My Favorite Foley Artist - Tara Blume
In this episode, foley artist Tara Blume offers a behind-the-scenes look at her craft of meticulously recreating everyday sounds like footsteps and eating noises for films and TV shows. Blume delves into the nuances involved, from simulating intimate sounds to capturing object-animal interactions. She also shares her journey into the field, her Emmy win for "Atlanta," and the juggling act of parenting a toddler while pregnant.
Tara discusses the challenges of adhering to toddlers' bedtime routines and her plans for a water birth—offering a relatable glimpse into a foley artist's life beyond the recording studio. This episode sheds light on the artistic contribution of foley artists while exploring universal themes of parenthood and career.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Mar 19, 2024 episode of the Tosh Show
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1-Page Summary
Foley Artistry
Foley artist Tara Blume explains the craft of recreating everyday sounds like footsteps, eatingnoises, and more in post-production to enhance films' audio quality. As Daniel Tosh notes, these sounds are recorded separately after filming, with Foley artists meticulously reproducing them to sync with the visuals.
Tara discusses the intricacies involved, like simulating kisses or drug-taking sounds. Her work even extends to animal-object interactions, though not actual animal vocalizations. Proper Foley mixing is crucial, she says, or it can get drowned out by music.
How Tara Became a Foley Artist
A college course sparked Tara's passion for Foley, leading her to pursue it in LA with no initial experience. She had to hustle and even buy her own props at times to create sounds like spits, drinking, and explicit actions.
Tara describes to Tosh how she makes kissing noises and could create diarrhea sounds using unconventional materials. Her versatile skills are used across genres like reality TV's "Survivor."
Tara's Emmy for "Atlanta"
Tara won an Emmy for her exceptional sound work on just 3-4 episodes of "Atlanta's" acclaimed "Teddy Perkins" episode, highlighting her impactful contributions.
Parenting Young Kids
2 Year Old and 5 Months Pregnant
Tara is a mom to a 2.5 year old and 5 months pregnant, juggling the demands of a toddler while preparing for her second child.
Toddler Sleep Struggles
She expresses frustration that her toddler doesn't follow the 7:30pm bedtime routine, often staying up past 8:40pm despite her efforts. Hearing of Tosh's good-sleeping kids, she enviously notes her own child doesn't always listen.
Planning a Water Birth
Unlike her first natural birth, Tara is planning a water birth for her second child, highlighting the personalized choices parents make.
1-Page Summary
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Foley artistry involves creating and recording custom sounds to enhance the audio quality of films during post-production. Foley artists meticulously reproduce everyday sounds like footsteps, eating noises, and more to match the visuals on screen. Their work adds depth and realism to the audio experience of a film, ensuring that the sounds align seamlessly with the actions portrayed on screen. Proper mixing of Foley sounds is essential to prevent them from being overshadowed by other audio elements like music.
- In post-production, Foley artists recreate sounds that are added to films after filming. They meticulously match these sounds to the visuals for a seamless effect. This process involves creating various everyday sounds like footsteps, eating noises, and more to enhance the overall audio quality of the film. Proper mixing is essential to ensure these added sounds are not overshadowed by the film's music or dialogue.
- Foley mixing in film involves blending the recorded Foley sounds with the overall audio track to ensure they are balanced and enhance the viewing experience. It is crucial to adjust the volume levels, frequencies, and spatial positioning of the Foley sounds to make them sound realistic and integrate seamlessly with the on-screen action. Proper Foley mixing prevents the sounds from being overshadowed by the film's music or other audio elements, maintaining clarity and immersion for the audience. This process requires skill and precision to create a cohesive auditory environment that complements the visual storytelling in movies.
- A water birth is a method of childbirth where the mother labor and sometimes delivers the baby in a tub of warm water. This practice is believed to offer relaxation and pain relief during labor. It is considered a natural birthing option that can provide a more gentle and less stressful environment for both the mother and the baby. Water births are typically supervised by healthcare professionals trained in this specific delivery method.
Counterarguments
- While Foley artistry is crucial for enhancing audio quality, some might argue that advancements in on-set recording technology could reduce the need for extensive post-production sound work.
- The meticulous recreation of sounds by Foley artists might be seen as unnecessary by proponents of a more minimalist or "natural" sound design approach, who believe that less-manipulated audio can contribute to a film's authenticity.
- The use of Foley artists to simulate sounds could be critiqued by those who advocate for the use of actual recorded sounds from the environment or actions being portrayed for greater realism.
- The importance of proper Foley mixing might be downplayed by those who believe that visual storytelling should take precedence, and that the audience may not always notice subtle sound details.
