Task 01:
What is an Ident?
"A short visual image put between television programmes that work as a logo to help the viewer recognise and familiarise with the channel" - Collins English Dictionary 2003.
Television idents have lots of different designs and purposes, it is completely dependent on the telivision network and channel they are being seen on. For example BBC idents will be very different to those you'd see on E4. This is purely because he creators of the idents are aiming to please a specific audience.
Here are two examples of television idents:
"A short visual image put between television programmes that work as a logo to help the viewer recognise and familiarise with the channel" - Collins English Dictionary 2003.
Television idents have lots of different designs and purposes, it is completely dependent on the telivision network and channel they are being seen on. For example BBC idents will be very different to those you'd see on E4. This is purely because he creators of the idents are aiming to please a specific audience.
Here are two examples of television idents:
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Density of information means how much information is given during the ident. Basically how much does the viewer learn about the channel during the ident. The video to the right shows a 2010 Sky Sports Ident. It shows the UK playing international football, as well as Manchester United, which informs the viewer about what the channel has to offer. This is a smart technique, and in a short sixteen seconds the ident has shown what the network as to offer. This will appeal to football fans who may be watching sky sports in the pub or at the shops. Which could lead to increase in sales for Sky Sports to.
Space and time is also an important thing to consider when creating idents. This quite simply is the amount of space the ident fills on screen and how long the ident lasts for.
Space and time is also an important thing to consider when creating idents. This quite simply is the amount of space the ident fills on screen and how long the ident lasts for.
This is another Channel 4 ident, it is very simple and is over very quickly. Screen Tempo is all about the
speed and pace of the ident. Is it smooth or rough? Fast or slow? This will be different depending on the channel it is made to promote. For instance a CBBC ident is obviously aimed at children from the age of 8-12 meaning the idents will be faster paced for more excitable kids. Whereas a BBC2 ident is more likely to be a slower paced ident as the channel itself is made for a more mature/older generation.
Channels often interact with there viewers. This could be by simply telling you which programme is coming up next or whats available on their website. E4 appears to be a common user of this method as they will often try and get you (as a viewer) to visit the website to take part in a vote, competition or something just for entertainment value. There have been idents that inform the viewer of the 'E4ers club' which promises you'll be the first to see new shows, gather exclusive content and enjoy VIP treatment. This is a great way to engage casual viewers of the channel and make them feel more privileged and important.
To summarise, there are two main types of idents. Either the ident is created for an informational purpose such as informing the viewer about what the channel has to offer, such as the Sky Sports Ident, or the ident will be made for entertainment purposes to put between programmes, with the intention of reminding the viewer of the channel they are watching such as the Simpsons Channel 4 indent.
The main purpose of an ident is to be recognisable. It needs to be clear what company the ident is representing.
speed and pace of the ident. Is it smooth or rough? Fast or slow? This will be different depending on the channel it is made to promote. For instance a CBBC ident is obviously aimed at children from the age of 8-12 meaning the idents will be faster paced for more excitable kids. Whereas a BBC2 ident is more likely to be a slower paced ident as the channel itself is made for a more mature/older generation.
Channels often interact with there viewers. This could be by simply telling you which programme is coming up next or whats available on their website. E4 appears to be a common user of this method as they will often try and get you (as a viewer) to visit the website to take part in a vote, competition or something just for entertainment value. There have been idents that inform the viewer of the 'E4ers club' which promises you'll be the first to see new shows, gather exclusive content and enjoy VIP treatment. This is a great way to engage casual viewers of the channel and make them feel more privileged and important.
To summarise, there are two main types of idents. Either the ident is created for an informational purpose such as informing the viewer about what the channel has to offer, such as the Sky Sports Ident, or the ident will be made for entertainment purposes to put between programmes, with the intention of reminding the viewer of the channel they are watching such as the Simpsons Channel 4 indent.
The main purpose of an ident is to be recognisable. It needs to be clear what company the ident is representing.
A very basic example of this would be the BBC ident, which is known internationally by 3 white blocks with the letters inside. If the name of the company is unclear after a 10-15 second ident then it isn't very effect.
Another purpose is for the ident to give a personality to the channel. For example E4 is known for being a more youthful channel. We can tell this by two factors, the programmes they show and the style of the idents they use.
