for getting into Foley. Each of the roles requires extensive on-the-job experience and a pragmatic approach. Many Foley professionals start out as runners in sound studios or audio post production houses. From there they work their way up to being assistants to experienced sound editors and Foley mixers, until eventually they work as Foley artists in their own right.
When learning about and experimenting with Foley, the most important thing is a sense of adventure and enthusiasm, something students have by the bucket load. Getting the chance to experiment with Foley in the 14-19 diploma can be a great head start; your students can explore technical methods, learn the tricks of the trade and maybe even come up with a few new ideas of their own!
Kit List
M-Audio Microtrack 2 Recorder (includes a stereo Mic)
Headphones
Memory Card (for Microtrack)
Case
Give our education team a call on 03332 409 333 to discuss Foley and the special bundle offer that we have for all of the above kit. Alternatively, email us at education@jigsaw24.com