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






2. 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






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






4. 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






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






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






7. The horizontal turning movement of an otherwise immobile camera across a scene from left to right or vice versa






8. An effect created when too little light strikes the film during shooting. As a result the image will contain dark areas that appear very dense and dark (including shadows) and the overall contrast will be less than with a properly exposed image






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. The imagined world of the story






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






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






13. A small - variable opening on a camera lens that regulates the amount of light entering the camera and striking the surface of the film






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






15. A technician responsible for splicing and assembling the film negative to the editor's specifications






16. 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






17. A relatively long - uninterrupted sot - generally of a minute or more






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






19. Any narrative - visual - or sound element that is repeated and thereby acquires and reflects its significance to the story - characters - or themes of the film.






20. The arrangement of images to depict a unified storyline






21. 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






22. Any lens with a focal length approximately equal to the diagonal of the frame. For 35mm filmmaking - a 35-50 mm lens does not distort the angle of vision or depth






23. 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






24. 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.'






25. A mental phenomenon by which viewers derive more meaning from the interaction of two sequential shots than from a single shot in isolation






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






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






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






29. 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






30. An effect created when more light is required to produce an image strakes the film stock - so that the resulting image exhibits high contrast - glaring light - and washed out shadows. This effect ma or may not be intentional on the filmmaker's part






31. An alternative to continuity editing - this style of editing was developed in silent Soviet cinema - based on the theory that editing should exploit the difference between shots to generate intellectual and emotional responses in the audience






32. A widescreen process that uses three cameras - three projectors - and a wide - curved screen






33. A neutral account of the basic plot and style of a film - a part of a film - or a group of films






34. A technique of shifting the camera angle - height - or distance to take into account the motion of actors or objects within the frame






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






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






37. An action film cycle of the late 1960s and early 1970s that featured bold - rebellious African American characters






38. 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






39. 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






40. The distance that appears in focus in front of and behind the subject. It is determined by the aperture - distance and focal length of lens






41. A single take that contains an entire scene






42. The first shot in a standard shot sequence. Its purpose is to provide a clear representation of the location of the action






43. 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






44. 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






45. A type of filter that absorbs certain wavelength but leave others unaffected. On black and white film - color filters lighten or darken tones. On color film - they can produce a range of effects






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






47. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






48. A neutral account of the basic plot and style of a film - a part of a film - or a group of films






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






50. 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