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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 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






2. 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






3. 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






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






5. A machine used to create optical effects such as fades - dissolves - and superimpositions. Most are now created digitally






6. A fiction film (often a comedy) that uses documentary conventions on fictional rather than real-world subject matter






7. A lens with a focal length greater than 50 mm (usually between 80mm and 20mm) - which provides a larger image of the subject than a normal or wide-angle lens but which narrows the angle of vision and flattens the depth of the image relative to normal






8. A narrative approach that limits the audience's view of events to that of the main character(s) in the film. Occasional moments of omniscient narration may give viewers more information than the character shave at specific points in the narrative






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






10. 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






11. 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






12. A shot that focuses audience attention on precise details that may or may not be the focus of characters






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






14. A type of matte shot - created by positioning a pane of optically flawless glass with a painting on it between the camera and the scene to be photographed. This combines the painting on the glass with the set or location - seen through the glass - be






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






16. A shot in a sequence that is taken from the reverse angle of the shot previous to it






17. 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






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






19. The chronological accounting of all events presented and suggested






20. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






21. 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






22. The film medium's technological apparatus is inherently ideological






23. Color. The strength of a hue is measured by its saturation or desaturation






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






25. A brief chronological description of the basic events and characters in a film. It does not include interpretive or evaluative claims






26. 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






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






28. The arrangement of actors on screen as a compositional element that suggests themes - character development - emotional content - and visual motifs






29. Also called 'full screen -' the technique of re-shooting a widescreen film in order to convert it to the original television aspect ration of 1.33 to 1. Rather than reproduce the original aspect ratio - as a letterboxed version does - a panned and sc






30. 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






31. 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






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. 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






34. A crew member responsible for logging the details of each take on the set so as to ensure continuity






35. A cinematography technique that produces an image with many planes of depth in focus. It can be accomplished by using a small aperture - a large distance between camera and subject - and/or a lens of short focal length






36. 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






37. A musical film in which each song and dance number is narratively motivated by a plot that situates characters in performance contexts






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






39. A shot taken from a camera position above the subject - looking down at it






40. Everything audiences hear when they watch a sound film. The soundtrack is the composite of all three elements of film sound: dialogue - music - and sound effects






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






42. A type of short film that blends elements of documentary and avant-garde film to document and often to celebrate the wonder of the modern city






43. The selection and ordering of narrative events presented in a film






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






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






46. A production term denoting a single uninterrupted series of frames exposed by a motion picture or video camera between the time it is turned on and the time it is turned off. Filmmakers shoot several takes of any scene and the film editor selects the






47. 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






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






49. A story; a chain of events linked by cause-and-effect logic






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