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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 type of film stock that is sensitive to (in other words - registers) all tones in the color spectrum






2. 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






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






4. A shot that depicts a human body from the feet up






5. 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






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






7. 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






8. Experimental film; Underground cinema;






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






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






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






12. A type of short film that blends elements of documentary and avant-garde film to document and often to celebrate the wonder of the modern city






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






14. The non-chronological insertion of scenes of events yet to happen into the present day of the story world






15. 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.






16. 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






17. The artful use of light and dark areas in the composition in black and white filmmaking






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






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






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






21. Devices that attach to actors' faces and/or bodies to change their appearance






22. A non-standard narrative organization that assumes 'day in the life' quality rather than the highly structured three-act or four part narrative - and that features loose or indirect cause-effect relationships






23. The details of a character's past that emerge as the film unfolds - and which often play a role in character motivation






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






25. 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






26. A device worn by a camera operator that holds the motion picture camera - allowing it glide smoothly through spaces unreachable by camera mounted on a crane or other apparatus






27. The chronological accounting of all events presented and suggested






28. 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






29. The use of editing techniques - such as a fade or dissolve - to indicate the end of one scene and the beginning of another






30. A technique of moving the camera - on a specially built track. Such shots often trace character movement laterally across the frame or in and out of the depth of the frame






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






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






33. 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






34. A technique of manipulating focus to direct the viewer's attention






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






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






37. Creating an image by combining several elements created separately using computer graphics rather than photographic means






38. A person responsible for putting a film together from a mass of developed footage - making decisions regarding pace - shot transitions - and which scenes and shots will be used






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






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






41. 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






42. The rules of character - setting - and narrative that films that belong to a genre - such as Westerns - horror films - and screwball comedies - generally obey.






43. A continuity editing technique that preserves spatial continuity by using a character's line of vision as motivation for a cut






44. 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






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






46. 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






47. A form of shot transition - generally concluding a scene - where a circular mask constricts around the image until the entire frame is black






48. An uncredited actor - usually hired for crowd scenes






49. 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






50. Author; A term popularized by French film critics and refers to film directors with their own distinctive style