Another purpose is for the ident to give a personality to the channel. For example E4 is known for being a more youthful channel. We can tell this by two factors, the programmes they show and the style of the idents they use.
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All television channels will have a whole suite of idents which they will use. Most of the time they will have the same theme but be edited slightly depending on the content or even the season. The following clip above (and to the right) is a winter/christmas time ident for BBC. It shows friendly faces and well known characters Wallace and Gromit and it was shown in december on BBC one.
Sometimes a channel will under go some extreme changes. We call this 'repackaging' this means they can change the name, content and audience of a channel. The best example of this would be the 'UKTV G2 to Dave'. By completely changing everything about there channel they were able to bring in new content to their channel.
Scheduling refers to the time which an ident is aired on television. Different idents are put on at different times throughout the day. For example an ident suite may be made up from 4 different idents resembling morning, afternoon, evening and night time. The placement of these idents will be used to as a visual eye pleaser and a reminder of the channel the viewer is watching. Commonly before and after a programme. The reason for this is so the narrator of the channel can get the chance to announce the upcoming programmes and not be saying it over a boring black screen.
Sometimes a channel will under go some extreme changes. We call this 'repackaging' this means they can change the name, content and audience of a channel. The best example of this would be the 'UKTV G2 to Dave'. By completely changing everything about there channel they were able to bring in new content to their channel.
Scheduling refers to the time which an ident is aired on television. Different idents are put on at different times throughout the day. For example an ident suite may be made up from 4 different idents resembling morning, afternoon, evening and night time. The placement of these idents will be used to as a visual eye pleaser and a reminder of the channel the viewer is watching. Commonly before and after a programme. The reason for this is so the narrator of the channel can get the chance to announce the upcoming programmes and not be saying it over a boring black screen.
Task 02:
Opportunities:
On-screem graphic representation is used to help sell a product. The information about the show or channel is conveyed in an interesting way, such as info-graphics, along with voiceover instead of a long-winded lecture about how great the channel is. On-screen graphics also publicise a company and its values.
- Creation of corporate identity.
- Display of text-based information.
- Branding of content.
- Encouragement o brand loyalty.
- Creation of tone.
- Appeal to target audience.
On-screem graphic representation is used to help sell a product. The information about the show or channel is conveyed in an interesting way, such as info-graphics, along with voiceover instead of a long-winded lecture about how great the channel is. On-screen graphics also publicise a company and its values.
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Creation of Corporate identity.
A corporate identity can be created with the use of on-screen graphics. This is an opportunity because they are able to visually communicate the aims mission and values of a company. Corporate identities are the parent companies of their subsidiaries - brand identtities. A good example of this is BBC one, BBC Two, BBC three, and BBc four.
A corporate identity can be created with the use of on-screen graphics. This is an opportunity because they are able to visually communicate the aims mission and values of a company. Corporate identities are the parent companies of their subsidiaries - brand identtities. A good example of this is BBC one, BBC Two, BBC three, and BBc four.
The very first BBC ident of 'bat wings' established the corporation identity of the BBC from the beginning. The rotational circular movement of the sphere represented the world while the bat wings represented sonar waves and satellite communication. In relation to the BBC's current mission and values they have displayed what they are all about. "communication" and "the world" with international bonds which link in with their current mission "to be the most creative organisation in the world" to create international bonds and entertain. Their aim is to "inform, educate and entertain" was not obvious in there very first idents, but now that their corporation identity is established and audiences know what the organisation provides them with, the idents simply reinforce their identity visually.
Display of text-based information
A clear opportunity of on-screen graphic representation is the ability to give information and ideas visually Although some aspects of information have no other way of being shown apart from through the use of text, though this may not seem like a visually appealing way to communicate information to an audience through a visual medium such as television, on screen graphics make it more than a large block of boring text.
Display of text-based information
A clear opportunity of on-screen graphic representation is the ability to give information and ideas visually Although some aspects of information have no other way of being shown apart from through the use of text, though this may not seem like a visually appealing way to communicate information to an audience through a visual medium such as television, on screen graphics make it more than a large block of boring text.
