Q&A Hero

Q: How does the sound design of the opening scene in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) function? a. It intentionally thwarts the audiences spatial and temporal expectations. b. It answers fundamental questions about the narrative. c. It helps the audience distinguish the individual sounds and understand how they are arranged in relation to one another. d. The audio mise-en-scne emphasizes the camaraderie of three desperadoes. e. The various nondiegetic sounds help us understand Harmonicas point of view.

Q: Which of the following is NOT true of dialogue? a. It is a function of plot since it grows out of the characters situations. b. It is a product of acting since it involves an actors voice, gestures, and facial expressions. c. It is one of the primary ways of telling a story. d. It is recorded during production or rerecorded during postproduction. e. It is the speech of characters who must be visible on-screen.

Q: What is the primary function of the sound used in the opening scene of Love Me Tonight (1932)? a. It creates rhythm. d. It sets up audience expectations. b. It offers insight into the protagonist. e. It creates a sound bridge. c. It grounds the audience spatially.

Q: How does the ambient sound of wind when Tom Joad returns to his familys home in The Grapes of Wrath (1940) shape the audiences interpretation of the scene? a. The high intensity of the wind suggests a tornado is coming, and we fear for Toms safety. b. The low sound of the wind underscores Toms loneliness and isolation. c. The squealing of the wind suggests rising tension between Tom and his family. d. The light breeze of the wind suggests a peaceful reunion. e. The high frequency of the wind highlights how unnerved Tom is to return.

Q: How does the grand operatic music used in the Helicopter Attack scene in Apocalypse Now (1979) help to reveal Lieutenant Colonel Kilgores character? a. It underscores his megalomania. b. It highlights how meek he is. c. It suggests he has a grounded, stable personality. d. It emphasizes his pacifism. e. It suggests his calming influence.

Q: What is the principal difference between traditional sound effects and Foley sounds? a. Traditional sound effects are unique; Foley sounds can be taken from a prerecorded library. b. Traditional sound effects are created and recorded wild; Foley sounds are recorded in sync with the picture. c. Traditional sound effects call attention to their own artificiality; Foley sounds enhance verisimilitude. d. Traditional sound effects rely on a variety of props to simulate everyday sounds; Foley sounds are recorded from the natural sounds of real things. e. Traditional sound effects exaggerate reality; Foley sounds are naturalistic.

Q: Which of the following Foley sounds were used to create the dramatic illusion of a glove breaking a nose while in the boxing ring of Raging Bull (1980)? a. the whoosh of an arrow d. the cries of an infant b. a knife stabbing a watermelon e. train whistles c. a fist hitting a side of a car

Q: Before Danny Elfman, Mark Mothersbaugh, Randy Newman, and Jonny Greenwood became some of Hollywoods most prolific contemporary composers, they were a. DJs. d. radio hosts. b. rock musicians. e. music producers. c. symphony conductors.

Q: In the opening sequence of The Shining (1980), the electronic music, which does not emanate from an on-screen location, is a. diegetic. d. on-screen sound. b. low-pitched. e. external sound. c. nondiegetic.

Q: What is the effect of hearing nondiegetic orchestral score music as we see David cross the dance floor in search of a potential partner in The Lobster (2015)? a. It underscores the absurdity and humor of the scene. b. It provides an awareness of the spatial and temporal dimensions of Mt. Rushmore. c. It increases our identification with the characters. d. It emphasizes his anxiety in this high-stakes situation. e. It increases the audiences awareness of the danger that the characters face.

Q: Which of the following sounds are typically used to draw the attention of an audience? a. sound effects faithful to their source b. a synchronous sound bridge c. nondiegetic, offscreen sound to the exclusion of all else d. medium pitch sound e. diegetic sound effects

Q: In Le Million (1931), director Ren Clairs decision to have the sounds of a football game humorously play over a scene featuring characters scrambling to find a valuable lottery ticket is a use of a. synchronous sound. d. on-screen sound. b. asynchronous sound. e. simultaneous sound. c. diegetic sound.

