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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. 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






2. 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






3. 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






4. A shot that appears during or near the end of a scene and reorients viewers to the setting






5. Sound recorded on a set - on location - or - for documentary film - at an actual real-world event - as opposed to dubbed in post-production through ADR or looping






6. The narrative path of the main or supporting characters - also called a plotline. Complex films may have several lines of action






7. The building block of a scene; an uninterrupted sequence of frames that viewers experience as they watch a film - ending with a cut - fade - dissolve - etc. See also Take






8. The practice or repeatedly casting actors in similar roles across different films






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






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






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






12. Light emitted from a larger source that is scattered over a bigger area or reflected off a surface before it strikes the subject. Soft light minimizes facial details - including wrinkles






13. 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






14. 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






15. A style associated with Hollywood filmmaking of the studio and post-studio era - in which efficient storytelling - rather than gritty realism or aesthetic innovation - is of paramount importance






16. A shot taken from a camera position below the subject






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






18. Any noticeable but unintended discrepancy from one shot to the next in costume - props - hairstyle - posture - etc.






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






20. The average length in seconds of a series of shots - covering a portion of a film or an entire film; a measure of pace within a scene or in the film as a whole.






21. A film composed entirely of footage from other films.






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






23. The chronological accounting of all events presented and suggested






24. A compositing method that allows cinematographers to combine live action and settings that are filmed or created separately. Actors are filmed against a green or blue background. During post-production - this background is filled in with an image thr






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






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






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






28. 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






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






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






31. A narrative - visual - or sound element that refers viewers to other films or works of art






32. A method for producing a widescreen image without special lenses or equipment - using standard film stock and blocking out the top and bottom of the frame to achieve an aspect ration of 1.85:1






33. Reels of film that are shipped to movie theaters for exhibition. Digital cinema - which can be distributed via satellite - broadband - or on media such as DVDs - may soon replace film prints because the latter are expensive to create - copy - and dis






34. A technique of recording very few images over a long period of time - say - one frame per minute or per day






35. A direct vocal address to the audience - Which may emanate from a character or from a narrative voice apparently unrelated to the diegesis






36. A shot that appears during or near the end of a scene and reorients viewers to the setting






37. 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






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






39. A technique of moving the camera - on a specially built track. Such shots often trace character movement laterally across the frame or in and out of the depth of the frame






40. A shot filmed from an airplane or helicopter






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






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






43. 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






44. Standard shot pattern: A sequence of shots designed to maintain spatial continuity. Scene begin with an establishing shot - then move to a series of individual shots depicting characters and action - before reestablishing shots re-orient viewers to t






45. A small - variable opening on a camera lens that regulates the amount of light entering the camera and striking the surface of the film






46. A crew member responsible for logging the details of each take on the set so as to ensure continuity






47. The first step in the process of creating CGI. The wireframe is a three-dimensional computer model of an object - which is then rendered (producing the finished image) and animated (using simulated camera movement frame by frame)






48. A shot that depicts a human body from the feet up






49. 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






50. The space between the camera and subject it is filming.