AS Media Coursework

1. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Thisfilmopeningsequence issetinanaverage suburbanhouse inChicagoandisa stereotypical
familyhome.InFerris’bedroomhe hasthe stereotypical teenage boybelongingswhichinclude,
posters,TV,CD playerandlotsof mess.Fromthisfirstpart of the filmyoulearna lotaboutthe
characters especiallyFerris.There are 3 cars but, Ferrisdoesn’thave one soitmustbe hissistersand
because she hasa car and he doesn’tshe mustbe olderthanhim.This suggeststothe audience that
Ferris’family iswell off because theycanafford3 cars.
The costumesadd lotsto the characters,you can tell the jobsof each of the parentsbecause the dad
isin a suitmeaningthathe is a businessmanandbecause he isin a full suitthisenhancesthathe
earnslotsof money.The motherof Ferrisiswearingawhite andblack jacketwitha blackblouse and
a skirtshe alsolookslike she isreadyforwork.The sisterof Ferrisis wearingeverydayclothes and
trainerswhichshe wearstoschool.
Ferris’ roomis verydark but, thisistypical teenage boyroomwithall the curtainsshut,havinga dark
room helpedhimalsofake hissicknesstogeta day off school.Whenthe curtainsare openedthe
lightingisnatural because the skyoutside isbrightblue withlittleclouds.The lightinginhisroom
thenbecomesambient,havingadark roomemphasisesthe brightnessof the sunoutside andthe
reasonwhyhe wants a day off school.The propsthat Ferrisusesistrophywithstringand the music
systeminhisroom.He has a lotof technologyinhisroomwhichenhancestothe audience hisage
and hislikesanddislikes.
The way that hisparentsare lookingdown onFerrisinbedshowsthe audience thattheyhave
control on whetherhe goestoschool or not andbecause theylove himsomuch theyare happyfor
himto stay at home alone.The position of all of theminthe shotfrom Ferris’pointof view shows
the audience thatthe girl (Ferris’ sister) isthe leastimportantbecause she isbehindeveryoneand
the furthestawayfromthe camera.Thisalsosuggeststhat she isthe leastfavourite childandthat
the parentslove Ferrismore thanher.As well asthat,the parentshave theirbacks to herwhich
showsthat theyare not interestedinwhatshe hastosay. To emphasise theirlove forFerris,the
motherpanickedatthe beginningandbecause the fatherrushedupthe stairsitjusthighlightshow
much theylove Ferrisandfavourhimoverthe sister.Ferrisknowshisparentslove himmore sohe
playson it.He pretendstobe sickand eventhoughitwasawful performance hisparentsstillbought
it.Whenyou firstsee hissisteryousee herfootfirstandher footistappingbecause she know he is
pretendingandcan’tstandthat herparentsare buyingitand wastingtheirandhertime.Asthe
motherturnsround to lookat the daughterherfacial expressions tellthe audience thatshe doesn’t
care abouther daughterat thismomentintime whenhersonis‘really’ill andshe concernedforhis
health.Ferrisusesthistohisadvantage. Ferrisisanormal teenage boyandis needyandselfishand
isbittertowardsnot havinga car so he can’tgo where everhe wantswheneverhe wants.
The shots in thisscene helpportraythe feelingsfromone familymembertoanother,the highangle
shoton parentsshowstheirimportance andstatus.The close upon Ferrispullingfacesathissister
whenhisparentsaren’tlookinghelpsthe audiencetounderstandthathe isn’tactuallyill buthis
parentsthinkhe is.The pointof viewshotfromFerristothe parent’s facial expressionssuggestthat
he is guilttrippingthemtogive himthe dayoff.Aswell asthat, the patronisinglookfromthe
motherto the daughtertellsthe audience thatthe otheriswonderingwhyshe iseven inFerris’
room andnot at school already.Lotsof the shotsusedafterthe familyhave leftFerrisalone are
shotsthat breakthe forth wall rule.Ferrislooksstraightintothe cameratoinclude the audience in
the scene because he isgivingadvice tothe audience.

2. The onlysound the audience canhear at the beginningisthe weatherreportonthe radiowhichis
one of the reasonshe wantsthe day off.Evenbefore youcansee anythingonthe screenyou can
hearthe mother’svoice wakingupFerrisandshoutingdowntothe husbandin a panic.Whenthe
audience cansee the house the audience canhearthe dog barkingandthe dadrushingup the stairs
then,youcan hear the mumand dad havinga conversation aboutFerris’ healthandbytheirtone
the audience cantell thattheyare concerned. The audience canhearbirdstweetinginthe
backgroundwhichtellsthemthatitis a nice dayevenbefore theyhave seenoutside hiswindow.
Afterthe sisterhasleftthe roomyou can hear herslammingthe doorshutbecause she isannoyed
that herlittle brotherhasgotaway withthis.Assoonas the mothertellsFerristhathe can stay
home and restcalm musicfadesin,thismusicisusedbecause itshowsthatthe parentsfeel sorryfor
himthat he is un-well.Thennon-diegeticmusickicksinwhenthe parentshave leftandgone to
work.Thisupbeatmusicmatcheshisconfidence andthathisparentsboughtitand now he has a day
off school.
The continuityeditingof thisfilmopeninghasdifferent paces,the differentpacesallow ustofocus
on eachcharacter and theirattitudestowardseachother.Thishelpsthe audiencetounderstand
each character.As soonas Ferrisishome alone the pace picksup whichportrayshisconfidence as
well asthe musicthat goeswithit.
Thisfilmopeninggivesthe audienceagoodinsightof eachcharacter and it allowsthe audience to
understandFerrisalotbecause he isthe maincharacter.The audience learnsthathe isthe youngest
of the familyandisveryselfish,likestowinduphissisteranddoesn’tenjoyschool atall.