Foley sound experiments

Foley sound experiments are the reproduction of digetic sound created in post production by a Foley artist. The sound is brought to life when added in post production. Together people work together to create perfectly timed and precisely judged sound to fit what is going to/ is being shown on the screen.

 

Sue Harding created Foley sound 11 years ago and she has worked in post production in Soho. Over the years Sue Harding learnt to create techniques of creating sounds and performing them in sync with a character. In recent years she has worked with a few big budget films to create children's television animation and she has helped to use her skill in projects and instillations.

Peter Burgis is a British Foley artist that has featured on over 150 different films including 'he kings speech' and 'Slumdog Millionaire'. He is a double Emmy award winner and a triple Golden Reel award winner.

There are different experiments that have been done to create certain sounds.

Examples of these are the

BONES CRUNCHING AND BREAKING

This sound is created by getting a whole cooked chicken and then beating it with a sledge hammer or another bludgeoning device.

A HEARTBEAT

This sound is created by taking a piece of fabric and holding it with a loose grip. You must then quickly stretch the fabric for a pounding sound as if it is beating.

NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

The stabbing sounds through out this film were created by using a knife and a watermelon and repeatedly stabbing it. Thus was created in 1984.

PAPER SHREDDER

In the film ET, bits of cabbage were torn up in order to create a paper being ripped sound effect.

FOOTSTEPS

In order to create the sound of footsteps that may be going down the stairs, Foley sounds takes a wooden plank, if the stairs are wooden, and walks over it. Before hand their is a lot of testing in order to make sure the right sound of boots/shoes are used to create the right effect for the filming.

A FEW OTHER EXAMPLES

Corn starch in a leather pouch makes the sound of snow crunching

A pair of gloves sounds like bird wings flapping

A heavy staple gun combined with small metal sounds makes a good gun noise.

Burning plastic garbage bags cut into strips makes a realistic sounding candle.