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. Lighting design where the key light is somewhat more intense than the fill light - so the fill does not eliminate every shadow. The effect is generally less cheerful than high-key lighting - but not as gloomy as low-key lighting






2. A production term referring to coordinating actors' movements with lines of dialogue






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






4. A filter that creates points of light that streak outward from a light source






5. 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






6. 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






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






8. A rule in continuity editing - which dictates that if a cut occurs while a character is in the midst of an action - the subsequent shot must begin so that audiences see the completion of that action






9. 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






10. 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






11. Experimental film; Underground cinema;






12. A short segment of film used to promote an upcoming release






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






14. The practice of Hollywood studios contracting out post-production work to individuals or firms outside the U.S.






15. A character who in some way opposes the protagonist - leading to protracted conflict






16. A single take that contains an entire scene






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






18. A production term referring to coordinating actors' movements with lines of dialogue






19. 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






20. 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






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






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






23. Public identity created by marketing a film actor's performances - press coverage - and 'personal' information to fans as the star's personality






24. Public identity created by marketing a film actor's performances - press coverage - and 'personal' information to fans as the star's personality






25. Drawing attention to the process of representation (including narrative and characterization) to break the theatrical illusion and elicit a distanced - intellectual response in the audience






26. 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






27. A crew member whose job is to maintain consistency in visual details from one shot to the next






28. The details of a character's past that emerge as the film unfolds - and which often play a role in character motivation






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






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






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






32. A shot that contains two characters within the frame






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






34. 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






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






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






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






38. A short screen appearance by a celebrity - playing himself or herself






39. A style of Japanese animation - distinguished primarily by the fact that it is not all geared for young audiences






40. The arrangement of images to depict a unified storyline






41. 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






42. A format that uses a larger film stock than standard 35mm. IMAX - Omnimax - and Showscan are shot on 70mm film






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






44. A transparent sheet on which animation artists draw images.






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






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






47. 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






48. (Automatic dialogue replacement) recording synchronized dialogue in post-production - cutting several identical lengths of developed film and having actors record the dialogue repeatedly






49. A direct vocal address to the audience - Which may emanate from a character or from a narrative voice apparently unrelated to the diegesis






50. 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