Lesson video

Hi everyone, I'm Ms. Friar, and welcome to your music lesson today.

We are on lesson three, where we are doing lots of work around exploring all types of film music.

Today is going to be a great lesson, because we're starting to explore different types of technology that we can use to create some of those sounds.

First of all, I'd like to start off with a task where we're going to have a look at all the different job roles that are involved in the music side of making films. Off we go.

Right, before we get into that first task, let's just make sure that you have everything you need for today's lesson to go really well.

We're going to need a piece of paper, lined, or in an exercise book, so you can make notes and answer questions.

You're going to need a pencil, and then I suggest a pen in a different colour, so that you can mark and annotate your work.

And then for our music making today, you are going to need yourself, your body, to be able to create some sounds.

And you're also going to need access to music technology.

And there are loads of different types of programmes, and pieces of software you can use.

And I'll talk through a bit of those later.

But make sure that you have some sort of device, a phone, a tablet, a laptop, so that you can have a go at using some music technology today.

If you need to go and get any of those things, please pause the video and do so now.

And then come back, press play and we'll carry on.

As I said, that first task is we're going to have a look at some of the music jobs that are involved in creating films. So what I'd like you to do is pause the video and go to the worksheet.

You're going to watch the end credits of a film on slide two.

And then I want you to answer the questions in the green box.

The first question is what is post production? And then the second question is what type of music jobs do you think are in post-production? And you're going to use those end credits to help you answer those two questions.

Pause the video now, take a good five minutes.

Come back and we'll carry on.

Okay, welcome back.

Let's go through some of those answers together.

Grab your pen of a different colour, and so that you are ready to make notes.

Okay.

So what is post production? Essentially, it's all the work that happens to film and music after it's been recorded.

So once the scenes have been filmed, using cameras and your recordings have all been done with microphones there's still months and months of people working behind the scenes to make sure the films are perfectly edited, all the music is in the right place, before it can go to cinema.

So it's work that happens after the film and music has been recorded.

Well done if you've got something similar to that answer.

If you didn't make a note on your piece of paper, please.

And then the types of music jobs that are involved in post-production, and hopefully you saw some of those listed on those end credits of "The Wizard of Oz." All things like sound engineers, special effects artists, foley artists, music mixers, music editors, the list goes on and on.

And most of these job roles come later on in post-production, improving the sound quality, and adding extra effects that are needed to make the film sound ready for the cinema as well.

Again, if you've got some of those job roles listed, well done.

If you didn't make a note of those, it'll help you remember those important job roles.

So here are the tasks we're going to go through together today.

The first thing we're going to do is have a look at who was Mr. Foley? Now I mentioned in the activity, we've just done that there is something called foley artists.

So try and remember that link.

When we have a look at who Mr. Foley is.

Then we're going to have a go at matching sound to movement.

And then I'm going to show you how you can have a go at playing live to a cartoon clip.

And then we're going to have a look at the difference between foley and sound effects.

So we've got lots of key words there to remember.

Quite a lot of activities to go through, but I think you're going to really enjoy it today.

So like I've previously mentioned there are certain job roles called foley artists.

And here are three images of those artists, during some recordings in post-production.

So what I'd like you to write down for me is what are these foley artists doing? Pause the video and take two minutes to write your answer.

Okay, grab your coloured pen, and that's have a look at the answer.

So a foley artist are people who make professional sound effects, and they are specialists.

And they are called foley artists.

And they work in something called a foley stage to recreate sounds in films. So you can see here, one of these foley artists while watching the film that's been made is adding some additional sounds here.

You can guess it's probably footsteps, because they need that really specific sound to help improve the sound quality of the film.

So well done, if you've got some things similar to that.

Make a note of it if you didn't.

And let's look at that in a bit more detail.

Follow the text on the left-hand side while I read through it for you.

Jack Donovan Foley was the man who created the art form and techniques of recording everyday sound effects, as early as the 1920s.

Most people believe that the everyday sounds in films, like doors slamming or the splash of a foot in a puddle, is recorded during the film, but it isn't.

They are sounds which are added in post-production to make the film more realistic, and the sound of a better quality.

