The title sequence for Ferris Bueller's Day Off introduces the audience to the production companies, director John Hughes, lead actor Matthew Broderick, and the film's title. Key locations and characters are then shown to provide context. Actors' names appear with main roles featured more prominently. Credits are given to the cast and crew to conclude the sequence. The title sequence for Catch Me If You Can begins by showing the production companies and director Steven Spielberg. Lead actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks are introduced. Supporting actors are shown in groups of three. The film's title appears in large text. Credits continue for both the cast and off-screen crew, and it concludes

1. Formal Film Title
Sequence
Conventions.

2. WHAT IS A FILM TITLE
SEQUENCE?
A film title sequence happens at the beginning of a film. It
is short clip usually 2 – 5 minutes long and introduces the
audience to what may happen in the film, what
actors/actresses are featured and who has helped create
and produced the film. A film title sequence can be
conceptual, meaning that the opening is abstract and
differs to other film openings. It can also be narrative, this
means that the title sequence opens up a plot line that will
be followed through the rest of the movie. Finally, a film
title sequence can also be a montage, this is a collection of
photographs/illustrations that are put together to show the
audience the key themes/ideas or characters in a film to
give them some insight as to what the film is about.

3. CONVENTIONS
The formal conventions of an opening film title
sequence are:
 2 – 5 minutes long.
 Name/Logo of production companies involved.
 Names of cast and crew members.
 Soundtrack.
 Name of film.

4. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

5. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE CONVENTIONS.
The first thing the audience are presented with
at the beginning of the sequence is the
company that has distributed/financed the
film. We can see that the distributed/financed
of ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ is ‘Paramount
Pictures’ – one of ‘The Big 6’. As the film has
been distributed by one of ‘The Big 6’, we may
not expect to see anymore film studios
involved in production or distribution due to
the large budget and influential power
Paramount Pictures has. After continuing
watching the title sequence, we realise that
this is the case as the sequence then moves
onto the directors, actors and other crew
members involved in creating the film.
This fits the conventions of most title
sequences, as they usually begin with the
companies who have financed/distributed the
film.FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

6. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE CONVENTIONS.
We are then introduced to the director, writer
and producer of the film, John Hughes. Again,
his name appears in large bold, block capitals,
because John Hughes is the creator of the film,
therefore, is one of the most important people
involved in the film. John Hughes was a hugely
successful and influential screen writer,
director and producer who has created many
well known films such as ‘The Breakfast Club’,
‘Pretty in Pink’, ‘Sixteen Candles’, ‘Uncle
Buck’, ‘Weird Science’ and ‘Home Alone’.
Therefore, he is a very respected film creator,
so his name will have been an important factor
in the film’s success as some people may have
watched the film specifically because it is a
John Hughes film, another reason why it is
important to introduce John Hughes’ name
early on in the title sequence and to make it
bold and noticeable.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

7. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE CONVENTIONS.
The name of the lead actor then
appears, again on a plain black screen
with the text in blue bold, block text.
This emphasises the importance of the
actor, and from this, the audience can
assume that Matthew Broderick is a
main/important character. Underneath
the actor’s name, we can see the word
‘in’ written in small, lower case font.
This helps to reinforce the importance
of the actor and his large role film. The
word ‘in’ can lead the audience into
assuming that the name of the film will
be the next thing to appear in the title
sequence.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

8. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE CONVENTIONS.
The next thing to appear in
the title sequence is the
name of the film – ‘Ferris
Bueller’s Day Off’. This
again is shown on a plain
black background with the
text written in blue block
capitals. This again causes
the name of the film to
stand out and is an
important piece of text to
show the audience.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

9. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE CONVENTIONS.
Next, we see one of
the main locations for
the film, the family
home. This is used to
show the audience
that this is a key
setting in the film, and
will regularly show up
in the film.
We are then shown the
main character, Ferris. It is
effective to show a picture
of the lead character as it
lets the audience know that
this is an important
character in the film.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

10. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE CONVENTIONS.
Ferris’ parents are then shown to
the audience. This again helps to
show important characters or
characters with bigger parts. It also
helps the audience to discover who
lives in the setting that was
recently shown, a house.
Ferris and his parents then go onto have a
conversation, the film begins to start,
action is shown and dialogue is heard.
Titles then begin to
appear on the
screen, informing the
audience who is
starring in the film.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

11. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE CONVENTIONS.
We then continue
to see the names
of the acting cast
appearing on the
screen, with the
film still playing.
We are then again
shown another main
character, and
another character
who lives in the
house shown, giving
the audience more
contextual
information.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

12. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE CONVENTIONS.
The continuation of titles informing
the audience on the names of
actors in the film. We can see that
even though the names of these
actors are still in bold block text,
they are not on a plain black screen
like the other titles, such as the
distributer, director and lead actor.
This makes the title slightly less
noticeable. From this, we could
infer that these characters are not
playing the biggest part in the main
storyline, they may, however, have
their own plotline as their name is
shown in the opening sequence,
showing they do have an
importance in the film.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

13. Co – stars are then shown.
Instead of one name being
shown at a time, three are
shown at once. This tells the
audience that these actors
have a smaller part in the
film. They are not one of the
main characters, however, are
still of importance to the film.
After the names of the actors
are shown, we begin to see
titles showing people that
have been involved in the
behind the scenes production.
We are first shown the name
of the person who produced
the music for the film.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

14. Titles continue
to appear. The
audience are
told who casted
the actors, the
costume and
production
designer,
director of
photography,
the executive
producer, and
the editor.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

15. The final titles to
appear are the names of
who has written,
produced and directed
the play. We again see
that this has all been
done by John Hughes,
hence, the title ‘A John
Hughes Film’ appearing
at the beginning on the
sequence. Finishing the
sequence with this title
may help the audience
to remember who has
made the film.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

16. The sequence finishes
with Ferris, the main
character, breaking the
fourth wall and speaking
to the audience. This
lets the audience know
that the film is about to
start as the characters
have come out of the
original situation
presented to the
viewers, and the
storyline is now able to
develop. It also creates a
relationship between the
character and the
audience, allowing them
to know that they will be
following this character’s
story in the film.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

17. Catch Me If You Can.

18. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS.
We are first shown a shot
of the company who have
distributed the film the
film, ‘DreamWorks
Pictures’.
Another credit then
comes into the sequence.
This is given to two
companies who have
produced the film,
‘Kemp Company’ and
‘Splendid Pictures’.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

19. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS.
A final production credit, for
‘Parkes / Macdonald’. We can
see that the font for all the
production companies is in
bold black writing, against a
blue background. This makes it
clear and noticeable.
Next comes the name of the
director, ‘Steven Spielberg’. A
notable director known for
directing films such as ‘Jaws’,
‘Jurassic Park, and ‘Schindler’s
List’. The name of the
director, unlike the production
companies, is placed in the
middle of the screen.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

20. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS.
We are then shown the names
of the two lead actors in the
film, Leonardo DiCaprio and
Tom Hanks. The audience may
assume that Tom Hanks is a
detective/agent in the film due
to the stencil image of an
inspector looking figure
appearing net to his name.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

21. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS. The name of the
film then appears,
again in black bold
text on a black
background,
causing it to stand
out and grab the
eye of the viewer.
The font has been
enlarged compared
to before. This lets
the audience know
that this is not a
name of a
company, but the
name of the film.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

22. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS.
The names of more
actors are shown. We
could imply that these
actors have less
prominent roles
compared to Leonardo
DiCaprio and Tom Hanks,
due to their names being
shown after the title of
the film has appeared
and the change in
background colour.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

23. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS.
The names of actors
continue to appear.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

24. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS.
More names of
actors are seen as
the sequence
continues to play.
This time, three
names are sown at
once, instead of the
one name per shot
that we have seen
being used in the
sequence. This
suggests that these
characters have
smaller roles than
the actors that have
already been
introduced.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

25. We are then shown
the names of
people involved
with the behind the
scenes production
of the film, such as
the casting.
FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

26. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS.
The names of
people involved
with behind the
scenes production
continue to
appear. We can
see that credits
are given to the
writer of the book,
Frank Abagnale,
which the film was
based upon.
Credits are also
given to the
creator of the
titles.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

27. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS.
Credits are given to more of the people involved in off
screen production, including music, costumer designer,
film editor and production designer.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

28. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS.
More titles given to the names of people involved
with production.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

29. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS.
We again see producer credits, we see
Steven Spielberg’s name again, reinforcing
his importance in the making of the film.

30. FILM TITLE SEQUENCE
CONVENTIONS.
The sequence ends with the line ‘inspired by a true story’.
This may have been left for last as it will stick in the
viewer’s minds as it is the last piece of text seen.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN