Do any of these blockbuster films sounds familiar? Up!, Iron Man, Ice Age, WALL-E, Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, AVATAR?
Well if you answered yes, then maybe this will interest you. Yesterday I had the opportunity to experience, sit in, and lend a hand during a session with the foley artist from all of those films and more. If you're not familiar with the concept a foley, think about it in terms of this...
When you watch a movie and a door opens, a glass breaks, a blender is heard, or footsteps on a stairwell, chances are your listening to foley sounds. By "definition" foley is the art creating or altering for use in a film, video, or other electronically produced work. So basically any sounds effect that needs some re-recording or enhancing is recreated in a foley session.
For about 8 hours yesterday, I watched (and listened) as Jana Vance, the foley artist in charge of creating all foley sounds for the previously mentioned films created a whole bunch of sound effect an AFI graduate student's thesis short film. The session went down at Outpost Studios in San Francisco, where I am interning one day a week this summer. It was amazing to meet and work with such a talented and respected industry professional. This was a much different experience from shoots that I've been on this summer, as we were in a studio all day dealing with an already completed picture. This process did further my beliefs that I never want to work in post production, but I sure as hell respect the art of it. All in all it was an awesome day and next time I watch a film (probably later today), I will definitely take more notice of the art of foley! And you should too!
