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






2. Prefogging; a cinematographic technique that exposes raw film stock to light before - during - or after shooting - resulting in an image with reduced contrast. This effect can also be created using digital post-production techniques






3. These filters bend the light coming into lens - softening and blurring the image






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






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






6. A shot taken from a camera position below the subject






7. The narrative path of the main or supporting characters - also called a plotline. Complex films may have several lines of action






8. 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






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






10. 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






11. A measure of the visual and sound quality of a film. Low-budget films tend to have lower production values because they lack the resources to devote to expensive pre- and post-production activities






12. A technique of running the motion picture camera at a speed slower than projection speed (24 frames per second) - in order to produce at a fast motion sequence when projected at normal speed. The term derives from early film cameras - which were cran






13. A single take that contains an entire scene






14. 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






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






16. A film's main characters - one whose conflicts and motives drive the story forward






17. 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






18. 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)






19. Smaller corporations that did not own distribution and/or exhibition companies in the studio era - including Universal - Columbia - and United Artists






20. 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






21. 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






22. Prefogging; a cinematographic technique that exposes raw film stock to light before - during - or after shooting - resulting in an image with reduced contrast. This effect can also be created using digital post-production techniques






23. The use of editing techniques - such as a fade or dissolve - to indicate the end of one scene and the beginning of another






24. The camera should move at least 30 degrees any time there is a cut within a scene






25. 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






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






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






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






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






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






31. The narrative path of the main or supporting characters - also called a plotline. Complex films may have several lines of action






32. A narrative moment that signals an important shift of some kind in character or situation






33. A person responsible for putting a film together from a mass of developed footage - making decisions regarding pace - shot transitions - and which scenes and shots will be used






34. A technique of intentionally adding scratches in a film's emulsion layer for aesthetic purposes - such as to simulate home movie footage






35. A filter that creates points of light that streak outward from a light source






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






37. 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.






38. A single take that contains an entire scene






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






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






41. A property of older television monitors - where each frame was scanned as two fields: One consisting of all the odd numbered lines - the other all the even lines. If slowed down - the television image would appear to sweep down the screen one line at






42. Lighting design in which the greater intensity of the key light makes it impossible for the fill to eliminate shadows - producing a high-contrast image (with many grades of light and dark) - a number of shadows - and a somber mood






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






44. A narrative moment that signals an important shift of some kind in character or situation






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






46. 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






47. A musical accompaniment written specifically for a film






48. 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






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 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