Q: Which of the following is an example of synchronous sound? a. Characters search for a lost dog, and the audience hears the sounds of a hockey game. b. A bottle of champagne is opened, and the audience hears a pop as the cork flies across the room. c. A baby cries, and the audience hears the roar of a lion. d. A couple fights, and the audience hears an ambulance siren. e. A woman opens her mouth to scream, and the sound of a train whistle is heard.

Q: What is the significance of the offscreen sound used when Lieutenant Fontaine is imprisoned in A Man Escaped (1956)? a. The offscreen sounds of daily life represent the world outside the prison, and therefore, freedom. b. The offscreen sounds of other prisoners wailing suggest the tyranny of the Nazis. c. The offscreen sounds of rain, thunder, and lightning represent the power of nature. d. The offscreen sounds of cell doors and keys clanking suggest the gears of justice are in motion. e. The offscreen sounds of gunshots suggest he may soon be liberated.

Q: In which film was the innovation of combining spoken lines with an interior monologue made? a. Badlands (1973) d. Hamlet (1948) b. Padre Padrone (1977) e. The Sweet Hereafter (1997) c. Double Indemnity (1944)

Q: Whenever we hear what we assume are the thoughts of a character within a scene, either as random thoughts or as a sustained monologue, this is known as a. external sound. d. internal sound. b. simultaneous sound. e. overlapping sound. c. on-screen sound.

Q: Which of the following are excluded from a films sound track? a. dialogue d. a directors rehearsal notes b. narration e. music c. sound effects

Q: Which type of film sound tends to dominate most films? a. ambient sound d. vocal sounds b. music e. sound effects c. Foley sounds

Q: While dialogue in most movies represents ordinary speech, the screwball comedies of the 1930s invented a. a serious, naturalistic style. b. a fast, witty style that called attention to itself. c. a languorous, slow style that expressed romantic longing. d. a staccato, clipped manner of speech. e. a proper, formal style.

Q: The sound effect of a bomb exploding when a vase falls in Love Me Tonight (1932) can best be characterized as a. not faithful to its source. d. complex in quality. b. diegetic. e. simultaneous. c. low-pitched.

Q: What is the difference between diegetic and nondiegetic sound? a. Diegetic sound is offscreen; nondiegetic sound can be on-screen or offscreen. b. Diegetic sound provides no relevant spatial or temporal dimensions; nondiegetic sound provides an awareness of where the sound emanates. c. Diegetic sound is recorded during postproduction; nondiegetic sound is recorded during production. d. Diegetic sound originates from a source within a films world; nondiegetic sound comes from outside that world. e. Diegetic sound is assumed to be inaudible to the on-screen characters; nondiegetic sound accompanies action and speech depicted on-screen.

Q: Sound that comes from a place within the world of a story, and that we assume is heard by characters in that world, is known as a. ambient sound. d. nonsimultaneous sound. b. internal sound. e. external sound. c. diegetic sound.

Q: Which of the following is an assistant to the production sound mixer? a. rerecording mixer d. sound editor b. boom operator e. sound effects personnel c. Foley artists

Q: Which of the following is a reason why sound editing takes up a great deal of the time in the editing process? a. Significant portions of the dialogue may need to be created or added during postproduction. b. Unwanted sounds need to be filtered out. c. Sound tracks usually need to be combined and compressed. d. The relative loudness and various aspects of sound quality need to be adjusted. e. Dialogue must be recorded.

Q: Synchronized picture/sound work of a days shooting is known as a. ADR. d. mixing. b. double-system recording. e. dailies. c. outtakes.

Q: Why is ADR used? a. to help sort through outtakes b. to rerecord sound originally recorded on the set or in a foreign language c. to put film sound on a medium separate from the picture d. to help transition to the digital format e. to add dialogue when screening the dailies

Q: Which of the following describes what happens during the process of sound mixing? a. Different individual sound tracks are combined and compressed into one composite sound track. b. Foley sounds are added. c. Dialogue is recorded. d. Usable film footage is logged for easy accessibility. e. Automatic dialogue replacement (ADR) is often needed.

