Foley is the subtle art of reproducing specific and realistic sounds using props that are sometimes far removed from the source they imitate. This expertise, often surrounded by mystery, is mastered by ingenious foley artists who use their creativity to enrich audiovisual works. With The Foley Artist's Lab, dive into the fascinating backstage of these sound creations and discover their secrets. This series is in French but easy to follow and understand for non-French speakers.
On this page:
The Show
The Foley Artist's Lab is a web series that I have been hosting since 2011. But that’s not all: I also lead introductory foley workshops in schools, associations, libraries, festivals, and many other places and events. These workshops are open to everyone, from children as young as 3 years old to adults up to 157 years old! If this activity intrigues you, feel free to visit the page dedicated to my workshops. And contact me!
A Brief History of Foley
At a time when recording devices were not widely accessible, foley was performed live on radio, in theaters, and even in cinemas during silent film screenings.
Today, modern tools allow pre-recorded or pre-edited sounds to be played precisely when needed. However, "old-fashioned" foley remains a vital practice, particularly in cinema and even more so in animation.
The Foley Artist's Job
When exporting films, it is often necessary to remove the original soundtrack, leaving only the music. Foley artists must then entirely recreate the film’s soundscape.
Even with the help of sound libraries, like those available on LaSonotheque.fr, many specific sounds need to be recreated in the studio for perfect synchronization or because they are impossible to capture in real conditions.
To discover the talent of a professional foley artist, don't miss the videos of the amazing Sanaa Kelley, who brilliantly and passionately illustrates this exceptional profession!
The Episodes of The Foley Artist's Lab
#51: Steam Engine
Steam engines, or locomotives, are rare today, making them hard to record. It’s useful to know how to recreate their sounds. For this, simply use a cylindrical cardboard box filled with rice, sand, or semolina. Rotating it reproduces the gentle sound, which you can enhance with a whistle for added realism.
#50: Marching Steps
A marching machine is a foley instrument that simulates the sound of footsteps, such as a military march. Here’s how to create one and use it.
#49: Weapon Sounds
To create weapon sound effects, assemble small metal parts (nuts, bolts, washers) connected by a thin chain or hinges. Fix them to allow easy collision. Shake or rub this assembly gently to simulate different types of weapons. Add elements like springs or small plates for richer textures. Adjust force and rhythm to mimic various armament types.
#48: Dragon Wings
To recreate the sound of dragon wings flapping, use an umbrella. Choose a large, sturdy one made of thick fabric. Slowly open it to mimic the wings spreading, reproducing the sound of air movement. Shake it gently for light flaps or vigorously for powerful ones. The fabric's rustling evokes large membrane movements. Vary pace and intensity based on the dragon's size or emotion. Place a microphone close to capture details and enhance the effect with audio processing (reverb, pitch). Simple and effective for bringing your mythical creature to life!
#47: Gore
For a realistic gore sound effect, use vegetables! Bite into an apple to simulate a bone breaking. Twist or tear celery stalks to imitate bone cracks. Smash watermelons or tomatoes to reproduce splattering blood effects. Hit cabbages for heavy impacts. Cut bell peppers or squash for slicing flesh sounds. Add liquids (water, gel) to enhance the slimy effect. Place a microphone close and vary the intensity of movements. No need to torment a friend: vegetables are perfect for convincing effects and much less messy for your conscience!
#46: Frequency Generator
Widely used for creating original electronic sounds, the frequency generator is ideal for making alarms, ringtones, and other beeps. Visit the site OnlineToneGenerator.com, and have fun!
#45: Springboard
Place a wooden stick on a table or another flat surface and let it bounce like a diving board.
#44: Spring
Use a Jew's harp, which is a musical instrument for those unfamiliar. Play it without blowing, modifying your mouth as if you were pronouncing the word "boing."
#43: Airplane and Helicopter
Take an air compressor, aerosol, or straw and blow on the blades of a running fan. To imitate an airplane sound, the fan should spin fast. For a helicopter sound, it should spin slowly.
#42: Heartbeat 2
Use a trash can lid. Press on a dent to deform the plastic. This is a second technique for imitating a heartbeat sound. The first secret is detailed in episode #14.
#41: Tic-Tac
Take a vegetable peeler or a mobile-blade peeler. Block the blade on one side. Quickly rotate the blade to emit a small "tick." Then repeat every second or half-second.
#40: Ski Descent
Use various brushes, ideally two toothbrushes. Prepare some carpets or pieces of rugs.
Slowly slide the brushes on the carpets to imitate the sound of a ski descent.
#39: Mooing
Take a sheet of scrap paper. Roll it into a tube shape, starting from one corner, parallel to the paper’s diagonal.
Use a small piece of tape to prevent the paper from unrolling.
On one end of the tube, cut a "V-neck" from the bottom perpendicular to the tube, leaving some paper to hold the triangle.
Fold this triangle over the tube to close it. Place the tube’s triangular end in your mouth and blow gently.
#38: Fire 2
A second trick for creating fire sound effects (see episode #19).
This time, no straw broom is needed. Simply record three sounds and layer them on a computer:
- Gently manipulate a piece of survival blanket,
- Handle a magnetic cassette tape,
- Pop some bubble wrap.
Assemble it all, and you’re done!
#37: Frying
Take a survival blanket, unfold part of it, and slowly manipulate it with your fingers.
