What is foley?

Foley is basically the sound effects that are added on post production to make the film sound better, clearer and less hollow and have less of a echo effect. The technique was created by jack foley in the 1920s and is used to enhance the audio in films as many sounds can be washed out in real life by louder sounds like traffic or overhead aeroplanes. Sounds such as footsteps, doors closing, fight scenes, pots clinking and paper flipping etc, pretty much most sound except the dialogue which is the sound recordists job to capture. By recording these sounds after we have a lot more control over the volume, timing and quality of the sound effects in the film. Its is also used to make sure only the important and relevant sounds are heard during the scene and the smaller sounds like clothes and furniture rustling are of a smaller volume so it just adds a bit of depth to the film. Foley is created with foley artist in a foley studio or stange where there are plenty of surfaces, props and objects to create the specific sounds. There will be a screen what the artists can clearly see which displays the footage that they are creating the sound for so that they can create the sounds with perfect timing. Actions that can be preformed are things like; walking, running, breaking objects, rubbing clothing or furniture, fighting or handling other types of props. There are many tips and tricks o the trade and even the most unusual objects can create the perfect sounds. For exampleusing small nuts can be used to replicate the sound or bones breaking,  using cellophane to make the sound of fire or candles burning and using a staple gun to creat the sound of a hand gun firing. More recently foley sounds are stored electronically and are used by the editors post production with the timing of the scenes. This can sound repetitive and many not work as well as the real foley artists can create but it is a less expensive and using the foley studio and artists. Even the ameture film makers can create the basic foley sound effects which will add a lot more depth into there film even if it is not used continuously throughout the film.