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 technique used to join live action with pre-recorded background images. A projector is aimed at a half-silvered mirror that reflects the background - which the camera records as being located behind the actors






2. A non-standard narrative organization that assumes 'day in the life' quality rather than the highly structured three-act or four part narrative - and that features loose or indirect cause-effect relationships






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






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






5. 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






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






7. 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






8. Drawing attention to the process of representation (including narrative and characterization) to break the theatrical illusion and elicit a distanced - intellectual response in the audience






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






10. A marketing strategy of screening a blockbuster prior to general release only in premier theaters






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






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






13. The five vertically integrated corporations that exerted the greatest control over film production in the studio era: MGM - Warner Brothers - RKO - Twentieth Century Fox - and Paramount






14. A style associated with Hollywood filmmaking of the studio and post-studio era - in which efficient storytelling - rather than gritty realism or aesthetic innovation - is of paramount importance






15. 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






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






17. 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






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






19. A musical film in which each song and dance number is narratively motivated by a plot that situates characters in performance contexts






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






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






22. A film that fuses the conventions of two or more genres






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






24. A shot taken from a camera mounted on a crane that moves three-dimensionally in a space






25. Any noticeable but unintended discrepancy from one shot to the next in costume - props - hairstyle - posture - etc.






26. The measure of intensity or purity of a color. Saturated color is purer than desaturated color - which has more white in it and thus offers a washed-out - less intense version of a color






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






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






29. A shot that appears during or near the end of a scene and reorients viewers to the setting






30. The written blueprint for a film - composed of three elements: dialogue - sluglines (setting the place and time of each scene) - and description. Feature-length screenplays typically run 90-130 pages






31. A visual effect created when the subject in the frame is restricted by the objects or the physical properties of the set






32. A style of stage acting developed from the teachings of Constantin Stanislavsky - which trains actors to get into character through the use of emotional memory






33. A technique of moving the camera - on a specially built track. Such shots often trace character movement laterally across the frame or in and out of the depth of the frame






34. 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






35. A crew member responsible for logging the details of each take on the set so as to ensure continuity






36. The annotated script - containing information about set-ups used during shooting






37. A machine that converts film prints to videotape format






38. A scene transition wherein sound from one scene bleeds over into the ext scene - often resulting in a contrast between sound image






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






40. A documentary or occasionally - a narrative film that presents only one side of an argument or one approach to a subject






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






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






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






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






45. A shot transition that involves the gradual disappearance of the image at the same time that a new image gradually comes into view






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






47. 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






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






49. A digital technique developed by Industrial Light and Magic - which builds movement sequences from single frames of film






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