Test your basic knowledge |

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. A change of focus from one plane of depth to another. As the in-focus subject goes out of focus - another object - which has been blurry - comes into focus in either the background or the foreground






2. A change of focus from one plane of depth to another. As the in-focus subject goes out of focus - another object - which has been blurry - comes into focus in either the background or the foreground






3. A scene filmed and processed but not selected to appear in the final version of the film






4. A musical in which some or all musical numbers are not motivated by the narrative; for example - characters sing and dance throughout the film but at least some performances are not staged for an onscreen audience. Examples include Oklahoma - The umb






5. A type of matte shot - created by positioning a pane of optically flawless glass with a painting on it between the camera and the scene to be photographed. This combines the painting on the glass with the set or location - seen through the glass - be






6. A narrative - visual - or sound element that refers viewers to other films or works of art






7. A system for combining two separately filmed images in the same frame that involves create a matte (a black mask that covers a portion of the image) for a live action sequence and using it to block out a portion of the frame when filming the backgrou






8. The non-chronological insertion of scenes of events yet to happen into the present day of the story world






9. Live action is filmed in front of a blue screen and a matte. It's then joined with the background footage






10. The measure of intensity or purity of a color. Saturated color is purer than desaturated color - which has more white in it and thus offers a washed-out - less intense version of a color






11. The practice of Hollywood studios contracting out post-production work to individuals or firms outside the U.S.






12. The person in charge of planning the style and look of the film with the production designer and director of photography - working with actors during principal photography - and collaborating with the editor on the final version






13. A shot taken from a level camera located approximately 5' to 6' from the ground - simulating the perspective of a person standing before the action presented






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






15. A format that uses a larger film stock than standard 35mm. IMAX - Omnimax - and Showscan are shot on 70mm film






16. A type of short film that blends elements of documentary and avant-garde film to document and often to celebrate the wonder of the modern city






17. Also called 'stop motion photography.' A technique of photographing a scene one frame at a time and moving the model between each shot






18. The imagined world of the story






19. A technician responsible for splicing and assembling the film negative to the editor's specifications






20. An agreement made between filmmakers and those who license the use of commercial products to feature those products in films - generally as props used by characters






21. A film composed entirely of footage from other films.






22. A shot that contains two characters within the frame






23. The details of a character's past that emerge as the film unfolds - and which often play a role in character motivation






24. 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






25. A shot transition that emphasizes the visual similarities between two consecutive shots






26. A genre film that radically modifies accepted genre conventions for dramatic effect






27. The five vertically integrated corporations that exerted the greatest control over film production in the studio era: MGM - Warner Brothers - RKO - Twentieth Century Fox - and Paramount






28. An effect created when more light is required to produce an image strakes the film stock - so that the resulting image exhibits high contrast - glaring light - and washed out shadows. This effect ma or may not be intentional on the filmmaker's part






29. Also called 'd-cinema.' Not to be confused with digital cinematography (shooting movies on digital video) - this term refers to using digital technologies for exhibition






30. A technique of cutting back and forth between action occurring in two different locations - which often creates the illusion that they are happening simultaneously. Also called 'cross cutting.'






31. A technique in which the audience temporarily shares the visual perspective of a character or a group of characters. The camera points in the directions the character looks - simulating the character's field of vision






32. Invisible editing; a system devised to minimize the audience's awareness of shot transitions - especially cuts - in order to improve the flow of the story and avoid interrupting the viewer's immersion it in






33. 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






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






35. A screenplay written and submitted to a studio or production company without a prior contract or agreement






36. The aspect ratio of 1.33:1 - standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences until the development of widescreen formats in the 1950s






37. A shot filmed from an airplane or helicopter






38. A person responsible for putting a film together from a mass of developed footage - making decisions regarding pace - shot transitions - and which scenes and shots will be used






39. A technique of moving from the telephoto position to the wide-angle position of a zoom lens - which results in the subject appearing to become smaller within the frame - while remaining in focus






40. The narrative path of the main or supporting characters - also called a plotline. Complex films may have several lines of action






41. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






42. A technique of moving the camera - on a specially built track. Such shots often trace character movement laterally across the frame or in and out of the depth of the frame






43. A lens with a shorter focal length than a normal or telephoto lens (usually between 15-35mm). The subject appears smaller as a result - but the angle of vision is wider and an illusion is created of greater depth in the frame






44. 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






45. A musical accompaniment written specifically for a film






46. Any lens with a focal length approximately equal to the diagonal of the frame. For 35mm filmmaking - a 35-50 mm lens does not distort the angle of vision or depth






47. A description of film stock that is highly sensitive to light






48. Assists the editor with various tasks - including taking footage to the lab - checking the condition of the negative - cataloguing footage - and supervising optical effects - often produced by an outside company






49. A shot that interrupts a scene's master shot and may include character reactions






50. The width of the film stock - measured across the frame. Typical sizes are 8mm - 16mm - 35mm - and 70mm