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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. A small - variable opening on a camera lens that regulates the amount of light entering the camera and striking the surface of the film






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






3. A musical film in which each song and dance number is narratively motivated by a plot that situates characters in performance contexts






4. 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






5. 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.'






6. 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






7. 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






8. A long shot in which the film frame resembles the proscenium arch of the stage - distancing the audience






9. A term for film stock used in early cinema that was insensitive to red hues






10. An optical technique that divides the screen into two or more frames






11. A computer-generated actor that some speculate will replace flesh and blood actors in the not so distant future






12. Recording images at a slower speed than the speed of projection (24 frames per second). Before cameras were motorized - this was called undercranking. Fewer frames are exposed in one minute - so - when projected at 24 f.p.s. - that action takes less






13. 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






14. A relatively long - uninterrupted sot - generally of a minute or more






15. A lens with a focal length greater than 50 mm (usually between 80mm and 20mm) - which provides a larger image of the subject than a normal or wide-angle lens but which narrows the angle of vision and flattens the depth of the image relative to normal






16. A technique of depicting two layered images simultaneously. Images from one frame or several frames of film are added to pre-existing images - using an optical printer - to produce the same effect as a double exposure






17. Reels of film that are shipped to movie theaters for exhibition. Digital cinema - which can be distributed via satellite - broadband - or on media such as DVDs - may soon replace film prints because the latter are expensive to create - copy - and dis






18. 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






19. A part of the story world implied by visual or sound techniques rather than being revealed by the camera






20. Exposed and developed film stock from which the master positive is struck. If projected - the negative would produce a reverse of the image - with dark areas appearing white and vice versa or - if color film - areas of color appearing as their comple






21. A technique of overdeveloping exposed film stock (leaving it in the chemical bath longer than indicated) in order to increase density and contrast in the image






22. Fish-eye lens; With a focal length of 15mm or less - this lens presents an extremely distorted image - where objects in the center of the frame appear to bulge toward the camera






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






24. 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.






25. An early color process that replaced silver halide grains with colored salts






26. An abrupt shot transition that occurs when Shot A is instantaneously replaced by Shot B.






27. The individual arrangement of lighting and camera placement used for each shot






28. A documentary or occasionally - a narrative film that presents only one side of an argument or one approach to a subject






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






30. Projecting a series of frames of film with the same image - which appears to stop the action






31. 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






32. Projecting a series of frames of film with the same image - which appears to stop the action






33. Squeezes the image at a ratio of 2:1 horizontally onto a standard film frame. On the projector - it unsqueezes the image - creating a widescreen aspect ratio during presentation






34. 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.






35. A chemical coating on film stock containing light-sensitive grains






36. The period of time before principal photography during which actors are signed - sets and costumes designed - and locations scouted






37. Public identity created by marketing a film actor's performances - press coverage - and 'personal' information to fans as the star's personality






38. A machine that converts film prints to videotape format






39. A shot taken from a camera position below the subject






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






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






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






43. Sound design that blends the speech of several characters talking simultaneously - used to create spontaneity - although it may also confuse the audience






44. The central cause(s) behind a character's actions






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






46. 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






47. Creating images during post-production by joining together photographic or CGI material shot or created at different times and places






48. A statement that presents an argument about a film's meaning and significance






49. An early color process that replaced silver halide grains with colored salts






50. A picture element - a measure of image density. There are approximately 18 million pixels in a frame of 35mm film and 300000-400000 in a video image