Key takeaways

• Foley art is the craft of recreating everyday diegetic sounds in a studio to add realism to film, TV, and other media
• Foley is divided into three main categories: feet, movement, and specifics
• Foley artists carefully watch footage, make notes, gather props (which are usually everyday household items), and perform sounds in sync with the action to ensure timing and realism

What is Foley art?

Foley art is all about bringing the small, audible details of a film to life. Let’s say the character is walking up a gravelled driveway, you’d need to hear the sound of the stones crunching under their feet for the scene to appear realistic and natural.

During filming, microphones rarely pick up these details clearly. Dialogue is usually the priority, and background noise often drowns out the subtler sounds. But if these were left out entirely, the scene would feel strangely empty.

The job of a Foley artist is practical and creative. They watch the footage closely and perform sounds in perfect time with the action on screen. Shoes are worn to match the character’s steps, fabrics are handled to recreate the movement of clothing, and everyday items are repurposed to mimic the noises of objects being used.

It’s not about finding the exact object seen on screen, but about creating a sound that feels believable when paired with the visuals.

The history of Foley goes back to the early days of cinema, when Jack Foley developed many of the original techniques during the transition from silent films to sound.

His methods quickly became a foundation for how sound was produced in film, and his name has remained attached to the practice ever since. Foley art might seem subtle, but it makes a huge difference in bringing the film to life.

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Types of Foley sound

Foley sound is divided into three key categories: feet, movement, and specifics. These groups cover most of the sounds that need to be recreated in post-production and give structure to how Foley artists approach their work.

Feet

The first type is feet. Footsteps are among the most common sounds added during post-production because location recordings rarely capture them with enough clarity. Surfaces, footwear, and even weight distribution all affect how footsteps sound.

A pair of heavy boots on a wooden floor, for example, creates a very different impact than trainers on concrete or heels on tiles. Foley artists often keep a variety of shoes and floor materials in their studios so they can replicate exactly what is happening on screen. Timing is crucial, as the sound must perfectly sync with the character’s stride.

Movement

The second type is movement. This refers to the subtle noises that clothing and body shifts create. Think swishing jackets, creaking leather, or the muffled rustle when someone sits—these may not seem important on their own, but without them, a scene can feel flat.

These sounds give life to characters by reinforcing their presence in the environment. But as they’re very slight, Foley artists have to produce them carefully, and they do so by handling fabrics, adjusting layers of clothing, or moving props close to the microphone.

Specifics

The third type of Foley sound is known as specifics, which, as the name suggests, refers to individual and more noticeable sounds. These are linked to particular objects or actions.

Common examples are the clink of glasses, the squeak of a door, or the snap of a lighter. In more dramatic scenes, specifics extend to punches, crashes, or weapons being used. A sword swipe might be created by swinging a metal rod, while a punch could be replicated with a fist hitting a cushion.

A Foley artist’s process

Creating Foley that feels natural is a careful step-by-step process.

First, the Foley artist will watch the full film, paying close attention to where sounds are missing or need extra detail. Every moment is noted down, from obvious things like footsteps or door slams to subtle background movements that add realism.

Once the list is ready, the artist sets up the recording stage with the right props and surfaces. Shoes, fabrics, and everyday items are gathered to match what appears on screen. The artist will then watch the film again, this time recording the sounds in perfect time with the action on screen.

Rather than capturing sounds individually, Foley is recorded in one continuous take. This helps the artist stay in rhythm with the action and maintain consistency in tone and timing.

Synchronisation is key. The artist carefully matches every movement so that the sound feels as if it belongs to the scene. After recording, the material is reviewed and refined. Any mismatched sounds are re-done, and levels are adjusted to sit naturally alongside dialogue and background ambience.

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Ideas for Foley props

One of the joys of Foley is how inventive you can be with everyday items. Simple household objects create convincing effects that bring scenes to life. Crunching celery can suggest bones breaking, scrunching plastic bags can stand in for rustling leaves, and a pair of gloves slapped together might mimic the sound of birds flapping.

