Curriculum fit
We suggest you work the methodology into school subjects from areas such as Media Education, Language and Communication or Arts and Culture. The methodology can be woven into standalone projects, seminars, teaching blocks, courses, and similar.
The students will:
- learn about different types of sound in film;
- get creative;
- learn how to record sound using equipment;
- discover the wide potential of using sound in media art;
- learn not to just consume, but to understand, analyse, think critically, and create media content;
- learn how and what creates different layers of sound in film and video.
About the activity
Remember movie sounds like the Star Wars lightsaber, or the roar of the dinosaur from Jurassic Park? These iconic effects were created by sound engineers using creative techniques. The Foley Artists Workshop is a unique opportunity to learn how to create and record your own sound effects and foley to bring any film to life. Through hands-on and creative exercises, participants will try composing and recording their own sound effects and applying them to their short films.
We’ve put together a short quiz so you can test your film knowledge after the activity – check it out!
What participants gain
- experience of working with sound technology;
- skill in recognising the different elements of sound composition in film;
- develop a basic understanding of the creation and sound propagation in space;
- recognise the sonic potential of common objects;
- learn more about methods of working with sound in film and video;
- experience of working in a team.
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What educators gain
- learn how to emphasise the importance of sound and human hearing in life and in art;
- see how to get children interested in film and sound engineering;
- tips on how to teach children new technical skills;
- help create a more vivid cultural environment for your local community;
- how to combine innovative content with innovation in the educational process (linking practical and theoretical activities, structured group work);
- skill in leading and coordinating group work.
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Resources
Venue requirements
- a child-friendly room with enough natural light
- a large table for group work
- a table for the shooting set
- a space for catering/snacks (optional)
Technology
- a projector/monitor/TV
- a computer/laptop with internet connection
- a photo tripod with phone holder
- a mobile phone with a video recording app (e. g., CapCut)
- a shooting light or table lamp (2x)
- an extension cord for electric current 3m (2x)
- a microphone, preferably shotgun
- an XRL cable 1.5m
- an external sound recording device or external sound card
- closed-ear headphones
- a simple editing programme installed on the laptop (Adobe Premiere, CapCut, Canva, Wondershare Filmora)
Supplies
- a set of sound-creating objects (see Toolbox for tips)
- a short video clip from a film with a distinctive sound – e.g. a scene from an animated film
- a strong magnet, preferably 2 × 2 × 2 cm in size and of N38 strength
- a smaller magnet
- art supplies: playdough (one set for each participant), coloured (or white) papers, large
scissors, glue sticks, adhesive tape, wooden sticks
Step by Step
Preparation
(30 mins)
(30 mins)
- Keep all the materials and tools ready on hand.
- Plug in the audio chain (microphone – cable – card/device) and test if it works.
- Find short clips of foley artists at work to show on your computer. There are many clips on YouTube of people recording and re-voicing famous cartoons in a home environment. Here are some suggestions:
Snoopy Making Pizza by @JoshHarmon
Pixar Foley art design by @avid
Sound design by @RobertDudzic - Spread out your sound-creating objects on a table in the centre of the room where they’ll be available to everyone.
- On individual slips of paper (10 to 15), write down questions about sounds – be as creative as you like: What does it sound like when Batman jams his cape on a cactus? What’s the sound of a magic wand? How would a T-Rex yawn? What’s the sound of an octopus squeezing through a keyhole? Or of a spaceship that just got stuck? Of a robot breaking down?… etc. You will use these later.
- Create a filming area within your workshop room: set up a tripod in front of an empty table and put lights on the table so that you can start filming straight away later on. (TIP: Create an “infinity” background: fold coloured paper into an arc. You can film figures in front of it.)
- Seating arrangements: Place chairs around a central table.
Implementation
(3.5 hrs)
(3.5 hrs)
- Get to know each other. (TIP: Encourage everyone to say a few words about themselves, starting with yourself. Say your name and why you decided to run the workshop. Then, ask the participants about their favourite common sounds.) – 10 mins
- Introduce the workshop and describe its different parts. You can also mention the desired outcome. (TIP: A visible outline helps children track the progress of the work.) – 5 mins
- (OPTIONAL) Begin with a short presentation of the three stages of film production (idea, development, film). You can use the guide in the Toolbox. (TIP: The goal is not to overwhelm the participants with knowledge, but rather just to make them aware of the complexity of film as a creative activity. Feel free to write the basic concepts on the board.) – 15 mins
- Activity: Introduction to sound in film. – 15 mins Present sound design in three parts: MUSIC, SPOKEN WORD, and SOUND EFFECTS, which include AMBIENCE and FOLEY (footsteps, explosions, gunshots, creaking, etc.). Use a prepared clip with prominent sound and talk about the importance of sound in film. First, play it without any commentary and ask the children how many sounds of which type they got. Then, play the video without sound, and point out its absence and what information we miss as a result. Finally, play just the sound without the visual; you can invite your participants to close their eyes and listen carefully to each sound, its qualities, and what it might be.
- The role of the foley artist. – 10 mins Describe the three phases of working with sound: RECORDING, EDITING, and FINAL MIX (see Sound recording guide in the Toolbox). Introduce your participants to the process of adding sound to picture – foley. (TIP: Use video clips, such as short social media reels, of people having fun recreating sounds at home.) – 5 mins
- Present the laid-out objects and their sonic potential (even if the children have already explored them). Show how you would use them to create unique sounds. – 10 mins
- Activity: Work with sound-creating objects. Hand out the slips of paper with your questions (see above), and let participants create their own versions of sounds using the objects available. – 10 mins
- Short break – 10 mins
- Activity: Playdough characters. Let the children make their own characters out of playdough. – 15 mins (TIP: Set a time limit for this part of the workshop so that children don’t spend too much time perfecting the appearance of their character. The playdough figure is only a supporting element for the following activities; emphasize that simplicity is key.)