So just to recap, quite a lot of everyday sounds that we kind of take for granted, we just assume are recorded while filming, actually are recorded as another sound layer later on in post-production.

And it was Jack Donovan Foley that started that technique way back in the 1920s.

So what I'd like you to do now is pause the video to complete the next task.

Now we know what's a foley artist is and who created it, why do you think we need foley? I've given you a few ideas, but see if you can give me some specific examples.

And I have a video for you to go and watch on our worksheet.

So go to slide three, click next activity to access that worksheet.

and then come back and we'll go through some of those ideas together.

Off you go.

Great.

Well done, welcome back.

I hope you enjoyed watching the video clip of some of those foley artists in action.

And you could see some of the sounds they were recreating for that old school crime film.

I'm going to share with you now some of the main reasons that we need foley artists, and to add foley sound.

I'm sure you've got some similar ideas.

One of the first reasons that we need them is because some of the scenes.

for safety need to be pretend.

So for example, in fight scenes, especially sword fighting, or any kind of weapons, obviously, because it's a film they're not really going to be sword fighting, or creating that metal clashing sounds of sword fighting.

So they will probably pretend, and the stunt actors and actresses will do the actual scene.

But then a foley artist would go in later, and add to the sounds of the swords clashing together, so the quality of the sound is better.

The second one is sometimes sounds can not be picked up properly by general film microphones.

So for example, if there is a clock in a room, but it is the main dialogue between two actors that we're focusing on, you should still have that sound in the background, because it's realistic but the microphones are picking up the actors' voices.

So the sound of the clock will be added later.

Number three, some scenes needed to be recorded in silence so that you can hear the main actors.

So if you've seen in lots of films two people are sat having a conversation in a restaurant.

Now, although there'll be loads of extras, so extra people sat in the background of that film scene, they will be in complete silence.

So the microphones are picking up the voices of the main actors.

And then the music editor will go in later, and add the background sound of the restaurant.

And a foley artist might add the sound of the waitress' footsteps coming to the table.

And then of course, number four, sounds for cartoons and animation.

Because they're fictional, because they are using graphics and cartoon imagery, all of the sound needs to be added to those animation scenes.

Well done, if you've got any of those ideas.

Please do pause the video and write these out if you need to in your notes.

But if you're ready to carry on, let's go.

Okay.

So there's, tick, first task done.

We know who Mr. Foley is, and what foley artists do.

Let's see if you could have a go at being a foley artist now matching sounds to movement.

There are three pictures on the screen now, someone splashing in puddles, two people taking a dog for a walk on the beach, and duck's wings flapping as it lands onto the pond.

Look through these pictures, and see if you can create three sounds using objects you have at home or in your school bag.

What I'd like to do is give you a little example of what I mean recreating some everyday sounds for these images.

So two that I'm going to demonstrate now for you is, the first one, is the effect of the person jumping in the puddle.

Now, hard to do without making mess, I don't suggest you wet anything around your table.

But I thought actually quite a clever way to do it could be with just a drink.

You could get that.

So the I'm hitting my bottle on the table.

But because you can hear the juice inside the box, you're getting the water sound as well.

So there's one way that we can create that foley sound, that everyday sound for that clip.

The other one I was trying to think of a way that we can create the kind of wind fluttering effect.

And I thought paper would be really good.

And even just running through the pages of a book.

Just gives us that effect, of maybe wings fluttering from the image we have of the duck.

So be really creative with how you think we can make some of these sounds using everyday objects.

Off you go.

Well done, I hope you enjoyed finding three sounds from those images to recreate as foley artists.

Let's go on and expand that technique even further into playing with a live cartoon clip.

What I'd like you to do now is you're going to use a piece of music technology to create some sounds using the foley technique for a specific cartoon clip.

When you're ready, you're going to pause this video and go to the worksheet again.

And then I want you to think of sounds from clips from 40 seconds to one minute 36, you've got a big window.

Remember to turn the sound down, because you are going to be reproducing those everyday sounds.

Now, I'm going to give you a demonstration in a moment, using a particular piece of software.

And it's really important you know the information on the left-hand side.

So take 30 seconds now just to read through those three bullet points.

You are going to create foley sounds with a digital audio workstation.