Pots, pans, glasses, and cutlery are also useful, as these give you a wide range of metallic and percussive tones. The key is to experiment and match the sound to the action on screen.

If you want to record your own Foley and need a bit more variety, musical and percussion instruments can be brilliant tools.

A train whistle can produce—you guessed it—authentic steam-train sounds, while the Meinl Sonic Energy Thunder Drum is great for creating those deep, rumbling tones you’d hear in stormy weather. To capture rainfall or trickling water, we recommend the Schlagwerk Infinity Rain Tower as it provides a natural cascading effect.

You can even draw a violin bow across different surfaces for eerie, tension-building sounds, such as some creepily creaky door hinges! The Gear4music Life Ocean Drum can replicate waves or rushing movement, while something like the Stagg Wooden Ratchet delivers sharp, sudden effects.

You’ll need to have all your props within reach, ready to be quickly picked up and recorded in time with the on-screen action. So, a clean and tidy setup is important. To keep your tools organised, we recommend the Hercules DS800B Percussion Tray Stand.

How to record Foley sounds

Recording Foley is about capturing the cleanest, most believable sound possible and making sure it blends seamlessly with the picture. For this, you need some good mics. A decent setup doesn’t need to be complicated, but it needs to be designed to capture detailed sound.

Condenser mics are the best option for many Foley sounds because they provide a wide frequency response and pick up fine details. We recommend the Rode NT1 5th Gen and the Lewitt LCT 440 PURE Condenser Microphone; they deliver crisp and natural recordings that capture subtle textures like fabric movement or quiet footsteps.

For louder, sharper effects, dynamic microphones can work well. The Shure SM57 is a classic, used frequently by Foley artists to capture impact sounds like crashes, hits, or clattering objects. Another versatile option is the Universal Audio SC-1 Standard Condenser Microphone.

To achieve the cleanest sound, record in a quiet space with as little background noise as possible. Even small hums or distant traffic can become distracting once the sound is added to a film. Because of this, it’s essential that you kit your studio out with acoustic treatment, whether it’s specifically designed equipment, such as foam panels, or just blankets and cushions. These will absorb reflections and reduce echo.

When setting up, position your microphone close enough to capture detail without introducing distortion. Experiment with mic placement: closer for intimate sounds like pages turning, further back for bigger effects such as footsteps or impacts. You’ll also want a pair of closed-back headphones to monitor the audio while you record.

Some noises call for you to step out of the studio and into real-world environments. Wind noise, background chatter, and running water are all examples of this. In this case, you’ll need a handheld recorder with X/Y microphones, such as the Zoom H1essential.

Once the Foley sounds have been recorded, you should label and organise your files straight away to save time when layering them into the mix. Next, listen back to your recordings alongside the film and make any adjustments. The aim of the game is to ensure they match the on-screen action as closely as possible.

FAQs

What is an example of Foley sound?

Examples of Foley sound include squeaky floorboards, creaking doors, footsteps, rustling clothes… basically, any sound that the characters can hear in the story (diegetic sound) that’s not dialogue.

What are the three types of Foley sounds?

The three types of Foley sounds are footsteps, movement, and specifics. Footsteps require the artist to have similar shoes to the character to mimic the sound of them hitting the floor; movement captures cloth or body shifts; and specifics create interactions like clinking glasses or opening doors.

Why is it called Foley?

Foley art is named after sound effects artist Jack Foley. He revolutionised the way sound effects are added to films during post-production, performing them live and in perfect synchrony with the picture.

Final thoughts

Foley sound is one of those details that can easily be overlooked, yet it has a huge impact on how stories feel on screen. From footsteps and clothing movement to bigger, more dramatic effects, it gives every scene texture and depth.

Foley recording can be a meticulous process, especially in the preparation. You’ll need to gather a range of props and tools that create sounds exactly like those in the story. But once you have everything together and you’re confident in what needs recording, go for it! Capture the sounds in one continuous take and refine afterwards.