What Is She Doing?

The next time you watch a movie, close your eyes and listen. What do you hear? Characters talking? Music playing? Listen closely and you’ll hear other sounds too—the crunch of footsteps on snow, the sloshing of soup in a bowl, the flapping of a superhero’s cape in the wind.

You might think these noises are captured during filming. Turns out, they’re not. Instead, they are made in a studio by skilled artists—artists like Sanaa Kelley. 

Kelley is what is known as a Foley artist, and it’s her job to create the sounds that bring TV shows and movies to life. She squishes pineapples to mimic the slurp of a zombie scooping out an eyeball. She runs her nails over pine cones to imitate the patter of bugs skittering across a floor. She squeezes wet fabric to create the squoosh of stepping in thick mud. 

Why are Foley artists needed? During filming, microphones don’t always pick up background sounds, and sometimes the sounds they do pick up are too quiet. So Foley artists re-create sounds to match what is happening on-screen. Later, an editor adds the sounds to the film so that they synchronize with the action. Without Foley artists like Kelley, watching a movie would be a very different—and much quieter—experience.

Foley art got its start in the 1920s. At the time, radio shows were a popular form of entertainment—not only music and news programs but also comedy series and radio plays. (After all, TV did not yet exist.) Sound artists would add sound effects live on the air. Birdseed dropping on wax paper could create the sound of rain. A wire brush sweeping over a wooden box with holes could mimic a train puffing out steam. 

Eventually, sound effects spread to the world of cinema. Jack Foley, who began his career in radio, was one of the first to record sound effects for films. The sounds were mostly things you hear in everyday life—doors closing, footsteps falling, curtains fluttering. These sounds, which came to be called “Foley,” made movies feel more realistic.

Today, not all sounds you hear in movies and television are made by Foley artists. Film and TV creators also utilize a library of prerecorded and computer-generated sound effects. But Foley artists like Kelley are still preferred for certain sounds, especially those that involve human movement. 

Why? Because sounds created by a real person tend to sound more, well, real. 

Foley artists also add a thoughtful touch to their work. “A Foley artist must tell a story through sound,” explains Kelley. “Let’s say you need to re-create footsteps. If someone is sad, their steps will sound slower and softer. If they’re happy, the steps are upbeat. It’s my job to help you hear those feelings.”

This can be a lot of work. To create the sound of a car crash, for example, Kelley recorded dozens of different sounds—branches snapping, tires hitting dirt, glass breaking, metal hitting the ground. Then she layered them together with computer software. Ultimately it took eight hours to make just a few minutes of sound. 

The job can be physically demanding too. Kelley sometimes runs or walks in place for long stretches of time. Or she may repeatedly throw or bang heavy objects against the floor or each other. 

But for Kelley, the hard work is what makes her job exciting. In one week, she might create Foley for 20 different shows—from Kung Fu to High School Musical: The Musical: The Series—which means she gets to dream up all kinds of sounds. She’s cracked raw lasagna noodles to imitate breaking glass. She’s snapped celery sticks to mimic breaking bones. 

So what should you do if you want to become a Foley artist? Kelley suggests learning everything you can about sound production. 

Another tip? Never record on an empty stomach. 

“I always eat before recording,” says Kelley. “The last thing you want to hear is your stomach growl!”

Flapping Bird Wings = Waving a Pair of Gloves

Crackling Fire = Crinkling a Potato Chip Bag

Rain = Sizzling Bacon

^{This article was originally published in the April 2022 issue.}