Film Quiz 1

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Cinematography

Motion-picture photography

Academy Ratio

An aspect ratio of screen width to height of 1.37:1, the standard adopted by the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1932 and used by most films until the introduction of widescreen in the 1950s

Aspect Ratio

The width-to-height ratio of the film frame as it appears on a movie screen or television monitor

Axis of Action

An imaginary line bisecting a scene corresponding to the 180-degree rule in continuity editing

Blocking

The arrangement and movement of actors in relation to one another within the physical space of the mise-en-scène

Canted/Dutch Angle

Angle that is not level, creating an unbalanced appearance

Continuity Editing

Editing that uses transitions to create a smooth, clear story from shot to shot

Depth of Field

The range or distance before and behind the main focus of a shot within which objects remain relatively sharp and clear

Dissolve

An optical effect that briefly superimposes one shot over the next, which takes its place: one image fades out as another image fades in

Establishing Shot

An initial long shot that establishes the location and setting and that orients the viewer in space to a clear view of the action

Eyeline Match

A cut that follows a shot of a character looking offscreen with a shot of a subject whose screen position matches the gaze of the character in the first shot

Frame

A still image from a movie

Intercutting

Interposing shots of two or more actions or locations

Jump Cut

An edit that interrupts a particular action and intentionally or unintentionally creates discontinuities in the spatial or temporal development of shots

Letterboxing

An effect, usually seen on home video or television, where the top and bottom strips of a frame are blacked out to accommodate a widescreen image

Long Take

A shot of relatively long duration

Match on Action

A cut between two shots continuing a visual action

Pan-and-Scan

The process used to transfer a widescreen-format film to the 4:3 television aspect ratio

Parallel Editing

An editing technique that alternates back and forth between actions in separate locations, often implying simultaneity

Process Shot

A special effect that combines two or more images as a single shot, such as filming an actor in front of a projected background

Prop

An object that functions as a part of the set or as a tool used by the actors

Rule of Thirds

An object that functions as a part of the set or as a tool used by the actors

Sequence

Any number of shots or scenes that are unified as a coherent action or an identifiable motif, regardless of changes in space and timeS

Sequence Shot

A shot in which an entire scene is played out in one continuous take

Shot

A continuous point of view (or continuously exposed piece of film) between two edits

Shot/Reverse Shot

An editing pattern that begins with a shot of one character looking offscreen in one direction, followed by a shot of a second character, who appears to be looking backS

Scene

One or more shots that depict a continuous space and time

Steadicam

A camera stabilization system introduced in 1976 that allows a camera operator to film a continuous and steady shot without a dolly or other device

Three-Point Lighting

A lighting technique common in Hollywood that combines key lighting, backlighting, and fill lighting to blend the distribution of light in a scene

Instrumental props

musical instruments used as props

Cultural props

Social, historical, or cultural props

Naturalistic mise-en-scène

visual design for realism

Rack Focus

Change in a lens focus during a continuous shot to shifts the attention from one sub to another

180-Degree Rule

An imaginary line between two interacting subjects where a camera stays on one side to prevent disorientation of the viewer

Kuleshov Effect

Viewers find more emotional meaning from two shots interacting than one shotMet

Metaphorical props

Props used not for their intended purpose for symbolic meaning

Contextualized props

Props that have a special meaning in the film

Theatrical mise-en-scene

Visual arrangement and staging on a theatre set

Discontinuity Editing

Breaks rules to disorient the audience (Ex. jump cuts, breaking 180 rule, graphic mismatch)