Which of the following is most likely to draw an audience to a movie?
A famous actor.
Which of the following is one of the challenges movie actors confront?
Interruptions by camera, lighting, and sound adjustments.
Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, and Will Smith are defined by their _____.
fixed personae, which they carry from role to role
When rap star Eminem played Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith Jr. in Curtis Hanson's 8 Mile (2002):
there was little distinction between the person and the part.
Johnny Depp's acting career is unusual because he has attained star status:
without any fixed persona.
Why did the first screen actors use exaggerated gestures, emphatic expressions, and the mouthing of words to bring their characters to life?
They were adapting the acting style of 19th-century theater.
Why is Lillian Gish's portrayal of Lucy Burrows in Broken Blossoms (1919) generally acknowledged to be the first great film performance by an actor?
She displayed a range of emotions not previously seen on screen.
What is the biggest difference between the careers of Bette Davis, a major star during the studio era, and Nicole Kidman, a top star of today?
Bette Davis fought for the roles she wanted to play, while Nicole Kidman takes advantage of her freedom to choose parts and has handpicked a broad range of characters.
Unlike actors performing in the Golden Age of Hollywood, today's superstars:
may choose their roles and negotiate earnings.
Which of the following does NOT describe what a movie star is?
An introverted actor who lacks screen charisma, yet is very well trained.
The Stanislavsky system of acting trained students to:
bring their own experiences and feelings to their roles.
Which of the following best characterizes a naturalistic style performance?
The behavior is believable and recognizable.
While both John Wayne and Jeff Bridges can be described as icons of Hollywood, what is one of the biggest differences between their careers?
John Wayne worked within the security of the studio system, while Jeff Bridges jumps around within today's independent system of movie production.
Characters created by computer-generated imagery are known as _____.
synthespians
Directors/Screenwriters Joel and Ethan Coen enjoy an unusually close collaboration with their actors and are able to elicit exceptional performances because:
they write parts specifically for the actors they hope to cast.
What new approach to casting has helped foster the growth of independent filmmaking?
Choosing well-known actors who will draw an audience.
When actors are repeatedly given particular kinds of roles based on their looks rather than their talent or experience, they are _____.
typecast
What is often the most important factor in determining a film's financial success?
Casting.
Which of the following casting choices does NOT reflect a racial or ethnic bias?
Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski in The Big Lebowski (1998).
Why are stand-ins used when shooting a film?
To substitute for stars during the more tedious aspects of the shoot.
Director Sidney Lumet believed that great performances depended on:
the ability of actors to reveal themselves onscreen.
Which of the following is NOT considered to be a component of improvisational acting?
Strict adherence to the screenplay.
In which of the following films did the directors insist the actors not stray from the script?
Ethan and Joel Coen's Fargo (1996).
Without _____, Travis Bickle would not say, "You talking to me?" in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976).
improvisation by Robert De Niro
What is the impact of Orson Welles's decision to use a long take in the inciting moment of Citizen Kane (1941)?
It draws the audience's attention to the acting, not the editing between shots.
Experienced screen actors know their most essential relationship is with the _____.
camera
Identify which of the following is NOT a function of a close-up.
It establishes the setting.
What is a film actor's most basic skill?
Understanding how to reveal him-/herself to the camera during a close-up.
How do actors best reveal themselves to the camera during a close-up?
They focus on the power of even the slightest facial gesture.
Who has the most control over sculpting an actor's performance?
The editor.
What does transparency mean when used to describe an actor's performance?
The character is so clearly recognizable that the actor becomes invisible.
What is the meaning of "playing in character" when used to refer to an actor's performance?
The characterization feels cohesive, consistent, and fits.