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






2. A system for recording images on magnetic tape using a digital signal - that is - an electronic signal comprised of 0s and 1s






3. A relatively long - uninterrupted sot - generally of a minute or more






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






5. 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






6. 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






7. 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






8. The visual arrangement of objects - actors - and space within the frame






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






10. Everything audiences hear when they watch a sound film. The soundtrack is the composite of all three elements of film sound: dialogue - music - and sound effects






11. Invisible editing; a system devised to minimize the audience's awareness of shot transitions - especially cuts - in order to improve the flow of the story and avoid interrupting the viewer's immersion it in






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






13. A form of shot transition - generally concluding a scene - where a circular mask constricts around the image until the entire frame is black






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






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






16. A scene filmed and processed but not selected to appear in the final version of the film






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






18. Louis Althusser's term for the way in which a society creates its subjects/citizens through ideological (as opposed to repressive) state apparatuses - which include education - media - religion - and the family






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






20. The chip in a video camera that converts the incoming light to an electronic signal






21. Processes such as Cinemascope and Cinerama - developed during the 1950s to enhance film's size advantage over the smaller television image






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






23. The conclusion of the film wraps up - all loose ends in a form of resolution - though not necessarily with a happy ending.






24. Recording images at a slower speed than the speed of projection (24 frames per second). Before cameras were motorized - this was called undercranking. Fewer frames are exposed in one minute - so - when projected at 24 f.p.s. - that action takes less






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






26. Devices that attach to actors' faces and/or bodies to change their appearance






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






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






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






30. The imagined world of the story






31. Invisible editing; a system devised to minimize the audience's awareness of shot transitions - especially cuts - in order to improve the flow of the story and avoid interrupting the viewer's immersion it in






32. The visual arrangement of objects - actors - and space within the frame






33. A shot filmed from an airplane or helicopter






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






35. A term used for any narrative sound - or visual element not contained in the story world. Also called 'extradiegetic'






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






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






38. 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






39. 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






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






41. 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






42. A short segment of film used to promote an upcoming release






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






44. A single take that contains an entire scene






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






46. A screenplay written and submitted to a studio or production company without a prior contract or agreement






47. 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






48. 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






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






50. A crew member who works in post-production in a specially equipped studio to create the sounds of the story world - such as the shuffling of shoes on various surfaces for footsteps