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 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






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






3. A shot that depicts a human body from the feet up






4. Creating the appearance of movement by drawing a series of frames that are projected sequentially - rather than photographing a series of still images






5. 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






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






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






8. A standard shot pattern that dictates that a shot of one character will be followed by a shot of another character - taken from the reverse angle of the first shot






9. A series of related scene joined through elliptical editing that indicates the passage of time






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






11. 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)






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






13. The length in minutes for a film to play in its entirety (for example - 120 minutes). Also referred to as 'screen time.'






14. A shot depicting the human body from the waist up






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






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






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






18. Light emitted from a relatively small source positioned close to the subject. It tends to be unflattering because it creates deep shadows and emphasizes surface imperfections






19. 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






20. Optical illusions created during production - including the use of matte paintings - glass shots - models - and prosthesis






21. A technique of filming at a speed faster than projection - the projecting the footage at normal speed of 24 frames per second. Because fewer frames were recorded per second - the action appears to be speeded up






22. An early color process - involving bathing lengths of processed film in dye one scene at a time






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






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






25. Leaving the silver grains in the emulsion rather than bleaching them out - which produces desaturated color






26. (Automatic dialogue replacement) recording synchronized dialogue in post-production - cutting several identical lengths of developed film and having actors record the dialogue repeatedly






27. A shot that contains two characters within the frame






28. 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






29. 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






30. A system initially developed for marketing films by creating and promoting stars as objects of admiration. The promotion of stars has now become an end in itself






31. Optical illusions created during production - including the use of matte paintings - glass shots - models - and prosthesis






32. A machine used to create optical effects such as fades - dissolves - and superimpositions. Most are now created digitally






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






34. Materials intentionally released by studios to attract public attention to films and their stars. Promotion differs from publicity - which is information that is not (or does not appear to be) intentionally disseminated by studios






35. A system for recording images on magnetic tape using a digital signal - that is - an electronic signal comprised of 0s and 1s






36. Processes such as Cinemascope and Cinerama - developed during the 1950s to enhance film's size advantage over the smaller television image






37. A technique of exposing film frames - then rewinding the film and exposing it again - which results in an image that combines two shots in a single frame






38. A technique of filming at a speed faster than projection - the projecting the footage at normal speed of 24 frames per second. Because fewer frames were recorded per second - the action appears to be speeded up






39. The individual arrangement of lighting and camera placement used for each shot






40. A lens with a shorter focal length than a normal or telephoto lens (usually between 15-35mm). The subject appears smaller as a result - but the angle of vision is wider and an illusion is created of greater depth in the frame






41. 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






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






43. An actor whose career rests on playing minor or secondary quirky characters rather than leading roles






44. These filters bend the light coming into lens - softening and blurring the image






45. Exposed and developed film stock from which the master positive is struck. If projected - the negative would produce a reverse of the image - with dark areas appearing white and vice versa or - if color film - areas of color appearing as their comple






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






47. A lens with a shorter focal length than a normal or telephoto lens (usually between 15-35mm). The subject appears smaller as a result - but the angle of vision is wider and an illusion is created of greater depth in the frame






48. 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






49. 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






50. An efficient system developed for film lighting. In a standard lighting set-up - the key light illuminates the subject - the fill light eliminates shadows cast by the key light - and the back light separates the subject from the background