How Noiseless Props Are Made For Movies And TV Shows | Movies Insider | Insider

Some objects, like paper bags, ice cubes, and pool balls, make an unexpected amount of noise. This can be a big problem on set, as any of these unwanted sounds can get in the way of dialogue. To ensure the sound team gets the best sound possible, the prop team will create silent versions of real products. Prop master Scott Reeder replaced loud pool balls with much quieter painted racquetballs for bar scenes in shows like "Friday Night Lights." Meanwhile, Tim Schultz of Prop TRX uses vinyl and fabric to make quieter versions of grocery bags, sandwich bags, and cellophane, as seen on "Entourage," "Mike & Molly," and "The Kominsky Method." Reeder and Schultz showed us how they found quiet alternatives to some of the loudest props out there.

Find more of Tim Schultz’s silent products here:

And check out more of Scott Reeder’s prop work here:

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How Noiseless Props Are Made For Movies And TV Shows | Movies Insider | Insider

[yingzhang]

We need those quiet plastic chip bags in theatres NOW.

[pingidjit]

Okay that explains why movies and shows with smaller budgets sounded so different to me. Hearing heal clicks, scuffs, bags and all the other things that bigger budget productions can afford to silence. This makes so much more sense now. I was confused cuz you're filming with the same tools, why would it sound different. Now I know.

[tasnimtabassum]

So much more effort goes into movies and tv shows then we actually can even think about.

[nrgao]

As a musician who records vocals and as an amateur sound engineer, this just hits so close to home. I remember being 13 and walking into record for my first time on a professional microphone, getting halfway through my first take and seeing the engineer smiling and laughing outside while talking to my brother. I thought I sounded terrible. He buzzed thru into the booth on my headphones and said “that was great man. Now this time, take the bag of nickels out of your pockets.” 😂 my keys and change could be heard on the playback. Thanks for unlocking a memory! Great video.

[thestrugglingguy]

I always wondered how objects like paper bags didn't make noise in movies. This finally gave me the answer I was missing.

[nathankellogg]

I somehow never even noticed that these scenes weren't using noisy material. Now I'm gonna watch a movie and notice how many props aren't making sound.

[raydunakin]

This was really interesting. I'm familiar with a lot of ways props are used in movies but never knew about the need to make quiet versions of ordinary objects.

[yungtown]

Love the problem solving. Major props to these guys. (No pun)

[kellisuzuki]

I only truly realized just how noisy all these everyday objects were when I tried to get ready for school while my college roommates were fast asleep...
every open and close of any door/closet/drawer, every scooting of the chair or click of the keyboard, every turn of a doorknob and every creak of the bunk bed ladder, every rustle of clothing and bags...I could go on and on and on!

[mrbubbles]

It's funny the amount of effort that goes into making these soundless props, considering the amount of, equally bizarre work that goes into adding the sound again later.

[hfar_in_the_sky]

I remember a professor once told me "Background sound in a movie is like salt in a soup: you can always add it in later but you sure can't take it out if it's already mixed in."

[Belgand]

I've often wondered why many prop bags of chips look so off. Overly smooth, the opening is too round, etc. They look a little too obviously like props. I always assumed it was just part of the process of making them as one-offs that weren't worn in enough or something but this makes far more sense.

[nyashawarambwa]

Damn even the pool balls had stunt doubles

[papaya]

The trick here is that they don't want the props to mask the dialogue, so in post production those sounds are edited back in. The result is a good balance between "touch-sounds" and dialogue - you will still hear the intended sound of the props!

[LuckyNako]

Gotta say the people working in the ‘back’ are the unsung hero’s sometimes to make the entertainment we love into what it’s is.
Like I’m amazed cause I never thought about that and I’m really sensitive to sounds. It’s so cool.

[naly]

The entire movie crew is phenomenal, yet only the actors take the credit.

Edit: Wow. I never thought this comment would get so many likes and spark a bit of a controversy.
As for "Taking the credit", I guess I should have said "Are given credit".
I'm not a native English speaker... And phrasal verbs are not my forte.

[cecefernandes]

Huh...I never even thought of this being a necessity or concern

[ScottPropandRoll]

Thanks to Insider for letting me be a part of this!! I’ve got a lot of prop secrets on my channel if y’all get a chance, check em out!

[SuperWiiBros]

Ok that's freaking neat, I never realized that on many shows I've watched

[BobbyDukeArts]

Couldn't get paint to stick to plastic? I'm pretty sure it's because they were really light and wouldn't act anything like pool balls when hit.