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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 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






2. 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






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






4. Wheeled platform with wheels that rotate - so the dolly can change direction






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






6. A crew member responsible for logging the details of each take on the set so as to ensure continuity






7. A machine that converts film prints to videotape format






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






9. 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






10. An actor whose career rests on playing minor or secondary quirky characters rather than leading roles






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






12. 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






13. A series of related scene joined through elliptical editing that indicates the passage of time






14. A shot taken by a camera that is held manually rather than supported by a tripod - crane or Steadicam. Generally - such shots are shaky - owing to the motion of the camera operator






15. A type of filter that absorbs certain wavelength but leave others unaffected. On black and white film - color filters lighten or darken tones. On color film - they can produce a range of effects






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






17. 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






18. 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






19. A filter that creates points of light that streak outward from a light source






20. A business model adopted by the major studios during the Hollywood studio era - in which studios controlled all aspects of the film business - from production to distribution and exhibition






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






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






23. A process of blending the three elements of the sound track (dialogue - music - and effects) in post-production






24. A film that fuses the conventions of two or more genres






25. A story narrated by one of the characters within the story - using the 'I' voice






26. A neutral account of the basic plot and style of a film - a part of a film - or a group of films






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






28. Projecting a series of frames of film with the same image - which appears to stop the action






29. 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






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






31. A lens with a variable focal length that allows changes of focal length while keeping the subject in focus






32. 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






33. 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






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






35. 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






36. 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






37. 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






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






39. 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






40. A technique of shooting a scene at a very high speed (96 frames per second) - then adding and subtracting frames in post-production - 'fanning out' the action through the overlapping images






41. The annotated script - containing information about set-ups used during shooting






42. 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






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






44. A technique in which the audience temporarily shares the visual perspective of a character or a group of characters. The camera points in the directions the character looks - simulating the character's field of vision






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






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






47. 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






48. A technique of cutting back and forth between action occurring in two different locations - which often creates the illusion that they are happening simultaneously. Also called 'cross cutting.'






49. 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






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