From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Foley is a term that describes the process of live recording of sound effects that are created by a foley artist, which are added in post production to enhance the quality of audio for films, television, video, video games and radio.[1]
The term "foley" is also used to describe a place, such as foley-stage or foley-studio, where the foley process takes place. "Foley" gets its name from Jack Donovan Foley (1891-1967), a sound editor at Universal Studios in the 1950s who became famous for his advancements in synchronized sound effects.
Uses
The purpose of foley is to complement or replace sound recorded on set at the time of the filming (known as field recording). The soundscape of most films utilizes a combination of both. A foley artist is the person who creates this sound art. Foley artists use creativity to make viewers believe that the sound effects are actually real. The viewers should not be able to realize that the sound was not actually part of the filming process itself. Foley sounds are added to the film in post production after the film has been shot.[2] The need for replacing or enhancing sounds in a film production arises from the fact that, very often, the original sounds captured during shooting are obstructed by noise or are not convincing enough to underscore the visual effect or action. For example, fist-fighting scenes in an action movie are usually staged by the stunt actors and therefore do not have the actual sounds of blows landing. Crashes and explosions are often added or enhanced at the post-production stage. The desired effect is to add the sounds that were intended to be excluded during recording back to the original soundtrack. By excluding these sounds during field recording, and then adding them back into the soundtrack during post-production, the editors have complete control over how each noise sounds, its quality, and the relative volume [3] Foley effects add depth and realism to the audio quality for multimedia sources, and they simplify the synchronizing of sounds that would otherwise be tedious or downright impossible to manage.[1]
The Foley artist reviews the film as it runs to figure out what sounds are needed to achieve the desired sound and results. Once the material is gathered and prepared to be used, the Foley artist practices the sounds. When the desired sound is accomplished, it is the Foley artist's task to watch the film and add in the sound effects at the same time. This is similar to when actors have to add dialogue over the movement of the lips in filming.
Scenes where the dialogue is replaced using ADR will also have to feature foley sounds. ADR stands for Automatic Dialogue Replacement - when voice sounds are recorded in post production. This is done by a machine that runs the voice sounds with the film forward and backward to get the sound to run with the film. The objective of the ADR technique is to add sound effects into the film after filming, so the voice sounds are synchronized. Not only are many of the sounds not added at the time of filming, the microphones may not transmit the sound the same way the audience would predict to hear.[4] The need for foley rose dramatically when films began to be distributed internationally and dubbed in foreign languages. As dialogue is replaced, all sound effects recorded at the time of the dialogue are lost as well.
Main components
Footsteps
The first consists of the reproduction of all the footsteps of characters seen in the picture. The feet like all other components of foley are performed by the artist while watching the picture on a TV or projector in the studio. Foley "pits" are usually found in the studio, containing different materials and substrates such as soil, gravel tarmac, wood and other surfaces for actors to walk on.
The "moves"
This is simply a track recorded to represent the clothing worn by each character in the picture. This will be performed by the foley artist who controls the movement of a piece of material to mimic the sound of a suit as a character moves in a shot. Moves are not always used and tend to be recorded at the discretion of the dubbing mixer who ultimately controls the final outcome of the audio post-production process.
Spot effects
Spot effects are all the other sounds that are recorded to replicate sounds or complement events on screen such as telephones being picked up and put down, chairs moving, crockery and cutlery being used as well as more adventurous sounds such as crushing bones, blood splatters, and bodies falling to the ground. Foley can also include other sounds such as doors closing and doorbell rings, however these tend to be done more efficiently using stock sound effects, arranged by "tracklayers".
Soundscapes
A soundscape is made up of one or several different sounds in order to create a natural, immersive environment. Soundscapes include natural sounds, such as animals or weather, sounds of human origin, including musical compositions and sound design, and other human interactions such as background conversations. "Soundscapes" also include audio recordings that create an atmosphere or the sensation of experiencing a certain environment.
Vocabulary
A list of vocabulary words:
Cue sheet: A list of the necessary sound effects, along with their cues. Cues are either time code signals or film footage signals (such as the slate) that indicate when the sound begins and ends.
Dialogue: Conversation or verbalizations in a film.
Echo chamber: A box or container used to create illusion of distance and reverberation.
Incidental: Casual, everyday sounds that aren't necessarily special.
Mixing console: A machine that is capable of taking in different sounds, then mixing them at different levels to create a single sound.
Reverberation: A reechoed sound which fades until it becomes inaudible.
Rough cut: The first draft of a film.
Score: The background music throughout a film.
Splash tank: A container filed with water for wet sound effect.
Walla: Background crowd noises in a movie, TV or radio.
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