Q&A Hero

Q: Lev Kuleshov's discovery, termed the "Kuleshov effect," suggests that A. regular graphic matching always enhances the narrative clarity of a scene. B. the spectator's center of attention should be kept in the middle of the screen from one shot to the next. C. even if no establishing shot is shown, spectators will still assume that objects in separate shots are near one another. D. spectators tend not to notice editing if matches on action and shot/reverse shots are consistently used.

Q: Crosscutting is an editing technique that alternates between simultaneous shots in two separate spaces. B. moves back and forth across the axis of action. C. introduces flashbacks by direct cuts rather than dissolves or fade-outs. D. alternates long-shot views with extreme close-ups.

Q: A temporal ellipsis in editing A. repeats an action to extend time. B. shows parallel actions to repeat time. C. eliminates part of the action to condense time. D. creates a smooth match on action to eliminate time.

Q: What change in continuity editing has occurred to adapt to the increased number of shots used in films since 1960? A. Increased use of establishing shots B. More frequent motion of the camera C. Less use of telephoto lenses D. More distant views of characters

Q: The technique of overlapping editing consists of A. cutting away to action happening elsewhere. B. expanding the scene by showing more than one view of the same action. C. placing a small portion of one strip of film over another in order to make a splice. D. making scene changes so rapidly that the audience cannot see what is happening in the individual shots.

Q: Continuity editing is a system for A. rapidly editing on video as the film is being shot. B. creating a regular rhythm for a scene. C. making shots progressively more rapid during a scene. D. for keeping the spatial and temporal relations of a scene clear.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the 180-degree system? A. It keeps part of the background consistent from shot to shot. B. It ensures constant screen direction from shot to shot. C. It ensures a temporal overlap from shot to shot. D. It avoids crossing the axis of action.

Q: The opening scene of The Maltese Falcon showing the office of detective Sam Space contains examples of what type of editing? A. Crosscutting between Sam's office and the bridger B. Montage sequence of Effie's childhood C. Rhythmic cutting between the office window and Effie's entrance D. Shot/reverse shot during the conversation between Effie and Sam

Q: The Lumire brothers' early camera was too bulky and heavy to take on location, leading them to shoot exclusively in a film studio.

Q: The axis of action is A. an imaginary vertical line down the center of the screen around which the characters are clustered to preserve a graphic circle. B. an imaginary 180-degree line between the main characters that determines where the camera should be placed to preserve continuity. C. an imaginary 30-degrees line between the main character and the camera that determines where the camera should be placed for close-ups. D. a chalk line marked on the floor to show how far away from the camera the actor should be.

Q: Rear projection seldom creates convincing depth cues in the frame.

Q: A zoom lens allows filmmakers to magnify or minimize objects without changing perspective relationships in the shot.

Q: A "long take" is a shot taken with the camera at a considerable distance away from the main subject of the shot.

Q: "Day-for-night" technique involves shooting outdoor day scenes at night.

Q: An ordinary modern Hollywood film typically contains about A. 100 to 200 shots. B. 5,000 to 10,000 shots. C. 40,000 to 50,000 shots. D. 1,000 to 3,000 shots.

Q: What type of camera movement swivels the camera horizontally on a vertical axis? A. Crane B. Dolly C. Tilt D. Pan

Q: Shots in which a filmmaker prefers bumpy over smooth camera movements are usually created A. by the operator walking with a handheld camera. B. in the postproduction phase. C. with a camera mounted to a dolly. D. by the operator deliberately jerking the camera up and down rapidly.

Q: Which of the following is NOT true of an extreme close-up? A. It singles out one portion of a character's face. B. It focuses on a character from the waist up. C. It isolates an object. D. It magnifies an object.

Q: A low-contrast image displays a wide range of grays.

Q: The range of tonalities in the image is most crucially affected by the exposure of the image during filming.

Q: Slow motion is achieved by decreasing the number of frames per second shot.

Q: Wide-angle lenses are also referred to as "telephoto" lenses.

Q: A long-focal-length lens tends to squash the planes of action together, reducing the impression of depth.

