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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 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






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






3. 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






4. 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






5. 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






6. 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






7. An agreement made between filmmakers and those who license the use of commercial products to feature those products in films - generally as props used by characters






8. A neutral account of the basic plot and style of a film - a part of a film - or a group of films






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






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






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






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






13. An early color process - involving bathing lengths of processed film in dye one scene at a time






14. A similarity established between two characters or situations that invites the audience to compare the two. It may involve visual - narrative - and/or sound elements






15. 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






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






17. A technique of depicting two layered images simultaneously. Images from one frame or several frames of film are added to pre-existing images - using an optical printer - to produce the same effect as a double exposure






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






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






20. A film style that emerged in the 1910s in Germany. It was heavily indebted to the Expressionist art movement of the time and influenced subsequent horror films and film noir






21. Also called 'stop motion photography.' A technique of photographing a scene one frame at a time and moving the model between each shot






22. 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






23. A technician responsible for splicing and assembling the film negative to the editor's specifications






24. 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






25. A shot taken from a camera position above the subject - looking down at it






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






27. 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






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






29. The horizontal turning movement of an otherwise immobile camera across a scene from left to right or vice versa






30. A process of transferring film to video tapes or DVDs so that the original aspect ratio of the film is preserved






31. Secondary footage that is interspersed with master shots - sometimes in the form of footage shot for another production or archival footage






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






33. The imagined world of the story






34. 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)






35. A technique used to join live action with a pre-recorded background image. A projector is placed behind a screen and projects an image onto it. Actors stand in front of the screen and the camera records them in front of the projected background






36. 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






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






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






39. 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






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






41. A process of blending the three elements of the sound track (dialogue - music - and effects) in post-production






42. A widescreen process that uses three cameras - three projectors - and a wide - curved screen






43. A technique of moving from the telephoto position to the wide-angle position of a zoom lens - which results in the subject appearing to become smaller within the frame - while remaining in focus






44. A standard shot pattern that dictates that a shot of one character will be followed by a shot of another character - taken from the reverse angle of the first shot






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






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






47. A device attached to the film camera that records videotape of what has been filmed - allowing the director immediate access to video footage






48. A technique of underdeveloping exposed film stock (leaving it in a chemical batch a shorter amount of time than usual) in order to achieve the visual effect of reducing contrast






49. 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






50. 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






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



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