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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 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






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






3. Dense accumulation of detail conveyed in the opening moments of a film






4. 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






5. A technique of arranging the actors on the set to take advantage of deep focus cinematography - which allows for many planes of depth in the film frame to remain in focus






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






7. 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






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






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






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






11. A type of filter that absorbs certain wavelength but leave others unaffected. On black and white film - color filters lighten or darken tones. On color film - they can produce a range of effects






12. 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






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






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






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






16. A picture element - a measure of image density. There are approximately 18 million pixels in a frame of 35mm film and 300000-400000 in a video image






17. The way an actor delivers a line of dialogue - including pauses - inflection - and emotion






18. A mental phenomenon by which viewers derive more meaning from the interaction of two sequential shots than from a single shot in isolation






19. The falling or unraveling action after the climax of a narrative that leads to resolution






20. 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






21. Any narrative - visual - or sound element that is repeated and thereby acquires and reflects its significance to the story - characters - or themes of the film.






22. A brief chronological description of the basic events and characters in a film. It does not include interpretive or evaluative claims






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






24. A chemical embedded in the emulsion layer of film stock that - when developed after exposure - releases a particular color dye (red - green - or blue)






25. 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






26. A group of films within a given genre that share their own specific set of conventions that differentiate them from other films in the genre. For example - the slasher film is a subgenre of the horror genre






27. Light emitted from a relatively small source positioned close to the subject. It tends to be unflattering because it creates deep shadows and emphasizes surface imperfections






28. A shot that interrupts a scene's master shot and may include character reactions






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






30. 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






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






32. 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






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






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






35. 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






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






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






38. Literary narration from a viewpoint beyond that of any one individual character






39. 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






40. 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






41. A format that uses a larger film stock than standard 35mm. IMAX - Omnimax - and Showscan are shot on 70mm film






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






43. 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






44. 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






45. A character who in some way opposes the protagonist - leading to protracted conflict






46. 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






47. 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






48. 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






49. 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






50. A film style that - in contrast to the classical and formalist styles - focuses characters - place - and the spontaneity and digressiveness of life - rather than on highly structured stories or aesthetic abstraction