Foley for film

[Ritzy]

I am a final year degree student designing an interactive guide to Foley sound for independent film makers. At present I am conducting research within the independent film maker community in an attempt to establish the main content such a guide should have. Bellow are a few questions which I am posting for anyone to contribute their advice, experiences or opinions. Any replies can be sent to me directly at Moochmeister@hotmail.com

As an independent film maker:
1. What would you like to see in a guide to Foley?
2. Would you just like ideas for creating the sounds themselves, or the full monty of how those sounds go from conception to editing to final production on a project including equipment and software tips etc?
3. In what format do you think this information would be best presented eg web page, interactive dvd etc
4. Do you have any experience of Foley and if so what are the main problems you have encountered or advice you can give?
5. Do you think that Foley is an underestimated part of the film making process?
6. Any further comments or suggestions?

 

[Adrian]

5. Do you think that Foley is an underestimated part of the film making process?
Deffinitely! I think sound in general is underestimated and overlooked in the film making process. Film makers need to have sound in mind before they start filming, this way they would have a lot less problems in the post production stages.

As for Foley. this is just one part of the audio post process. Without a clean dialogue track, a good dialogue editor, sound designer/editor, mixer why bother with good Foley. For example, if there's loads of wind noise on the production audio track and the audio from shot to shot doesn't match up, Foley is the least of your worries. One of the most important with sound for film is to get a good production recording, it will make all the other areas of sound, e.g. Foley, dialogue editing much more beneficial.

That said, here's a couple of links to help you with your Guide To Foley

http://www.marblehead.net/foley/

http://www.filmsound.org/terminology/foley.htm

All the best

Adrian

 

[Bob Kessler]

I am a sound designer/audio post production engineer and I agree with Adrian; SOUND itself is an underestimated and greatly misunderstood part of the film making process, almost completely ignored by most young filmmakers. They're so damned excited about getting a camera in their hands that they ignore production sound and don't pre-plan and/or budget for post production sound.

Foley is an artform. Good Foley is completely "natural", and great Foley can enhance the characters and the story.

A guide to the Foley process should be geared towards budgeting, what Foley can and cannot accomplish, setting up a Foley cue list, hiring the lead Foley artist and selecting a Foley stage, Foley editing and mixing. As far as independent filmmakers, especially lo/no budget types, the best Foley is recorded on the set with the dialog. The more ADR/looping you do, the more Foley you will need; obviously this also ties into budgeting. Great location sound makes for a smoother, faster, less expensive audio post production process. Never shoot MOS, the wilds can be useful and, at worst, provide reference/sync tracks for the Foley process.

All film students should read "Sound Design: The Expressive Power of Music, Voice and Sound Effects in Cinema" by David Sonnenschein which discusses the more artistic and creative aspects of sound design and audio post. David Yewdall's "Practical Art of Motion Picture Sound" covers the organizational and technical aspects well. Both have excellent sections on Foley. What really should be reinforced is the idea that you should select your location sound engineer, post sound designer and other audio post crew with as much care and consideration as you would a DP, lead actor or editor.

Okay, okay, I'll get off the soap box.....