Foley outside of a stage

[Gohanto]

I have access to a small studio for ADR, but for foley sounds (footsteps mostly) I don't have the ability to simulate the various floors that people step on. (Also recording in field allows me to record sounds in the same space they were filmed, but at quieter times).

Does anyone have any tips for matching footsteps with footage when you're not in a studio with a TV?

One other question, does anyone have tips for recording sneakers? They've always been too soft for me to record without literally marching in them which doesn't sound natural.

 

[SMuir]

Does anyone have any tips for matching footsteps with footage when you're not in a studio with a TV?

You really should get a TV in there, otherwise you'll be needlessly complicating the editorial proccess. I recently recorded some location foley using a portable timecode recorder one of those battery-powered TV/DVD players people get for their SUV's. recording LTC onto one of the DVD's audio channels provided positional reference, and the foley artist just held the device in front of them as they performed.

One other question, does anyone have tips for recording sneakers? They've always been too soft for me to record without literally marching in them which doesn't sound natural.

So much of that depends on the foley artist and their shoe collection. Experienced foley artists will have (among other things) a selection of sneakers and running shoes that are hard enough to sit well in the mix, but not so hard as to sound like leather shoes. Part of the art of foley is being able to perform a walk loudly enough for the mic, but without exaggerating the footsteps or sounding clompy. From a recording standpoint, sneakers are often quite trickey, though no where near as problematic as bare feet.

Recording with a second microphone at a bit of a distance will help you achieve tracks that fit more transparently with the production sound. Good luck.

 

[Noiz2]

I have often done ADR and Foley (it's capitalized because it's a guy's name) in "real" spaces. Not usually the same space as the shoot since those are often not quiet enough. Video is VERY near essential for ADR and VERY desirable for Foley. WE often didn't do TC sync for Foley but that really depends on how much you need to do and how easy it will be to make it fit later. FS you really want to be pretty close or your in for a ton of work making them fit. We have used laptops, and camcorders and DVD's. The less mechanical noise the better. When not using TC we often cut up the video into cues and then verbally count down with the leader as a sync reference. You could of course go into PT Le on the laptop with video and work in sync.

Sneakers. Depends on the surface. Any kind of exterior hard surface or int concrete can often be improved with a little grit, usually a bit of sand. On hard wood and other smooth shinny surfaces a bit of water can give you some squeak. With out knowing the specifics cant say if either of those will help you out. After that it's get some other shoes or change the performance.

 

[wabbit]

I got some students that recorded a few specific foley clips to their video I-pod and then took that out into the field. Not perfect or easy but a pretty snazzy poor man's process...if you think of people with video Ipods as poor.

Cheers

 

[Gohanto]

Working with timecode sounds like a preferable way of doing it then (portable DVD player a simple solution). But can someone tell me how you would go about recording with correct TC and what equipment would be required for it.

Thanks

 

[SMuir]

Working with timecode sounds like a preferable way of doing it then (portable DVD player a simple solution). But can someone tell me how you would go about recording with correct TC and what equipment would be required for it.

Here's how I pulled it off with a portable TC recorder and a Protools LE system running an Mbox. Start with a recorder that can generate and read timecode (I used a Fostex FR-2), and just plug the TC generator output into one of the audio input channels (line level). Double-check your TC format settings, give yourself a good 30 seconds of preroll on the TC generator (free-run mode), then simply record however much TC you'll need. A SMPTE timecode signal sounds a bit like a crazed robotic cricket. Import the LTC recording into a Protools session, and spot it to the original time stamp (which should match the audio timecode).

To check for latency, bring some guide audio into the session and output the guide and LTC from different channels. Feed the PTLE LTC output into the recorder's TC in, and the PTLE guide output into the recorders line input. Set the recorder to read external timecode, and record a few minutes of guide. Next, import the guide into PTLE and spot it to the TC stamp. Compare the recorded guide with the original guide, and you'll be able to offset the PTLE timecode track accordingly.

Finally, prepare a DVD copy of the video with guide on Channel 1 and LTC on channel 2. Feed the DVD's Channel 1 output into the recorder's TC input, and you're good to go.

Watch out for transport noise from the DVD player. Ideally, the DVD player should be muffled and kept away from the mics.

An alternative method of obtaining a synch reference when working with a video DVD and a non-timecode stereo recorder is to record the guide audio onto one of the recorder's tracks, and match it up when you edit the recordings.

If you're recording more than just a few brief shots, it will probably be far more efficient to use a portable protools system rather than the DVD/FR-2 setup I've described.

 

[Little O]

For sneakers... I have had good luck with Converse Chucks. They seem to be hard enough, yet have a rubber tone with a nice "flop" when stepping. They definitely sound like sneakers.

 

[Brad S.]

I would think that if you're doing "guerrilla" Foley that a laptop would be the best solution. I've never recorded Foley in the field, but with a laptop it is much easier to review your takes to see if you've gotten the sync reasonably close ... just hit play. It would also make it easier to sync up with your session later if you are using the same DAW. Using Pro Tools as an example, just have the movie start at the same TC location in both your Foley record session and your edit session and you can import the record tracks into your edit session. Not to mention that you are not trying to sync up two separate systems. Both the video and the audio are linked together, allowing you to concentrate on the performance.

Just my .02

By the way Stephen, you are my new hero with your step by step instructions above. Very detailed and clear.