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. 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






2. A technique of shooting a scene at a very high speed (96 frames per second) - then adding and subtracting frames in post-production - 'fanning out' the action through the overlapping images






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






4. 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






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






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






7. Sound design that blends the speech of several characters talking simultaneously - used to create spontaneity - although it may also confuse the audience






8. 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






9. A computer-generated actor that some speculate will replace flesh and blood actors in the not so distant future






10. 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






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






12. A shot transition where shot A slowly disappears as the screen becomes black before shot B appears. A fade-in is the reverse of this process






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






14. 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






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






16. A technique of filming at a speed faster than projection - the projecting the footage at normal speed of 24 frames per second. Because fewer frames were recorded per second - the action appears to be speeded up






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. 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






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






20. Leaving the silver grains in the emulsion rather than bleaching them out - which produces desaturated color






21. 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






22. A production crew responsible not for shooting the primary footage but - instead - for remote location shooting and B-roll. See also B-roll






23. 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






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






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






26. The period of time before principal photography during which actors are signed - sets and costumes designed - and locations scouted






27. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






28. A camera shot taken at a large distance from the subject. Using the human body as the subject - a long shot captures the entire human form






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






30. Optical illusions created during production - including the use of matte paintings - glass shots - models - and prosthesis






31. 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






32. An attribute of newer television monitors - where each frame is scanned by the electron beam as a single field. If slowed down - each frame would appear on the monitor in its entirety on the screen - rather than line by line - as is the case with int






33. A series of related scene joined through elliptical editing that indicates the passage of time






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






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






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






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






38. 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)






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






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






41. The distance that appears in focus in front of and behind the subject. It is determined by the aperture - distance and focal length of lens






42. A scene transition wherein sound from one scene bleeds over into the ext scene - often resulting in a contrast between sound image






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






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






45. A type of film stock that is sensitive to (in other words - registers) all tones in the color spectrum






46. A shot that focuses audience attention on precise details that may or may not be the focus of characters






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






48. Cinema verite; a documentary style in which the filmmaker attempts to remain as unobtrusive as possible - recording without obvious editorial comment






49. Creating images during post-production by joining together photographic or CGI material shot or created at different times and places






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