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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. 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






2. A character who in some way opposes the protagonist - leading to protracted conflict






3. 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






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






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






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






7. A machine used to create optical effects such as fades - dissolves - and superimpositions. Most are now created digitally






8. 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






9. 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






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






12. A painting used on the set as a portion of the background






13. 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






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






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






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






17. These filters bend the light coming into lens - softening and blurring the image






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






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






20. A scene transition wherein sound from one scene bleeds over into the ext scene - often resulting in a contrast between sound image






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






22. The non-chronological insertion of events from the past into the present day of the story world






23. A filter that creates points of light that streak outward from a light source






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






25. 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






26. (Automatic dialogue replacement) recording synchronized dialogue in post-production - cutting several identical lengths of developed film and having actors record the dialogue repeatedly






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






28. Muted - washed out color that contains more white than a saturated color






29. A film process that uses 35mm film stock but changes the orientation of the film so that the film moves through the camera horizontally instead of vertically. The larger image is of higher quality than standard 35mm processes






30. 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






31. 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






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






33. Drawing attention to the process of representation (including narrative and characterization) to break the theatrical illusion and elicit a distanced - intellectual response in the audience






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






35. 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






36. A technique of running the motion picture camera at a speed slower than projection speed (24 frames per second) - in order to produce at a fast motion sequence when projected at normal speed. The term derives from early film cameras - which were cran






37. A technique of intentionally adding scratches in a film's emulsion layer for aesthetic purposes - such as to simulate home movie footage






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






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






40. 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






41. Images that originate from computer graphics technology - rather than photography






42. An effect created when too little light strikes the film during shooting. As a result the image will contain dark areas that appear very dense and dark (including shadows) and the overall contrast will be less than with a properly exposed image






43. The reverse of Iris in: an iris expands outward until the next shot takes up the entire screen






44. A production term denoting a single uninterrupted series of frames exposed by a motion picture or video camera between the time it is turned on and the time it is turned off. Filmmakers shoot several takes of any scene and the film editor selects the






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






46. 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






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






48. 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






49. 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






50. 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