Test your basic knowledge |

Film Directing Basics

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 30 minutes. 2 minutes extra for reading the instructions.
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. Medium shot shows...
is all shots except for the Master Shot
Over the shoulder
neutrality
good if the director is careful with his approach and a good practice choice for directors if necessary

2. Explain the CIRCLE OF ACTION - Inside and Out.
Inside the circle is intrusive - outside is voyeuristic.
You must move the camera 30 degree to constitute a new shot
depth of field
is hard to attain

3. Coverage
is all shots except for the Master Shot
Imaginary line that preserves sight line and screen direction
Director demonstrates the line for the talent
Smoothly going from one emotion to another

4. Method acting
camera move - talent move - insert or cut away
Means working from the outside in
geography
between males - females and enemies

5. Sense Memory is the memory of
1st read through of the script with talent and crew
opposing objectives
creative - spontaneous and open
Touch - sound and taste - and recall

6. Improvisation can help the actor become more
Unscripted reactions.
Means working from the outside in
creative - spontaneous and open
make more than $7500 per year

7. Aspect Ratio
the meat of the scene
frame
relationship of the height and width of the frame
improvisation

8. ______________ in rehearsal can be used for paraphrasing the script
Internal POV
has something to lose
good if the director is careful with his approach and a good practice choice for directors if necessary
improvisation

9. Long shot shows...
Confusion - Insecurity and Distrust
close up - medium - long shot
geography
creative - spontaneous and open

10. Directors are needed to
Collaborate with talent on character - manage camera shot composition and interpret the script
Who the character is - what the character wants - what's the obstacle and what the character is prepared to do to get it
actors like to live in the moment
the emotion of the scene

11. Directors who communicate with talent alleviate
not realistic
Internal POV
Confusion - Insecurity and Distrust
Inside the circle is intrusive - outside is voyeuristic.

12. Directors are needed to
You must move the camera 30 degree to constitute a new shot
Director demonstrates the line for the talent
Collaborate with talent on character - manage camera shot composition and interpret the script
observation

13. When looking for conflict in a scene - the director should look for
opposing objectives
Director demonstrates the line for the talent
neutrality
opposing objectives

14. 30 degree rule
180
You must move the camera 30 degree to constitute a new shot
Inside the circle is intrusive - outside is voyeuristic.
Inside the circle is intrusive - outside is voyeuristic.

15. 3 Basic shot sizes
actors like to live in the moment
close up - medium - long shot
Means working from the outside in
biography

16. ________ is good for character development
Inside the circle is intrusive - outside is voyeuristic.
superiority
business
observation

17. What is a table read?
good if the director is careful with his approach and a good practice choice for directors if necessary
1st read through of the script with talent and crew
the meat of the scene
opposing objectives

18. Coverage
actors like to live in the moment
is all shots except for the Master Shot
Unscripted reactions.
You must move the camera 30 degree to constitute a new shot

19. 3 ways to break the 180 degree
between males - females and enemies
close up - medium - long shot
camera move - talent move - insert or cut away
Director demonstrates the line for the talent

20. Define Line Reading
choices - subtext - and back-story
Director demonstrates the line for the talent
You must move the camera 30 degree to constitute a new shot
character biography

21. Seeing through character eyes and not thinking
not realistic
observation
Internal POV
observation

22. The _______ is an imaginary line bisecting the subjects in order to keep continuity of screen direction.
compresses the foreground and the background
opposing objectives
180
jump

23. CLOSED FRAMING is...
not realistic
improvisation
shot from the beginning to the end scene
Director demonstrates the line for the talent

24. _________________ can 'physicalize' the inner life of the character
neutrality
Inferiority
blocking and business
shot from the beginning to the end scene

25. A __________mm lens at eye level is considered Normal View for 35mm film.
Collaborate with talent on character - manage camera shot composition and interpret the script
50mm
You must move the camera 30 degree to constitute a new shot
blocking and business

26. What is a through line?
opposing objectives
the meat of the scene
good if the director is careful with his approach and a good practice choice for directors if necessary
opposing objectives

27. Line of action
Overreacting
between males - females and enemies
Imaginary line that preserves sight line and screen direction
character biography

28. Master Shot
business
Overreacting
shot from the beginning to the end scene
not realistic

29. Line of action
You must move the camera 30 degree to constitute a new shot
is hard to attain
depth of field
Imaginary line that preserves sight line and screen direction

30. ______________ in rehearsal can be used for paraphrasing the script
is all shots except for the Master Shot
Unscripted reactions.
improvisation
good if the director is careful with his approach and a good practice choice for directors if necessary

31. External POV
Inferiority
Over the shoulder
Means working from the outside in
Confusion - Insecurity and Distrust

32. What is a TRANSITION in terms of acting?
Smoothly going from one emotion to another
Inside the circle is intrusive - outside is voyeuristic.
between males - females and enemies
Overreacting

33. Long shot shows...
blocking and business
the meat of the scene
geography
camera move - talent move - insert or cut away

34. telephoto lense
opposing objectives
not realistic
character biography
compresses the foreground and the background

35. _________________ can 'physicalize' the inner life of the character
blocking and business
Inside the circle is intrusive - outside is voyeuristic.
observation
improvisation

36. High camera angle suggests..
1st read through of the script with talent and crew
is hard to attain
superiority
Inferiority

37. which one is NOT one of the characters elements of Character
creative - spontaneous and open
compresses the foreground and the background
Director demonstrates the line for the talent
Line Read

38. 30 degree rule
neutrality
make more than $7500 per year
You must move the camera 30 degree to constitute a new shot
depth of field

39. 3 ways to break the 180 degree
between males - females and enemies
Confusion - Insecurity and Distrust
camera move - talent move - insert or cut away
character biography

40. The majority of SAG actors do not...
Inferiority
make more than $7500 per year
opposing objectives
Line Read

41. Low camera angle suggests
geography
Smoothly going from one emotion to another
superiority
Confusion - Insecurity and Distrust

42. Wide angle lens shows...
Director demonstrates the line for the talent
depth of field
Over the shoulder
actors like to live in the moment

43. The moment before in film is important to the actor because
Internal POV
make more than $7500 per year
180
actors like to live in the moment

44. A __________mm lens at eye level is considered Normal View for 35mm film.
improvisation
50mm
has something to lose
close up - medium - long shot

45. One reason that actors may be insecure is that work...
Means working from the outside in
make more than $7500 per year
is hard to attain
opposing objectives

46. The _____ is where the action all takes place
choices - subtext - and back-story
Unscripted reactions.
Overreacting
frame

47. What is a table read?
is hard to attain
frame
You must move the camera 30 degree to constitute a new shot
1st read through of the script with talent and crew

48. directing tools can include
character biography
opposing objectives
actors like to live in the moment
Over the shoulder

49. SUBTEXT is not...
shot from the beginning to the end scene
50mm
improvisation
the emotion of the scene

50. What are the four questions that can help determine the spine of a character