This document analyzes the cinematography techniques used in the opening sequence of the film Hot Fuzz. It discusses how various shots like extreme long shots, medium shots, and close-ups are used to build suspense around the main character and establish him as a serious and accomplished police officer, despite hints that the film will have comedic elements. Transitions between shots use flashes or match cuts to keep the sequence intense as the character's backstory and achievements are laid out. The cinematography and narration work together to present the main character as a perfect officer before the absurd comedy of the film is revealed.

1. Hot Fuzz
Solo Shariff - Hickey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RAkY
4R691E

2. Extreme long shot is used in order to build suspense up for the
approaching character. The lighting is also used to this effect as
he’s a silhouette, making him an enigma at this point; and both
make the character seem powerful.
You can hear the sound of his shoes once he reaches the Long
Shot to, again, build up more suspense for his reveal.
The camera eventually comes to a Medium Shot to add effect
onto the reveal of this characters face, it also highlights his stern
facial expression that shows the attitude and nature of this
character. Revealing who the actor is hints towards the genre as
Simon Pegg is known for comedy movies.
The camera zooms in to an extreme close up to highlight the
importance of this shot, as it’s the identity of the character; it’s
also when the voice over introduces him. The facial expression of
the man doesn’t change, from reality to photo, either showing
how he hasn’t changed his attitude since joining the police.

3. The close up on the shoes resembles a sign of formality, how
they are shiny. It’s a sign of professionalism that reflects
aspects of his character.
He walks formal, another sign of professionalism. The
message of professionalism is added to by the voice reading
out a record of multiple distinctions and achievements.
This ECU is significant because the HF resembles Hot Fuzz
(the movie) and the 777 is relative as it’s a common religious
number. In several religions the combination of three sevens
resembles perfection, or something to that effect, resembling
how he’s meant to be the perfect police officer.
A pan shot is used with a soft focus in order to show how he
stands out amongst the other men he’s in the line up with.

4. The long shot is used here to give the full scope of what the
lead and the other men in the line up work towards.
The medium shot is used in the fray of rapid movements with
a soft focus in order to show that, among all the other
candidates, he emerges first showing him as a clear prime
candidate over the other people in the training exercise.
The extreme long shot is used to a similar effect as it was
used before, it shows how it isn’t just the lead who is involved
in the task but you know that he is the most important of all the
people there.
The close up on his face, here, shows his stern expression
again, and is more effective because of how it’s just his eyes
that you see. There are also a lo of flashes in the transitions of
this scene to reflect how it is a violent training exercise.

5. The use of subjective view is used at this point to make this
exam seem more intense, putting you in the position of being
one of the people who are taking the exam.
The match on action shot is used here to emphasise the
confidence of the character who had just finished this exam
The main character is put in the middle with the crest in the
background and holding an award. These props are used to
show how he is decorated amongst the other candidates and
clearly displays him as being the main character and most
decorated.
Camera flashes are used for transitions as it zooms out from
the scene, demonstrates the amount of media focus on the
scene, adding weight to the spectacle and also making the
achievement of the main character seem more impressive.

6. The medium long group shot is used three times in different
scenarios. This shows how he is well known among ordinary
people and is coupled with what the narrator says about him.
The camera focuses on the car interior in this shot in order to
reflect the speed of which the car is moving at. The blurred
background outside of the window is what demonstrates this.
The close up is used on his facial expression to reflect the humour
and obscurity of the situation at hand. This is another idea added
to with the narrators voice which describes a situation that seems
rather tedious.
The long shot is used here as it shows several different scenarios
that are all based around a common theme. The effect of the long
shot starting at the same distance and the position of it is
subjective filming to make you feel like you’re in the scene as well
as the other people on the benches.

7. The medium shot is used on the line up, here, with a soft focus
on him to show how he’s significantly better than those around
him. It’s also another example of the narrator adding effect on
the scene.
The camera focuses onto a medium shot of this character to
reflect his importance to the scene, of a running record being
broken. It doesn’t focus on the character who broke it as it’s
more effective to show the impression he has on people by his
speed as he runs past in a blur.
The camera often returns to him walking through the police
station which shows how he as an objective in mind as he’s
walking through there, hence the formal stance while walking.
This shot is done through subjective view of the man running, it
is designed to show us how intense the situation he’s in actually
is.

8. This shot is used away from the door that the characters come
through to show the reactions of the people in the room, hence
the camera focus being primarily on the face of the man
nearest the camera. The shot also helps to show what the
situation is in the room, such as the two people taped up in a
corner.
The camera quickly transitions to the main character at a
medium shot to show his quick reaction as soon as he comes
into the room, and also displays the stern facial expressions
that he keeps up throughout the opening sequence.
This shot is another example of how the camera is coupled
with the narrator to demonstrate just how important the merit of
these achievements were.
Several ECUs are used on top of each other at this point to
reflect the amount of arrests made by the one character, it is
also used because of how it has a direct link to what the
narrator is saying at this point.

9. The MLS is used here to show the character entering the office
which was most likely his destination the whole time. It also
demonstrates how he’s kept his formal composure the entire
time.
The match on action shot is used here to reflect his
respectfulness, as he knocks first despite there fact he is most
likely expected.
The previous shot is also used as a graphic match because of
how it transitions to the next scenario and the relevance of his
hand to the following scenario.
The significance of this shot sums up several aspects of the
film. It shows why it is a 15 age certificate and also the genre
as a whole. It shows how it is a crime film, but with comedy
aspects, through the sheer laughable concept of a policeman
being stabbed in the hand by someone dressed as santa.

10. The music throughout is upbeat, despite the serious nature the character tries to give off, this goes
to show how it’s a comedy and not as serious as the character would have the viewer believe.