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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. A musical accompaniment written specifically for a film






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






3. Exposed and developed film stock from which the master positive is struck. If projected - the negative would produce a reverse of the image - with dark areas appearing white and vice versa or - if color film - areas of color appearing as their comple






4. The term for a film's spoken dialogue - as opposed to the underlying meaning contained in the subtext






5. 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






6. Experimental film; Underground cinema;






7. 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






8. 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






9. A technique of shooting a scene at a very high speed (96 frames per second) - then adding and subtracting frames in post-production - 'fanning out' the action through the overlapping images






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






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






12. 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






13. A process of blending the three elements of the sound track (dialogue - music - and effects) in post-production






14. 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






15. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






16. A film's main characters - one whose conflicts and motives drive the story forward






17. 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






18. A crew member who reports to the Director of Photography (DP) and is in charge of tasks involving lighting and electrical needs






19. The reverse of Iris in: an iris expands outward until the next shot takes up the entire screen






20. A sound editing technique that links several scenes through parallel and overlapping sounds. Each sound is associated with one scene - unlike a sound bridge - where a sound from one scene bleeds into that of another






21. Secondary footage that is interspersed with master shots - sometimes in the form of footage shot for another production or archival footage






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






23. 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






24. A shot in a sequence that is taken from the reverse angle of the shot previous to it






25. Dialogue that restates What is already obvious from images or action






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






27. 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






28. A technique of 'pushing' the film (overdeveloping it) to correct problems of underexposure (resulting from insufficient light during shooting) by increasing image contrast






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






30. A narrative moment that signals an important shift of some kind in character or situation






31. 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






32. The space between the camera and subject it is filming.






33. A shot transition that emphasizes the visual similarities between two consecutive shots






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






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






36. A technique of manipulating focus to direct the viewer's attention






37. A technique of moving the camera - on a specially built track. Such shots often trace character movement laterally across the frame or in and out of the depth of the frame






38. The camera does not move across an imagined line drawn between two characters






39. A technique of recording very few images over a long period of time - say - one frame per minute or per day






40. The visual arrangement of objects - actors - and space within the frame






41. 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






42. Secondary footage that is interspersed with master shots - sometimes in the form of footage shot for another production or archival footage






43. A cinematography technique that produces an image with many planes of depth in focus. It can be accomplished by using a small aperture - a large distance between camera and subject - and/or a lens of short focal length






44. 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






45. A continuity editing technique that preserves spatial continuity by using a character's line of vision as motivation for a cut






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






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






48. 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






49. Cinema verite; a documentary style in which the filmmaker attempts to remain as unobtrusive as possible - recording without obvious editorial comment






50. A scene transition wherein sound from one scene bleeds over into the ext scene - often resulting in a contrast between sound image