- Activity: Make a video. Record a short video with each playdough character. To move the playdough figure, use magnets – stick a small magnet onto the character from below, and use a stronger magnet under the table to make the character move “on its own”. (TIP: Use a video recording app that allows you to pause the recording, so you can pause to swap characters in front of the camera and then resume recording. This way, you’ll end up with one continuous video file, which is much easier to work in sound postproduction.) – 40 mins
- Presentation of sound recording tools. Present the basic sound chain used for recording audio (see our Manual in Toolbox). Help the children listen to it live through a microphone, so they can hear the surrounding sounds directly. Afterwards, introduce the recording device (e.g., a computer), and finally, show the children how sound appears in a sound editing program (waveform view). – 20 mins
- Activity: Recording sounds. Have the children record unique sounds for each playdough character using the sound-making objects. Let them choose and record the sounds themselves, while you operate the recording equipment and make sure the recorded sound is synced properly with the video. – 50 mins
Evaluation
(30 mins)
(30 mins)
- Screen the film you’ve created as a group, in which each participant has their own character and sound to go with it. – 5 mins
- Thank the participants for their work and recap key points. – 10 mins
- Evaluate the workshop. Ask participants what they liked best and what they disliked. Ask what could be done differently. – 10 mins
Films to watch
Lisbon Story
Wim Wenders
DE/PT
1995
100 mins
Make it accessible for all
The workshop should be stimulating and creative. However, some participants might struggle with seemingly simple tasks like building a playdough character. Working with socially disadvantaged children, for example, we found that some were not familiar with playdough as a material. Keep this in mind and show the children what a character might look like before they start. It could be something simple, like a snake or a ball. Expanding the range of possible variations helps the children feel more confident about their work.
The workshop itself poses the challenge of operating technical equipment. It is best if the lecturer is personally present with each child, helping them handle devices like the microphone, recorder, or editing software.
Even though this sound-based workshop treats sound as a creative tool, it’s still important to outline its desired outcomes for each part of the workshop and/or the final video with sound design. Make sure you have tested and prepared everything in advance, from the sound-making objects (such as the playdough “character”) to an example of what the result might look like (see What we Created).
Thoughts & Experience
What we created
FOR ORGANIZATIONS
What organisations gain
- an opportunity to engage a young audience;
- a chance to reach people who are curious and open to new experiences and skills;
- short video clips to promote their creative potential;
- new visitors, interns, or supporters.
Team requirements
- This workshop needs one lecturer with a basic understanding of film or multimedia production. They should have basic knowledge of audio equipment and the audio chain from recording to post-production. The technical guide can be found in the Toolbox.
- If the group of participants exceeds 10 people, we strongly recommend inviting a teaching assistant who can help make sure everything goes smoothly.
- If the workshop participants include children with special needs (from any disadvantaged group), it is advisable to invite an inclusion assistant/guide who will be fully dedicated to the group, ensuring that all children have as equal and full an experience of the workshop as possible.
- workshop promoters and producers
Funding tips
Before the implementation, it is a good idea to think about the financial coverage of the following expenses:
- lecturer’s fee
- inclusion assistant’s fee (if relevant)
- teaching assistant’s fee (if there are more than 10 participants)
- venue rental
- art supplies and technical equipment
- catering (optional)
- film screening fee (if necessary)
The topic of the workshop is related to audiovisual production. If you are an organisation, you can try to include the workshop within a project that falls under funds or grants from structures supporting activities in the audiovisual industry or various programmes aimed at the development of young audiences and (film) education.
Or, if there’s a film festival or a showcase nearby, it might be a good idea to invite them to co-organise the workshop. Apart from better promotion, such collaboration can also help with technical support or to cover some portion of the expenses.
Consider working with local schools, either by organising the workshop directly for them or by renting a venue. Schools usually have both computer rooms and technology that they would be able to provide you with for the workshop.
Try reaching out to companies and stores that specialise in audio equipment or provide sound services for public events. They may sponsor your event or let you borrow their equipment for a fee.
Promotion tips
- use any channel available (workshop organizer’s website, social media, newsletter or email invitations)
- create a registration form for people to sign up
- promote the workshop enough in advance to reach people organically
- consider paid advertising on social media (depending on your budget)
- in the description, be clear about what the workshop is about, when and where it will be held, and who it’s for
- post a video invitation from the lecturer or organisation member two or three days before the date
- flyers, posters, radio & newspaper ads (also online)
Find your audience
To target your audience, consider the expectations of different groups in conjunction with current trends. Younger teens (12+) can be interested in making TikTok videos at the workshop. By contrast, teens may get interested even if their expectations aren’t met. Still, it never hurts to stay on trend with your video references. For example, folley art is often recreated as a video sketch on social media.
If your workshop is for younger participants, you can advertise it by contacting teachers, principals, or parents. With teenage students, it’s best to approach either their class teacher or teachers of subjects, as they have a direct impact on students.
Direct email is also an option. For example, you can ask clubs to include your ad in their regular newsletter to their subscribers. You can also put up posters where potential audiences might appear – schools, cinemas, leisure centres, cafés, bookshops, and so on.
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