Q: Which of the following does NOT describe a perceptual characteristic of sound? a. pitch d. fidelity b. quality e. amplitude c. loudness

Q: How is sound pitch (or level) defined? a. by the frequency (or speed) with which it is produced b. by its amplitude (or degree of motion within the sound wave) c. by its harmonic content d. by its timbre and texture e. by its volume or intensity

Q: What does the shift from low-pitched to high-pitched music in the all work and no play scene in The Shining (1980) signal to the audience? a. It highlights Wendys coping strategy of denial. b. It underscores how Wendy has become more relaxed. c. It signals Wendys growing comfort with Jacks writing. d. It suggests that Wendys anxiety has escalated to sheer panic. e. It underscores Wendys nonchalant attitude.

Q: Why would filmmakers use the extremes of near silence or shocking loudness in a scene? a. to signal something important b. to create rhythm c. to express a characters point of view d. to create harmonic unity e. to underscore a theme

Q: A sounds faithfulness or unfaithfulness to its source is known as its a. fidelity d. frequency b. timbre e. harmonic content c. amplitude

Q: The same note played at the same volume on three different instruments (say, a piano, violin, and oboe) will produce tones very different in quality since each instrument has its own a. amplitude. d. frequency. b. harmonic content. e. color. c. pitch.

Q: How do the sounds of a violent storm shape the audiences interpretation of The Ice Storm (1997)? a. The nonfaithful sound suggests that Ben and Elena might be able to save their marriage. b. The sweeping wind sounds suggest that this difficult time will pass. c. The harsh breaking sounds serve as a metaphor for the characters frail lives. d. The nonfaithful sound suggests that the characters social order is under attack. e. The faithful sounds of the snow landing on the commuter train suggest a smooth, calming end.

Q: Which statement best describes the film sound we hear when Charlie points his fingers as if they were a gun in Mean Streets (1973)? a. we hear a gunshot, a nonfaithful sound b. we hear thunder, a faithful sound of the storm c. we hear a bomb exploding, a faithful sound of terrorist activity d. we hear a kiss, a faithful sound between Charlie and Teresa e. we hear a firecracker, a nonfaithful sound

Q: How is a sound designers approach to a sound track similar to how a painter treats a canvas? a. A sound designer uses a sounds pitch as a painter uses a brush. b. A sound designer uses background tones like a painter uses different colors. c. A sound designer mixes dialogue and effects like a painter mixes different colored paints. d. A sound designer edits sounds the way a painter makes compositional choices. e. A sound designer uses music the way a painter uses a model as the basis for a painting.

Q: Which of the following is a responsibility of a sound designer? a. dissuading screenwriters to consider all types of sound b. recording production sound c. supervising two stages of filmmaking: preproduction and production d. overseeing the creation and control of how silence is used in a movie e. leaving the editing team alone in postproduction to make decisions involving sound

Q: Using two hypothetical examples, explain how fade-ins/fade-outs can be used both within scenes and between scenes.

Q: Which choices by filmmakers contribute to effective editing, and why?

Q: What is the advantage of the style of editing that presents a cumulative series of details from different viewpoints?

Q: The entrance of Lil Z into the frame when he runs into Rocket in the opening sequence of City of God is filmed as a slow-motion shot. Why?

Q: What are some conclusions that can be reached concerning the editing of the opening sequence of City of God?

Q: Why are the shots of Rocket in the opening sequence of City of God relatively stable and of longer duration than the shots of Lil Z, which are heavily fragmented and handheld?

Q: Which film, whose sounds were almost all produced in the studio, is memorable for its richly textured sound design and multilayered sound mixing? a. Me and You and Everyone We Know (2006) b. Inception (2010) c. Alien (1979) d. You, the Living (2007) e. The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Q: What is the effect of hearing the Gregorian chant Dies Irae during the opening of The Shining (1980)? a. It underscores the theme of freedom. b. It foreshadows an upbeat denouement. c. It provides us with clear clues about the characters location. d. The music signals that things will not end well for these characters. e. It suggests temporal continuity.

Q: With regard to sound, what is the crucial difference between sound and silent films? a. A sound film can emphasize silence, but a silent film has no option. b. A sound film only uses diegetic sound, but a silent film can use nondiegetic sound. c. A sound film uses automatic dialogue replacement (ADR), but a silent film uses rerecording. d. A sound film does not use ambient noise, and silent films only use sound effects. e. A sound films fidelity is never faithful to its source, and silent films are always faithful to their sources.

