The Squeaky Wheel - Foley Artist at Work
The only Foley artist I knew growing up was the window dresser at the Foley’s Department store at the mall. When I see that roll across the screen, I wonder if it’s the woman who put the mannequins together for the displays.
While I sit here typing, I hear the click of the keys. It makes me think of “You’ve Got Mail,” one of my favorite movies. In it, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks get to know each other through exchanged e-mails, and we’re treated to wonderful dialogue that is punctuated by the clicking of the keys. During filming, the microphones that pick up the actors’ voices don’t pick up all the ambient noise, so someone must create that post-production.
That is the job of the Foley artist. In a room surrounded with both unusual and everyday objects, they create or amplify all the non-dialogue sounds that increase the reality of the movie setting.
What would Facing the Giants be without the roar of the crowd or the sound of Coach Grant’s car dying? Try to imagine Thr3e without the sound of a ringing phone. It’s a key element in the film, but without it, the effect isn’t the same. So the next time you hear a page turn or a door slam shut, watch the credits for the Foley artist and send them a thank you card!
