MFA Film and Digital Media Arts

Question 1

What is 'mise-en-scène' in filmmaking?

Accepted Answer

Everything visible within the film frame — set design, lighting, costume, actor placement, and camera position

Answer

Mise-en-scène refers to all the visual elements placed within the camera's frame: settings, props, lighting, costumes, and the staging of actors.

Question 2

What is 'montage' in film theory and practice?

Accepted Answer

The theory and practice of editing — the juxtaposition of shots to create meaning beyond what any single shot contains

Answer

Montage, developed by Soviet filmmakers like Eisenstein, holds that meaning in film is generated by the collision and juxtaposition of edited shots rather than by individual images alone.

Question 3

What does 'aspect ratio' refer to in film and video production?

Accepted Answer

The proportional relationship between a frame's width and its height

Answer

Aspect ratio is the proportional width-to-height relationship of a film or video frame, such as 16:9 (widescreen) or 4:3 (standard definition television).

Question 4

In digital media art, what is 'interactive installation'?

Accepted Answer

An artwork that changes or responds to viewer participation or presence, often using sensors or computer systems

Answer

Interactive installation art creates an environment or object that changes, responds, or is activated through audience participation, often using sensors, cameras, or interfaces.

Question 5

What is a 'tracking shot' in cinematography?

Accepted Answer

A shot in which the camera physically moves through space, following or alongside a subject on wheels, dolly, or Steadicam

Answer

A tracking shot physically moves the camera through space — typically on a dolly, track, or Steadicam — to follow movement or explore an environment.

MFA - Master of Fine Arts Practice Test

MFA - Master of Fine Arts Practice Test

MFA Film and Digital Media Arts