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. 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






2. 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






3. The technique of telling the story from an all-knowing character. Films that use restricted narration limit the audience's perception to what one particular character knows - but may insert moments of omniscience






4. 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






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. The film medium's technological apparatus is inherently ideological






7. 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






8. 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






9. An early color process - involving bathing lengths of processed film in dye one scene at a time






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






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






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






13. A device that projects photographs or footage onto glass so that images can be traced by hand to create animated images






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






15. A consistent style - theme - and subject matter developed over the course of a director's body of work






16. A shot depicting the human body from the waist up






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






18. A device used to manipulate the amount and/or color of light entering the lens






19. 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






20. A scene transition in which the first frame of the incoming scene appears to push the last frame of the previous scene off the screen horizontally






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






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






23. A technique of underdeveloping exposed film stock (leaving it in a chemical batch a shorter amount of time than usual) in order to achieve the visual effect of reducing contrast






24. A shot in a sequence that is taken from the reverse angle of the shot previous to it






25. A device used to manipulate the amount and/or color of light entering the lens






26. 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






27. 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






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






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






30. An optical effect whereby the human eye fills in gaps between closely spaced objects - so that two light bulbs flashing on and off are understood as one light moving back and forth






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






32. 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






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






34. 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






35. A rule in continuity editing - which dictates that if a cut occurs while a character is in the midst of an action - the subsequent shot must begin so that audiences see the completion of that action






36. Creating the appearance of movement by drawing a series of frames that are projected sequentially - rather than photographing a series of still images






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






38. Wheeled platform with wheels that rotate - so the dolly can change direction






39. The imagined world of the story






40. Devices that attach to actors' faces and/or bodies to change their appearance






41. A camera device that opens and closes to regulate the length of time the film is exposed to light






42. A production term referring to coordinating actors' movements with lines of dialogue






43. 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






44. 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






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






46. 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






47. A non-standard narrative organization that assumes 'day in the life' quality rather than the highly structured three-act or four part narrative - and that features loose or indirect cause-effect relationships






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






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






50. A consistent style - theme - and subject matter developed over the course of a director's body of work