Sanaa Kelley: The Secret Sounds Behind Film, TV, & Games

In this episode of Fish’s Call Sheet, Michael sits down with Emmy-winning Foley artist and Reel Foley Sound founder Sanaa Kelley for a fascinating, playful, and eye-opening conversation about the hidden sound magic that brings film, television, video games, and media production to life. Sanaa takes viewers inside one of the most misunderstood and underappreciated crafts in entertainment: Foley. From footsteps and fabric movement to fights, falls, doors, food, weather, creatures, and tiny character details, Foley artists recreate the sounds audiences feel every second often without realizing the sounds were created at all. Together, Michael and Sanaa explore how everyday objects become extraordinary storytelling tools. Sanaa transforms random objects from the studio into the emotional texture of a scene. Sanaa reveals how Foley is not just sound effects it is performance, rhythm, imagination, science, timing, and story. They also dive into Sanaa’s journey into the business, the discipline behind listening deeply, and why the best Foley work disappears into the experience. When it works, the audience does not think about the sound. They simply believe the world. With nearly three decades of experience, multiple Emmy nominations, Emmy wins for by adding to the texture of shows like Shōgun, and her extensive work across projects including Ted Lasso, Only Murders in the Building, The Walking Dead, The 100, The Flight Attendant, Riverdale, The Conners, The Midnight Club, Jurassic World: Chaos Theory, and more. Funny, surprising, educational, and full of wonder, this episode will change the way you watch and hear everything on screen. Sanaa Kelley reminds us that sometimes the most powerful storytelling is not seen at all. It is heard, felt, and created by artists most people never knew were there. Sanaa Kelley Links: Reel Foley Sound Website — https://www.reelfoleysound.com/ Company Socials — @reel_foley_sound IMDB — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0134085/ Socials — @Sanaa.Kelley You can find and follow us across social media @FishsCallSheet We are building an interactive SubStack. You can watch episodes on YouTube @FishsCallSheet Thank you for supporting our show