Foley Artist

Description: A Foley Artist recreates audio effects that match specific actions on screen, by using physical props and recording equipment. 

Knowledge Required: An understanding of the post-production process, musical training, hardware and software, sound equipment.

Skills: Foley artists possess excellent timing, attention to detail, creativity, hand-eye coordination, and a keen ear for sounds andcreative ways to mimic them.

Career Path: Foley artists should build up a portfolio of recorded sounds matched to visual images, and work as an intern or apprentice at a sound studio or with a sound editor.

Best Cities for this job: Large metropolitan areas with a concentration of entertainment such as Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, and San Diego

Median Annual Income: The typical wage for an experienced foley artist is between $400 and $450 a day; non-union foley artists who have less experience can make $200 a day for uncredited work.

Future Growth: The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment of composers to grow 8 percent over the 2008–18 decade.

From the field:  “I think you definitely want to have attention to detail. There is an innate sense of story and I think you've got to be quite physically fit.” - Sara Monat, Foley Artist