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. A shot that interrupts a scene's master shot and may include character reactions






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






3. Wheeled platform with wheels that rotate - so the dolly can change direction






4. The artful use of light and dark areas in the composition in black and white filmmaking






5. 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






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






7. The shape of the image onscreen as determined by the width of the frame relative to its height






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






9. 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






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






11. The aspect ratio of 1.33:1 - standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences until the development of widescreen formats in the 1950s






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






13. A shot transition that emphasizes the visual similarities between two consecutive shots






14. A film's main characters - one whose conflicts and motives drive the story forward






15. 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






16. The first step in the process of creating CGI. The wireframe is a three-dimensional computer model of an object - which is then rendered (producing the finished image) and animated (using simulated camera movement frame by frame)






17. A sound editing technique that links several scenes through parallel and overlapping sounds. Each sound is associated with one scene - unlike a sound bridge - where a sound from one scene bleeds into that of another






18. 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






19. A musical in which some or all musical numbers are not motivated by the narrative; for example - characters sing and dance throughout the film but at least some performances are not staged for an onscreen audience. Examples include Oklahoma - The umb






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






21. 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






22. 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






23. 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






24. The chip in a video camera that converts the incoming light to an electronic signal






25. A style associated with Hollywood filmmaking of the studio and post-studio era - in which efficient storytelling - rather than gritty realism or aesthetic innovation - is of paramount importance






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






27. An agreement made between filmmakers and those who license the use of commercial products to feature those products in films - generally as props used by characters






28. 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






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






30. A measure of a film stock's sensitivity to light. 'Fast' refers to sensitive film stock - while slow film is relatively insensitive






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






32. A narrative moment that signals an important shift of some kind in character or situation






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






34. Any narrative - visual - or sound element that is repeated and thereby acquires and reflects its significance to the story - characters - or themes of the film.






35. A system for recording images on magnetic tape using a digital signal - that is - an electronic signal comprised of 0s and 1s






36. 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






37. Creating images during post-production by joining together photographic or CGI material shot or created at different times and places






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






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






40. Any noticeable but unintended discrepancy from one shot to the next in costume - props - hairstyle - posture - etc.






41. 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






42. A shot that contains two characters within the frame






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






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






45. 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






46. 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






47. The distance that appears in focus in front of and behind the subject. It is determined by the aperture - distance and focal length of lens






48. A sound editing technique that links several scenes through parallel and overlapping sounds. Each sound is associated with one scene - unlike a sound bridge - where a sound from one scene bleeds into that of another






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






50. A technique of shooting a scene at a very high speed (96 frames per second) - then adding and subtracting frames in post-production - 'fanning out' the action through the overlapping images