This document provides analysis of a scene from the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off where the character Ed Rooney, the dean of students, receives a prank phone call from Ferris. The analysis discusses how the scene uses techniques like close-ups, diegetic sound, and mise-en-scene to portray Rooney's expression changing from arrogance to horror as he realizes he was tricked. It also examines how the scene reinforces the theme of students outsmarting teachers and establishes Rooney as the villain who is constantly trying in vain to catch Ferris breaking rules.

1. Ferris Bueller’s
Day Off
By Alina Haq

2. Ed Rooney’s phone call
• Ferris's ultimate enemy, is Ed Rooney, Dean of Students. His
mission is to maintain dominance over his students, but Ferris
damages that dominance, defying Rooney's authority by
cutting school and showing the other students how easy it is to
out-maneuver Rooney.
• Rooney gets a phone call supposedly from a parent. Rooney,
knowing it's really a teenager, insults him. Then Ferris tricks
Rooney into believing it really is an adult on the line, and
Rooney falls over himself apologizing.
• In real life, most teenagers know they are owed an apology
from the adult world, but seldom get one. Ferris Bueller, by
hook or by crook, gets that apology. How could young
audiences not cheer him on?

3. Ed Rooney’s phone call
• The teachers are portrayed as gullible and relatively easy to get
round. e.g, when Cameron phones the school saying Sloane’s
grandmother has died, to get her out of class. And then again when
Ferris goes to pick her up at the school. The only fight going on in
this particular film is the one between the teachers and students,
whereas in real schools the tension comes very much from between
the students.
• Rooney is the stereotypical teenagers villain. He's the principal at the
school and his all time goal is to catch Ferris out.. Comparing reality
and the film, Rooney is a very exaggerated type of principal, he’s
portrayed as a bit mad, but also very stupid, in that he doesn’t even
notice Ferris as he picks Sloane up at the school. We also know he’s
the villain because in the end, even though he thinks he is going to be
successful in beating the hero - the audience also think this at one
point, Ferris believes it too– at the last minute he fails. In most films,
the villain never wins, the hero is always victorious.

4. Ed Rooney’s phone call
• The close-up of Ed Rooney displaying his villainous expression makes the scene
comical as he thinks he has sussed out that it is Ferris on the phone rather than a
parent ringing about his child to attend a funeral.

5. Ed Rooney’s phone call
• The diegetic sound of the person on the other end of the phone is over the top
making the audience question if it really is Ferris or another person talking to
Rooney as the identity is not yet revealed.

6. • The diegetic sound of Rooney’s nonchalant tone exemplifies the comedy as he goes on to say
“dig up your daughter” which is an absurd thing to say to a parent as a principal
• The mise-en-scene of his suit and office makes him look official which contrapanels to what
he is saying. His legs crossed heightens his relaxed mood and slight arrogance of thinking he
has beaten Ferris once and for all
• The mise-en-scene of the woman’s big hair and chirpy mood adds to the comedy

7. Ed Rooney’s phone call
• The shallow depth of field of Ferris fixing his hair when he is straight out lying to the
teacher reverses the roles of the teacher outsmarting the student, making them look
foolish. It doesn’t bother Ferris he is used to getting away with everything

8. Ed Rooney’s phone call
• The close-up conveys the horrified expression of the assistant thinking the principal is
speaking to a parent proving Ferris had won again
• Theme: teacher vs. students

9. • The close-up conveys the horrified expression of the principal, mouth hanging open in
awe – realisation.
• Slow paced to build up tension
• Inter-diegetic sound of crash to exemplify the mistake he think he made – comical
• Contrast to calm and arrogant to frightened and worried
• Too shocked to say anything

10. Ed Rooney’s phone call
• Extreme close – up highlights mystery to who he was talking to before

11. Ed Rooney’s phone call
• Wide shot: Fooled by a kid, over-the-top faces and voice – mocking the way adults
speak adds to comedy
• Mise-en-scene: normal, suburban kitchen

12. Ed Rooney’s phone call
• Wide shot: Both adults are getting extremely frantic adds to comedy because they were
right all along but know they think they were wrong
• Becomes fast paced to display panic

13. Ed Rooney’s phone call
• Inter-diegetic music of James bond, evoking Ferris has successfully completed another
“mission” once again, fooled the teachers