foley
The reproduction of everyday sound effects (such as footsteps or rustling clothing) that are added to film, video, and other media in post-production.
Refers specifically to human-created, synchronized sound effects performed in a studio, rather than synthesized or pre-recorded digital sound effects.
Word relationships
- sound effects: Sound effects is a broad category that includes digital library sounds, while foley specifically refers to custom, physically performed sounds.
Commonly confused with
- soundtrack: A soundtrack refers to the music of a film, whereas foley refers to the physical sound effects.
Word family
- foleying (verb): The process of recording custom sound effects in sync with a film.
Collocations
- foley artist
- foley stage
- foley studio
Example sentences
- "The foley artist used a pair of old leather gloves to simulate the sound of a bird flapping its wings during the quiet forest scene." An article about the secrets of movie sound design.
Memory hook
Think of 'Foley' as 'folly'—it sounds like a foolish game to step in gravel and shake keys in a studio, but it makes the movie sound real. Foley: Making the sound of footsteps on the floor.
When not to use
Do not use for musical scores, ambient background noise, or spoken dialogue; foley is strictly for physical sound effects.
Fun facts
- Foley artists often use celery to mimic the sound of bones breaking, and cornstarch in a leather pouch to simulate the crunch of walking on snow.
Related words
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