Foley Flashcards
What is foley?
Foley is the process of reproducing and recording realistic sound effects by using physical props to enhance the audio quality for film, television, and other types of media.
When was Foley first used?
Foley was first used during radio plays that were broadcast live in the 1920s. Radio studios would hire sound artists to create the effects live and on cue and improvise with the radio host during broadcasts.
Where did the name “Foley” come from?
Foley is named after Jack Foley, a sound artists and one of the pioneers of the early radio plays.
Jack Foley moved to the film industry to pioneer the methods and techniques that Foley artists still use to this day.
What do Foley artists do?
Foley artists reproduce everyday sounds like footsteps, cloth noises, doors opening and closing, wind blowing, glass breaking, punches, kicks, and other ambient sounds.
What are the three main categories of Foley sounds?
- Feet - Footsteps
- Movement - Cloth
- Specifics - Props
What happens in the Feet - Footsteps category of Foley?
Foley recording studios have a variety of different types of shoes and floor surfaces so artists can recreate steps from nearly any shoe on any surface.
When recording Foley footsteps, Foley artists need to consider various types of shoes, the actor’s size, floor surfaces, footstep speed, action, weight, rhythm timing, and the context of the Foley in the scene.
What happens in the Movement - Cloth category of Foley?
The sound of movement, the rubbing of cloth, jackets, shirts, pants, any clothing movement, two people brushing past each other, basic sounds like someone sitting down and grabbing a wallet from their bag.
What happens in the Specifics - Props category of Foley?
Specifics or props are any sounds that are not footsteps or movement, like punches, kicks, a phone ringing, a door creaking or a sword swinging.
How is Foley sound mode?
Before recording in the Foley studio, Foley artists watch the entire film, note what sounds they’ll need to produce in every scene, and gather the necessary props and materials from the studio’s wharehouse or storage area.
How was Foley originally recorded?
Foley was originally recorded in one long take by projecting the film onto a screen and timing every single effect for perfect sync.
What are 4 ways Foley enhances a film?
- Foley sound makes a scene more realistic.
- Foley sound makes a scene more immersive.
- More believable ambient sounds.
- It’s too quiet without Foley effects.
