The opening scene of Hot Fuzz uses various film techniques to establish the main character and set the tone for the film. It introduces the protagonist through centered frame shots that draw the viewer's attention to him. Quick cuts between close-ups of his uniform and face identify him as a police officer and show he is serious and strong. Flashbacks through editing summarize his rigorous training and past cases in a fast-paced montage. Binary opposites between light and dark, and high-intensity vs low-intensity scenes, exaggerate aspects of the character and hint at the film's mix of action and humor.

1. Analysing Opening Scenes – Hot Fuzz
The introduction of Hot Fuzz uses many different conventions to instantly tell the viewer what
type of film it is and what the film is about. The film use camera shots in different ways to
make the viewer see and feel things that aren’t directly in front of them. When the introduction
starts, there is a camera shot of someone walking into a building, with them directly in the
middle of the frame, implying that they have some sort of importance to the film. The
character then walks closer to the screen, and in turn closer to the viewer, letting them know
that the character coming forward is that start of the film and that they are the main character.
The character then walks right up to the point where he fills the whole screen, and he is
automatically introduced to the viewer so they know who he is and why he is important. This
then transitions over to a shot on his feet, and then it moves up to his face again quickly. It
then zooms in on his police uniform, telling the viewer that he is a police officer. From this
point, we know a little back story of the main character and this is further backed up by the
next few shots, which are transitions of how he got into the police force through vigorous
training. This could suggest that he is a mentally and physically strong person, as there are
many close up shots of his face looking stern and serious. This is good because once a
viewer can understand the personality and background of a character; they might be able to
relate to the film and will enjoy it a lot more as it will resonate with them better. At a later point
in the opening sequence, there is also a conversation between the main character and what
appears to be his boss. This particular conversation uses over the shoulder shots frequently
to catch the perspective of each party in this conversation, while also giving the viewer some
extra insight into the situation the main character is in.
The opening scene to Hot Fuzz also uses editing in particular areas to summarise previous
events, or to exaggerate something. The main part where editing is used in the opening
scene, is when there is a flashback of the main character’s previous endeavours, mainly his
training and past events whilst being a part of the police force. The editing used here is to
speed these parts up, so that each part only lasts for about two or three seconds, essentially
forming a montage. This foreshadows the high action theme of the film, and that it will be very
fast paced. Editing is also used to transition in and out of each shot. When there are
flashbacks involving the main character, you can see that as each shot moves to another, it
sort of flashes as each shot takes over another, highlighting the fast paced tempo of the film.
The editing makes sure the film runs smoother and makes it easier for the viewer to
understand the process of events. It summarizes a period of time within a minute, giving us
an in depth background to a character without them even talking.
The film Hot Fuzz makes good use of binary opposites in the film to exaggerate something, or
to make something stand out and seem extra important. As the opening scene starts, you can
see a door opening into a building that is dark, but the outside is light. You can also see the
main character has a dark silhouette; this opposite of light and dark makes the main character
stand out because as he is walking in the protagonist interferes with the light and that contrast
implies that he is of some sort of importance to the film. It also suggests that the job he does
is not glamorous, so the moment he walks into his job then all of the light is taken away. Light
could be representing happiness of innocence, and working in the police force is the complete
opposite. Binary opposites are also used in different parts of the opening sequence, in one of
the flashbacks where there are fires happening. You would also assume that this place is cold
judging by the darker colours, and the fire is hot emphasising the danger and hardship he has
had to go through to be where he is now. Binary opposites are also used in another part of
the flashbacks, mainly where it lists his past experiences, and shows many events that are
high intensity and dangerous, such as dealing with fires and guns, but also shows less
intense events such as taking tests and playing chess. This use of binary opposites implies
that he is not limited to either of these, but also can be quite entertaining when these are
played right after one another.