Q: "Racking focus" refers to adjusting the camera to change the plane that is in focus.

Q: Which group of filmmakers is typically associated with the long take? Orson Welles, Kenji Mizoguchi, Andy Warhol, and Gus van Sant B. Howard Hawks, Buster Keaton, Robert Bresson, and Louis Lumire C. Georges Mlis, Akira Kurosawa, Abel Gance, and Sergei Eisenstein D. Erich von Stroheim, Samuel Fuller, Alain Resnais, and Richard Lester

Q: Digital grading allows for altering the color of shots in postproduction.

Q: The speed of motion presented on-screen depends on A. the number of frames per second of celluloid used. B. the rate of projection alone. the rate of shooting and the rate of projection. D. frame size and shape.

Q: A digital colorist adjusting an image's tonality in postproduction has the ability to A. use a color timer or grader to change a print's color range. B. adjust color in specific parts of the frame and maintain that adjustment. C. hand color certain parts of a shot. D. dip the developed film into a bath of dye to change the color.

Q: A moving circular mask that opens to reveal a scene or that closes to conceal a scene is called A. an eye mask. B. a lens. C. a filter. D. an iris.

Q: Viewers are most aware of off-screen space when it creates surprise or suspense. B. a character looks or gestures at something happening off-screen. C. a character is unaware of what is happening off-screen. D. it has been shown several times in the film.

Q: A medium shot frames the body A. from the chest up. B. from the knees up. C. from the waist up. D. from the neck up.

Q: In a crane shot, the camera moves A. in any direction along the ground. above the ground level. C. diagonally. D. in circles.

Q: Which of the following describes a type of widescreen image? A. Hard matte B. Composite image C. Full-frame D. Academy ratio

Q: An anamorphic process A. has a built-in filter that permits "day-for-night" shooting. is used to squeeze a widescreen image onto a strip of film. C. is specifically designed for use on a Steadicam. D. gives greater depth of field than any other type of lens.

Q: In cinematography, "mask" refers to A. a technique used to change the shape of the frame. B. a filter placed over the lens to change the color of the scene. C. the case placed around the camera to muffle its noise for sound filming. D. shades used to keep sunlight from creating lens flares.

Q: In a canted camera position, objects on the screen appear A. upside down. not to be level. C. as seen from directly above. D. as seen at ground level.

Q: Terms for camera distance, such as "medium shot," are based on A. the actual distance of the characters from the camera. B. the focal length of the lens being used. C. the size of the figures relative to the frame. D. how high the actors' heads are in the frame.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a standard term for a type of mobile framing? A. Tilt B. Crane C. Pan D. Glide

Q: "Reframing" refers to A. taking one lens off the camera and putting on another with a different focal length. B. moving the camera forward after the master shot has been filmed, in order to get closer views. C. making short pans or tilts to keep the composition balanced. D. inserting hard mattes into the camera to achieve widescreen aspect ratios.

Q: A central characteristic of the cinematography in Jean Renoir's Grand Illusion is A. long takes with a nearly static camera and complex staging in depth. B. frequent tracking shots that emphasize significant details in the mise-en-scene. C. innovative use of the zoom shot in almost every scene. D. almost constant craning shots.

Q: The form of Michael Snow's Wavelength is structured around which type of mobile framing? A. Slow tracking shots through an abandoned loft B. Rhythmic panning to catch the reactions of a crowd C. A series of slow craning shots on a beach D. An irregular series of zoom-ins across a room

Q: A zoom lens is a A. lens with an extremely long focal length. lens that can change focal length while a shot is being filmed. C. lens with a special mount that can be changed quickly between shots. D. short lens used for rapid camera movements.

Q: "Depth of field" refers to A. the distance the actors have to be from the camera to prevent their heads from going out of the frame. B. the distance from the camera to the back wall of the set. C. the range of distances from the lens in which objects filmed will be in focus. D. how large objects appear within the frame.

Q: Deep-focus cinematography was popularized in 1940s in part by A. Gone with the Wind. B. The Crime of M. Lange. C. The Wizard of Oz. D. Citizen Kane.

