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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 flexible celluloid strip that - along with the emulsion layer - comprises 35mm film stock






2. These filters bend the light coming into lens - softening and blurring the image






3. The first print made from a film negative






4. 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






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






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






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






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






9. An alternative to classical and realist styles - formalism is a self-consciously interventionist approach that explores ideas - abstraction - and aesthetics rather than focusing on storytelling (as in classical films) or everyday life (as in realist






10. 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






11. A machine that converts film prints to videotape format






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






13. A technique of shifting the camera angle - height - or distance to take into account the motion of actors or objects within the frame






14. The period after principal photography during which editing and looping take place - and special visual effects are added to the film






15. A film process that uses 35mm film stock but changes the orientation of the film so that the film moves through the camera horizontally instead of vertically. The larger image is of higher quality than standard 35mm processes






16. Natural light; The process of suing sunlight rather than artificial studio lights when filming






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






18. The five vertically integrated corporations that exerted the greatest control over film production in the studio era: MGM - Warner Brothers - RKO - Twentieth Century Fox - and Paramount






19. The practice or repeatedly casting actors in similar roles across different films






20. 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






21. A widescreen process that uses three cameras - three projectors - and a wide - curved screen






22. 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






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






24. A type of documentary film whose purpose is to present the way of life of a culture or subculture






25. A digital technique developed by Industrial Light and Magic - which builds movement sequences from single frames of film






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 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






28. 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






29. A videotape system that records images onto magnetic tape - using electronic signals






30. Optical illusions created during post-production






31. A mental phenomenon by which viewers derive more meaning from the interaction of two sequential shots than from a single shot in isolation






32. A format that uses a larger film stock than standard 35mm. IMAX - Omnimax - and Showscan are shot on 70mm film






33. 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






34. A painting used on the set as a portion of the background






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






36. 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






37. A platform on wheels - used for mobile camera shots






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






39. The building block of a scene; an uninterrupted sequence of frames that viewers experience as they watch a film - ending with a cut - fade - dissolve - etc. See also Take






40. A class or type of film - such as the Western or the horror movie. They share narrative - visual - and/or sound conventions






41. A narrative - visual - or sound element that refers viewers to other films or works of art






42. An efficient system developed for film lighting. In a standard lighting set-up - the key light illuminates the subject - the fill light eliminates shadows cast by the key light - and the back light separates the subject from the background






43. Glass filters whose surface is etched with spots that refract light - so they create the appearance of water droplets in the air






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






45. Public identity created by marketing a film actor's performances - press coverage - and 'personal' information to fans as the star's personality






46. 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






47. A term used for any narrative sound - or visual element not contained in the story world. Also called 'extradiegetic'






48. Then Hollywood writers and directors cited for Contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with the House Committee on Un-American Activities' attempts to root out Communists in the film industry






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






50. A camera device that opens and closes to regulate the length of time the film is exposed to light