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






2. Cinema verite; a documentary style in which the filmmaker attempts to remain as unobtrusive as possible - recording without obvious editorial comment






3. A system for combining two separately filmed images in the same frame that involves create a matte (a black mask that covers a portion of the image) for a live action sequence and using it to block out a portion of the frame when filming the backgrou






4. 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






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






6. 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






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






8. 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






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






10. An optical effect whereby the human eye fills in gaps between closely spaced objects - so that two light bulbs flashing on and off are understood as one light moving back and forth






11. Also called 'rushes.' Footage exposed and developed quickly so that the director can assess the day's work






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






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






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






15. A type of documentary film whose purpose is to present the way of life of a culture or subculture






16. A filter that simply reduces the amount of light entering the lens - without affecting the color characteristics






17. 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






18. A term that refers to the organization of an industry wherein one type of corporation also owns corporations in allied industries - for example - film production and video games






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






20. A black masking device used to black out a portion of the frame - usually for the insertion of other images






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






22. 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






23. 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






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






25. 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






26. 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






27. 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






28. 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)






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






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






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






32. A long shot in which the film frame resembles the proscenium arch of the stage - distancing the audience






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






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






35. A character who in some way opposes the protagonist - leading to protracted conflict






36. 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






37. The reverse of Iris in: an iris expands outward until the next shot takes up the entire screen






38. A business model adopted by the major studios during the Hollywood studio era - in which studios controlled all aspects of the film business - from production to distribution and exhibition






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






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






41. Images that originate from computer graphics technology - rather than photography






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






43. 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






44. 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






45. 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






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






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






48. 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






49. An abrupt - inexplicable shift in time and place of an action not signaled by an appropriate shot transition






50. A technique of arranging the actors on the set to take advantage of deep focus cinematography - which allows for many planes of depth in the film frame to remain in focus