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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 distance that appears in focus in front of and behind the subject. It is determined by the aperture - distance and focal length of lens






2. 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






3. A shot taken from a vantage point so close that only a part of the subject is visible. On an actor - it might show only an eye or a portion of the face






4. Reels of film that are shipped to movie theaters for exhibition. Digital cinema - which can be distributed via satellite - broadband - or on media such as DVDs - may soon replace film prints because the latter are expensive to create - copy - and dis






5. A crew member whose job is to maintain consistency in visual details from one shot to the next






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






7. A complete narrative unit within a film - with its own beginning - middle - and end. Often scenes are unified - and distinguished from one another - by time and setting






8. 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.






9. A character who in some way opposes the protagonist - leading to protracted conflict






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






11. A device worn by a camera operator that holds the motion picture camera - allowing it glide smoothly through spaces unreachable by camera mounted on a crane or other apparatus






12. A machine that converts film prints to videotape format






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






14. A short screen appearance by a celebrity - playing himself or herself






15. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






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






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






18. The non-chronological insertion of scenes of events yet to happen into the present day of the story world






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






20. The way an actor delivers a line of dialogue - including pauses - inflection - and emotion






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






22. 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






23. A technique of shifting the camera angle - height - or distance to take into account the motion of actors or objects within the frame






24. Assists the gaffer in managing lighting crews






25. An unstated meaning that underlies and is implied by spoken dialogue






26. 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






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






28. 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






29. Also called 'full screen -' the technique of re-shooting a widescreen film in order to convert it to the original television aspect ration of 1.33 to 1. Rather than reproduce the original aspect ratio - as a letterboxed version does - a panned and sc






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






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






32. Lighting design where the key light is somewhat more intense than the fill light - so the fill does not eliminate every shadow. The effect is generally less cheerful than high-key lighting - but not as gloomy as low-key lighting






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






34. A technique used to join live action with pre-recorded background images. A projector is aimed at a half-silvered mirror that reflects the background - which the camera records as being located behind the actors






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






36. A visual effect achieved through the use of photography and digital techniques that appears to stop time and allow the viewer to travel around the subject and view it from a multitude of vantage points






37. A screenplay written and submitted to a studio or production company without a prior contract or agreement






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






39. The non-chronological insertion of events from the past into the present day of the story world






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






41. 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.






42. A shot transition that involves the gradual disappearance of the image at the same time that a new image gradually comes into view






43. A type of matte shot - created by positioning a pane of optically flawless glass with a painting on it between the camera and the scene to be photographed. This combines the painting on the glass with the set or location - seen through the glass - be






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






45. The width of the film stock - measured across the frame. Typical sizes are 8mm - 16mm - 35mm - and 70mm






46. 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






47. A crew member whose job is to maintain consistency in visual details from one shot to the next






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






49. An optical effect whereby the eye continues to register a visual stimulus in the brain for a brief period after that stimulus has been removed






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







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