Q: Which of the following is a phase of sound production? a. mise-en-scne d. effecting b. coverage e. framing c. editing

Q: Explain why it is that montage editing (in the Hollywood sense of the word) is so counterintuitive and potentially unnatural compared to the way human beings see and experience the world.

Q: Most film sounds are constructed a. on the set. d. during sound design. b. while location scouting. e. in preproduction. c. during postproduction.

Q: What does Darren Aronofsky mean by hip-hop montage and how does it operate in Requiem for a Dream (2000)?

Q: The group responsible for the sound in movies is called the a. ADR team. d. sound-mixing team. b. gaffer crew. e. sound editors. c. sound crew.

Q: Describe how the climatic sequence of Francis Ford Coppolas epic Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now uses both parallel and associative editing.

Q: Why has the role of the sound designer become more prominent over the years? a. Directors have learned how well they can cover up mistakes in shooting. b. Sound design has simplified so people understand better how it functions. c. Producers have realized that it is more economical to invest in a top sound designer than a cinematographer. d. Motion picture sound has become more complex and increasingly innovative. e. More men have entered the field, yielding higher salaries.

Q: Discuss a scene of discontinuity editing using jump cuts in the seminal French New Wave film Breathless (1960).

Q: Which of the following is an assumption on which the concept of sound design rests? a. Image and sound create separate worlds for the viewer. b. Sound should be integral to at least two of three phases of film production (preproduction, production, and postproduction). c. Sound should be added in postproduction only. d. A films sound is never as expressive as its images. e. Images and sound are co-expressible.

Q: Summarize the three factors upon which the 180-degree system depends and which work together to achieve the goals of continuity editing.

Q: Using a hypothetical example, demonstrate how the jump cut can be used for expressive purposes.

Q: A wipe, which is a transitional device in which shot B wipes across shot A vertically, horizontally, or diagonally to replace it, was commonly used in what popular movie franchise? a. X-Men d. Star Wars b. Twilight e. Hunger Games c. Lord of the Rings

Q: What is an iris-out? a. the effect in which the film image dissolves into a circle b. the effect in which the film image starts with a small circle of visible action and then expands out c. the effect in which the film image wipes into a wider circular view d. the effect in which the film image blurs focus e. the effect in which the film image closes in on an image with a gradually tightening circle

Q: Why would an editor choose an iris-out over another type of transition? a. The iris-out draws the audiences attention to a particular place on the screen. b. The iris-out looks more sophisticated. c. The iris-out is cheaper to implement. d. The iris-out is more expressive. e. The iris-out is the only way to signify the ending of a scene.

Q: What is the best way to analyze an editors contributions to a film? a. by comparing how different editors composed the same film b. by investigating the editors entire body of work c. by looking at the raw footage of the film and then the final product d. by reading interviews with the editor e. by examining individual scenes and trying to understand how their parts fit together

Q: Which of the following categorizes repeated shots of a man sharpening knives in the opening sequence of City of God? a. match cut d. pattern b. master shot e. fade-in/fade-out c. shot/reverse shot

Q: Why does the director of City of God use middle and long shots during the opening sequence when the chicken is running through the streets? a. because they allow closer proximity to an important symbol b. because they give the viewer a wider perspective on the chase and verify the chickens forward movement c. because they force the viewer to sympathize with the animal d. because they fit into a tightly organized sequence that excludes all handheld shots e. because they show off the films location shooting

Q: When the editor cuts away from the chase in the opening sequence to introduce Rocket in the city of God, what is being created? a. a sequence of parallel action b. a montage sequence c. a graphic match d. a shot/reverse shot sequence e. an eyeline match

Q: Using a single movie scene either as mentioned in the textbook or elsewhere, explain the difference between the technique, craft, and art of editing.

Q: Explain the major challenges that director Amanda Lipitz and editor Penelope Falk faced in constructing the documentary, Step.

Q: Which of the following is an example of point-of-view editing? a. a shot of a character looking offscreen and then a shot of another character also looking offscreen b. a shot of a character looking offscreen and then a shot of the exterior of the location where that character is positioned c. a shot of a character looking offscreen and then a shot of that character from another angle d. a shot of a character looking offscreen and then a shot, from his or her point of view, of what he or she is looking at e. a shot of a character looking offscreen and then a shot of that character walking toward something

Q: Using hypothetical examples, explain the difference between crosscutting and intercutting.