This video is a good example. This video is an animated 'infographic' telling the viewers about the gulf oil spill. A big part of the video is numerical and having the inforgraph shows written words on screen within animations which allows the audience to enjoy what they're reading and it can also make it easier to understand. This video is effective because it attempts to make the text based information much more interesting and fun to read. The topic of information isn't the most interesting which is why the text had been cleverly broken up through out the video rather than a static boring block text.
Branding Content
This is the idea that a channel is known for the programmes that it broadcasts. For example MTV air a show called "MTV's Top hits" the content of the channel has bee branded in its tittle so that it is clear to the target audience what channel it had been broadcast from.
The traditional meaning of branding relates to the use of a heated iron that leaves a mark on an object. The logo of a channel, that represents he channels mission, aims and values as well as being the main focus in the channels idents, is often 'stamped' in the corner of the screen during the programmes aired on that channel. An obvious example is the BBC.
Branding Content
This is the idea that a channel is known for the programmes that it broadcasts. For example MTV air a show called "MTV's Top hits" the content of the channel has bee branded in its tittle so that it is clear to the target audience what channel it had been broadcast from.
The traditional meaning of branding relates to the use of a heated iron that leaves a mark on an object. The logo of a channel, that represents he channels mission, aims and values as well as being the main focus in the channels idents, is often 'stamped' in the corner of the screen during the programmes aired on that channel. An obvious example is the BBC.
On-screen graphic representation enables an opportunity to encourage brand loyalty. A corporate identity must first set its aims, missions and values. it is then the duty of the ident to transmit these over a long period of time, keeping them exactly the same. If the audience is happy with the products and services they are given there are more likely to stay and grow with the organisation. This all comes down to consistent themes and ideas conveyed through the ident that encourages loyalty to the brand This loyalty is important to maintain high viewing figures. The BBC is renowned for this and although they don't make money through advertising, their established brand loyalty means viewers continue to pay their licence fee, which is really their to fund the BBC.
Creation of tone
On-screen graphics set a particular tone. The correct tone is an opportunity for a corporate or brand identity to be successful and appeal to its target audience. Colour, tempo and sound create the tone of an ident. An ident that uses black and whites creates an old-fashioned feel. Combined with a slow pace and steady beat could suggest a more formal tone for an older, audience. A lively tone could be created through the use of bright colours, upbeat audio and busy content. This implies a younger, more lively audience, which reflects the tone.
Creation of tone
On-screen graphics set a particular tone. The correct tone is an opportunity for a corporate or brand identity to be successful and appeal to its target audience. Colour, tempo and sound create the tone of an ident. An ident that uses black and whites creates an old-fashioned feel. Combined with a slow pace and steady beat could suggest a more formal tone for an older, audience. A lively tone could be created through the use of bright colours, upbeat audio and busy content. This implies a younger, more lively audience, which reflects the tone.
This is the new look for ITV, after the recent re-branding. The use of blue within it is quite a corporate colour, which creates a tone of business and professionalism. The turquoise is a mix of green and blue and connotations of these colours are reflections of nature, representing a new beginning and growth. The creation of tone links in with appealing to a tone links in with appealing to a target audience. This suggests that the re-branding of itv is a new beginning, as it attempts to appeal to younger audiences as well. This is obvious because of the bright colours on the 'v'. At the end of the day the colour scheme reflects the general colours in the upcoming programme ITV news. The audio isn't very loud or upbeat. This suggests the focus is meant to be more on the visuals as opposed to the audio. This shows how we can efficiently show relevant information with an awareness of time constraints. This is to appeal to a busy businessman or women, as they live busy, working lives and would have little time to concentrate on the audio.
On the other hand the use of on-screen graphics in the nickelodeon ident is very different to the one used on ITV news. The audio is obviously upbeat which will naturally draw in a viewer to watch the ident. The use of actors and actresses from the programmes shown on the channel appeals to the young target audience further as they can see a friendly face on screen and are intrigued to see what happens to them. It uses two bright colours, orange and green. Orange being the brand colour which is easily recognisable by regular viewers. The creators or the ident have made a very energetic and fum tone which appeals to their target audience.
Appeal to target audience.
Idents are typically aimed at certain demographics, these are spilt into age and gender. Though some on-screen graphics are of places as opposed to people, which brings in the idea of psychographics (psychographics meaning to study and classify people according to their attitudes, aspirations, and other psychological criteria, esp. in market research) On-screen graphics give you the opportunity to appeal to a target audience in many ways.
