Have you ever thought that the sound of bacon frying sounded a lot like rain? Or that hitting two halves of a coconut together sounded like a horse clip-clopping along? If so, you might have what it takes to be a Foley artist. While many people don’t think twice about the sound effects they hear in movies, they’re often created as a result of imaginative Foley work. In this post, we explore the wide world of Foley sounds and the people who create them, along with looking what it takes to become a professional Foley artist today.
The origins of Foley
Foley work is named after Jack Foley, who started working for Universal in the early 1920s. When sound started being incorporated into movies later in the decade, Foley helped create sound effects for “Show Boat” in 1929. After that, he decided to solely focus on sound for his nearly thirty year career in film. He innovated a unique way of creating sound effects, recording sounds onto a single track of audio in sync with action happening on the screen.
His work highlighted how critical sound was in movie productions, and he won numerous awards for his work. One of his colleagues in the sound department, Joe Sikorsky, described how meticulous Jack’s approach to sound design was: “Jack emphasized you have to act the scene… you have to be the actors and get into the spirit of the story the same as the actors did, on the set. It makes a big difference.”
What does a Foley artist do?
Foley artists are dedicated to breathing life into film by recreating everyday sounds in a studio or dedicated Foley stage. From the swish of a dress to the roar of a waterfall, Foley artists work to meticulously craft sounds that match the visuals or action in a film. Their work is a delicate balance of creativity, technical skill, and attention to detail.
Activities
You’ll find Foley work in everything from films to television shows to podcasts. For a Foley artist, their day to day on a job typically involves a lot of manual labor and trial and error. Before they record anything, artists will sit down with the director and sound producer to watch the film or show and catalog what sounds are needed. From there, the artists will practice creating those sounds on their own to perfect them before getting to the final step of recording.
Many artists will have a large screen right in their studio where they’ll loop the scenes they’re creating Foley sounds for. That way, they can do multiple takes to find the perfect one. Then someone else, either another artist or sound designer, will watch the same scene with the Foley sound to either approve or request a new take.
Artists often do what’s called a cloth pass before diving into other sounds, which is just putting sounds to the movement of the actors to mimic the friction of their clothing. Artists can spend an entire day slamming car doors, smashing bottles, walking on different surfaces, and more. To create more complex, layered sounds like a car smashing into a building means figuring out the right combination of wood splintering, glass shattering, and crunching metal.
Skills
To be a successful Foley artist requires a unique blend of skills. Attention to detail is one of the most important, since their entire job is to accurately recreate sounds down to the smallest detail. To do that, they need to have exceptional hearing. But the ability to hear a sound and be able to recreate it themselves require incredible ingenuity and imagination.
Getting the perfect sound for something like armor clanking or a door creaking often requires many, many tries and approaches. Which is why, on top of everything else, Foley artists need to be both patient and tenacious. If one approach doesn’t work, they have to experiment and find a different way to create a sound that fits best.
One other essential skill is time management. According to Gregg Barbanell, a Foley artist who’s worked on shows like “Breaking Bad”, they often are lucky to get 10 days to add sound to a film. So to successfully complete a gig, artists need to be able to effectively use the short amount of time they have.
Education
There’s not a linear path to becoming a Foley artist, as there’s no specific degree for it. While going to film school is an option for getting into Foley work, it isn’t required. However, it does help to build a better understanding of sound design in movies and how it works in tandem with the rest of a production. And there are some schools that offer Foley classes.
What’s most important for aspiring Foley artists is getting real world experience and building connections in the industry, whether it’s working on a Foley stage or any sound job, especially in post-production. Working under a mentor is the best way to learn the ropes and what it takes to become a professional. Though finding mentors who are willing to take on an assistant or apprentice can be tough, it can help put you on the road to a successful Foley career.
Salary and pay
If you’re looking for a steady salary, Foley work isn’t for you. Working as a Foley artist almost always means being a freelancer and picking up gig work, often with large gaps between jobs. According to CareersInFilm, their work rates usually fall between $400 and $450 per day for experienced artists.
Pay for newer or less experienced Foley artists will most likely be lower, though being a part of the Motion Picture Editors Guild does guarantee minimums for your work. If you’re serious about pursuing this career path, it’s important to remember that being a Foley artist alone is unlikely to pay the bills and keep a roof over your head unless you have a second job to support yourself.
