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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 device worn by a camera operator that holds the motion picture camera - allowing it glide smoothly through spaces unreachable by camera mounted on a crane or other apparatus






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






3. A narrative moment that signals an important shift of some kind in character or situation






4. The artful use of light and dark areas in the composition in black and white filmmaking






5. 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






6. The horizontal turning movement of an otherwise immobile camera across a scene from left to right or vice versa






7. The first shot in a standard shot sequence. Its purpose is to provide a clear representation of the location of the action






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






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






10. An alternative to continuity editing - this style of editing was developed in silent Soviet cinema - based on the theory that editing should exploit the difference between shots to generate intellectual and emotional responses in the audience






11. 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






12. 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






13. A single take that contains an entire scene






14. Thin - flexible material comprised of base and emulsion layers - onto which light rays are focused and which is processed in chemicals to produce film images






15. A post-studio era Hollywood film designed to appeal to the broadest possible audience by fusing a simple story line with major movie stars and mounting a lavish marketing campaign






16. A post-studio era Hollywood film designed to appeal to the broadest possible audience by fusing a simple story line with major movie stars and mounting a lavish marketing campaign






17. A shot taken by a camera that is held manually rather than supported by a tripod - crane or Steadicam. Generally - such shots are shaky - owing to the motion of the camera operator






18. 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






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






20. 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






21. Lighting design where the key light is somewhat more intense than the fill light - so the fill does not eliminate every shadow. The effect is generally less cheerful than high-key lighting - but not as gloomy as low-key lighting






22. A sound editing technique that links several scenes through parallel and overlapping sounds. Each sound is associated with one scene - unlike a sound bridge - where a sound from one scene bleeds into that of another






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






24. A camera shot taken at a large distance from the subject. Using the human body as the subject - a long shot captures the entire human form






25. A type of documentary film whose purpose is to present the way of life of a culture or subculture






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






27. A story; a chain of events linked by cause-and-effect logic






28. A technique of 'pushing' the film (overdeveloping it) to correct problems of underexposure (resulting from insufficient light during shooting) by increasing image contrast






29. 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






30. A technique of arranging the actors on the set to take advantage of deep focus cinematography - which allows for many planes of depth in the film frame to remain in focus






31. 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






32. 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






33. A visual effect achieved through the use of photography and digital techniques that appears to stop time and allow the viewer to travel around the subject and view it from a multitude of vantage points






34. A machine that converts film prints to videotape format






35. The classical model of narrative form. The first act introduces characters and conflicts; the second act offers complication leading to a climax; the third act contains the danouement and resolution






36. The period after principal photography during which editing and looping take place - and special visual effects are added to the film






37. A brief chronological description of the basic events and characters in a film. It does not include interpretive or evaluative claims






38. 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






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






40. A flexible celluloid strip that - along with the emulsion layer - comprises 35mm film stock






41. A platform on wheels - used for mobile camera shots






42. 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






43. The distance in millimeters from the optical center of a lens to the lane where the sharpest image is formed while focusing on a distant object






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






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






46. 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






47. The written blueprint for a film - composed of three elements: dialogue - sluglines (setting the place and time of each scene) - and description. Feature-length screenplays typically run 90-130 pages






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






49. A technique of moving a zoom lens from a wide-angle position to a telephoto position - which results in a magnification of the subject within the frame - and keeps the subject in focus






50. 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