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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 videotape system that records images onto magnetic tape - using electronic signals






2. 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






3. Reels of film that are shipped to movie theaters for exhibition. Digital cinema - which can be distributed via satellite - broadband - or on media such as DVDs - may soon replace film prints because the latter are expensive to create - copy - and dis






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






5. A production term referring to coordinating actors' movements with lines of dialogue






6. Live action is filmed in front of a blue screen and a matte. It's then joined with the background footage






7. 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






8. The falling or unraveling action after the climax of a narrative that leads to resolution






9. The average length in seconds of a series of shots - covering a portion of a film or an entire film; a measure of pace within a scene or in the film as a whole.






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






11. 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






12. 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






13. 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






14. A continuity editing technique that preserves spatial continuity by using a character's line of vision as motivation for a cut






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






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






17. An alternative to classical and realist styles - formalism is a self-consciously interventionist approach that explores ideas - abstraction - and aesthetics rather than focusing on storytelling (as in classical films) or everyday life (as in realist






18. Glass filters whose surface is etched with spots that refract light - so they create the appearance of water droplets in the air






19. Projecting a series of frames of film with the same image - which appears to stop the action






20. 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






21. A shot that includes a human figure from the shoulders up






22. Suspended particles of silver in the film's emulsion - Which may become visible in the final image as dots






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






24. Light striking the emulsion layer of the film - activating light-sensitive grains






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






26. Literary narration from a viewpoint beyond that of any one individual character






27. Standard shot pattern: A sequence of shots designed to maintain spatial continuity. Scene begin with an establishing shot - then move to a series of individual shots depicting characters and action - before reestablishing shots re-orient viewers to t






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






29. 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






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






31. Optical illusions created during post-production






32. A term describing a conclusion that does not answer all the questions raised regarding characters or storylines - nor tie up all loose ends






33. A similarity established between two characters or situations that invites the audience to compare the two. It may involve visual - narrative - and/or sound elements






34. Recording images at a slower speed than the speed of projection (24 frames per second). Before cameras were motorized - this was called undercranking. Fewer frames are exposed in one minute - so - when projected at 24 f.p.s. - that action takes less






35. Light striking the emulsion layer of the film - activating light-sensitive grains






36. The arrangement of images to depict a unified storyline






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






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






39. 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






40. Glass filters whose surface is etched with spots that refract light - so they create the appearance of water droplets in the air






41. A series of individual drawings that provides a blueprint for the shooting of a scene






42. A narrative - visual - or sound element that refers viewers to other films or works of art






43. Projecting a series of frames of film with the same image - which appears to stop the action






44. 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






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






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






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






48. 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






49. 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






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