Finding The Perfect Foley Elements

Picture this: you're watching a scene unfold on screen, and suddenly, a character clumsily knocks over a "glass" vase, sending it tumbling to the floor.

Except, as you listen closely, you realize that unmistakable sound of plastic, not glass.

As foley artists/editors, it's our job to create the illusion of glass impacts, even when the props are made of safer, accident-prone materials like plastic.

I don’t have to picture it, though; I encountered it when working on a short film, Fate Vs Elena.

This glass vase falls several times, two times onto the floor, and a couple times onto the wooden side table.

Important to note, this vase does not crack/break.

But if I would to search glass "fall"/"impact"/"drop"/etc., what's going to come up into Soundly? Shatters!

We only have so much time to peruse through sound database search results, so what keywords can get us what we are looking for faster?

Well, it's entirely dependent on the actions!

The Foley Recipe

In our scenario, where a plastic vase is meant to mimic glass, we need to consider the various actions taking place:

1. The vase wobbling against the wooden table as the character fumbles to rearrange it.

2. The different impacts of varying intensities as the vase drops onto the floor.

So, here's the game plan:

• Ceramic bowl wobble on wooden table: Capturing the subtle movement and resonance of the vase against the table surface.

• Glass bump: Utilizing tonal, hollow, and delicate impacts to mimic the sound of glass.

• Ceramic vase drop: Providing the weight and texture of a falling object.

• Glass/Milk bottle roll: Adding texture and transient impacts for the fumbling motion.

• Ceramic dish impact: Mimicking the sound of a solid object hitting the ground.

• Hammering on glass: Adding depth and tonal complexity to the impact sound.

The Final Blend: Achieving Seamless Integration

Matching tonal elements is the name of the game when it comes to creating convincing foley effects.

By listening to everyday sounds with a keen ear, you'll develop the ability to merge similar sounds seamlessly, without the need for exact matches.

By layering these sounds together and applying clip EQ and slight pitch shifting, we create a cohesive and convincing edit that fools even the keenest of ears.

And here's a pro tip: next time you're in need of glass sound effects, try looking through ceramic sound libraries for a surprisingly effective alternative.

And if you’re curious how that ends up sounding like, check out Session 12 from my Fate Vs Elena Shadowing Series at Post Audio Pro!