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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. 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






2. An abrupt - inexplicable shift in time and place of an action not signaled by an appropriate shot transition






3. Smaller corporations that did not own distribution and/or exhibition companies in the studio era - including Universal - Columbia - and United Artists






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






5. The camera does not move across an imagined line drawn between two characters






6. Individuals who were prevented from working in the film industry because of their suspected involvement with Communist interests






7. A system for recording images on magnetic tape using a digital signal - that is - an electronic signal comprised of 0s and 1s






8. Also called 'rushes.' Footage exposed and developed quickly so that the director can assess the day's work






9. A specialist who monitors the processing of color on the se and in the film lab






10. A technique of filming at a speed faster than projection - the projecting the footage at normal speed of 24 frames per second. Because fewer frames were recorded per second - the action appears to be speeded up






11. A shot that contains two characters within the frame






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






13. 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






14. A shot that focuses audience attention on precise details that may or may not be the focus of characters






15. An animation technique that uses a computer program to interpolate frames to produce the effect of an object or creature changing gradually into something different. The program calculates the way the image must change in order for the first image to






16. 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.






17. The space between the camera and subject it is filming.






18. A vertical - up-and-down - motion of an otherwise stationary camera






19. 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






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






21. A shot taken from a camera position above the subject - looking down at it






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






23. Everything audiences hear when they watch a sound film. The soundtrack is the composite of all three elements of film sound: dialogue - music - and sound effects






24. A crew member who works in post-production in a specially equipped studio to create the sounds of the story world - such as the shuffling of shoes on various surfaces for footsteps






25. A lens with a variable focal length that allows changes of focal length while keeping the subject in focus






26. Color. The strength of a hue is measured by its saturation or desaturation






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






28. Author; A term popularized by French film critics and refers to film directors with their own distinctive style






29. A measure of a film stock's sensitivity to light. 'Fast' refers to sensitive film stock - while slow film is relatively insensitive






30. Secondary footage that is interspersed with master shots - sometimes in the form of footage shot for another production or archival footage






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






32. A narrative approach that limits the audience's view of events to that of the main character(s) in the film. Occasional moments of omniscient narration may give viewers more information than the character shave at specific points in the narrative






33. A crew member whose job is to maintain consistency in visual details from one shot to the next






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






35. Author; A term popularized by French film critics and refers to film directors with their own distinctive style






36. 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






37. A short documentary on current events - show in movie theaters along with cartoons and feature films beginning in the 1930s






38. The selection and ordering of narrative events presented in a film






39. Dialogue that restates What is already obvious from images or action






40. A crew member who reports to the Director of Photography (DP) and is in charge of tasks involving lighting and electrical needs






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






42. A technique of shooting a scene at a very high speed (96 frames per second) - then adding and subtracting frames in post-production - 'fanning out' the action through the overlapping images






43. A complete narrative unit within a film - with its own beginning - middle - and end. Often scenes are unified - and distinguished from one another - by time and setting






44. Dense accumulation of detail conveyed in the opening moments of a film






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






46. The distance that appears in focus in front of and behind the subject. It is determined by the aperture - distance and focal length of lens






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






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






49. A digital technique developed by Industrial Light and Magic - which builds movement sequences from single frames of film






50. A process of transferring film to video tapes or DVDs so that the original aspect ratio of the film is preserved