Using the clip on the worksheet, you're going to choose four sounds to reproduce using the foley technique.

You need to decide how you're going to create those sounds from other objects that you've got at home or at school.

Then I'd like you to choose two sounds from the same clip that will need a sound effect rather than a live recording.

And then we'll go on to talk about the difference in a little while.

So I'm going to show you my demonstration first, and then you're going to pause the video, go to the worksheet, and have a go at creating this yourself.

Okay.

So this is how you're going to complete this task.

First of all, you're going to need to watch through that clip from 40 seconds to one minute 36, and select the four sounds that you're going to use as everyday sounds as a foley artist.

And then two of the sound that you can hear that we can create using sound effects.

Once you've decided those you're going to find yourself a piece of music software.

And there are loads to choose from often free online.

This is the one I'm going to use for today.

And let me talk you through now, how we're going to add those sounds.

So from the clip, I have chosen, the footsteps of the mum when she is travelling to the kitchen and upstairs.

So that's one realistic sound I need.

I've also chosen the box being put down on the table, the box being moved.

The sigh, so there's a character of a young boy and he sighs, he kind of tuts and sighs.

And then the box opening.

So there's my four realistic sounds.

And then for the two sound effects I'm going to use those to create the game that he is playing at the very start of, or in the background from that part of the clip.

Let me show you how now.

The easiest way to record these foley sounds is to use little microphones, often built into phones or tablets, and within laptops as well.

So we're going to choose a voice track, and just going to check output sound.

One, two, one, two, and you can see my gauge is picking up my vocals here.

One, two, one, two.

I want to make sure it's not going into the red, so I don't get distorted sound, one, two, one, two, one two, there we go.

So that's what I'm going to use to create my foley sounds.

And then I will show you the sound effects afterwards.

So the first sound that I'm going to need to create is, the mum putting the box on the table.

Okay.

So I've got a similar object.

I'm literally going to put a box on the table.

And that's what I'm going to use.

Really simple, all we do is we press this record button up here.

Now, I left a bit of a gap at the start, because I want some of the background sound effects of the young boy playing the game first before the box is put down on the table.

Here is where the sound effect of the game will be.

There's the box being put down.

So there's my first sound.

The next one is the boy sighs and kind of tuts, because the box is in the way of him gaming.

So not long after the box been put down, I'm going to put in a kind of sound.

So I'm going to go back a bit, hit record.

And there's my annoying, annoyed sound.

Of the boy frustrated, 'cause the box, which he didn't know is a present yet, is in the way of him gaming.

After that, his mum walks away into the kitchen, or up the stairs.

So there's two points where you can add some sound effects of feet.

And again, I'm just going to use my table to recreate that.

And I'm going to start with louder footsteps.

They get quieter as she walks away.

So let's go back, hit record.

Okay, let's have a listen.

Great.

And there's mum's footsteps as she walked away, getting quieter in dynamics as well.

So it sounds really realistic.

So now I've got box being dropped, boys tutting and sighing, footsteps walking away.

And the final realistic sound I'm going to add is the boy pauses his video game, and goes to open the box to reveal the present.

So that's my final sound.

Let's press record.

Pauses his game.

And hopefully that's come through, let's have a listen.

Great, that's the sound I wanted, although I think it's picked up my voice talking.

Yes it has, so I will need to delete that little bit.

So I'm just going to right click, cut.

I'm going to undo that, I didn't want to cut the whole thing.

Ah, beg your pardon, I don't want to cut, I want to slice just, there, that's it, just to take out my voice.

He's coming in for the box.

And it's opening.

Great, and now let's time to add the sound effects which is different to realistic sounds.

It is the more technology-based sounds in the background.

The great thing about digital audio workstations, or audio mixing software is they often have a bank of loop sounds, which are really good for this.

And in fact this one, like many, have a whole specific pack of effect sounds.

So let's have a think, I need action movie shuffle.

Something that sounds like, it sounds like he's playing, like a war or, something like that, some kind of video game.

I'm along the right lines.

It's just not quite the effect I'm looking for.

That's a bit too loud, we need that kind of effect.

Ah, helicopter.

That could work really well, especially if it's a sort of war type video game.

