Test your basic knowledge |

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 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






2. A device attached to the film camera that records videotape of what has been filmed - allowing the director immediate access to video footage






3. A technique of leaving empty space around the subject in the frame - in order to covey openness and continuity of visible space and to imply offscreen space






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






5. A part of the story world implied by visual or sound techniques rather than being revealed by the camera






6. Any narrative - visual - or sound element that is repeated and thereby acquires and reflects its significance to the story - characters - or themes of the film.






7. 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






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






9. A musical accompaniment written specifically for a film






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






11. Live action is filmed in front of a blue screen and a matte. It's then joined with the background footage






12. A musical in which some or all musical numbers are not motivated by the narrative; for example - characters sing and dance throughout the film but at least some performances are not staged for an onscreen audience. Examples include Oklahoma - The umb






13. Also called 'rushes.' Footage exposed and developed quickly so that the director can assess the day's work






14. 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






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






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






17. 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






18. The arrangement of images to depict a unified storyline






19. Secondary footage that is interspersed with master shots - sometimes in the form of footage shot for another production or archival footage






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






21. A narrative moment that signals an important shift of some kind in character or situation






22. A technique of 'pushing' the film (overdeveloping it) to correct problems of underexposure (resulting from insufficient light during shooting) by increasing image contrast






23. 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






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






25. 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






26. A change of focus from one plane of depth to another. As the in-focus subject goes out of focus - another object - which has been blurry - comes into focus in either the background or the foreground






27. 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






28. 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






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. Optical illusions created during post-production






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






32. A style associated with Hollywood filmmaking of the studio and post-studio era - in which efficient storytelling - rather than gritty realism or aesthetic innovation - is of paramount importance






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






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






35. A shot transition that emphasizes the visual similarities between two consecutive shots






36. Also called 'd-cinema.' Not to be confused with digital cinematography (shooting movies on digital video) - this term refers to using digital technologies for exhibition






37. 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






38. Squeezes the image at a ratio of 2:1 horizontally onto a standard film frame. On the projector - it unsqueezes the image - creating a widescreen aspect ratio during presentation






39. Dialogue that restates What is already obvious from images or action






40. Creating images during post-production by joining together photographic or CGI material shot or created at different times and places






41. A term applied to film stock that is relatively insensitive to light. This stock will not yield acceptable images unless the amount of light can be carefully controlled






42. The aspect ratio of 1.33:1 - standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences until the development of widescreen formats in the 1950s






43. The measure of intensity or purity of a color. Saturated color is purer than desaturated color - which has more white in it and thus offers a washed-out - less intense version of a color






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






45. A machine that converts film prints to videotape format






46. Sound recorded on a set - on location - or - for documentary film - at an actual real-world event - as opposed to dubbed in post-production through ADR or looping






47. A technique of leaving empty space around the subject in the frame - in order to covey openness and continuity of visible space and to imply offscreen space






48. 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






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






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