The film title sequence introduces the audience to the production companies, director, writer, and lead actor. It shows the family home and main characters Ferris and his parents. Titles then provide the names of the cast and crew involved in starring, production, music, and more. The sequence finishes by Ferris breaking the fourth wall and signaling the start of the film.

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. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.