Sound Design & Art of
Foley
Jack Foley
1891-1967
Feet to the Stars
In his 33 years on
Stage 10 at Universal Pictures, he perfected a method of projecting a film and
adding all these sound effects in sync with the moving picture.
Credits: Show Boat, Spartacus, Pink Submarine....
Despite all his
years in front of the microphone, there's no recording of Jack Foley's voice,
no pictures of him on the sound stage.
Why not record the sound
effects when filming?
The most important
thing the sound recordist should concentrate on is the DIALOGUE.
Unmanageable
location noises: traffic, airplanes: hard to get clean sound.
Replace/add dialogue: ADR
Replace/add sfx: FOLEY & Sound Design.
On a film set
nothing is real (almost).
The sword is
made of plastic.
The marble
floor is painted plywood.
Foley replaces or enhances sound.
Swords ring
like metal.
Floors echo
like marble.
Post Production Sound: TEAMWORK
Partial list of the Post Production Sound team of "Flags of
Our Fathers" directed by Clint Eastwood:
1 Supervising
Dialogue Editor
4 Dialogue Editors
1 ADR Supervisor
2 ADR Editors
1 Sound Design
4 Sound Effects
Editors
1 Supervising Foley
Editor
1 Foley Editor
1 First Assistant
Sound Editor
3 Assistant Sound
Editors
1 ADR Assitant
Editor
2 Foley Artists
1 Music Scoring
Mixer
4 Re-Recording
Mixers
1 Mix Technician
2 Foley Mixers
1 ADR Mixer
Foley artists, sound FX editors,
Dialogue Editors, Music Editors
and Mixers work closely
together.
Foley 1: THE
MOVES TRACK
A layer of sound that recreates
the clothing rustle of actors as they walk, run and move.
People tend to scratch, pat and
touch themselves and each other.
The moves track covers these sound.
Without the moves track, the
Foley would sound sterile and too perfect. Moves track provides a smooth, subtle background layer.
It gives the foley artist a
chance to really feel the film which helps for the foley recordings later (footsteps!)
How to PERFORM a moves track:
Sit in a comfortable chair that
doesn't make any sound.
Hold the material loosely in your
hands and rub it against your body simulating the motion of characters.
Watch the screen and move as the
actors move.
Record the moves track in a very
quiet room.
Foley 2: THE
FOOT TRACK
A Foley artist is also called a 'Foley Walker' or 'Stepper'.
One of the most important elements
a foley artist provides is the sound of the
footsteps.
Important elements to match:
The sync of the steps.
The surface (wood, marble, dirt...)
The shoes (rubber, leather, woodÉ)
The feeling (heavy, fast, angry, panicked).
Recording a Foot Track:
If the scene is outdoors,
place the microphone closer (3 feet) for a tighter sound.
If the scene is indoors,
place the microphone further (6 feet) for a roomy sound.
Performing a Foot Track:
Select appropriate shoes and
surfaces!
The action is "heel / toe".
You will not be actually
walking.
Watch the actor's shoulders. The shoulders will give you the sense of movement about to happen. If you only watch the feet, it will be
difficult to sync up.
Foley 3: THE
SPECIFICS
If the sound is not a clothing
move or a footstep, it must be a specific!
This is the fun/magic part in Foley.
Important: the appropriate PROPS!
Redording the SPECIFICS: Sample
techniques
Corn starch in a leather pouch:
Sound of snow crunch
Pair of gloves: Bird wing flaps
An arrow or thin stick: Whoosh
Old chair: Controllable creaking
sound
1/4 inch audio tape balled up: Grass
or flowers
Frozen romaine lettuce: Bone or
head squishy noise
Half coconut shells filled with padding:
Horse feet
Cellophane: Crackling fire
Heavy rolled and taped up
telephone book: Body punching surface