So let's put that in and I want to loop that.

Let's move that out of the way.

And you can use this swirled arrow all the way through until he pauses it, to have a look at the box, which is about there.

The one great thing about using technology like music software is you can decide which sounds you want to be louder.

So that helicopter sound.

Is going to be really loud compared to the other effects.

So I can press A on my keyboard to automate it, and I can bring the volume of that helicopter down, let's listen.

Great, and now you can clearly hear.

the other main sound, which is the foley effect.

Now I want to add one more sound effect, just so that it sounds a bit like a game.

So not just a helicopter sound.

That's a bit too.

Oh no, that's definitely type music.

Yes, I could imagine that kind of like tense sound going on in the back of a game, so let me add that.

And can I? Yes, brilliant, I can loop that again.

And then exactly the same thing before.

I don't want this louder than the effects of the action on the screen.

So I'm going to bring the volume of that one down.

There's the box going down.

There's sighing.

Mum walked away in the kitchen.

He pauses.

Has a look.

And opens the box.

So there's my demonstration of how you can use music technology to create four, realistic everyday sounds using the foley technique.

And then I've added two sound effects.

Have fun, enjoy using software to create music for this cartoon clip.

And don't forget to record or save your work, so you can share it.

Off you go.

Great, welcome back.

I'm sure your foley technique sounds are sounding brilliant with that clip.

I hope you've enjoyed using an audio workstation, or a piece of music technology to create those sounds.

And don't forget to go and share your brilliant work.

Let's finish off today's lesson by having a look at the difference between foley, and sound effects in a bit more detail.

So I'm going play four sound clips for you here.

And what I would like you to do is tell me which are recording everyday sounds live for film.

And which are prerecorded electronic sounds that can be easily repeated.

So the green definition is foley, and the light blue definition is sound effects.

Let's listen to the first clip.

Is this foley or sound effects? Here it is again.

Here's the second clip.

Is it foley or sound effect? Can you also please write down on your piece of paper shat the sound is? Okay.

So what is the sound and is it foley or sound effects? Here's the second clip again.

Okay.

Here's clip number three.

Here's number three for the last time.

And here's sound clip number four.

Is it foley or sound effects? And what is the sound? Here it is again.

Okay.

Let's go through those answers together.

Grab your different coloured pen.

So the first clip we heard was this.

Which of course is a dog barking and that is a sound effect.

We don't necessarily need to get a live dog to take a particular bark.

You can use a prerecorded electronic sound, and just repeat it and change the tone of it if need be using technology and engineering software.

Well done if you've got sound effects.

Here was the second clip.

Now, hopefully you recognised that that was somebody turning a light switch on and off.

So of course that is a foley sound.

Now, if you are recording, say a horror film, and there needs to be a tense moment where somebody's come into the house and the lights have gone off, and they can't turn them back on.

You're not going to get a good quality sound from the cameras in the room.

So you'll add that sound effect later on, so that you get a better quality sound.

Well done if you got that.

Here was clip number three.

That is a helicopter sound and it is a sound effect.

A foley artist, again, isn't going to go and take a live recording of a helicopter to add to the film.

It can be found as a prerecorded sound, just like I did using the software, for the cartoon clip earlier on.

So that was a sound effect.

And the final clip was this.

Hopefully you've spotted, that is the sound of feet running.

And that will be a Foley.

So again, depending on where the film is set, say you're doing a scene that is outside, and you want the right kind of rustle of somebody say running through a forest, or running over a pavement.

You're not going to get very good sound from the camera's actually out on set.

So you add the footsteps running in later on.

Great work, and well done, if you've got those four right.

Don't forget to correct your work.

That's why we've got our coloured pen, and that's going to help us remember that.

And if you need to pause the video now to write down the definitions of foley and sound effects, so you've got them for your own notes for revision, please do so.

Well done today, everyone.

I hope you've enjoyed exploring how to add foley sounds, and the difference between foley sounds and sound effects.

Remember, it's really important to share your work.

So please do so.

And go now and take the quiz so you can show us everything that you've learned from today's lesson.

And I look forward to seeing you in our next lesson all around film music.

Take care, bye!.