- Tara Blume's path to becoming a Foley artist, while inspiring, might not be replicable for everyone, as breaking into the industry can be significantly more challenging without connections or a clear entry point.
- The use of Foley artistry across various genres, such as reality TV, could be criticized by purists who believe that reality TV should use only diegetic sounds to maintain the genre's authenticity.
- The Emmy award for sound work, while a significant achievement, could be seen as just one of many factors contributing to a show's success, and not everyone might agree on the impact of sound work on the overall quality of a production.
- The discussion of parenting struggles and choices, such as sleep routines and birth plans, could be met with alternative viewpoints that emphasize different parenting philosophies or the idea that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to raising children.
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Foley Artistry
Foley artistry is a unique and essential component of the film and television industries, bringing to life a myriad of sounds that go unnoticed but are crucial to the storytelling process. Tara Blume, a Foley artist, shares her insights and experiences in the field, diving into the nuances of creating auditory elements that audiences may take for granted.
What is Foley art and Tara's work
Foley artistry involves the reproduction of everyday sound effects that are then added to film, video, and other media in post-production to enhance audio quality. These sound effects can range from the simplest footsteps to the complex noises of a bustling cityscape.
Daniel Tosh explains that Hollywood often records these sounds separately after filming as they aren't captured live with the on-set microphones. Foley artists like Tara Blume then meticulously re-perform these sounds in sync with the visuals to give the final production a more realistic and immersive auditory experience.
Tara discusses the intricacies of Foley, such as simulating the sound of a kiss or creating the noises of a character eating—sounds that are not captured live on set. These detailed sounds require a creative and keen ear, such as when action-heavy or detailed scenes, like those involving characters consuming drugs, need sonic embellishment.
The craft extends to generating the sounds of animal interactions with objects, though not the actual vocalizations of animals. Tara emphasizes the importance of proper mixing of Foley in films; if not done correctly, the Foley can be drowned out and compensated for with louder music.
How Tara got into Foley
Tara's foray into Foley began with a college course that offered her the opportunity to replace sounds in movie clips, including ones from iconic films such as "The Matrix" and "Monsters, Inc." Her passion for the craft led her to move to Los Angeles with no initial experience in the industry.
Once in LA, Tara's determination and hustle helped her carve out a place in the competitive world of Foley. She speaks of the challenges faced, like having to purchase her own produce at times for creating Foley sounds, a cost which she adds to her invoices.
Her diverse work includes handling human-related sounds such as spits, cho ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Foley Artistry
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Foley artistry in film and television involves creating and adding everyday sound effects in post-production to enhance the audio quality of a production. These sounds, like footsteps or door creaks, are recreated and synchronized with the visuals to make scenes more realistic and immersive for the audience. Foley artists play a crucial role in bringing a scene to life by adding detailed and specific sounds that may not have been captured during filming. Their work helps to create a more engaging and believable audio experience for viewers.
- Foley is the art of creating and adding sound effects to films and media after filming to enhance the audio quality. Foley artists meticulously recreate everyday sounds that may not have been captured during filming, like footsteps or object interactions. These recreated sounds are synchronized with the visuals to provide a more immersive and realistic auditory experience for the audience. Proper mixing of Foley is crucial to ensure that these added sounds complement the overall audio without being overshadowed by other elements like music.
- Foley artists like Tara Blume face tasks such as recreating everyday sounds not captured during filming, like footsteps or eating noises. They must synchronize these sounds with the visuals to enhance the audience's experience. Challenges include creatively generating sounds for actions that are not easily recorded, like kisses or drug consumption. Foley artists also need to ensure their work is properly mixed in the final production to avoid being overshadowed by other audio elements.
- Creating various sound effects in Foley involves reproducing everyday sounds that are not captured during filming, such as footsteps, kisses, or eating sounds. Foley artists meticulously perform these sounds in sync with the visuals to enhance the audio quality of the final production. They use a variety of prop ...
Counterarguments
- Foley artistry, while enhancing audio quality, can sometimes lead to over-reliance on post-production, potentially diminishing the authenticity of on-set sound recording.
- The meticulous re-performance of sounds by Foley artists, though aiming for realism, can sometimes result in exaggerated or unnatural sounds if not carefully balanced with the original audio.
- The creation of Foley sounds for actions like drug consumption or animal interactions might inadvertently glamorize or misrepresent these actions if not handled with sensitivity and accuracy.
- The importance of proper mixing is highlighted, but it's also worth noting that overemphasis on Foley can overshadow dialogue or natural ambiance, disrupting the intended sound balance.
