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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. 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






2. 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






3. Prefogging; a cinematographic technique that exposes raw film stock to light before - during - or after shooting - resulting in an image with reduced contrast. This effect can also be created using digital post-production techniques






4. 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






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






6. An animation technique that uses a computer program to interpolate frames to produce the effect of an object or creature changing gradually into something different. The program calculates the way the image must change in order for the first image to






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






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






9. 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






10. A shot taken from a camera mounted on a crane that moves three-dimensionally in a space






11. The annotated script - containing information about set-ups used during shooting






12. 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






13. A production term referring to coordinating actors' movements with lines of dialogue






14. Dense accumulation of detail conveyed in the opening moments of a film






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






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






17. 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






18. The details of a character's past that emerge as the film unfolds - and which often play a role in character motivation






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






20. A chemical coating on film stock containing light-sensitive grains






21. 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






22. A musical in which some or all musical numbers are not motivated by the narrative; for example - characters sing and dance throughout the film but at least some performances are not staged for an onscreen audience. Examples include Oklahoma - The umb






23. A film style that - in contrast to the classical and formalist styles - focuses characters - place - and the spontaneity and digressiveness of life - rather than on highly structured stories or aesthetic abstraction






24. Devices that attach to actors' faces and/or bodies to change their appearance






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






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






27. 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






28. 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






29. A style of Japanese animation - distinguished primarily by the fact that it is not all geared for young audiences






30. A term applied to film stock that is relatively insensitive to light. This stock will not yield acceptable images unless the amount of light can be carefully controlled






31. 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






32. 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






33. 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.






34. The conclusion of the film wraps up - all loose ends in a form of resolution - though not necessarily with a happy ending.






35. Using computer graphics to 'build' structures connected to the actual architecture on set or location






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






37. 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






38. A filter that creates points of light that streak outward from a light source






39. Live action is filmed in front of a blue screen and a matte. It's then joined with the background footage






40. A picture element - a measure of image density. There are approximately 18 million pixels in a frame of 35mm film and 300000-400000 in a video image






41. 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






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






43. Assists the gaffer in managing lighting crews






44. 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.






45. A similarity established between two characters or situations that invites the audience to compare the two. It may involve visual - narrative - and/or sound elements






46. The practice of shooting during the day but using filters and underexposure to create the illusion of nighttime






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






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






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






50. Sound recorded on a set - on location - or - for documentary film - at an actual real-world event - as opposed to dubbed in post-production through ADR or looping