Build tension or emphasise a journey with a simple piece of Foley. Here’s where you can find footstep sound effects for free!

The art of recording sound effects (SFX), known as Foley, is an integral and important element of filmmaking. Can you think of a film that doesn’t feature any sound effects? No doors creaking, leaves rustling, cars honking, or feet stomping? The loss of this vital dimension would cause the visual piece to fall flat on its face.

Footstep Sound Effects

The genre and story of a film can heavily dictate the Foley that is used. However, some sounds are so universal that they’re almost bound to feature, whatever the film may be. A great example of this is footsteps.

They say you can tell a lot about a person from their footsteps. Whether you buy into this or not, I’m sure you’ve been able to recognise someone by the sound of their oncoming footfall. Take this further, and you’ve probably been able to interpret what someone is doing or how they’re feeling by their footsteps. For instance, running upstairs suggests urgency, possibly excitement or fear. The term “dragging your feet” can be applied when someone is feeling reluctant or in low spirits. Guess what… This is because some people literally drag their feet whilst walking when they’re down in the dumps.

When you are adding footstep Foley to your film, you should consider the mood and emotions you wish to convey to your audience. Just as music can affect mood in film, so too can SFX. Think about the physicalities of the scene as well, i.e. is the ground solid, indoors or outdoors. All these elements have an impact.

Find Free SFX

Creating your own SFX can be a fun experience, but it can be very time-consuming. Not only do you have to source the recording equipment and noise-producing objects, but you have to edit as well. As a busy independent filmmaker, having a fast and easy way of finding sound effects is a blessing.

Find a great range of footstep sound effects on Synchedin. With a growing catalogue of both royalty free and creative commons SFX, you’re sure to find awesome ambulating sounds and just-right jogging noises.

Check out the carefully curated Footsteps for Film Projects Collection. Here you will discover a whole host of Foley footsteps to make your film, video game or audiobook even more dynamic. Choose from a range of speeds, surfaces and moods, ranging from slow gravel stomping to scary, creaky creeping and fast running strides. All under the creative commons license, meaning you can download and use them for free.

For unlimited downloads of the full catalogue and claims resolution on YouTube, subscribe for just $3.99 per month or $39.99 per year. Subscriptions are fully flexible, so you can choose what works for you. Sign up today for free, and start building your Foley footstep library!