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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 term used for any narrative sound - or visual element not contained in the story world. Also called 'extradiegetic'






2. A property of older television monitors - where each frame was scanned as two fields: One consisting of all the odd numbered lines - the other all the even lines. If slowed down - the television image would appear to sweep down the screen one line at






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






4. An efficient system developed for film lighting. In a standard lighting set-up - the key light illuminates the subject - the fill light eliminates shadows cast by the key light - and the back light separates the subject from the background






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






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






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






8. A statement that asserts a judgment that a given film or group of films is good or bad - based on specific criteria - Which may or may not be stated






9. The period of time before principal photography during which actors are signed - sets and costumes designed - and locations scouted






10. 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






11. Standard shot pattern: A sequence of shots designed to maintain spatial continuity. Scene begin with an establishing shot - then move to a series of individual shots depicting characters and action - before reestablishing shots re-orient viewers to t






12. A visual effect created when the subject in the frame is restricted by the objects or the physical properties of the set






13. The narrative path of the main or supporting characters - also called a plotline. Complex films may have several lines of action






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






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






16. A glass element on a camera that focuses light rays so that the image of the object appears on the surface of the film






17. 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






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






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






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






21. A description of film stock that is highly sensitive to light






22. The arrangement of images to depict a unified storyline






23. 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






24. 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






25. A brief chronological description of the basic events and characters in a film. It does not include interpretive or evaluative claims






26. 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






27. 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






28. Fish-eye lens; With a focal length of 15mm or less - this lens presents an extremely distorted image - where objects in the center of the frame appear to bulge toward the camera






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






30. A technique of intentionally adding scratches in a film's emulsion layer for aesthetic purposes - such as to simulate home movie footage






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






32. A relatively long - uninterrupted sot - generally of a minute or more






33. Filters that increase color saturation and contrast in outdoor shots






34. A system initially developed for marketing films by creating and promoting stars as objects of admiration. The promotion of stars has now become an end in itself






35. A model of industrial organization in the film industry from about 1915 to 1946 - characterized by the development of major and minor studios that produced - distributed - and exhibited films - and held film actors - directors - art directors - and o






36. A technique of overdeveloping exposed film stock (leaving it in the chemical bath longer than indicated) in order to increase density and contrast in the image






37. A process of transferring film to video tapes or DVDs so that the original aspect ratio of the film is preserved






38. Muted - washed out color that contains more white than a saturated color






39. A fiction film (often a comedy) that uses documentary conventions on fictional rather than real-world subject matter






40. 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






41. A musical film in which each song and dance number is narratively motivated by a plot that situates characters in performance contexts






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






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






44. Individuals who were prevented from working in the film industry because of their suspected involvement with Communist interests






45. A form of shot transition - generally concluding a scene - where a circular mask constricts around the image until the entire frame is black






46. A flexible celluloid strip that - along with the emulsion layer - comprises 35mm film stock






47. An early color process that replaced silver halide grains with colored salts






48. A narrative approach that limits the audience's view of events to that of the main character(s) in the film. Occasional moments of omniscient narration may give viewers more information than the character shave at specific points in the narrative






49. A process of transferring film to video tapes or DVDs so that the original aspect ratio of the film is preserved






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