Job perspectives
As you might guess from the lack of a formal educational degree for Foley art, jobs in this specific niche are extremely competitive. Many Foley artists who have earned a name for themselves and made industry connections will work for decades, rarely taking on apprentices. Which makes it very tough for newer or less experienced artists to find jobs.
While developing your skills is essential for finding work as a Foley artist, networking and connecting with others in the industry is too. It’s worth noting that Foley artists have historically worked in pairs, as some more complex sounds require four hands to make happen. So pairing up with another artist could be advantageous to finding gigs.
As we mentioned in the last section, many Foley artists have gaps between jobs. Which most likely means even if you consistently work at building your skills and connecting with other industry professionals, you’ll need to have another job (or two) on the side. Unfortunately, having a long-term career in Foley is tough, given that the demand for artists is small.
Types of Foley art
As we previously mentioned, the first step that Foley artists do when adding sound to a film is a cloth pass. They sit with a cloth in their lap, then make movements that mimic the friction of the actor’s clothing throughout the film as it moves. Of course, they have to use different fabrics to match what the actors are wearing. A silk dress rustling as someone walks in a period piece will sound different than someone brushing off their starched linen suit jacket.
Next, Foley artists will move on to props. From a pencil scratching on paper to the sound of a mug as it’s set on a table, Foley artists must recreate these sounds with the perfect props, emotion, and amount of pressure. Someone who’s hand is nervously trembling as they set their teacup into a saucer will require a different approach than someone who angrily slams their cup into a wooden table.
Next up will be any sort of foot movements. Whether it’s walking, running, dancing, or other movement, artists have to account for not only the types of shoes the actor is wearing and the surface they’re on, but also the build of the actor and foot pressure. A good Foley artist will be able to accurately perform the movements of any actor.
Finally, Foley artists will tackle layered sounds. The example we gave earlier in this post was a car crashing through a building, but layered sounds can include anything from a tentacle monster fighting someone to a busy party scene. Figuring out the right mix of sounds to help a scene come to life requires a lot of trial and error, especially for science fiction or fantasy settings.
Foley sound production
To be able to create the right sound for any scene, Foley artists have to curate a massive prop library. For walking scenes alone, they need tons of different types of shoes to choose from. Artists will often search places like junkyards or thrift stores to find items that create sounds they can envision working for specific scenes. Even finding the right old, rusty hinge to create the perfect eerie door creak can mean curating an entire box of hinges to choose from.
For capturing their work, Foley artists need high-quality microphones and recording equipment that are sensitive enough to pick up the smallest details. Shotgun and lavalier microphones are popular choices for Foley artists. Getting a clean take is essential for artists, so a soundproof studio with a monitor to show the film scene they’re working on is a must on top of their equipment. For editing, artists will need a digital audio workstation like Pro Tools or Cubase, which also have free versions for those who are just starting out with Foley work.
Foley vs SFX and sound design
While Foley work can turn into sound effects, they aren’t the same thing. Foley, SFX, and sound design each serve a specific purpose in a production.
- Foley: Focuses on creating realistic, synchronized sound effects that complement the on-screen action, done by specialized Foley artists.
- SFX: Involves the use of pre-recorded or synthesized sound effects to enhance or create auditory elements that cannot be captured through Foley work.
- Sound Design: Encompasses the overall sonic landscape of a film, including Foley, SFX, dialogue, music, and ambient soundscapes. Sound designers collaborate closely with directors and editors to craft the auditory atmosphere of a film.
Foley artist work
While many creators and smaller filmmakers today may not have the means to hire or access Foley artists, Foley can be turned into stock sound effects once they’re recorded. You can also create your own Foley at home by using everyday objects. Resources like Storyblocks’ library of 40,000+ sound effects make sound production more accessible. You can easily find the perfect royalty free sound effects for things like glass breaking, weather, explosions, and much more.
Summary
While Foley work is an incredible addition to the cinematic soundscape of movies and television shows, the high difficulty of breaking into the industry and small number of working artists today may put it on the path to becoming a dying art. But studios like Disney still investing in and working with Foley artists shows that for now, it isn’t going anywhere. However, the role of Foley work may evolve and change as emerging media like virtual reality, generative video, and gaming technology develop. The creativity, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail of Foley artists is something that any media with sound can benefit from. So the next time you’re watching a movie, pay attention to the small details in the sound design and remember the hardworking Foley artists who made them come alive.
