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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 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






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






3. A term for film stock used in early cinema that was insensitive to red hues






4. 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






5. 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






6. 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






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






8. The first print made from a film negative






9. A group of films within a given genre that share their own specific set of conventions that differentiate them from other films in the genre. For example - the slasher film is a subgenre of the horror genre






10. Recording images at a slower speed than the speed of projection (24 frames per second). Before cameras were motorized - this was called undercranking. Fewer frames are exposed in one minute - so - when projected at 24 f.p.s. - that action takes less






11. The use of editing techniques - such as a fade or dissolve - to indicate the end of one scene and the beginning of another






12. The individual arrangement of lighting and camera placement used for each shot






13. An alternative to classical and realist styles - formalism is a self-consciously interventionist approach that explores ideas - abstraction - and aesthetics rather than focusing on storytelling (as in classical films) or everyday life (as in realist






14. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






15. 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






16. Sound design that blends the speech of several characters talking simultaneously - used to create spontaneity - although it may also confuse the audience






17. 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






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






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






20. A widescreen process that uses three cameras - three projectors - and a wide - curved screen






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






22. 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.






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






24. 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






25. Invisible editing; a system devised to minimize the audience's awareness of shot transitions - especially cuts - in order to improve the flow of the story and avoid interrupting the viewer's immersion it in






26. A device attached to the film camera that records videotape of what has been filmed - allowing the director immediate access to video footage






27. An effect created when more light is required to produce an image strakes the film stock - so that the resulting image exhibits high contrast - glaring light - and washed out shadows. This effect ma or may not be intentional on the filmmaker's part






28. Film productions shot outside the U.S. for economic reasons






29. 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






30. A technique of arranging the actors on the set to take advantage of deep focus cinematography - which allows for many planes of depth in the film frame to remain in focus






31. 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






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






33. 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






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






35. 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






36. An alternative to classical and realist styles - formalism is a self-consciously interventionist approach that explores ideas - abstraction - and aesthetics rather than focusing on storytelling (as in classical films) or everyday life (as in realist






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






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






39. 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






40. A shot that contains two characters within the frame






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






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






43. Leaving the silver grains in the emulsion rather than bleaching them out - which produces desaturated color






44. A standard shot pattern that dictates that a shot of one character will be followed by a shot of another character - taken from the reverse angle of the first shot






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






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






47. A technique of depicting two layered images simultaneously. Images from one frame or several frames of film are added to pre-existing images - using an optical printer - to produce the same effect as a double exposure






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






49. 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






50. 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