Q: Which of the following statements is NOT true concerning Peter Jackson's use of computer-generated imagery in The Lord of the Rings trilogy? A. It was used to create portions of the mise-en-scene. B. It was used to create characters with individual artificial intelligence. C. It was used to create digital stunt doubles for actors. D. It was used mainly to create vast crowds of soldiers.

Q: "Contrast" refers to the difference between the darkest and lightest parts of a frame. B. the darkest part of a frame. C. a mixture of black-and-white frames and color frames. D. the use of color to emphasize images in a frame.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a type of composite filming? A. Matte B. Rear projection C. Racking D. Front projection

Q: Slices of glass or gelatin placed in front of the lens of a camera to prevent certain frequencies of light from reaching the film are called A. toners. B. blockers. C. exposures. D. filters.

Q: "Aspect ratio" is the ratio of frame width to frame height.

Q: In an extreme long shot, a human figure appears tiny or is lost to view.

Q: Action involving digital special effects must be shot in front of a blue or green screen.

Q: Describe some of the tools of mobile framing available to the cinematographer and some of the artistic functions they can serve. Give some specific examples from FilmArt, the lecture, and any film seen for this class.

Q: Describe how computer-generated imagery was integrated into all stages of production in Peter Jackson's film adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

Q: Technicolor was notable for A. its soft, warm pastels. B. its ease of use during shooting. its rich, saturated hues. D. its need for less light than earlier color processes.

Q: Tinting and toning are A. printing techniques used to correct flaws in an image's color. B. makeup used to adjust skin tones to suit the color balance of the film stock. C. methods of using filters to change the color of the light on the set. D. methods for using dyes used to add color to black-and-white film.

Q: The projection speed for sound films was first standardized at 24 frames per second. B. 50 feet per minute. C. 36 frames per second. D. 30 minutes per reel.

Q: Which of the following is NOT affected by the focal length of the camera lens? A. Magnification B. Depth C. Scale D. Aspect ratio

Q: Select a moment from a highly-regarded film such as Silence of the Lambs or Jerry Maguire and discuss how meaning is conveyed through the actor's physical self.

Q: "Perspective" refers to a set of spatial relations around a particular viewing point.

Q: If a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens photograph the same scene, the perspective relations in the images they capture will likely be the same.

Q: Today telephoto lenses, sometimes called long lenses, are usually at least 100 mm in length.

Q: The most realistic type of special effect is superimposition.

Q: Current 3-D technology creates live-action images with all of the volume and solidity of the real world by always using extreme depth of field.

Q: Soft, high-key lighting is associated with mystery stories, crime films, and filmsnoir.

Q: According to Film Art, realism is the most useful standard for evaluating actors' performances.

Q: Since the advent of sound, it is less important for actors to use their eyes, brow, and mouth to express character emotions.

Q: German Expressionist films, such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, are characterized by realistic mise-en-scene and subtle, psychologically based acting.

Q: "Warm" colors tend to attract the spectator's eye more than "cool" colors.

Q: When balancing the shot, filmmakers assume that the viewer will concentrate on the lower half of the projected frame.

Q: Most of the gags in Our Hospitality depend on shallow-space compositions.

Q: Setting plays a less significant role in the cinema than it does in the theater.

Q: Animated films, like live-action films, have mise-en-scene.

Q: "Hard" lighting reveals well-defined shadows and crisp textures.

Q: Unplanned events that are filmed by accident are not part of the mise-en-scene of a shot.

Q: Discuss the problems with using realism as a criterion for evaluating films, giving specific examples from any of the films shown for this class.

Q: Marlon Brando's performance in On the Waterfront was considered a major example of realistic acting in its day.

Q: Films shot in the studio have mise-en-scene, whereas films made entirely on location do not.

Q: "Fill" light is used to create deep shadows.

Q: "Edge" lighting is a type of backlighting used to make characters stand out against a background.

Q: In Hollywood studio filmmaking, the lights are kept in the same position throughout a scene, no matter where the camera is placed.