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. Filters that increase color saturation and contrast in outdoor shots






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






3. The building block of a scene; an uninterrupted sequence of frames that viewers experience as they watch a film - ending with a cut - fade - dissolve - etc. See also Take






4. 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






5. Everything audiences hear when they watch a sound film. The soundtrack is the composite of all three elements of film sound: dialogue - music - and sound effects






6. A technique of moving a zoom lens from a wide-angle position to a telephoto position - which results in a magnification of the subject within the frame - and keeps the subject in focus






7. The plotline that surrounds an embedded tale. The frame narration may or may not be as fully developed as the embedded tale






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






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






11. 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






12. A technique of leaving empty space around the subject in the frame - in order to covey openness and continuity of visible space and to imply offscreen space






13. Dutch angle; a shot resulting from a static camera that is tilted to the right or left - so that the subject in the frame appears at a diagonal






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






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






16. 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






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






18. 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






19. The classical model of narrative form. The first act introduces characters and conflicts; the second act offers complication leading to a climax; the third act contains the danouement and resolution






20. A system of constructing and arranging buildings and objects on the set so that they diminish in size dramatically from foreground to background - which creates the illusion of depth






21. Assists the gaffer in managing lighting crews






22. A single take that contains an entire scene






23. Thin - flexible material comprised of base and emulsion layers - onto which light rays are focused and which is processed in chemicals to produce film images






24. The person in charge of planning the style and look of the film with the production designer and director of photography - working with actors during principal photography - and collaborating with the editor on the final version






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






26. Assists the gaffer in managing lighting crews






27. The camera should move at least 30 degrees any time there is a cut within a scene






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






29. Author; A term popularized by French film critics and refers to film directors with their own distinctive style






30. An effect created when too little light strikes the film during shooting. As a result the image will contain dark areas that appear very dense and dark (including shadows) and the overall contrast will be less than with a properly exposed image






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






32. A genre film that radically modifies accepted genre conventions for dramatic effect






33. 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






34. The selection and ordering of narrative events presented in a film






35. A shot that depicts a human body from the feet up






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






37. Non-diegetic; any element in the film that is not part of the imagined story world






38. 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






39. A pan executed so quickly that it produces a blurred image - indicated rapid activity or - sometimes - the passage of time






40. A class or type of film - such as the Western or the horror movie. They share narrative - visual - and/or sound conventions






41. 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






42. A technique of exposing film frames - then rewinding the film and exposing it again - which results in an image that combines two shots in a single frame






43. A class or type of film - such as the Western or the horror movie. They share narrative - visual - and/or sound conventions






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






45. 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






46. 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






47. A technician responsible for splicing and assembling the film negative to the editor's specifications






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






49. 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






50. 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