ABSTRACT
There are few encounters that are more intriguing than a visit to a Foley stage. The peculiar experience of being in a dark room, with designated areas on which to walk, strange items skewed around, a pile of mismatched and unattractive footwear on the floor, and the strangely dressed people manipulating various pieces of metal, wood, and the like is not comparable to any other. Few people would ever forget the unique impressions of that encounter. This chapter gives the detailed requirements for the ideal electronic and acoustical situation for a Foley stage. After these ideal sets of guidelines will follow the many variations and alternatives that other Foley artists have utilized for different reasons and with differing results. The purpose is to make clear that, while there is a codified ideal of how Hollywood perceives a standard Foley stage, it is by no means the only standard nor is it the only successful approach.
