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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. The aspect ratio of 1.33:1 - standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences until the development of widescreen formats in the 1950s






2. The distance that appears in focus in front of and behind the subject. It is determined by the aperture - distance and focal length of lens






3. 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






4. A short documentary on current events - show in movie theaters along with cartoons and feature films beginning in the 1930s






5. A shot that makes the human subject very small in relation to his or her environment. The entire figure from head to toe is onscreen and dwarfed by the surroundings






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






7. A method for producing a widescreen image without special lenses or equipment - using standard film stock and blocking out the top and bottom of the frame to achieve an aspect ration of 1.85:1






8. The reverse of Iris in: an iris expands outward until the next shot takes up the entire screen






9. Smaller corporations that did not own distribution and/or exhibition companies in the studio era - including Universal - Columbia - and United Artists






10. Sound design that blends the speech of several characters talking simultaneously - used to create spontaneity - although it may also confuse the audience






11. A style of Japanese animation - distinguished primarily by the fact that it is not all geared for young audiences






12. A painting used on the set as a portion of the background






13. A lens with a shorter focal length than a normal or telephoto lens (usually between 15-35mm). The subject appears smaller as a result - but the angle of vision is wider and an illusion is created of greater depth in the frame






14. The way an actor delivers a line of dialogue - including pauses - inflection - and emotion






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






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






17. An effect created when more light is required to produce an image strakes the film stock - so that the resulting image exhibits high contrast - glaring light - and washed out shadows. This effect ma or may not be intentional on the filmmaker's part






18. A similarity established between two characters or situations that invites the audience to compare the two. It may involve visual - narrative - and/or sound elements






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






20. Louis Althusser's term for the way in which a society creates its subjects/citizens through ideological (as opposed to repressive) state apparatuses - which include education - media - religion - and the family






21. 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






22. The classical model of narrative form. The first act introduces characters and conflicts; the second act offers complication leading to a climax; the third act contains the danouement and resolution






23. A fiction film (often a comedy) that uses documentary conventions on fictional rather than real-world subject matter






24. A technique of exposing film frames - then rewinding the film and exposing it again - which results in an image that combines two shots in a single frame






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






26. The plotline that surrounds an embedded tale. The frame narration may or may not be as fully developed as the embedded tale






27. A production term referring to coordinating actors' movements with lines of dialogue






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






29. 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






30. Light emitted from a relatively small source positioned close to the subject. It tends to be unflattering because it creates deep shadows and emphasizes surface imperfections






31. 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






32. A sound editing technique that links several scenes through parallel and overlapping sounds. Each sound is associated with one scene - unlike a sound bridge - where a sound from one scene bleeds into that of another






33. 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






34. The plotline that surrounds an embedded tale. The frame narration may or may not be as fully developed as the embedded tale






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






36. A shot in a sequence that is taken from the reverse angle of the shot previous to it






37. A glass element on a camera that focuses light rays so that the image of the object appears on the surface of the film






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






39. 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






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






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






42. 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






43. A short segment of film used to promote an upcoming release






44. The technique of telling the story from an all-knowing character. Films that use restricted narration limit the audience's perception to what one particular character knows - but may insert moments of omniscience






45. The practice or repeatedly casting actors in similar roles across different films






46. A shot in a sequence that is taken from the reverse angle of the shot previous to it






47. An efficient system developed for film lighting. In a standard lighting set-up - the key light illuminates the subject - the fill light eliminates shadows cast by the key light - and the back light separates the subject from the background






48. A shot taken fro a position directly above the action - also called a 'birds' eye shot'






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






50. A black masking device used to black out a portion of the frame - usually for the insertion of other images







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