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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 shot depicting the human body from the waist up






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






3. 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






4. An action film cycle of the late 1960s and early 1970s that featured bold - rebellious African American characters






5. Glass filters whose surface is etched with spots that refract light - so they create the appearance of water droplets in the air






6. A shot taken from a level camera located approximately 5' to 6' from the ground - simulating the perspective of a person standing before the action presented






7. Early films that documented everyday events - such as workers leaving a factory






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






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






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






11. 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






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






13. 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






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






15. Also called 'd-cinema.' Not to be confused with digital cinematography (shooting movies on digital video) - this term refers to using digital technologies for exhibition






16. 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






17. 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






18. Because film stock is sensitive to the color of light - directors work with film labs in post-production to monitor the color scheme of each scene in a film - making adjustments for consistency and aesthetic effect






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






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






21. 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






22. A type of film stock that is sensitive to (in other words - registers) all tones in the color spectrum






23. A part of the story world implied by visual or sound techniques rather than being revealed by the camera






24. 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






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






26. A black masking device used to black out a portion of the frame - usually for the insertion of other images






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






28. 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






29. The chronological accounting of all events presented and suggested






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






31. 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






32. 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






33. 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






34. A shot that focuses audience attention on precise details that may or may not be the focus of characters






35. A film composed entirely of footage from other films.






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






37. An outlawed studio era practice - where studios forced exhibitors to book groups of films at once - thus ensuring a market for their failures along with their successes






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






39. 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






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






41. A videotape system that records images onto magnetic tape - using electronic signals






42. 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






43. A system for combining two separately filmed images in the same frame that involves create a matte (a black mask that covers a portion of the image) for a live action sequence and using it to block out a portion of the frame when filming the backgrou






44. 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






45. 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






46. A crew member who works in post-production in a specially equipped studio to create the sounds of the story world - such as the shuffling of shoes on various surfaces for footsteps






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






48. 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






49. Louis Althusser's term for the way in which a society creates its subjects/citizens through ideological (as opposed to repressive) state apparatuses - which include education - media - religion - and the family






50. Literary narration from a viewpoint beyond that of any one individual character