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






2. A technique of intentionally adding scratches in a film's emulsion layer for aesthetic purposes - such as to simulate home movie footage






3. 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






4. 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






5. 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






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






7. The measurement of how forgiving a film stock is. It determines whether an acceptable image will be produced when the film stock is exposed to too little or too much light






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






9. A genre film that radically modifies accepted genre conventions for dramatic effect






10. Filters that increase color saturation and contrast in outdoor shots






11. 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






12. A chemical embedded in the emulsion layer of film stock that - when developed after exposure - releases a particular color dye (red - green - or blue)






13. The horizontal turning movement of an otherwise immobile camera across a scene from left to right or vice versa






14. 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






15. The term for a film's spoken dialogue - as opposed to the underlying meaning contained in the subtext






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






17. An alternative to continuity editing - this style of editing was developed in silent Soviet cinema - based on the theory that editing should exploit the difference between shots to generate intellectual and emotional responses in the audience






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






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






20. A technique of moving a zoom lens from a wide-angle position to a telephoto position - which results in a magnification of the subject within the frame - and keeps the subject in focus






21. A film composed entirely of footage from other films.






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






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






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






25. 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






26. An unstated meaning that underlies and is implied by spoken dialogue






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






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






29. A shot that contains two characters within the frame






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






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






32. 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






33. 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






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






35. The person in charge of planning the style and look of the film with the production designer and director of photography - working with actors during principal photography - and collaborating with the editor on the final version






36. An unstated meaning that underlies and is implied by spoken dialogue






37. 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






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






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






40. A system for combining two separately filmed images in the same frame that involves create a matte (a black mask that covers a portion of the image) for a live action sequence and using it to block out a portion of the frame when filming the backgrou






41. A shot that focuses audience attention on precise details that may or may not be the focus of characters






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






43. The first step in the process of creating CGI. The wireframe is a three-dimensional computer model of an object - which is then rendered (producing the finished image) and animated (using simulated camera movement frame by frame)






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






45. 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






46. 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.






47. 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






48. The falling or unraveling action after the climax of a narrative that leads to resolution






49. 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






50. 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






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