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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. The technique of telling the story from an all-knowing character. Films that use restricted narration limit the audience's perception to what one particular character knows - but may insert moments of omniscience






2. A part of the story world implied by visual or sound techniques rather than being revealed by the camera






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






4. A shot taken by a camera that is held manually rather than supported by a tripod - crane or Steadicam. Generally - such shots are shaky - owing to the motion of the camera operator






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






6. An action film cycle of the late 1960s and early 1970s that featured bold - rebellious African American characters






7. An alternative to continuity editing - this style of editing was developed in silent Soviet cinema - based on the theory that editing should exploit the difference between shots to generate intellectual and emotional responses in the audience






8. 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






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






10. The length in minutes for a film to play in its entirety (for example - 120 minutes). Also referred to as 'screen time.'






11. The first print made from a film negative






12. 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






13. A short screen appearance by a celebrity - playing himself or herself






14. Individuals who were prevented from working in the film industry because of their suspected involvement with Communist interests






15. 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






16. 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






17. Creating an image by combining several elements created separately using computer graphics rather than photographic means






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






19. A film process that uses 35mm film stock but changes the orientation of the film so that the film moves through the camera horizontally instead of vertically. The larger image is of higher quality than standard 35mm processes






20. 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






21. 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






22. 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






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






24. 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






25. 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






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






27. The written blueprint for a film - composed of three elements: dialogue - sluglines (setting the place and time of each scene) - and description. Feature-length screenplays typically run 90-130 pages






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






29. The non-chronological insertion of scenes of events yet to happen into the present day of the story world






30. 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






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






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






33. An alternative to continuity editing - this style of editing was developed in silent Soviet cinema - based on the theory that editing should exploit the difference between shots to generate intellectual and emotional responses in the audience






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






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






36. A device used to manipulate the amount and/or color of light entering the lens






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






38. 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






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






40. (Automatic dialogue replacement) recording synchronized dialogue in post-production - cutting several identical lengths of developed film and having actors record the dialogue repeatedly






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






42. A flexible celluloid strip that - along with the emulsion layer - comprises 35mm film stock






43. The measurement of how forgiving a film stock is. It determines whether an acceptable image will be produced when the film stock is exposed to too little or too much light






44. Drawing attention to the process of representation (including narrative and characterization) to break the theatrical illusion and elicit a distanced - intellectual response in the audience






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






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






47. 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






48. Drawing attention to the process of representation (including narrative and characterization) to break the theatrical illusion and elicit a distanced - intellectual response in the audience






49. A technique of leaving empty space around the subject in the frame - in order to covey openness and continuity of visible space and to imply offscreen space






50. 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