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. Natural light; The process of suing sunlight rather than artificial studio lights when filming






2. Lighting design that provides an even illumination of the subject - with many facial details washed out. High-key lighting tends to create a hopeful mood - in contrast to low-key lighting






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






4. A technique of running the motion picture camera at a speed slower than projection speed (24 frames per second) - in order to produce at a fast motion sequence when projected at normal speed. The term derives from early film cameras - which were cran






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






6. Squeezes the image at a ratio of 2:1 horizontally onto a standard film frame. On the projector - it unsqueezes the image - creating a widescreen aspect ratio during presentation






7. 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






8. 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






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






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






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






12. A method for producing a widescreen image without special lenses or equipment - using standard film stock and blocking out the top and bottom of the frame to achieve an aspect ration of 1.85:1






13. A scene filmed and processed but not selected to appear in the final version of the film






14. A camera device that opens and closes to regulate the length of time the film is exposed to light






15. A flexible celluloid strip that - along with the emulsion layer - comprises 35mm film stock






16. 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






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






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






19. A type of short film that blends elements of documentary and avant-garde film to document and often to celebrate the wonder of the modern city






20. 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






21. 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






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






23. The chip in a video camera that converts the incoming light to an electronic signal






24. 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






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






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






27. Light emitted from a larger source that is scattered over a bigger area or reflected off a surface before it strikes the subject. Soft light minimizes facial details - including wrinkles






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






29. A documentary or occasionally - a narrative film that presents only one side of an argument or one approach to a subject






30. A shot taken from a camera position above the subject - looking down at it






31. The film medium's technological apparatus is inherently ideological






32. A rule in continuity editing - which dictates that if a cut occurs while a character is in the midst of an action - the subsequent shot must begin so that audiences see the completion of that action






33. A technique of moving from the telephoto position to the wide-angle position of a zoom lens - which results in the subject appearing to become smaller within the frame - while remaining in focus






34. A brief chronological description of the basic events and characters in a film. It does not include interpretive or evaluative claims






35. Creating an image by combining several elements created separately using computer graphics rather than photographic means






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






37. 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






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. 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






40. 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






41. A camera shot taken at a large distance from the subject. Using the human body as the subject - a long shot captures the entire human form






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






43. Filters that increase color saturation and contrast in outdoor shots






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






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






46. A non-standard narrative organization that assumes 'day in the life' quality rather than the highly structured three-act or four part narrative - and that features loose or indirect cause-effect relationships






47. A term that refers to the organization of an industry wherein one type of corporation also owns corporations in allied industries - for example - film production and video games






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






49. Muted - washed out color that contains more white than a saturated color






50. A painting used on the set as a portion of the background