Whole-y Foley: The World of Performative Film Sound

In the second part of this two part episode, Dr. Vanessa Theme Ament, author of The Foley Grail and Foley Artist on such films as Die Hard, Platoon, and Predator, continues her conversation with Sara Pinheiro. You can learn more about Sara at her website: sarapinheiro.com. If you missed part one, please listen to Episode 27 first which sets up the second half of this discussion. As you will learn upon listening to this podcast, Sara straddles the world of sound designer, sound experimenter, and an academic exploring the role of sound in media. In terms of film and video-art, Sara does sound recording, editing, foley and mixing. In her solo practice, Sara also makes acousmatic pieces, usually for multichannel performances, radio broadcasts or installations. Her work crosses practices of sound design for film with concrete and acousmatic music. It blends natural and artificial soundscapes via field recordings, foley practices and signal processing. Sara is currently pursuing a PhD in music and media, and her research-based practice can be found under the name "Acousmatic Foley." In the second part of this two-part podcast, Vanessa and Sara discuss the various filmmakers and films that have inspired their creative work in sound design and music. They discuss various projects they have each worked on that advance the idea of sonology and the acousmatic spectator. Sounds themselves--and not just music or dialogue--can be used to develop the story or to advance an emotion in a film. Join us for a unique and penetrating journey into the World of Performative Film Sound!

In the first part of this two part episode, Dr. Vanessa Theme Ament, author of The Foley Grail and Foley Artist on such films as Die Hard, Platoon, and Predator, talks with Sara Pinheiro. You can learn more about Sara at her website: sarapinheiro.com. As you will learn upon listening to this podcast, Sara straddles the world of sound designer, sound experimenter, and an academic exploring the role of sound in media. In terms of film and video-art, Sara does sound recording, editing, foley and mixing. In her solo practice, Sara also makes acousmatic pieces, usually for multichannel performances, radio broadcasts or installations. Her work crosses practices of sound design for film with concrete and acousmatic music. It blends natural and artificial soundscapes via field recordings, foley practices and signal processing. Sara is currently pursuing a PhD in music and media, and her research-based practice can be found under the name "Acousmatic Foley." In the first part of this two-part podcast, Vanessa and Sara delve into the importance of the concept of sonology, which can be defined as the study of sound in multiple disciplines, and investigating the idea of the acousmatic spectator, a formulation which priveleges the role of sound design, active listening, and careful hearing in visual media. In their exchanges, Vanessa and Sara expand beyond the idea of sound as an additive or complementary process in media-making and focus instead on how expressive sound creations can transform the very act of spectatorship and deepen our appreciation of the omnipresent soundscapes that exist all around us. Join us for a unique and penetrating journey into the World of Performative Film Sound!

In this episode, Dr. Vanessa Theme Ament, author of The Foley Grail and Foley Artist on such films as Die Hard, Platoon, and Predator, talks with Julie Rose Bower, sound scholar and artist, who works with Foley and ASMR. In this fascinating conversation, Vanessa and Julie delve into the world of ASMR, which stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. The term, coined by Jennifer Allen in 2010, refers to a sensory experience some people experience listening to ordinary, even mundane, sounds. Julie discusses her work on ASMR at the Museum (www.julierosebower.com) and the important role that Foley artistry plays in both her practice and scholarship. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Performative Film Sound! This is an episode not to be missed!

In this episode, Dr. Vanessa Theme Ament, author of The Foley Grail and Foley Artist on such films as Die Hard, Platoon, and Predator, talks with Sound Mixer Greg Curda. A Hollywood-trained sound mixer, currently teaching at Nord University in Norway, Greg shares his journey from his roots in Chicago to the Disney mailroom in Burbank to mixing Foley to working in production sound for Reality TV shows from Hawaii. Greg and Vanessa use their experiences in the industry to highlight the importance of production sound, dialogue editing, and post-production as one connected workflow. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Performative Film Sound.

In this episode, Dr. Vanessa Theme Ament, author of The Foley Grail and Foley Artist on such films as Die Hard, Platoon, and Predator, converses with Foley Artist Martin Langenbach. In addition to Vanessa and Martin discussing his work in film and television, Martin shares his reasons and goals for starting a consortium of European sound professionals on his website: https://foleyartists.eu/en/mitglieder/ Additionally, Martin expands on how he records his Foley remotely with his two Foley Mixers using innovative technology. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Performative Film Sound.

In this episode, Dr. Vanessa Theme Ament, author of The Foley Grail and Foley Artist on such films as Die Hard, Platoon, and Predator, converses with Sound Designer and Re-recording Mixer Gary Rydstrom about his work on Director Steven Spielberg's adaptation of a Broadway musical and classic film, 2021's West Side Story. Vanessa and Gary share their insights and thoughts on the magic of sound in musicals focusing on the updated and reimagined version of West Side Story. Gary reveals how the immersive art and precise craft of sound design helped transform the world of West Side Story into a grounded reality and elevated the emotional authenticity of this story for the audience. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Performative Film Sound.

In this episode, Dr. Vanessa Theme Ament, author of The Foley Grail and Foley Artist on such films as Die Hard, Platoon, and Predator, converses with German Foley Artist Bastian Gerner, who is also known as the Foley Teacher. Vanessa connects Bastian's career as a rap artist with his improvisational approach to Foley, which leads into a discussion of his work performing Foley for video games, and his enthusiasm for the creative and technical aspects of the art of Foley. This lively conversation reveals Bastian's humor and vitality for re-invention, as he performs and mixes his own Foley simultaneously. Bastian shares stories about the mentors from his new home studio outside of Düsseldorf, Germany. Bastian is also well known in social media circles, and through his website where he teaches Foley online at the-foley-teacher.com. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Performative Film Sound.

In this episode, Dr. Vanessa Theme Ament, author of The Foley Grail and Foley Artist on such films as Die Hard, Platoon, and Predator, talks with ADR editor Bobbi Banks about her long career in postproduction sound as an ADR Editor and Supervising Sound Editor. Bobbi emphasizes the importance of building long-lasting relationships and nurturing careful communication with colleagues in the workplace, especially as a woman of color. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Performative Film Sound.

In this episode, Dr. Vanessa Theme Ament, author of The Foley Grail and Foley Artist on such films as Die Hard, Platoon, and Predator, discusses another International approach to Foley with Foley Artist Gadou Naudin and his son Foley Mixer Louis Gaudin. Beginning with a description of their custom-built studios in the south of France called Malakoff Studios, Gadou and Louis reveal how Foley is a family tradition, started by Gadou's father André and including Gadou's brother Julien. Gadou and Louis delve into their Foley work on the hit Apple+ TV series Sugar, as well as their notable contributions on a global movie franchise in John Wick Chapter 4. The Naudins share with Vanessa how they approach Foley in their own unique way. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Performative Film Sound!

In this episode, Dr. Vanessa Theme Ament, author of The Foley Grail and Foley Artist on such films as Die Hard, Platoon, and Predator, explores the use of Foley in live theatre performances and in operas with British Foley Artist Ruth Sullivan. Highlighting the Foley skills, props, and approaches that Ruth uses in live performances of Mozart's opera The Magic Flute, Vanessa and Ruth discuss how their training in dance and acting is beneficial to being a Foley Artist during a live theater show or an opera. Join us to listen to a behind-the-scenes walk through about how Foley can be an impactful creative element in high art forms such as theater and opera. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Performative Film Sound.