Filmmaking is about control. The screenwriter controls the story. The director controls the actors. The camera operator controls what the audience sees. However, one element that is very difficult to control is sound. If a film is being made outdoors, a noisy plane might fly overhead. A flock of geese might start squawking. An actor's stomach could grumble during a take. Worse, the footsteps of the filmmakers might be heard off-camera.
All of these things can ruin a film's sound. This is why films use Foley artists. Foley artists improve film sound by recreating it in a soundproof studio. They record themselves making footsteps and opening doors. They jingle keys in their pockets. They sit in old creaking chairs. These sounds are then used to replace the unwelcome sounds that were captured during filmmaking.
Foley sound was named after Jack Foley, who was born in 1891. Jack developed sound tricks that many filmmakers still use today. For example, he moved a cloth around in his pocket to mimic the sound of actors moving around.
Foley sound recording can be physically demanding. If a film showed an actor running and jumping, this probably meant the Foley artist had to run and jump, too. Foley artist Dustin DuPilka, who recorded sounds for the movie Men in Black, said, "If there's a lot of running in a certain [scene], you have to get ready to sweat all day."
Foley sound recording also requires a lot of creative thinking. Artists go to great lengths to get the perfect sound. For example, in the movie E. T., a Foley artist used a wet T-shirt stuffed with Jell-O for E. T.'s walk. In the movie Ice Age, a huge log was dropped into a pit of mud to create the mammoth's footsteps.
The next time you watch a film, listen carefully. Chances are that much of what you are hearing was created by a Foley artist.
6
What does the author use to support the idea that controlling sound recording on a film set is difficult?
A.
The author includes examples of films that feature horrible sound effects.
B.
The author states a fact about the amount of time that sound recording takes.
C.
The author shows how films have changed since they were first invented.
D.
The author gives examples of common noises that can ruin film sound.