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. The film medium's technological apparatus is inherently ideological






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






3. An abrupt - inexplicable shift in time and place of an action not signaled by an appropriate shot transition






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






5. 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






6. A shot that appears during or near the end of a scene and reorients viewers to the setting






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






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






9. Early films that documented everyday events - such as workers leaving a factory






10. Materials intentionally released by studios to attract public attention to films and their stars. Promotion differs from publicity - which is information that is not (or does not appear to be) intentionally disseminated by studios






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






12. The arrangement of images to depict a unified storyline






13. 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






14. Non-diegetic; any element in the film that is not part of the imagined story world






15. A technique of running the motion picture camera at a speed slower than projection speed (24 frames per second) - in order to produce at a fast motion sequence when projected at normal speed. The term derives from early film cameras - which were cran






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






17. Creating the appearance of movement by drawing a series of frames that are projected sequentially - rather than photographing a series of still images






18. 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






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






20. A shot taken from a camera mounted on a crane that moves three-dimensionally in a space






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






22. A marketing strategy of screening a blockbuster prior to general release only in premier theaters






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






24. 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






25. 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






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






27. Film productions shot outside the U.S. for economic reasons






28. 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






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






30. A post-studio era Hollywood film designed to appeal to the broadest possible audience by fusing a simple story line with major movie stars and mounting a lavish marketing campaign






31. Creating the appearance of movement by drawing a series of frames that are projected sequentially - rather than photographing a series of still images






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






33. Any noticeable but unintended discrepancy from one shot to the next in costume - props - hairstyle - posture - etc.






34. A specialist who monitors the processing of color on the se and in the film lab






35. 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






36. A production crew responsible not for shooting the primary footage but - instead - for remote location shooting and B-roll. See also B-roll






37. The chip in a video camera that converts the incoming light to an electronic signal






38. 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






39. A statement that presents an argument about a film's meaning and significance






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






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






42. A measure of the visual and sound quality of a film. Low-budget films tend to have lower production values because they lack the resources to devote to expensive pre- and post-production activities






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






44. A consistent style - theme - and subject matter developed over the course of a director's body of work






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






46. A pan executed so quickly that it produces a blurred image - indicated rapid activity or - sometimes - the passage of time






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






48. A crew member who works in post-production in a specially equipped studio to create the sounds of the story world - such as the shuffling of shoes on various surfaces for footsteps






49. A short screen appearance by a celebrity - playing himself or herself






50. Optical illusions created during post-production