The Foley Grail

Vanessa Theme Ament is a professional Foley artist whose credits include Platoon, Clue, Predator, Die Hard, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Noises Off, Beauty and the Beast, and other movies in addition to a long list of television shows. Vanessa is also an accomplished singer/songerwriter, sound editor, and teacher. Currently completing a PhD at Georgia State University, her dissertation examines how the cultural geography of Hollywood, the San Francisco Bay Area, and New York has influenced the transition from analogue to digital sound.

Foreword


Acknowledgments


Introduction





PART I What Foley Artists Do, and Why:


History, Theory, and Methods





Chapter one


Holy Foley:


The Evolution of a Craft: The United States





Chapter two


Noise vs. Sound:


Foley As It Is Used in the Various Genres





Chapter three


Single or Married:


Foley Used Independently or Combined with Sound Effects





PART II How Foley Artists Work:


The Protocols, Conventions, and Heirarchy





Chapter four


Fire in the Hole:


The Players and Their Responsibilities





Chapter five


Let’s Go Ahead and Go Back:


Spotting and Cueing





PART III Foley Beyond the Film Frame:


Games and Animation





Chapter six


Gaming The System:


Foley As It Lands in the Game





Chapter Seven


Animation Station:


Foley Defines Reality or Fantasy





PART IV The Practical Concerns:


The Art and Craft of Foley





Chapter eight





Walking in Their Shoes:


Performing the Footsteps





Chapter nine


Manipulation Techniques:


Performing the Props





Chapter ten


Hang It As A Unit:


The Knack for Sync





Chapter eleven


Magic Wind:


Unusual Foley Requests





PART V The Foley Companions:


Editing and Mixing





Chapter twelve


Mix and Match:


The Foley Mixer





Chapter thirteen


Hearing The Sweet Spot:


Editing Foley





Chapter fourteen


Fix It In Post:


The Dub





PART VI Nuts and Bolts


Where and With What?





Chapter fifteen


Scene Change:


The Foley Stage





Chapter sixteen


Chef or Cook:


Ingredients and Recipes





PART VII The Ghost of Foley Futures:


Looking Forward





Chapter seventeen


The Ivory Tower:


The Media School





Chapter eighteen


Foley Reflections:


Final Thoughts of Experts





　


Glossary


Index


References


About the Author and Illustrator