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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. 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






2. A series of individual drawings that provides a blueprint for the shooting of a scene






3. An action film cycle of the late 1960s and early 1970s that featured bold - rebellious African American characters






4. 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






5. The non-chronological insertion of scenes of events yet to happen into the present day of the story world






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






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






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






9. 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






10. 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






11. The camera should move at least 30 degrees any time there is a cut within a scene






12. The non-chronological insertion of events from the past into the present day of the story world






13. A lens with a shorter focal length than a normal or telephoto lens (usually between 15-35mm). The subject appears smaller as a result - but the angle of vision is wider and an illusion is created of greater depth in the frame






14. The distance in millimeters from the optical center of a lens to the lane where the sharpest image is formed while focusing on a distant object






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






16. A glass element on a camera that focuses light rays so that the image of the object appears on the surface of the film






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






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






19. A group of films within a given genre that share their own specific set of conventions that differentiate them from other films in the genre. For example - the slasher film is a subgenre of the horror genre






20. A single take that contains an entire scene






21. 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






22. 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






23. A story narrated by one of the characters within the story - using the 'I' voice






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






25. A chemical coating on film stock containing light-sensitive grains






26. Dense accumulation of detail conveyed in the opening moments of a film






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






28. Lighting design that provides an even illumination of the subject - with many facial details washed out. High-key lighting tends to create a hopeful mood - in contrast to low-key lighting






29. 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






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






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






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






33. Standard shot pattern: A sequence of shots designed to maintain spatial continuity. Scene begin with an establishing shot - then move to a series of individual shots depicting characters and action - before reestablishing shots re-orient viewers to t






34. 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






35. 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






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






37. A shot taken from a level camera located approximately 5' to 6' from the ground - simulating the perspective of a person standing before the action presented






38. An optical effect whereby the human eye fills in gaps between closely spaced objects - so that two light bulbs flashing on and off are understood as one light moving back and forth






39. The narrative path of the main or supporting characters - also called a plotline. Complex films may have several lines of action






40. Assists the gaffer in managing lighting crews






41. 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






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






43. 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






44. An outlawed studio era practice - where studios forced exhibitors to book groups of films at once - thus ensuring a market for their failures along with their successes






45. A crew member whose job is to measure the distance between the subject and the camera lens - marking the ring on the camera lens - and ensuring the ring is turned precisely so that the image is in focus






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






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






48. A term for film stock used in early cinema that was insensitive to red hues






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






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