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






2. 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






3. 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






4. A standard shot pattern that dictates that a shot of one character will be followed by a shot of another character - taken from the reverse angle of the first shot






5. 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






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






7. A specialist who monitors the processing of color on the se and in the film lab






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






9. 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






10. A style of Japanese animation - distinguished primarily by the fact that it is not all geared for young audiences






11. A lens with a shorter focal length than a normal or telephoto lens (usually between 15-35mm). The subject appears smaller as a result - but the angle of vision is wider and an illusion is created of greater depth in the frame






12. 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






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






14. A series of individual drawings that provides a blueprint for the shooting of a scene






15. A shot taken from a camera position above the subject - looking down at it






16. A crew member whose job is to measure the distance between the subject and the camera lens - marking the ring on the camera lens - and ensuring the ring is turned precisely so that the image is in focus






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






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






19. 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






20. 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






21. 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






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






23. 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






24. 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






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






26. Non-diegetic; any element in the film that is not part of the imagined story world






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






28. 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






29. Dutch angle; a shot resulting from a static camera that is tilted to the right or left - so that the subject in the frame appears at a diagonal






30. Smaller corporations that did not own distribution and/or exhibition companies in the studio era - including Universal - Columbia - and United Artists






31. A shot transition that emphasizes the visual similarities between two consecutive shots






32. The visual arrangement of objects - actors - and space within the frame






33. 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






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






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






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






37. Color. The strength of a hue is measured by its saturation or desaturation






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






39. A class or type of film - such as the Western or the horror movie. They share narrative - visual - and/or sound conventions






40. 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






41. Filters that increase color saturation and contrast in outdoor shots






42. 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






43. 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






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






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






46. 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






47. A filter that simply reduces the amount of light entering the lens - without affecting the color characteristics






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






49. A shot taken from a camera mounted on a crane that moves three-dimensionally in a space






50. A film style that emerged in the 1910s in Germany. It was heavily indebted to the Expressionist art movement of the time and influenced subsequent horror films and film noir