Leitmotifs are “short, recurring musical phrase” that is typically associated with a character, concept, or location within a film or piece of visual media. They’re often used to stir emotion within the audience, usually for a particular characters arrival or actions.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Leitmotifs are very commonly used throughout Marvel films – in particular the leitmotif of the Avengers Theme, which usually plays as the Avengers make their “last stand” against the antagonist of the specific instalment, such as Avengers: Endgame.
Foley is the process of reproducing the everyday sounds that are heard within film and other visual media to enhance audio quality. Added in post-production, sounds such as the sound of Christian Bale’s character in Mary Harron’s American Psycho walking through a corridor can be replicated in a studio under similar conditions – such as knocking a block of wood on a large stone or even just having the foley artist (the person recreating the sounds) walk on a similar surface. When using sounds like walking, they have to be synced with the movement of the character in the chosen scene, even when their feet aren’t in shot.
Within the horror genre of film, various vegetables such as celery or carrots can be used to recreate the sounds of breaking bones. This enhances the effects of the film as it creates for a more intense experience for both the visuals and the hearing – or, if the foley is offscreen, can provide context to something the audience aren’t yet allowed to see – and overall leave the studio with a more stimulating film for the audience.
