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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. 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






2. The distance in millimeters from the optical center of a lens to the lane where the sharpest image is formed while focusing on a distant object






3. A transparent sheet on which animation artists draw images.






4. A crew member whose job is to measure the distance between the subject and the camera lens - marking the ring on the camera lens - and ensuring the ring is turned precisely so that the image is in focus






5. 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






6. A shot taken from a camera position above the subject - looking down at it






7. A story; a chain of events linked by cause-and-effect logic






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






9. 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






10. Lighting design where the key light is somewhat more intense than the fill light - so the fill does not eliminate every shadow. The effect is generally less cheerful than high-key lighting - but not as gloomy as low-key lighting






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






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






13. Experimental film; Underground cinema;






14. 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






15. A contemporary modification of the standard three-act structure that identifies a critical turning point at the halfway mark of most narrative films






16. 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






17. Lighting design that provides an even illumination of the subject - with many facial details washed out. High-key lighting tends to create a hopeful mood - in contrast to low-key lighting






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






19. 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






20. 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






21. 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






22. The aspect ratio of 1.33:1 - standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences until the development of widescreen formats in the 1950s






23. A production term denoting a single uninterrupted series of frames exposed by a motion picture or video camera between the time it is turned on and the time it is turned off. Filmmakers shoot several takes of any scene and the film editor selects the






24. A scene transition in which the first frame of the incoming scene appears to push the last frame of the previous scene off the screen horizontally






25. The practice of shooting during the day but using filters and underexposure to create the illusion of nighttime






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






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






28. A model of industrial organization in the film industry from about 1915 to 1946 - characterized by the development of major and minor studios that produced - distributed - and exhibited films - and held film actors - directors - art directors - and o






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






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






31. 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






32. The film medium's technological apparatus is inherently ideological






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






34. A short documentary on current events - show in movie theaters along with cartoons and feature films beginning in the 1930s






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






36. A crew member whose job is to measure the distance between the subject and the camera lens - marking the ring on the camera lens - and ensuring the ring is turned precisely so that the image is in focus






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






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






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






40. A shot that contains two characters within the frame






41. 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






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






43. The chronological accounting of all events presented and suggested






44. The rules of character - setting - and narrative that films that belong to a genre - such as Westerns - horror films - and screwball comedies - generally obey.






45. The imagined world of the story






46. Dutch angle; a shot resulting from a static camera that is tilted to the right or left - so that the subject in the frame appears at a diagonal






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






48. A class or type of film - such as the Western or the horror movie. They share narrative - visual - and/or sound conventions






49. The rules of character - setting - and narrative that films that belong to a genre - such as Westerns - horror films - and screwball comedies - generally obey.






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