VOCABULARY Parts of a Film

1. Make sure you know the meaning of these vocabulary items.

action; narration; plot; background; set; setting; scenery; credits; (the) opening
credits; (the) closing/end/final credits; subtitles/caption(s); scene; (the) opening
scene; (the) final scene; outdoor scene; indoor scene; crowd scene; flashback;
episode; sequence; sound effect(s); soundtrack

2. Match the vocabulary items with appropriate definitions. Use a dictionary

if necessary.
1. action d a) (1) the time and the place in which the action of a
2. narration l film happens; (2) AmE the place where a film is
3. plot h recorded, and the scenery, pictures, furniture, etc.
4. background b that are used
5. set i b)(1) music or other sound that is kept below the
6. setting a level of a speaker’s voice; (2) scenery or setting
for a scene; (3) the characters or objects appearing
7. scenery f
farthest from the camera.
8. credits j
c) a scene that returns to events in the past
9. subtitles/caption(s) n
d)the movement of the subject within the camera
10. outdoor scene e field of view; also, such movement as represented
11. indoor scene p on film
12. crowd scene k e) a scene shot on location
13. flashback c f) curtains, drapes, painted canvasses or other
14. episode g artificial background materials for visual studio
15. sequence m recording
16. sound effect(s) q g)a part of a film that shows a particular event or a
17. soundtrack o related series of events; a scene
h)a connected series of the main events which make
up the story of a film
i) (1) scenery, furniture or other artificial
background for motion picture production; (2) the
place or area in which filming is taking place
j) a list of those responsible for the production of a
film or television programme which is shown at
the beginning or the end of it
k)a scene in which a lot of people appear
l) the commentary for a film, spoken by an off-
screen voice
m) one of the parts into which a serial, series, or
television programme is divided
n)words shown at the bottom of a film or television
picture that explain or translate what is being said
 o)the sound, speech, and especially music of a film;
a strip on the edge of a film on which the sound
component is recorded
p)a scene shot in a studio
q)a sound (sounds) other than speech or music
added to a film or television programme to make
it more realistic or exciting
3. Fill in the gaps in the sentences below with the vocabulary items from the
previous exercise in the correct form.
1. With critics from around the world in attendance, films were screened with
English subtitles at the festival.
2. Most of the outdoor scenes in this adventure movie were shot in the mountains.
3. It remains one of the most exciting action sequence ever filmed.
4. Then we took photos of the scenery, from which we created a 3-D
computergenerated model.
5. The movie begins at the end, telling most of the story in flashback.
6. One of the movie’s impressive crowd scenes shows hundreds of aliens
invading Earth.
7. The Dolby Surround has opened a new dimension for sound effects.
8. We need more action, and less talk.
9. There is no dialogue, but a pompous voice-over narration explains everything
that is going on, just in case we are too dim to figure it out.
10. He chose a medieval castle as a setting for his new historical drama.
11. The atmosphere on the set is very relaxed even if the scenes are very dramatic
and tension filled.
12. In the background there were waiters hovering over the tables.
13. The film ends with a Celine Dion song over the end credits.
14. The plot of the film is based on real-life events.
15. As the mystery film is set in the house of the murdered man the indoor scenes
predominate in it.
16. I saw the first two episodes of this series and just didn't get it.
17. It is possible to construct a film soundtrack entirely out of classical music.

VOCABULARY Cinema Work and Filming Techniques

4. Make sure you know the meaning of these vocabulary items. Use a
dictionary if necessary.
to shoot (produce, make) a/the film; to go into production; to direct a/the film;
directed by; to edit; to be dubbed in (Ukrainian); to present a/the film in
(Ukrainian); to release a/the picture/film/movie; to come out (about a/the film);
to remake a/the film; to reissue a/the film; to make a screen version / adaptation
of a/the novel; to screen a/the novel (play, story); to adapt a/the novel for the
screen; to film a/the novel; to play/act on a/the screen; production; co-
production / joint production; photography/cinematography; camerawork;
editing; dubbing; shot; frame; take; close-up; long shot; medium shot; stock
footage; fade-out; dissolve; panning; scenario; screenplay/script; contingencies
5. Match the vocabulary items with appropriate definitions.
1. production f a) a fairly tight shot of the performer or the
2. scenario h subject matter; in small-studio language,
3. screenplay/script m this would refer to the head of a
4. contingencies d performer
5. editing o b) the way in which cameras are used in a
6. dubbing j film or television programme
7. photography/ c) moving (a camera) or being moved (of a
cinematography i camera) slowly in a horizontal or vertical
plane to give a panoramic effect or
8. camerawork b
follow a
9. shot k (moving) subject
10. frame e d) unforeseen situations, events, or
11. take q circumstances that might delay the
12. close-up a production schedule of the picture
13. long shot n e) one of the pictures on a strip of motion
14. stock footage l picture film
15. fade-out g f) the general term used to describe the
16. dissolve p processes involved in making all the
17. panning c original material that is the basis for the
finished motion picture
g) (1) an optical effect in which a shot
slowly disappears into darkness; (2) a
film-making technique by which the
sound volume is gradually decreased to
zero
h) a written plan of the characters and
events in a film; an outline of a film
story, scene by scene, but with no
dialogues, directions, etc.
i) the art, process, or job of filming /
making films
j) (1) the addition of a soundtrack to a film;
(2) the replacement of a soundtrack in
 one language by one in another language
k) (1) a single run of the camera; (2) the
piece of film resulting of such a run, in
which there is a single action or a short
series of actions
(photographed continuously by one
camera)
l) motion picture film material obtained
from film libraries rather than shot
specifically for a film production
m) the full text of a film, with dialogue,
descriptions of characters and setting,
directions about movements, instructions
for camerawork, etc.
n) a shot where the camera is or appears to
be distant from the object to be
photographed
o) the process of preparing a film or a
television programme by selecting,
rearranging, or removing previously
filmed material to form a coherent whole
p) an act or instance of moving gradually
from one image or scene in a film to
another; an act of making two scenes
merge or overlap
q) a term used to indicate the number of
times a given shot has been made; they
are usually numbered sequentially
6. Fill in the gaps in the sentences below with the vocabulary items from the
previous exercise in the correct form.
1. We had to do six takes for this particular scene.
2. The poster featured a few shots from the film’s most graphic scenes.
3. Dissloves are often used to show the passage of time in a film.
4. It is the camerawork that really made the film. It has a lot of incredibly
impressive shots.
5. The camera focuses on the heroine in close up.
6. Saving Private Ryan was a co- production with Paramount.
7. Sometimes editing takes longer than filming as it is not easy to choose the most
appropriate shots to create the desired final version.
8. The director liked the scenario Richardson wrote and engaged him to develop a
full version of it so that they could start shooting with it.
9. The film incorporates a good deal of stock footage to give it more historic
veracity.
10. The plan envisaged all possible contingencies that could disrupt the schedule.
11. Galton and Simpson wrote some excellent comedy script.
12. Scenes and cinematography are beautifully choreographed and immerse the
viewer in the film’s world.
13. Panning was employed to give a panoramic view of the battlefield.
14. Dubbing is often used to add sound effects to the original soundtrack.
15. The opening scene shows a train travelling from left to right and ends in a slow
fade out.
16. The documentary about lions has fantastic long shots of African savannahs.
17. You can pause the movie on any frame to see that individual picture.