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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who said the following: when we have two theories, each of which adequately describes a phenomenon, always pick the simpler?

2. Who wrote Memories, Dream, Reflections?

3. The newspaper reviewer criticized an author for attempting screenwriting because he was nearly what?

4. How many films had David Mamet directed at the time that the book was written?

5. What is the term which means "it works correctly on paper but for some reason doesn't work when we get it on its feet"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Mamet describe Eisenstein's theory of montage?

2. What did Mamet cite from the book, "The Uses of Enchantment" in Chapter 2?

3. What did Mamet think of the steadicam?

4. What does Mamet say in terms of withholding information from the audience, in Chapter 2?

5. How did Mamet describe film in terms of syllogism in Chapter 3?

6. How was the hypothetical film shot in Chapter 2?

7. What are the different approaches Mamet discussed as methods of storytelling in film, in Chapter 1?

8. What did Mamet write regarding dreams and film in Chapter 1?

9. How did Mamet relate the "School of Countercultural Architecture" to film directing?

10. What did Mamet indicate is the point of view of the performance artist, in Chapter 3?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the similarities between film and dreams. What writers did Mamet cite in his discussion of this topic?

Essay Topic 2

What authors did Mamet quote in the book with regard to cutting extraneous text in a screenplay? What theorists did he speak about in dramatic analysis?

Essay Topic 3

Why did Mamet believe that the steadicam was a contributor to the downfall of American cinema? What approach is common with the use of the steadicam?

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