Film Music and Sound in Cinema – Exam Questions and Answers Study Guide (All Chapters)

1. During the 1920’s, the motion picture industry had to compete with radio. 1. True 2. False ANS: 1; TRUE 2. Moving pictures were first shown to the public in locations such as nudist camps, caves, and cattle stockyards. .A. True B. False ANS: A: TRUE 3. Production sound is the name of the actual sounds recorded on the set as the scene is being filmed. 1. True 2. False ANS: 1; TRUE 4. We mentioned that a famous film composer has been very successful without being able to read music. His name was: A. John Williams B. Hugo Blowdorn C. Hans Zimmer D. Peter Hechenbrokurstcollingford E. None of the above. ANS: D. Peter Hechenbrokurstcollingford 5. One of the advantages of the new art form of cinema was its ability to record history for future generations. 1. True 2. False ANS: 1; TRUE 6. What is the name of the version of a film that has no intention of further editing? 1. Rough cut 2. Prime cut 3. Eyeball cut 4. King Tut cut 5. Fine or locked cut Ans: 5; FINE OR LOCKED CUT 7. Prior to THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY, most movies were no more than a short film clip seen inside a device known as a Kinetoscope? 1. Cinephone 2. Cinemaphone 3. Filmaphone 4. Kinetoscope 5. None of the above. ANS: 4; KINETOSCOPE 8. The use of what technique helps to provide unity or coherence to a story within a film? 1. Using a “package deal.” 2. Using breakdown notes. 3. Using a streamer board. 4. Using a leitmotif. 5. All of the above. ANS: 4; USING A LEITMOTIF 9. All filmmakers were happy to see sound added to their films in the early days of synchronized sound in the late 1920s. 1. True 2. False ANS: 2; FALSE 10. The “rough cut” is a version of the film that might be within five to fifteen minutes of the film’s final length. A. True B. False ANS: A. TRUE 11. BLACKMAIL was originally released in three different versions. A. True B. False ANS: B; FALSE 12. Most film composers working today have about 3-6 months to compose and record a score for a film. A. True B. False ANS: A; TRUE 13. When a filmmaker wants to use source music from a commercial recording such as a famous pop singer, who usually clears the rights to re-use this music in the film? A. The director B. The producer C. The music copyist D. The production assistant E. None of the above. ANS: A. THE DIRECTOR 14. Cue sheets were placed inside the cans of film during the “silent days”. These cue sheets were suggested listings of music that could be played in the theaters to accompany the silent images. A. True B. False ANS A: TRUE 15. If an actor or actresses has to be called back in to re-do their dialogue track, what technique will be used? A. Underscoring B. Looping C. Set recording D. Standard recording E. Playback recording ANS B: LOOPING 16. Which of the following is NOT a function of film scoring? 1. To reflect emotion. 2. To parallel the action. 3. To shine your shoes. 4. To use as source music. 5. To play against the action. ANS: 3; TO SHINE YOUR SHOES. 17. What type of music helps with the overall ambience of a film and helps to set the tone of the movie? A. End credit music B. Linear music C. Streamer music D. Main title music E. All of the above ANS: D; MAIN TITLE MUSIC 18. Which famous silent film had some scandal connected to its production and had to move from Italy back to the United States? A. The Birth of a Nation B. The Great Train Robbery C. The Fall of the Roman Empire D. Ben-Hur E. Gladiator ANS: D; BEN-HUR 19. To “Mickey Mouse the action” means to parallel the action. A. True B. False ANS: A. TRUE 20. What is another name for “borrowing pre-recorded music for a film?” A. Tracking. B. The click tract method. C. Wild recording. D. The punch and steamer method. E. The SMPTE sync pulse time code method. ANS: A; TRACKING 21. Some movie theaters built during the early decades of the development of cinema could actually hold more than 6,000 people. A. True B. False ANS: A. TRUE 22. What does ADR stand for? A. This is a term that stands for automated or automatic dialogue replacement and it is used in post-production to replace the inferior production sound. B. ADR stands for Allen Douglas Ruggleshausen, the inventor of the movie projector. C. This is a reference to a method of acting done in Belgium and Holland during the early days of motion pictures. D. It is used by anyone who does lighting for a motion picture. E. ADR are the initials for the inventor of the popcorn machine used in movie theaters. Ans: A; A. This Is A Term That Stands For Automated Or Automatic Dialogue Replacement And It Is Used In Post-Production To Replace The Inferior Production Sound. 