The Editing in “Baby Driver”

Today in class we started a new film and new activity. After briefly reviewing editing techniques, an activity was discussed during class. This would be the notecard activity which was previously mentioned on classroom. For each day of watching film in class a note card should be turned in by the end of class. The options for what a student should fill out on the notecard are as follows:

• Option A (Editing technique or editing choice): Identify an editing choice (cut or transition). What does it DO (Logic? Continuity? Tone? Genre? Practicality?)
• Option B (Genre):
• Option C (Editing, music, and diegetic vs non diegetic audio): This film often blurs the lines between diegetic and non-diegetic audio. Select a moment where this happens-- what ARGUMENT(s) does it make about music?

Students should write A, B, or C to indicate what choice they made for that day’s notecard. Class notes may be helpful as reference, however students should focus mainly on viewing the film.

The film that we are viewing is “Baby Driver.” This is because of the editing techniques the film employs which got it nominated for an award. Thus far, we haven’t gotten too far in the film but were introduced to the central characters. The main character is nicknamed “Baby” which has to do with the fact he doesn’t really speak. The film starts with him being a getaway driver for three bank robbers, listening to music the entire time. When back at their base the one man tries to harass Baby, but he more or less doesn’t care. People question if he is mentally handicapped, but this is denied.

In Baby’s personal life, he lives with a deaf man and remixes people’s comments, which he records constantly, in his spare time. It was explained his obsession with music has something to do with his parents’ death caused by a car crash which he witnessed when he was little. It supposedly distracts him. Other than this, a potential love interest was introduced when he went into a diner and was head over heels when he heard her singing. She will probably be significant later on. Currently, Baby has just finished another job successfully, and that’s about where the class left off.

Watching this film and observing editing techniques will potentially be good for a future project in class, since it will work as s good example. This also further expands our understanding of film when we watch it in the future, since a lot of the time cuts and editing techniques can go largely unnoticed and underappreciated.