Q: What is a jump cut? a. a cut between two similar shapes b. a cut joining two actions into one flowing movement c. a cut matching the eyelines of two different characters d. a cut paralleling simultaneous occurrences taking place in two different locations e. a cut creating a disorienting ellipsis between two shots caused by the absence of a portion of film that would have provided continuity

Q: Which film was one of the first movies to intentionally and repeatedly violate conventional continuity with jump cuts that call attention to the films construction? a. Rear Window (1954) d. Breathless (1960) b. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) e. The Tin Drum (1979) c. Casablanca (1942)

Q: Why are jump cuts sometimes regarded more as an error than as an expressive technique? a. because they can occur on purpose according to filmmakers artistic visions b. because they often occur because filmmakers have failed to follow continuity principles. c. because they dont communicate meaning d. because they look antiquated e. because they are so common

Q: What is the purpose of the fade-in and fade-out? a. to start and end the film b. to dissolve between scenes c. to allow a scene to open or close slowly d. to denote dream sequences e. to signify a characters lapse into unconsciousness

Q: How does a dissolve differ from a fade? a. A dissolve can be used to mark the passing of time, whereas a fade cannot. b. A dissolve can be used to mark a connection between two shots, whereas a fade cannot. c. A dissolve emphasizes the image, whereas a fade does not. d. A dissolves transition occurs simultaneously on the screen, whereas a black screen separates the two parts of a fade. e. A dissolve is a transitional cut, whereas a fade is not.

Q: What is a dissolve? a. a fade-in or fade-out within a scene b. a scene that ends on a down note c. when a small circle of visible action surrounded by black expands to fill the entire screen d. when a character never reappears in a movie e. a transitional device in which a shot gradually superimposes over another shot

Q: Where must the camera be placed in relation to the axis of action? a. on both sides of the axis of action in alternating sequence b. on both sides of the axis of action in random sequence c. on both sides of the axis of action depending on the directors fancy d. on one side and one side only of the axis of action e. on one side of the axis of action but also on the opposite side if the need for further coverage calls for such a switch

Q: What is the purpose of keeping the camera on one and only one side of the axis of action? a. The resulting shots disorient the viewer as to what is happening in the scene. b. The resulting shots orient the viewer as to what is happening in the scene. c. The resulting shots alienate the viewer in regard to what is happening in the scene. d. The resulting shots allow the viewer to question what is happening in the scene. e. The resulting shots position the viewer as an intruder in regard to what is happening in the scene.

Q: The 180-degree system is a. a rule that can never be violated. b. a convention that can be broken. c. a restriction on artistic freedom. d. a guideline for directors to carefully work around. e. an obsolete principle held over from the early days of filmmaking.

Q: What is a match-on-action cut? a. a cut that shows the likeness in shape or volume of two different objects or people b. a cut that shows two characters looking at each other across two different shots c. a cut that shows us the continuation of a characters or objects motion through space d. a cut that jumps among seemingly unrelated or unconnected objects and people e. a cut that shows a person looking offscreen and what he or she is looking at

Q: Which of the following constitutes an eyeline match cut? a. a shot of a character looking offscreen and then a shot of another character also looking offscreen b. a shot of a character looking offscreen and then a shot of the exterior of the location where that character is positioned c. a shot of a character looking offscreen and then a shot of that character from another angle d. a shot of a character looking offscreen and then a shot of another character looking back at him e. a shot of a character looking offscreen and then a shot of that character walking toward something

Q: What is the difference between point-of-view shots and eyeline matches? a. Point-of-view shots show what a character is looking at, whereas eyeline matches do not. b. Point-of-view shots include reaction shots of a character, whereas eyeline matches do not. c. Point-of-view shots include shots that show us what a character is looking at from his approximate position, whereas eyeline matches join two comparatively objective shots. d. Point-of-view shots necessarily involve characters, whereas eyeline matches do not. e. Point-of-view shots cannot include dialogue, whereas eyeline matches must.