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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 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






2. 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






3. 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






4. A technique in which the audience temporarily shares the visual perspective of a character or a group of characters. The camera points in the directions the character looks - simulating the character's field of vision






5. 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






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






7. Squeezes the image at a ratio of 2:1 horizontally onto a standard film frame. On the projector - it unsqueezes the image - creating a widescreen aspect ratio during presentation






8. 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






9. An actor whose career rests on playing minor or secondary quirky characters rather than leading roles






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






11. An unstated meaning that underlies and is implied by spoken dialogue






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






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






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






15. A short documentary on current events - show in movie theaters along with cartoons and feature films beginning in the 1930s






16. A marketing strategy of screening a blockbuster prior to general release only in premier theaters






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






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






19. 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






20. 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






21. A continuity editing technique that preserves spatial continuity by using a character's line of vision as motivation for a cut






22. A chemical embedded in the emulsion layer of film stock that - when developed after exposure - releases a particular color dye (red - green - or blue)






23. 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






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






25. A style of stage acting developed from the teachings of Constantin Stanislavsky - which trains actors to get into character through the use of emotional memory






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






27. 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






28. The conclusion of the film wraps up - all loose ends in a form of resolution - though not necessarily with a happy ending.






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






30. Exposed and developed film stock from which the master positive is struck. If projected - the negative would produce a reverse of the image - with dark areas appearing white and vice versa or - if color film - areas of color appearing as their comple






31. 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






32. 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






33. The imagined world of the story






34. Optical illusions created during production - including the use of matte paintings - glass shots - models - and prosthesis






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






36. A device that projects photographs or footage onto glass so that images can be traced by hand to create animated images






37. 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






38. A method for producing a widescreen image without special lenses or equipment - using standard film stock and blocking out the top and bottom of the frame to achieve an aspect ration of 1.85:1






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






40. Light emitted from a relatively small source positioned close to the subject. It tends to be unflattering because it creates deep shadows and emphasizes surface imperfections






41. Cinema verite; a documentary style in which the filmmaker attempts to remain as unobtrusive as possible - recording without obvious editorial comment






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






43. Devices that attach to actors' faces and/or bodies to change their appearance






44. 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






45. 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






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






47. 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






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






49. An early color process - involving bathing lengths of processed film in dye one scene at a time






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