#36: Punch
Hold a phone book and hit it with a hammer or a mallet.
#35: Hacksaw
Take a threaded rod and scrape another rod along its length.
#34: Collision
Break some glass jars into a box and add some metal pieces. You can easily create a collision sound effect by pouring your mix into another box.
#33: Beard
Lightly scrape the green side of a sponge or the bristles of a nail brush with your nails, or scrape a sponge with a nail brush to mimic someone scratching their beard. Extend the sound to reproduce the noise of someone shaving.
#32: Breaking Glass
Stretch a piece of plastic wrap over a drinking glass. Place a key on the wrap and press until it punctures the plastic.
#31: Squeaks 2
Fold a large soda bottle so the sides touch inside. Recap the bottle. Slowly fold it again to make the sides squeak together.
#30: Slide
Sprinkle some sand on a flat surface like the floor. Rub it with gloves to mimic sliding sounds or the noise of skis on snow.
#29: Dead Leaves and Tall Grass
Unroll the tape from an audio cassette onto a table. Crush the pile with one hand after the other to mimic the sound of footsteps. Or slide your fingers through it to simulate the sound of wind in tall grass.
#28: Rain
In a group, some people snap their fingers while others tap their hands on their thighs. If you are alone, you will need to record yourself several times and play them back together.
#27: Firecracker Explosion
This sound effect is hard to explain in text. I invite you to watch my video.
#26: Star Wars Blaster
Coming soon.
#25: Bone Cracks 2
Take a celery stalk and snap it. Ouch.
#24: Wind
Sometimes called an aeoliphone or heliophone, this instrument has been used in music and opera since the 17th century. The wind machine is a rather complex device to explain textually. So, watch the video!
#23: Tombstone
Completely release the lid of your toilet tank. Slowly slide it against the sides of the tank.
#22: Sword and Whoosh
For sword sounds, clash two metal salad tongs together or use metal bars. For whooshes, quickly swing the same tools through the air.
#21: Entrails and Viscosity
Put on latex gloves. Pour some dish soap and play with your hands together.
#20: Taut Rope
Moisten your fingertips, grip a wooden handle tightly, and slowly turn the handle or your fingers.
#19: Fire
To mimic flames, lightly shake a pillowcase or heavy fabric. For the crackling of wood, scratch your nails on a straw broom.
#18: Lamborghini V10
This sound effect is difficult to explain in text. I invite you to watch my video.
#17: Bird Songs
Visit a nature store and purchase bird calls. Use them properly, creating sounds appropriate for the time of year when these birds typically sing, or ensure the birds match your geographical region. This ensures your audiovisual creations are credible...
#16: Metallic Creaking
Scrape the tips of a fork on the lid of a metal container.
#15: Tire Squeal
Choose a shoe with a rubber sole. Moisten the sole and slide it on a table or lacquered wooden surface.
#14: Heartbeat
Take a small piece of thick fabric. Hold it firmly at the ends with both hands. Bring your hands together so the fabric is no longer taut and ripples. Snap the fabric sharply twice to create a heartbeat sound.
#13: Flying Insect
This sound effect is hard to explain in text. I invite you to watch my video.
#12: Steel Cable
Hang a long spring from the ceiling with a weight at the bottom. Tap the spring with your nails or an object to create the sound of a catenary or steel cable.
#11: Assault Rifle
Well, this one is a joke. In this video, I demonstrate that to produce the sound of an assault rifle, you need a real one, as no sound effect can replicate it accurately :)
#10: Diving Board
Take a flexible ruler or a hacksaw blade. Press it against a table with one hand, leaving one end protruding. With your other hand, press the protruding end and release it to create a vibration.
#9: Rowboat on Water
Take a large plastic tub filled with water. Use one or two wooden boards to stir the water and occasionally tap the sides of the tub.
#8: Pruning Shears
Although this sound effect might not be very useful, it’s easy to create by pressing together the metal handles of two spoons in one hand, sliding a third spoon between them, and pulling it out. The handles of the first two spoons will clink to produce the sound.
#7: Bone Cracks
To mimic the sound of bones cracking, try two simple techniques:
- Bite into a raw pasta stick.
- Crush two or three empty snail shells in your hand.
#6: Rain on Canvas
The sound of rain on canvas, an umbrella, or a tarp can be reproduced by dropping rice onto an open umbrella.
#5: Horse Hooves
To recreate the sound of horse hooves, take two halves of a coconut shell and tap the cut sides against the ground. For the sound of a donkey, flip the coconut halves so the rounded sides hit the ground. The sound can also be made with funnels.
#4: High-Pitched Animal Cries
The high-pitched cry of a small animal can be made using a slightly moistened piece of polystyrene, sliding it across a glass surface.
#3: Creaking
To mimic creaking sounds, take a magnetic or video tape, fix one end to a table, and pinch the tape with your fingers, sliding them along the tape with high pressure.
#2: Footsteps in Snow
To mimic the sound of footsteps in snow, place rice or potato flakes at the center of a piece of fabric, fold the edges to form a kind of cushion, and press it gently with your thumbs to mimic each step.
#1: Bird Taking Off
To recreate the sound of a bird taking flight, simply take a pair of leather gloves in your hand and shake them so the gloves slap against each side of your hand.
