By Kavishna Wijesinghe
What is foley art?
Although films fall under the visual platform, even the most breathtaking films might fall short without proper sound effects. From the sound of footsteps to the swishing of garments as a character moves, foley sounds add depth to a film and immerse audiences into the filmic world.
Foley is a unique, interesting sound effect technique that requires creating everyday sounds for films, commercials, or TV shows. This falls entirely under the spectrum of diegetic sound (the sound occurring within the world of a film), whereas non-diegetic sound, such as music and narration, is entirely different from this. Foley effects work both with and to replace “field recordings”. Most scenes use a combination of field recordings and foley effects in their productions to enhance the overall auditory aspect of their films.
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A foley pit[/caption]
The origins of foley art
Foley dates back to the early 20th Century, where rather than using low-quality and unreliable sound effects played off a phonograph, it was first introduced during live broadcasts of radio plays in the 1920s. Radio studios hired sound artists to create the effects on cue. The most recognised of those early radio sound artists was Jack Foley, who moved into the film industry to develop and shape the techniques that foley artists still use to this day.
Foley artists
A foley artist is a person who recreates sounds for film, video, and other media in post-production to enhance audio quality. They require a lot of sensitivity and perfect observing skills in order to identify what sounds need to be added in. The foley artist has complete control over timing, type, quality and relative volume of the sound effects, and they replace sounds that cannot properly be recorded on set by boom operators.
Foley studios have multiple foley pits, viewing screens, and props, as well as recording equipment to record sounds as they watch the film. These sounds include anything from the swishing of clothing, the breaking of glass, footsteps, or breaking bones.
The foley process
Before choosing foley props, the sound designer will review the footage and compile a list of sound effects needed. Foley artists then use heterogenic props to create specific sounds. Footsteps are recorded by the artist walking on the relevant surface (wooden floors, gravel, grass, etc.), while wearing an appropriate shoe to bring out the desired effect.
While the process is highly experimental, and the results do not draw as much prominence as that of other departments, foley artists are regarded as the unsung heroes of film productions.
Types of Foley
- Footsteps: Reproducing the sound of footsteps is done by wearing different kinds of shoes and walking on different kinds of surfaces to get the perfect sound for a specific scene.
- Movement: The amount of punctiliousness required for this is excessive. Even the smallest detail, movement, like the sound of textiles, needs to make a sound.
- Props/Specifics: Specifics are any sounds that are not movement or footsteps, like a phone ringing or a door creaking. Foley artist Marko Costanzo used leaves to create the swirling sound of the witch from Into the Woods (2014). He also used the cracking of celery to create the sound of breaking bones in The Big Lebowski (1998). In Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), foley artist Margie O'Malley used a wind chime to create the sound effects for the crystal critters.
Foley artists at work[/caption]
How foley effects enhance a film
- To give more credibility. Ambient sounds in a field recording are not usually recorded properly enough to enhance the action, therefore, foley artists recreate them in the studio to be louder and the sound to be more believable.
- To add more realistic value. Even the slightest moments in a film have sound. The most effective foley sounds are those that are so natural and real that the audience does not notice them.
- To make it immersive. Sound is a key element of storytelling, and sound effects create a sense of atmosphere and draw viewers more closely into the story.
- It’d be unmoving without foley effects. Films without background noise are too quiet. Foley sound fills that aural void and makes scenes feel more natural and believable.