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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 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






2. A shot that includes a human figure from the shoulders up






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






4. 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






5. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






6. A business model adopted by the major studios during the Hollywood studio era - in which studios controlled all aspects of the film business - from production to distribution and exhibition






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






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






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






10. The arrangement of actors on screen as a compositional element that suggests themes - character development - emotional content - and visual motifs






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






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






13. Then Hollywood writers and directors cited for Contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with the House Committee on Un-American Activities' attempts to root out Communists in the film industry






14. An alternative to classical and realist styles - formalism is a self-consciously interventionist approach that explores ideas - abstraction - and aesthetics rather than focusing on storytelling (as in classical films) or everyday life (as in realist






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






16. 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






17. A type of matte shot - created by positioning a pane of optically flawless glass with a painting on it between the camera and the scene to be photographed. This combines the painting on the glass with the set or location - seen through the glass - be






18. A shot taken from a vantage point so close that only a part of the subject is visible. On an actor - it might show only an eye or a portion of the face






19. A term used for any narrative sound - or visual element not contained in the story world. Also called 'extradiegetic'






20. Author; A term popularized by French film critics and refers to film directors with their own distinctive style






21. A term applied to film stock that is relatively insensitive to light. This stock will not yield acceptable images unless the amount of light can be carefully controlled






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






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






24. A shot that makes the human subject very small in relation to his or her environment. The entire figure from head to toe is onscreen and dwarfed by the surroundings






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






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






27. 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






28. A shot taken fro a position directly above the action - also called a 'birds' eye shot'






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






30. 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






31. Also called 'rushes.' Footage exposed and developed quickly so that the director can assess the day's work






32. 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






33. A system for recording images on magnetic tape using a digital signal - that is - an electronic signal comprised of 0s and 1s






34. 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






35. An early color process that replaced silver halide grains with colored salts






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






37. A marketing strategy of screening a blockbuster prior to general release only in premier theaters






38. 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






39. 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






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






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






42. A statement that presents an argument about a film's meaning and significance






43. An abrupt - inexplicable shift in time and place of an action not signaled by an appropriate shot transition






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






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






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






47. Any lens with a focal length approximately equal to the diagonal of the frame. For 35mm filmmaking - a 35-50 mm lens does not distort the angle of vision or depth






48. Dialogue that restates What is already obvious from images or action






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






50. 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