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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. An early color process that replaced silver halide grains with colored salts






2. Natural light; The process of suing sunlight rather than artificial studio lights when filming






3. Using computer graphics to 'build' structures connected to the actual architecture on set or location






4. A technique of filming at a speed faster than projection - the projecting the footage at normal speed of 24 frames per second. Because fewer frames were recorded per second - the action appears to be speeded up






5. A change of focus from one plane of depth to another. As the in-focus subject goes out of focus - another object - which has been blurry - comes into focus in either the background or the foreground






6. 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






7. 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






8. A fiction film (often a comedy) that uses documentary conventions on fictional rather than real-world subject matter






9. 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






10. Creating the appearance of movement by drawing a series of frames that are projected sequentially - rather than photographing a series of still images






11. 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






12. The shape of the image onscreen as determined by the width of the frame relative to its height






13. A technique of cutting back and forth between action occurring in two different locations - which often creates the illusion that they are happening simultaneously. Also called 'cross cutting.'






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






15. A shot that contains two characters within the frame






16. A technique of 'pushing' the film (overdeveloping it) to correct problems of underexposure (resulting from insufficient light during shooting) by increasing image contrast






17. Non-diegetic; any element in the film that is not part of the imagined story world






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






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






20. Author; A term popularized by French film critics and refers to film directors with their own distinctive style






21. 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






22. A series of related scene joined through elliptical editing that indicates the passage of time






23. A sound editing technique that links several scenes through parallel and overlapping sounds. Each sound is associated with one scene - unlike a sound bridge - where a sound from one scene bleeds into that of another






24. A device worn by a camera operator that holds the motion picture camera - allowing it glide smoothly through spaces unreachable by camera mounted on a crane or other apparatus






25. A consistent style - theme - and subject matter developed over the course of a director's body of work






26. 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






27. A visual effect achieved through the use of photography and digital techniques that appears to stop time and allow the viewer to travel around the subject and view it from a multitude of vantage points






28. A musical in which some or all musical numbers are not motivated by the narrative; for example - characters sing and dance throughout the film but at least some performances are not staged for an onscreen audience. Examples include Oklahoma - The umb






29. A technique of exposing film frames - then rewinding the film and exposing it again - which results in an image that combines two shots in a single frame






30. 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






31. 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






32. The non-chronological insertion of events from the past into the present day of the story world






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






34. The width of the film stock - measured across the frame. Typical sizes are 8mm - 16mm - 35mm - and 70mm






35. A post-studio era Hollywood film designed to appeal to the broadest possible audience by fusing a simple story line with major movie stars and mounting a lavish marketing campaign






36. The first print made from a film negative






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






38. Non-diegetic; any element in the film that is not part of the imagined story world






39. 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






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






41. Also called 'full screen -' the technique of re-shooting a widescreen film in order to convert it to the original television aspect ration of 1.33 to 1. Rather than reproduce the original aspect ratio - as a letterboxed version does - a panned and sc






42. A vertical - up-and-down - motion of an otherwise stationary camera






43. 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






44. A computer-generated actor that some speculate will replace flesh and blood actors in the not so distant future






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






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






47. An optical technique that divides the screen into two or more frames






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






49. A shot taken when the camera is so close to a subject that it fills the frame. It is most commonly used for a shot that isolates and encompasses a single actor's face - to emphasize the expression of emotion






50. A technique of overdeveloping exposed film stock (leaving it in the chemical bath longer than indicated) in order to increase density and contrast in the image