Page 28 - ICT Nepal News Issue 02

Ct,daywe tq[kln1 ctbout

Sound Engineer F'OLEY?

By:
Sunoyo Mon Shrestho

Busy Bee Enlerloinmenl

What Difference Does Foley Sound complete control over the timing, for timing. The actions they perform
MakeP quality, and relative volume of the can include walking, running, jostling
What is it about the sound in sound effects. each other, rubbing their clothing,
many student or amateur films that For example, an introductory shot handling props, and breaking objects,
makes them sound so ... well ... of a biker wearing a leather jacket all while closely observing the
amateur? Even if the fidelity or clarity might be enhanced if we hear his screen to ensure their sound fx are
is good (which it often isn't), there is jacket creak as he enters the shot - appropriate to the vision.
often something hollow or thin about but do we really want to hear it every lncreasingly, many simple FoleY
the sound - the action lacks aural time he moves? By adding the foley sound fx are done without FoleY
depth. The answer could be that the sound fx in post, we can control its artists - the sound effects are stored
film makers did not add Foley sound intensity, and fade it down once the electronically and performed by the
effects to the soundtrack. dialogue begins. Even something post production sound engineer on a
as simple as boots on gravel can keyboard while watching the visual.
What the Heck is "Foley"? interfere with our comprehension Done poorly this type of "FoleY"
Foley effects are sound effects of the dialogue if it is recorded too sounds bland and repetitive, and it
added to the film during post loudly. Far better for the actor to is nowhere near as flexible as the
production (after the shooting wear sneakers or socks (assuming real thing, but it is much cheaper
stops). They include sounds such as their feet are off screen !) and for the than renting a Foley stage and paying
footsteps, clothes rustling, crockery boot-crunching to be added during Foley artists to create the foley sound
clinking, paper folding, doors opening Foley. effects.
and slamming, punches hitting, glass
breaking, etc. etc. ln other words, How is Foley DoneP Why do we Bother with FoleY?
many of the sounds that the sound Foley is usually performed by Without Foley, a film sounds
recordists on set did their best to Foley artists. ldeally they stand on a empty and hollow - the actors seem
avoid recording during the shoot. Foley stage (an area with a variety to be talking in a vacuum. The sound
The boom operator's job is to of possible surfaces and props) in recordist, if they did a good job, has
clearly record the dialogue, and a Foley studio (a specialized sound given us the dialogue and excluded
only the dialogue. At first glance it studio), though any post production everything else, but our films needs
may seem odd that we add back to sound studio will do with a little more than this for the picture to
the soundtrack the very sounds the modification. The Foley artists can come alive. We need to hear the little
sound recordists tried to exclude. clearly see a screen which displays sounds of clothes, furniture, etc -
But the key word here is control. By the footage they are to add sound but we need to control those sound
excluding these sounds during filming fx to, and they perform their sound effects so they don't obscure any of
and adding them in post, we have effects while watching this screen the dialogue.

(28) Iffrf NEPAL [Vol-L, Issue-2, 2017)