Foley
Definition
The reproduction of everyday sound effects added to film, television, and other media in post-production. Named after sound artist Jack Foley. Includes footsteps, clothing movement, props, and other practical, performance-synced sounds.
In Simple Terms
The art of recreating real-world sounds — footsteps, doors, clothing — in a studio, performed in sync with what's happening on screen. Next time you hear someone walk in a movie, that's probably a Foley artist.
In Practice
A Foley artist walks on gravel in sync with an actor's footsteps on screen, recording the sound in a studio to be placed in the final mix when location audio was unusable.
Common Confusion
Foley is not the same as sound effects (SFX). SFX can come from libraries — pre-recorded explosions, doors, ambiences. Foley is performed live in sync with picture by a Foley artist on a Foley stage. The performance is the point: cloth movement, footsteps, and prop handling that breathe with the on-screen action in a way library sounds cannot.
Sources & Verification
- Ament, V. T. — The Foley Grail: The Art of Performing Sound for Film, Games, and Animation (2nd ed.)Focal Press, 2014
- Yewdall, D. L. — Practical Art of Motion Picture Sound (4th ed.)Focal Press, 2012
- Cinema Audio Society — Foley craft resourceshttps://cinemaaudiosociety.org
Last verified: 2026-05-05