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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 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






2. The width of the film stock - measured across the frame. Typical sizes are 8mm - 16mm - 35mm - and 70mm






3. Because film stock is sensitive to the color of light - directors work with film labs in post-production to monitor the color scheme of each scene in a film - making adjustments for consistency and aesthetic effect






4. A technique of cutting back and forth between action occurring in two different locations - which often creates the illusion that they are happening simultaneously. Also called 'cross cutting.'






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






6. A term describing a conclusion that does not answer all the questions raised regarding characters or storylines - nor tie up all loose ends






7. 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






8. A post-studio era Hollywood film designed to appeal to the broadest possible audience by fusing a simple story line with major movie stars and mounting a lavish marketing campaign






9. 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






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






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






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






13. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






14. Lighting design in which the greater intensity of the key light makes it impossible for the fill to eliminate shadows - producing a high-contrast image (with many grades of light and dark) - a number of shadows - and a somber mood






15. 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






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






17. 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






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






19. 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






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






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






22. 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






23. A shot that makes the human subject very small in relation to his or her environment. The entire figure from head to toe is onscreen and dwarfed by the surroundings






24. A shot filmed from an airplane or helicopter






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






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






27. The classical model of narrative form. The first act introduces characters and conflicts; the second act offers complication leading to a climax; the third act contains the danouement and resolution






28. 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






29. Suspended particles of silver in the film's emulsion - Which may become visible in the final image as dots






30. A large-budget film whose strategy is to swamp the competition through market saturation






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






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






33. A specialist who monitors the processing of color on the se and in the film lab






34. Light striking the emulsion layer of the film - activating light-sensitive grains






35. 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






36. Thin - flexible material comprised of base and emulsion layers - onto which light rays are focused and which is processed in chemicals to produce film images






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






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






39. 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






40. 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






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






42. 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






43. Light emitted from a larger source that is scattered over a bigger area or reflected off a surface before it strikes the subject. Soft light minimizes facial details - including wrinkles






44. The falling or unraveling action after the climax of a narrative that leads to resolution






45. Smaller corporations that did not own distribution and/or exhibition companies in the studio era - including Universal - Columbia - and United Artists






46. A shot combining two kinds of movement: the camera tracks in toward the subject wile the lens zooms out






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






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






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






50. An optical technique that divides the screen into two or more frames