Institutional Information
Baby driver is a 2017 action crime comedy film written and directed by Edgar Wright, starring Ansel Elgort. The plot follows 'baby', a young getaway driver and music lover who must work for a kingpin. The film recieved critical acclaim and has grossed $224 million worldwide against a production budget of $34 million. The film is best know for its choreography, in which the actors' timing and movements are synced with the soundtrack.
Target Audience
The age rating for this film is 15 suggesting that the themes and nature of the film is for an older audience, perhaps between 15 and 30 who are interested in crime and comedy films. A similar fanbase might be fans of the 'fast and furious' films.
Narrative
The opening scene of the trailer shows a school style room with a plan on a chalk board with 4 men sat around the table watching the plan being explained. Once the dominant male in dark with glasses begins speaking the camera shows 'baby' (0:02) placing earphones in his ears appearing like he isn't listening. Cross cut shots of the plan, the other three men, the dominant males mouth and 'baby' are thrown together along with music to build atmosphere. When the question is raised about concern of the getaway driver not listening to the plan, 'baby' removes his earphones and recites the plan word for word immediately causing a role reversal making him the most dominant male in the room and makes him appear intelligent despite being the youngest individual in the room. This immediately gives the audience the impression that the main protagonist is witty and clever and also creates an enigma of whats in store for the character.
(0:36) The logos and sponsors of the film are shown and the music restarts along with an engine starting. We see people with balaclava's on running out of a big building with guns immediately suggesting crime is involved and that the protagonist is an anti-hero. (0:39) Whilst he's driving the getaway car, context is given through a voice over of his boss saying 'you're the best in the business' paired with multiple sirens following his car.
(0:52) The audience see the anti-hero say to his boss 'one more job and i'm done' suggesting that he wants to get out of this job and build a better life for himself. (0:56) We see the initial credits in a cartoon-esque city; connoting the setting to the audience. (1:01) We are given more context about the anti-hero 'baby' when his boss tells the other criminals 'he had an accident when he was a kid' in a blase manner. This creates an enigma for the audience, wanted them to know more about his story and what happened to him and how he became part of this world at such a young age.
(1:10) In this shot we see the love interest of the film enter. We see cross cuts of their initial encounter and the future parts of their relationship suggesting that they progress forward in a healthy relationship. This part of the story will appeal to a wider or secondary audience that like or enjoy romance rather than just crime or action. We then see cross cuts of his dangerous career (0:15) when there is a dead body in the boot of a car and their relationship (1:19) and his internal conflict of which one to choose.
(1:26) At this point in the trailer it appears that his boss is the 'bad guy' manipulating him into still working for him by using his 'waitress girlfriend' as a threat. (1:34) We see the couple on the phone to one another creating a getaway plan to run away from his boss and to run away together.
(1:42) Comedy is also shown when the person in the passenger seat assumes they are going forward but instead he takes him backwards in order to get away in the unconventional way; that isnt so obvious. We then see crosscuts of him running from police, his car being tracked by helicopters and the camera being surrounded by police cars with sirens.
Towards the end of the trailer we see cross cuts of what else is to come in the film (1:55) 'we're getting out, i have to end this' is a suggestion of the moment when the couple are running away from his boss. (2:00) We see snippets of people with guns and cars on fire, creating an enigma 'did they get out okay?'. (2:04) We see a shot of baby's boss shooting a gun in the opposite direction of baby and his girlfriend, however the audience still fears 'have they been caught?'. (2:05) We see the list of names of actors in the film; creating a wider or secondary audience of people who like actors such as Jamie Foxx who has a big fanbase. After this we see a shot (2:08) of foxx talking about hostages, to further implement the idea of him being in the film. (2:09) There is a car underneath a lorry suggesting the action that the audience will be in for. (2:13) We see the couple kissing with blue lights on them, denoting that they are surrounded by police cars with their sirens on and connoting it is a sad moment where perhaps they may have been caught by the police.
At the end of the trailer we see a longer clip (2:19) revealing more of a comedy element to the film of Baby stealing a ladys car. When she appears distressed about her bag in the passenger seat, we see baby (2:22) look slightly guilty. This is when he spins the car around and says 'i'm sorry ma'am' and throws her bag towards her (2:26) before driving off. (2:28) She then says 'what the f' before being cut off with a trumpet noise and the directors name.
Sound
Sound is a major part of the narrative as the film is renowned for matching the actions on screen to the music. This is apparent right from the start of the trailer (0:02) when baby puts earphones in and then music starts. (0:06) when a piano starts, he mimics the actions on the table in front of him, having a comedic effect to the audience. It is also effective for later on when he's asked if he's been listening and despite appearing like hes been distracted, he recites the plan word for word. (0:13) Baby's boss knocks the table twice in the exact same timing as claps in the music that he is listening to. When he takes his headphones out the music stops. Furthermore at (1:38) when music starts up again, every beat has a movement. (1:40) (1:41) (1:42) then when the music fully starts back his vehicle moves, creating momentum again.
Mise-en-scene
The mise-en-scene of the video has several denotations and connotations; especially with character roles within the trailer. The fact that it is current day is established through setting and clothing and the use of an iPod. The boss is clearly the boss because he is always in a suit connoting that he is dominant and manipulative within his character role. The criminals follow common stereotypes of hiw they are portrayed within media such as face tattoos and chains around their necks however they have broken the common codes and conventions of portraying criminals by having a woman not playing a damsel in distress. (2:00) We see a woman with 2 guns - one in each hand- shooting in the direction of the camera. She has been in the trailer all the way through but there is no context of her, not even a name. However she is the symbol of the strong independent women in today's films.
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