Opening scene research- Action

The film I chose was Baby driver, a 2017 Tristar pictures action film directed by Edgar Wright. The main cast include Ansel Elgort (Baby), Lily James (Deborah), Jon Hamm (buddy), Jamies Foxx (Bats) and Eliza Gonzales (Darling). 

The genre is established right from the beginning when a red fast car is shown, as fast cars are linked to action and thrill. The use of non-diegetic music which speeds up throughout the scene, emphasising this as it is some sort of guitar playing with drums which all links to fast paced and action. There is also a car chase with the characters and the police officer's mid-way through using handheld camera suggesting chaotic and unpredictable actions. The tone is light-hearted but full of thrill by the music, short shot durations and no dialogue. 

The opening scene is set in America which we know due to the type of police cars used during the car chase, which is one of the only things that gives this away due to the lack of dialogue in this scene. The time is definitely modern or current time period, which is shown through the costumes, for example Baby wears a bomber jacket, white t-shirt and jeans. Another way the time period is shown is through the setting as they are in a built-up modern city with lots of tall buildings and roads. 

 

The target audience would be teenage boys as this is stereo typically the sort of thing boys is interested in such as cars, going fast, guns and music. So really attracts a certain type of audience drawing them in a lot just from the opening scene which includes all the above. 

The characters in this scene include Baby, Buddy, Bats and Darling. We know that all four of these characters know what they are doing and have done before if not multiple times due to the fact they do everything so smoothly no matter how complex their plan is, which is shown by the lack of facial expressions they have when being chased by police, switching cars and threatening people with guns. This also tells us they are 'bad people' as what they are doing is illegal and dangerous showing the action-packed life they have drawing in the audience as they are interested into how they get away with things like this and maybe why they do it. Baby is presented as a slightly odd character as he is a teenager driving around felons. He also listens to music throughout the whole protocol of their plan which is heard by the audience, maybe suggesting it has a deeper meaning to him.  

Once watching the opening audience, we know that they escape the police without a sweat, driving away in a different car. Maybe the rest of the films goes onto their next Rade or deeper into Baby's life and why he does what he does as he could potentially be a main character due to the fact, he stands out from the other three characters. 

In conclusion I think that baby driver has a very good opening scene to draw in the audience with by establishing a clear genre, characters and their traits, a few Suprises without giving too much away.