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. Thin - flexible material comprised of base and emulsion layers - onto which light rays are focused and which is processed in chemicals to produce film images






2. 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






3. A technique of shifting the camera angle - height - or distance to take into account the motion of actors or objects within the frame






4. Any lens with a focal length approximately equal to the diagonal of the frame. For 35mm filmmaking - a 35-50 mm lens does not distort the angle of vision or depth






5. A flexible celluloid strip that - along with the emulsion layer - comprises 35mm film stock






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






7. 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






8. 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






9. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






10. The imagined world of the story






11. A narrative - visual - or sound element that refers viewers to other films or works of art






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






13. Dutch angle; a shot resulting from a static camera that is tilted to the right or left - so that the subject in the frame appears at a diagonal






14. Assists the gaffer in managing lighting crews






15. A brief chronological description of the basic events and characters in a film. It does not include interpretive or evaluative claims






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






17. 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






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






19. 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.'






20. 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






21. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






22. A shot taken when the camera is so close to a subject that it fills the frame. It is most commonly used for a shot that isolates and encompasses a single actor's face - to emphasize the expression of emotion






23. A single take that contains an entire scene






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






25. A visual effect achieved through the use of photography and digital techniques that appears to stop time and allow the viewer to travel around the subject and view it from a multitude of vantage points






26. A scene transition wherein sound from one scene bleeds over into the ext scene - often resulting in a contrast between sound image






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






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






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






31. 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






32. A process of transferring film to video tapes or DVDs so that the original aspect ratio of the film is preserved






33. A mental phenomenon by which viewers derive more meaning from the interaction of two sequential shots than from a single shot in isolation






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






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






36. A system for recording images on magnetic tape using a digital signal - that is - an electronic signal comprised of 0s and 1s






37. 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






38. A film style that - in contrast to the classical and formalist styles - focuses characters - place - and the spontaneity and digressiveness of life - rather than on highly structured stories or aesthetic abstraction






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






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






41. A scene transition wherein sound from one scene bleeds over into the ext scene - often resulting in a contrast between sound image






42. An action film cycle of the late 1960s and early 1970s that featured bold - rebellious African American characters






43. 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






44. The practice of Hollywood studios contracting out post-production work to individuals or firms outside the U.S.






45. 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






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






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






48. 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.






49. 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






50. Experimental film; Underground cinema;