Sound effects

Definition:

In film the term sound effect refers to all the sounds and noises other than dialogue and music.

Uses:

Sound effects provide texture and detail to the soundscape of the narrative.

Interestingly most sounds recorded during the shoot are discarded and replaced with sounds generated and recorded by a film sound specialist (Foley artist) in a Foley studio.

No microphones are able to pickup and adequately record all the tiny sounds that make up the soundscape of a given scene.

The Foley artist's job is not only to create a realistic-sounding door creak, but also to create just the right style of creaking door that will enhance the viewers' perception of the scene.

For example, the creaking door in a horror movie will sound quite different from the creaking door in a teen romance as the romantic lead sneaks into the girls' dormitory.

Film clip

Clip 1: This clip shows the filming of the crash stunt. Listen carefully to the crash sound recorded on location at the time of filming.
Clip 2: The crash sequence that appears in the film has a very different sound. The original sound recording was replaced with a sound effect. Listen carefully. It sounds much more like a real car crash than the actual car crash did!