23. What is the significance of THE LIGHTS OF NEW YORK? A. It’s the first sound film to use music. B. It’s the first all-talking sound feature film. C. It’s the first feature film to contain some dialogue, but is basically a silent film. D. It’s the first sound film made in England. E. None of the above. ANS B; B. IT’S THE FIRST ALL-TALKING SOUND FEATURE FILM. 24. Sam Warner, one of the Warner Brothers, was more excited about using the new sound process to feature music instead of hearing the actors talk. A. True B. False ANS: B. FALSE 25. Microphones were always adequate in recording the music of early sound films, but were not successful in recording the actor’s voices. A. True B. False ANS: B. FALSE 26. According to what we said in the class lecture, when sound came in to cinema and now you could hear actors talking, what happened to some of the silent film stars? A. Some became frustrated and decided to enter the monastery to become monks so you could no longer hear their voices. B. Many turned to the auto industry and made cars in Detroit because the loud machinery would cover up their voices when they spoke to someone.. C. Several silent stars killed the filmmakers because now their careers were ruined. D. A couple of the silent stars committed suicide because the audience laughed at the sound of their voices. E. None of the above. ANS: E. NONE OF THE ABOVE. 27. Original scores appeared first in what country? A. Germany B. England C. France D. America E. Italy ANS: C. FRANCE 28. Who is generally regarded as the single most important figure in the history of American film? A. Edwin S. Porter B. Busby Berkrley C. Fred Niblo D. Alfred Hitchcock E. D. W. Griffith ANS: E. D. W. GRIFFITH 29. Who is the captain in charge at the final mixing (dubbing) session? A. Dialogue mixer B. Sound effects mixer C. Foley artist D. Sound designer E. Music mixer ANS: A. Dialogue mixer 30. Wild recording is used in the least expensive productions. A. True B. False ANS: A. TRUE 31. The room tone is a special recording that you purchase from a software company. A. True B. False ANS: B. FALSE 32. The click track method is no longer used in the studios to synchronize the music to the picture because it is not very effective and it causes most film composers to have heart attacks. A. True B. False ANS: B. False 33. Which of the following is NOT used for developing the concept for the score? A. Consider the period of history of the movie. B. Look at the location and ethnic background of the movie. C. Look at the film’s overall dramatic theme. D. Check the public domain of the songs used. E. Look at the major character or characters of the film. ANS: D. CHECK THE PUBLIC DOMAIN OF THE SONGS USED. 34. Which is the longest version of a film? A. The theatrical cut B. The rough cut C. The assembly cut D. The director’s cut E. The fine cut ANS: C. THE ASSEMBLY CUT 35. Most producers and directors are very skilled in music and can intelligently discuss with the composer how music should be used within their films. A. True B. False ANS: B. FALSE 36. In this business it doesn’t matter who you know but how much talent and know-how you possess. A. True B. False ANS: B. FALSE 37. The primary music copyist at a scoring session is known as the “booth person.” A. True B. False ANS: B. FALSE 38. Alex North had his score for what movie rejected? A. The Exorcist B. Platoon C. Poltergeist D. 2001 A Space Odyssey E. Rapa Nui ANS: D. 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY 39. Busby Berkeley helped to spark a revival of horror movies at a time when they were going out of fashion. A. True B. False ANS: B. FALSE 40. The first great dramatic movie score came from the year 1933. The movie which contained this score by Max Steiner was called _________________. A. My Back is Killing Me B. You Have An Unusual Face C. Look At That Dog’s Fleas D. Ben-Hur E. King Kong ANS: E. KING KONG 41. The best kind of director will not discuss music and will rely totally on the know-how of the composer. A. True B. False ANS: B. FALSE 42. Which composer from the Golden Age of Film Music had originated a style of composing that became known as the “Fox string sound”? A. Waxman B. Steiner C. Rozsa D. Korngold E. Alfred Newman ANS: E. ALFRED NEWMAN 43. According to the lectures in class, which score by Korngold was the inspiration for the main title music for Star Wars? A. Sea Hawk B. Sunday Picnic C. Casablanca D. King’s Row E. The Wizard of Oz ANS: D. KING’S ROW 44. What is an EPK? A. Egg-Packaged Krumrod B. It stands for the creator of cinema. His name was Eggblatt Primrose Killbill. C. Endorica Pupushka Kundullicini, the first woman camera operator during the silent days of filmmaking. D. New music inspired by the silent film pop group, Eyelash Pantyhose Kitchenware. E. Electronic Press Kit. ANS: E. ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT 45. According to our lectures in class, who was paid the highest salary of the Golden Age of Film Music period? A. Rozsa B. Steiner C. Stothart D. Newman E. Korngold ANS: D. NEWMAN 46. Film Noir is a term that means erotic, sexy film. 1. True 2. False 3. ANS: FALSE 47. A foley artist is a person who uses a pre-recorded sound from a sound effects library to enhance the background sounds for a film. A. True B. False ANS: A. TRUE 48. Lee De Forest invented a vacuum tube that greatly improved the amplification of the volume of the sound-on-disc process. A. True B. False ANS: A. TRUE 49. According to our lectures in class, the song “Over the Rainbow” was voted the worst song ever written for a movie. A. True B. False ANS: B. FALSE 50. What was the name of the sound-on-film system? A. Sousaphone B. Dictaphone C. Phonofilm D. Vitaphone Zenaphone ANS: C. PHONOFILM