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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 musical film in which each song and dance number is narratively motivated by a plot that situates characters in performance contexts






2. An abrupt shot transition that occurs when Shot A is instantaneously replaced by Shot B.






3. A film that fuses the conventions of two or more genres






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






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






6. Live action is filmed in front of a blue screen and a matte. It's then joined with the background footage






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






8. A genre film that radically modifies accepted genre conventions for dramatic effect






9. 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






10. A machine that converts film prints to videotape format






11. Thin - flexible material comprised of base and emulsion layers - onto which light rays are focused and which is processed in chemicals to produce film images






12. 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






13. The rules of character - setting - and narrative that films that belong to a genre - such as Westerns - horror films - and screwball comedies - generally obey.






14. 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






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






16. A story narrated by one of the characters within the story - using the 'I' voice






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






18. A shot taken when the camera is so close to a subject that it fills the frame. It is most commonly used for a shot that isolates and encompasses a single actor's face - to emphasize the expression of emotion






19. Film productions shot outside the U.S. for economic reasons






20. The imagined world of the story






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






22. Lighting design where the key light is somewhat more intense than the fill light - so the fill does not eliminate every shadow. The effect is generally less cheerful than high-key lighting - but not as gloomy as low-key lighting






23. A machine that converts film prints to videotape format






24. 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






25. The central cause(s) behind a character's actions






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






27. A shot combining two kinds of movement: the camera tracks in toward the subject wile the lens zooms out






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






29. The artful use of light and dark areas in the composition in black and white filmmaking






30. 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






31. 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






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






33. Suspended particles of silver in the film's emulsion - Which may become visible in the final image as dots






34. The details of a character's past that emerge as the film unfolds - and which often play a role in character motivation






35. An effect created when more light is required to produce an image strakes the film stock - so that the resulting image exhibits high contrast - glaring light - and washed out shadows. This effect ma or may not be intentional on the filmmaker's part






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






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






38. A shot that contains two characters within the frame






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






40. 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






41. 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






42. 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






43. An efficient system developed for film lighting. In a standard lighting set-up - the key light illuminates the subject - the fill light eliminates shadows cast by the key light - and the back light separates the subject from the background






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






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






46. Early films that documented everyday events - such as workers leaving a factory






47. 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






48. A crew member whose job is to maintain consistency in visual details from one shot to the next






49. The period after principal photography during which editing and looping take place - and special visual effects are added to the film






50. A contemporary modification of the standard three-act structure that identifies a critical turning point at the halfway mark of most narrative films