Example Montage Hot Fuzz Opening Sequence

A montage is a series of images or clips cut together in a quick or rapid succession.

The example that is shown above is from the opening sequence of Hot Fuzz directed by Edgar Wright.

The sequence is used as a way to set up Simon Pegg's character in a quick way to the audience so they have all the relevant information about him before the story begins to unravel.


The pace of the sequence starts off slow as we see Simon Pegg progress closer down the hallway to the camera, increasing the atmosphere of the scene for the audience.

 The pace of the scene changes rapidly from a slow pace to a quick succession of shots after we have established who the figure walking down the hallway is and then knowing his name.

Within the montage itself are a number of unique cutting methods that Edgar Wright used to cut from one shot to the next in a stylistic way.

For example
Here we start off with a shot of Pegg talking with two elderly women.

 The shot is then distorted by someone walking in front of the camera.

We then see that the image has change now to Pegg talking in a different location to tow chinese pedestrians.





Notice how in the first shot you have a band stand in the background, and in the second shot there is architecture similar to it. This is a very subtle way of keeping the shot look the same but moved to a different area.
This way off cutting is by using the environment around you as a cutting point making the image and the cut feel more alive.

Edgar Wight is non for his quick cuts which have been used in this montage. Two more examples.

Shaun of the dead




Here the quick cuts are used to show the progression of Shaun's routine as he gets himself ready for work, by rapidly cutting recognisable images together to show progression in a fact pace, moving the story forward.



Here the quick cuts are used to show Scott getting himself ready, similar to Shaun of the dead. However the quick cuts are brought to an abrupt holt when we see scott tighten his shoe laces.
Tying shoe laces is a common chore that takes up the best of 10 - 20 seconds of our time, the editor used this to the advantage of adding humour to the cut by dragging out this shot, which as soon as he is finished tying the rapid succession of shots continues.

Each of these videos shown are a form of montage. Used in the case of progressing the story within a short period of time.