- Tara Blume's entry into Foley through a college course is inspiring, but it may not reflect the more common and potentially challenging pathways into the industry, which often involve long apprenticeships and networking.
- The use of unconventional materials to create sound effects is creative, but it could be argued that this sometimes leads to a homogenization of sound in film, ...
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Tara's Career
Winning an Emmy for sound work on Atlanta
Tara Blume has achieved recognition for her exceptional sound work in the television industry with her Emmy win for the show "Atlanta." Her contribution to sound design on the critically acclaimed episode "Teddy Perkins," which was submitted for Emmy consideration, has garnered her high praise. Notably, Blume's involvement in "Atlanta" spanned only thre ...
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Tara's Career
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Tara Blume's role in sound work involves sound design, which encompasses creating and implementing audio elements to enhance the overall auditory experience of a television show. In the context of "Atlanta," her work on the episode "Teddy Perkins" showcases her skill in crafting soundscapes that contribute to the storytelling and atmosphere of the series. Blume's contribution to the show's sound design was pivotal in creating a rich and immersive audio environment that complemented the visual narrative. Her Emmy win for her sound work on "Atlanta" highlights the industry recognition of her talent and expertise in this specialized field.
- Winning an Emmy in the television industry is a significant achievement as the Emmy Awards are prestigious honors recognizing excellence in various television-related fields such as acting, directing, writing, and technical aspects like sound design. An Emmy win can elevate a professional's career, leading to increased opportunities, industry recognition, and respect from peers. It serves as a validation of the recipient's talent, creativity, and contribution to the television landscape. The Emmy Awards are highly regarded in the entertainment industry and winning one is a symbol of top-tier accomplishme ...
Counterarguments
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Parenting Young Kids
Tara Blume brings to light her personal journey with parenting, discussing the challenges of managing sleep schedules for young children and her plans for a water birth for her second child, while also touching on relatable experiences for any parent with little ones.
Having a 2 year old and being 5 months pregnant
Tara is the mother of a two and a half year old and is currently five months pregnant. She shares her anticipation of expanding her family and the unique experiences that come with being pregnant while already caring for a toddler. It is a time filled with excitement but also the physical and emotional demands of managing her kids' needs as well as her own.
Challenges like lack of sleep, toddler not listening
Tara speaks candidly about the sleep challenges she faces with her toddler, expressing frustration that her child does not fall asleep until after 8:40 pm despite her best efforts to have bedtime around 7:30 pm. Seeking advice, she connects with other parents, such as Daniel Tosh, who has two children who are good sleepers. She enviously responds to Daniel's situation, indicating that her child does not always listen or follow routines as hoped.
In a broader context, Tara discusses the everyday challenges of parenting, from lack of sleep to difficulties in watching shows or movies at a proper volume. These challenges, as su ...
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Parenting Young Kids
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Water birth is a method of labor and delivery that takes place in a pool of warm water. Advocates believe it can provide a more relaxed and less painful birthing experience. However, the safety and benefits of water birth are still debated in the medical community, with some concerns about potential risks and outcomes.
- Daniel Tosh is an American comedian, known for his stand-up comedy, television shows, and tours. He gained popularity for his Comedy Central series "Tosh.0," where he humorously comments on internet videos. Tosh is recognized for his edgy and controversial comedic style.
- A "flood gate" of screen time typically refers to allowing unrestricted or excessive access to electronic devices like TVs, tablets, or smartphones. It suggests a situation where limits on screen time are relaxed or ignored, leading to a surge in the amount of time children spend in front of screens. This term highlights the challenge parents face in balancing the benefits and drawbacks of screen time for their children's development and well-being.
- A natural birth typically involves delivering a baby without medical interventions like epi ...
Counterarguments
- While Tara Blume is planning for a water birth, it's important to note that water births are not suitable for everyone, and some medical professionals have concerns about their safety. It's crucial for parents to thoroughly research and consult with healthcare providers to understand the risks and benefits.
- The challenges of managing a toddler's sleep schedule are common, but it's also worth considering that strict adherence to a specific bedtime might not be suitable for every child. Flexibility and adjusting expectations could be beneficial, as each child has unique needs and patterns.
- Seeking advice from other parents like Daniel Tosh can be helpful, but it's important to remember that what works for one child may not work for another. Parenting strategies are often not one-size-fits-all, and comparing one's situation to others can sometimes lead to unnecessary frustration.
- The balance between discipline and screen time is a nuanced topic. While Tara mentions using screen time to get a moment of reprieve, it's also important to consider the potential long-term effects of screen time on children's development and to strive for a balanced approach.
- Discussing the broader challenges of parenting, such as lack of sl ...
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