How to make effects using household items

So what do walking horses have in common with coconuts? How about staplers and gunshots? The answer is, sonically speaking, a whole lot of frequencies! We’re talking about Foley – the art of creating sound effects to add to film and other media in post-production. While using stock sound effects from various libraries can undoubtedly yield great results and save crucial time, accurately and convincingly depicting the visuals may require additional work. That’s exactly where Foley sound comes in and the secret to it often lies in everyday, household items. In more recent years, this practice has fallen victim to sample replacement. However, these sound libraries can’t do everything, and they certainly don’t come close to giving you the individualized touch of homemade sounds. 

Want to create and add a realistic gunshot effect to add dramatic impact to your film? What about adding some big budget flair to your trailer by recording and dropping in some homemade explosion sound effects? Why not mimic the quintessential sound of unsheathing a sword, parrying a rapier, or other fight noises by (safely) using your kitchen knives? Read on to find out how you can use Foley basics to create your own homemade sound effects and enhance your post production arsenal.