The Art of Making Sound

Movies are filled with sound. You hear actors talk. You hear music. You also hear sound effects. These are especially important in animated films. People who make sound effects are called Foley artists. They use their imagination and lots of different tools to get the job done.

Shelley Roden (top left) is a Foley artist. She has worked on films like Moana and Finding Dory. “A Foley artist’s job is to be an actor, a musician, and an athlete all at the same time,” Roden told TIME for Kids. For Toy Story 4, she watched Buzz Lightyear onscreen, copied his moves, and figured out the sounds he would make.

While working on Incredibles 2, Roden used a rubbery mask to make the sound of Elastigirl stretching. She says the Foley stage looks “like a big yard sale” filled with “useful junk.”