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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 shot that depicts a human body from the feet up






2. 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






3. A short segment of film used to promote an upcoming release






4. Also called 'stop motion photography.' A technique of photographing a scene one frame at a time and moving the model between each shot






5. 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






6. A technique used to join live action with a pre-recorded background image. A projector is placed behind a screen and projects an image onto it. Actors stand in front of the screen and the camera records them in front of the projected background






7. An abrupt shot transition that occurs when Shot A is instantaneously replaced by Shot B.






8. 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






9. 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






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






11. A crew member who reports to the Director of Photography (DP) and is in charge of tasks involving lighting and electrical needs






12. The average length in seconds of a series of shots - covering a portion of a film or an entire film; a measure of pace within a scene or in the film as a whole.






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 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






15. (Automatic dialogue replacement) recording synchronized dialogue in post-production - cutting several identical lengths of developed film and having actors record the dialogue repeatedly






16. 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






17. Assists the gaffer in managing lighting crews






18. 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






19. A filter that simply reduces the amount of light entering the lens - without affecting the color characteristics






20. 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






21. Images that originate from computer graphics technology - rather than photography






22. 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






23. 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






24. An optical effect whereby the eye continues to register a visual stimulus in the brain for a brief period after that stimulus has been removed






25. 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






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






27. 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






28. A film's main characters - one whose conflicts and motives drive the story forward






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






30. Drawing attention to the process of representation (including narrative and characterization) to break the theatrical illusion and elicit a distanced - intellectual response in the audience






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






32. A person responsible for putting a film together from a mass of developed footage - making decisions regarding pace - shot transitions - and which scenes and shots will be used






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






34. The visual arrangement of objects - actors - and space within the frame






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






36. A technique of moving from the telephoto position to the wide-angle position of a zoom lens - which results in the subject appearing to become smaller within the frame - while remaining in focus






37. A scene transition in which the first frame of the incoming scene appears to push the last frame of the previous scene off the screen horizontally






38. 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






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






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






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






42. The central cause(s) behind a character's actions






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






44. An animation technique that uses a computer program to interpolate frames to produce the effect of an object or creature changing gradually into something different. The program calculates the way the image must change in order for the first image to






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






46. 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






47. A direct vocal address to the audience - Which may emanate from a character or from a narrative voice apparently unrelated to the diegesis






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






49. A single take that contains an entire scene






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