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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. 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.






2. An abrupt shot transition that occurs when Shot A is instantaneously replaced by Shot B.






3. Individuals who were prevented from working in the film industry because of their suspected involvement with Communist interests






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






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






6. Dutch angle; a shot resulting from a static camera that is tilted to the right or left - so that the subject in the frame appears at a diagonal






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






8. 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






9. The written blueprint for a film - composed of three elements: dialogue - sluglines (setting the place and time of each scene) - and description. Feature-length screenplays typically run 90-130 pages






10. 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






11. A device used to manipulate the amount and/or color of light entering the lens






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






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






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






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






16. 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






17. 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






18. 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






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






20. The artful use of light and dark areas in the composition in black and white filmmaking






21. A shot combining two kinds of movement: the camera tracks in toward the subject wile the lens zooms out






22. Lighting design in which the greater intensity of the key light makes it impossible for the fill to eliminate shadows - producing a high-contrast image (with many grades of light and dark) - a number of shadows - and a somber mood






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






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






25. A glass element on a camera that focuses light rays so that the image of the object appears on the surface of the film






26. 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






27. Wheeled platform with wheels that rotate - so the dolly can change direction






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






29. A shot that makes the human subject very small in relation to his or her environment. The entire figure from head to toe is onscreen and dwarfed by the surroundings






30. 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






31. A machine that converts film prints to videotape format






32. Also called 'stop motion photography.' A technique of photographing a scene one frame at a time and moving the model between each shot






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






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






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






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






37. The first print made from a film negative






38. A compositing method that allows cinematographers to combine live action and settings that are filmed or created separately. Actors are filmed against a green or blue background. During post-production - this background is filled in with an image thr






39. Assists the gaffer in managing lighting crews






40. The technique of telling the story from an all-knowing character. Films that use restricted narration limit the audience's perception to what one particular character knows - but may insert moments of omniscience






41. 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






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






43. A compositing method that allows cinematographers to combine live action and settings that are filmed or created separately. Actors are filmed against a green or blue background. During post-production - this background is filled in with an image thr






44. A computer-generated actor that some speculate will replace flesh and blood actors in the not so distant future






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






46. A device that projects photographs or footage onto glass so that images can be traced by hand to create animated images






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






48. Dutch angle; a shot resulting from a static camera that is tilted to the right or left - so that the subject in the frame appears at a diagonal






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






50. The distance in millimeters from the optical center of a lens to the lane where the sharpest image is formed while focusing on a distant object