Sept. 25 event to showcase unique art of creating sound effects for films
The University of Central Arkansas will host professional Foley artist Katie Waters for a one-day residency Thursday, Sept. 25, with events that showcase the unique art of creating sound effects for films.
Waters’ residency will invite the public to learn about the process of making sound effects through an interactive event, which will be held at the Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts at 1:40 p.m. Later in the evening, the university will also host a student-focused sound lab. Both events are located on the UCA campus and are open to the public and free of charge, with no tickets required for entry.
The full schedule for Waters’ residency is as follows:
- Thursday, Sept. 25, 1:40-3 p.m. – Public Event: Interactive SoundFX for Movies Event and Ice Cream Social, Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts lobby, 2150 Bruce Street, Conway.
- Thursday, Sept. 25, 5-6:30 p.m. – Student Event: Sound Lab with Foley Artist Katie Waters, Stanley Russ Hall 103.
The Chicago-based artist has a background in acting and earned a Bachelor of Arts in film from Columbia College Chicago. After discovering her passion for post-production and the art of Foley, Waters began creating and recording live sound effects that heighten realism and emotion in film, podcasts and video games. She joined post-production audio facility Noisefloor in 2014, where she has served as studio manager, producer and currently their in-house Foley artist. Waters is an active member of the Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) organization, and her work on the online game Destiny 2 has earned Golden Reel and G.A.N.G. award nominations. She has also contributed to the films “Ghosts of the Void” (2023), “Good Guy With a Gun” (2022) and “The Stylist” (2020).
“I’ve worked with Katie Waters and the sound team at Noisefloor on two of my films,” Emily Railsback, assistant professor of film at UCA, said. “I was blown away by Katie’s skill as a Foley Artist.
“During our last project, she brought me into her studio and showed me how she made all of the sounds we see on screen that come from fabrics and everyday items. As we started talking, she told me she did interactive educational workshops, and I immediately thought she’d make a great Artist in Residence at UCA. Her first workshop on campus is open to the public, and all ages can interact to make sound effects for the screen. The second event is geared towards film, music or audio students wanting to go deeper into that field.”
More information about Waters is available at syncitkatie.com. Additional information about the residency is available by contacting Railsback at erailsback@uca.edu.
The UCA Artists in Residence program is funded by the Fine and Performing Arts Fee paid by all students, with additional support from Engage Management and Pyramid Art, Books, and Custom Framing. More information about the Artists in Residence program is available at uca.edu/go/artistsinresidence or by contacting Dr. Gayle Seymour, associate dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at gayles@uca.edu.
