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Film Vocab

Subjects : performing-arts, film
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. An outlawed studio era practice - where studios forced exhibitors to book groups of films at once - thus ensuring a market for their failures along with their successes






2. Also called 'full screen -' the technique of re-shooting a widescreen film in order to convert it to the original television aspect ration of 1.33 to 1. Rather than reproduce the original aspect ratio - as a letterboxed version does - a panned and sc






3. A story narrated by one of the characters within the story - using the 'I' voice






4. A form of shot transition - generally concluding a scene - where a circular mask constricts around the image until the entire frame is black






5. The rules of character - setting - and narrative that films that belong to a genre - such as Westerns - horror films - and screwball comedies - generally obey.






6. Then Hollywood writers and directors cited for Contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with the House Committee on Un-American Activities' attempts to root out Communists in the film industry






7. The annotated script - containing information about set-ups used during shooting






8. Optical illusions created during production - including the use of matte paintings - glass shots - models - and prosthesis






9. An alternative to classical and realist styles - formalism is a self-consciously interventionist approach that explores ideas - abstraction - and aesthetics rather than focusing on storytelling (as in classical films) or everyday life (as in realist






10. A system initially developed for marketing films by creating and promoting stars as objects of admiration. The promotion of stars has now become an end in itself






11. A measure of the visual and sound quality of a film. Low-budget films tend to have lower production values because they lack the resources to devote to expensive pre- and post-production activities






12. An optical effect whereby the eye continues to register a visual stimulus in the brain for a brief period after that stimulus has been removed






13. A technique of manipulating focus to direct the viewer's attention






14. A widescreen process that uses three cameras - three projectors - and a wide - curved screen






15. An efficient system developed for film lighting. In a standard lighting set-up - the key light illuminates the subject - the fill light eliminates shadows cast by the key light - and the back light separates the subject from the background






16. A transparent sheet on which animation artists draw images.






17. Glass filters whose surface is etched with spots that refract light - so they create the appearance of water droplets in the air






18. Natural light; The process of suing sunlight rather than artificial studio lights when filming






19. A series of individual drawings that provides a blueprint for the shooting of a scene






20. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






21. A crew member responsible for logging the details of each take on the set so as to ensure continuity






22. A production term denoting a single uninterrupted series of frames exposed by a motion picture or video camera between the time it is turned on and the time it is turned off. Filmmakers shoot several takes of any scene and the film editor selects the






23. A large-budget film whose strategy is to swamp the competition through market saturation






24. A method for producing a widescreen image without special lenses or equipment - using standard film stock and blocking out the top and bottom of the frame to achieve an aspect ration of 1.85:1






25. The term for a film's spoken dialogue - as opposed to the underlying meaning contained in the subtext






26. Natural light; The process of suing sunlight rather than artificial studio lights when filming






27. A technique used to join live action with a pre-recorded background image. A projector is placed behind a screen and projects an image onto it. Actors stand in front of the screen and the camera records them in front of the projected background






28. The reverse of Iris in: an iris expands outward until the next shot takes up the entire screen






29. An action film cycle of the late 1960s and early 1970s that featured bold - rebellious African American characters






30. Materials intentionally released by studios to attract public attention to films and their stars. Promotion differs from publicity - which is information that is not (or does not appear to be) intentionally disseminated by studios






31. A marketing strategy of screening a blockbuster prior to general release only in premier theaters






32. The camera should move at least 30 degrees any time there is a cut within a scene






33. Filters that increase color saturation and contrast in outdoor shots






34. The shape of the image onscreen as determined by the width of the frame relative to its height






35. An actor whose career rests on playing minor or secondary quirky characters rather than leading roles






36. A style of Japanese animation - distinguished primarily by the fact that it is not all geared for young audiences






37. A measure of the visual and sound quality of a film. Low-budget films tend to have lower production values because they lack the resources to devote to expensive pre- and post-production activities






38. A continuity editing technique that preserves spatial continuity by using a character's line of vision as motivation for a cut






39. A standard shot pattern that dictates that a shot of one character will be followed by a shot of another character - taken from the reverse angle of the first shot






40. A series of related scene joined through elliptical editing that indicates the passage of time






41. The average length in seconds of a series of shots - covering a portion of a film or an entire film; a measure of pace within a scene or in the film as a whole.






42. The practice of shooting during the day but using filters and underexposure to create the illusion of nighttime






43. Light striking the emulsion layer of the film - activating light-sensitive grains






44. Muted - washed out color that contains more white than a saturated color






45. A group of films within a given genre that share their own specific set of conventions that differentiate them from other films in the genre. For example - the slasher film is a subgenre of the horror genre






46. Light emitted from a larger source that is scattered over a bigger area or reflected off a surface before it strikes the subject. Soft light minimizes facial details - including wrinkles






47. The falling or unraveling action after the climax of a narrative that leads to resolution






48. A shot that appears during or near the end of a scene and reorients viewers to the setting






49. A film that fuses the conventions of two or more genres






50. The length in minutes for a film to play in its entirety (for example - 120 minutes). Also referred to as 'screen time.'