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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 film style that - in contrast to the classical and formalist styles - focuses characters - place - and the spontaneity and digressiveness of life - rather than on highly structured stories or aesthetic abstraction






2. A statement that asserts a judgment that a given film or group of films is good or bad - based on specific criteria - Which may or may not be stated






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






4. 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






5. 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






6. A style of stage acting developed from the teachings of Constantin Stanislavsky - which trains actors to get into character through the use of emotional memory






7. Literary narration from a viewpoint beyond that of any one individual character






8. Glass filters whose surface is etched with spots that refract light - so they create the appearance of water droplets in the air






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






10. Prefogging; a cinematographic technique that exposes raw film stock to light before - during - or after shooting - resulting in an image with reduced contrast. This effect can also be created using digital post-production techniques






11. A shot transition that involves the gradual disappearance of the image at the same time that a new image gradually comes into view






12. A system of constructing and arranging buildings and objects on the set so that they diminish in size dramatically from foreground to background - which creates the illusion of depth






13. A technique of exposing film frames - then rewinding the film and exposing it again - which results in an image that combines two shots in a single frame






14. 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






15. 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






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






17. 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






18. 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






19. 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






20. The term for a film's spoken dialogue - as opposed to the underlying meaning contained in the subtext






21. A film's main characters - one whose conflicts and motives drive the story forward






22. The plotline that surrounds an embedded tale. The frame narration may or may not be as fully developed as the embedded tale






23. A technique of moving from the telephoto position to the wide-angle position of a zoom lens - which results in the subject appearing to become smaller within the frame - while remaining in focus






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






25. Natural light; The process of suing sunlight rather than artificial studio lights when filming






26. A statement that asserts a judgment that a given film or group of films is good or bad - based on specific criteria - Which may or may not be stated






27. 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






28. A videotape system that records images onto magnetic tape - using electronic signals






29. A transparent sheet on which animation artists draw images.






30. A black masking device used to black out a portion of the frame - usually for the insertion of other images






31. Light emitted from a relatively small source positioned close to the subject. It tends to be unflattering because it creates deep shadows and emphasizes surface imperfections






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






33. A cinematography technique that produces an image with many planes of depth in focus. It can be accomplished by using a small aperture - a large distance between camera and subject - and/or a lens of short focal length






34. 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






35. 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






36. 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






37. 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






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






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






40. The film medium's technological apparatus is inherently ideological






41. A technique of shifting the camera angle - height - or distance to take into account the motion of actors or objects within the frame






42. A film's main characters - one whose conflicts and motives drive the story forward






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






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






45. 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






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






47. 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






48. Optical illusions created during post-production






49. 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






50. An unstated meaning that underlies and is implied by spoken dialogue