Foley Sounds for Tom & Jerry

Foley sound is when everyday objects are used to make certain audios. An example is breaking celery to mimic the sounds of bones breaking. In cartoons, these sounds are often exaggerated for a larger impact, making them feel more real and enthuastic. Today, I'll be making my own foley sounds for one of the most famous cartoons: Tom and Jerry! So, let's get started!

The Plan

The clip I will be referencing today in specific is the Tom and Jerry pool episode. I'm going to be watching it without sounds, then discovering what audios to add to correspond with each scene. Here is the video:

As you can see, there is a lot of action going on in this clip. Tom sends billiard balls flying at Jerry, and Jerry tries to remain unharmed by deflecting the balls or jumping on top of them. Some of the key sounds in this clip I'll try to record are the noises of the ball being hit, landing on the bed, rolling through the tunnel, and smashing together at the end. To make these sounds, I'm going to use items around my house. The cue sheet below tells you what I plan to do!

Execution

Now that I have this chart, it's time to make the sounds! The video below takes you through my process of making the audios, and the overall trial-and-error. 

Reflection

Overall, I feel like I was successful as a foley sound artist. One sound I'm particularly proud of is the sound of Tom hitting the billiard ball. I think it sounds so realistic! However, finding the most accurate sounds and refining them definitely was effortful. It was cool to put myself in the shoes of a foley sound designer for a day, and see just how many steps they must take to get the perfect audio.

That brings me to my next discussion. How did I know the objects I chose were going to work? Why did I choose them? Well, here's my explanation!

Wrap Up

Foley sounds are a key component of cartoons. They're part of the reason by watching them is so fun and immersive. It's very interesting to learn how foley sound artists navigate creating each sound, using daily props and voice filters to achieve auditory effects. In today's example, I used objects like glass nail polish bottles to for getting the sound of the billiard balls because they share a similar texture. Sometimes, I used more familiar objects, such as me jumping on the bed in real life to get the sound of the ball bouncing on the bed in the cartoon. Other times, I just used random, unrelated objects--like a bottle of body spray and a candle--to make such sounds.

This just goes to show how diverse the world of foley sound is. Any object can be used to create good sounds. You can even do it from the comfort of your own home!