Comedy central London ident - the city is actually a graphic animation as the logo hits the gherkin and it wobbles. This is comedic.in that obviously this could never happen. This suggests that the programmes on the channel are targeted at people who have an interest in comedy hence the channel name: Comedy Central. The idea that the ident shows the city of London could be an indication that men or women living in London (demographics - geographical location) would enjoy watching this channel or have a better interaction - perhaps because of English jokes made within the programmes as an example. Other idents normally use colours to suggest the intended demographic audience and objects to imply psychographics of the audience.
An example is the BBC Three Kick Step Turn Ident.
Appeal to target audience.
Idents are typically aimed at certain demographics, these are spilt into age and gender. Though some on-screen graphics are of places as opposed to people, which brings in the idea of psychographics (psychographics meaning to study and classify people according to their attitudes, aspirations, and other psychological criteria, esp. in market research) On-screen graphics give you the opportunity to appeal to a target audience in many ways.
Comedy central London ident - the city is actually a graphic animation as the logo hits the gherkin and it wobbles. This is comedic.in that obviously this could never happen. This suggests that the programmes on the channel are targeted at people who have an interest in comedy hence the channel name: Comedy Central. The idea that the ident shows the city of London could be an indication that men or women living in London (demographics - geographical location) would enjoy watching this channel or have a better interaction - perhaps because of English jokes made within the programmes as an example. Other idents normally use colours to suggest the intended demographic audience and objects to imply psychographics of the audience.
An example is the BBC Three Kick Step Turn Ident.
Colours used:
Animation objects shown:
There are also limitations of on-screen graphics.
Limitations:
Typography.
This is a method in which text is placed on screen. this is a limitation because it has to be legible and readable. In the past there wasn't many different device types on the market this meant the quality and screen sizes were fairly similar. This meant back in the day typography didnt take a lot of thinking.
These days new versions of computer software and recent models create different screen resolutions. This affects the quality of the typography and how it appears on different devices. it may become pixelated or to small and unreadable. If the on-screen graphics were created on a smaller screen than the one it will be broadcast on. It may even pixelate.
- Mostly purple, pink and blue (indicates mixed gender audiences)
Animation objects shown:
- Blue heels, red lipstick - womens favourites (?)
- Cars - Mens favourites (?)
- Disco ball - Most people enjoy a party
- Animated people, both men and women, joining together to dance - brought together as viewers because of their enjoyment of the programmes shown on the channel.
There are also limitations of on-screen graphics.
Limitations:
- Time consuming
- Expensive
- Typography
- Resolution
- Poor quality
- Colour
- Size
- Aspect ratio
- Analogue and digital recording
- Transmission systems
- Appeal to target audience
Typography.
This is a method in which text is placed on screen. this is a limitation because it has to be legible and readable. In the past there wasn't many different device types on the market this meant the quality and screen sizes were fairly similar. This meant back in the day typography didnt take a lot of thinking.
These days new versions of computer software and recent models create different screen resolutions. This affects the quality of the typography and how it appears on different devices. it may become pixelated or to small and unreadable. If the on-screen graphics were created on a smaller screen than the one it will be broadcast on. It may even pixelate.
Resolution
This is the detail of an image on screen. It is well known and believed that the more pixels there are the better quality it is. The resolution of different screen sizes, different computers and other devices varies. PC's are said to have a better quality than television. The resolution of the out put device may also affect the impact of the graphics on the the audience. If the quality is low then it wont be very nice for the viewer to look at because a grainy-pixelated effect will be created. This poor quality would not have been considered poor quality in the past because that is all they knew and would have thought it was a great advance in technology. however now audiences are so accustomed to high quality that they dont want anything else!
This is the detail of an image on screen. It is well known and believed that the more pixels there are the better quality it is. The resolution of different screen sizes, different computers and other devices varies. PC's are said to have a better quality than television. The resolution of the out put device may also affect the impact of the graphics on the the audience. If the quality is low then it wont be very nice for the viewer to look at because a grainy-pixelated effect will be created. This poor quality would not have been considered poor quality in the past because that is all they knew and would have thought it was a great advance in technology. however now audiences are so accustomed to high quality that they dont want anything else!
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The resolution of different devices is another limitation in relation to typography because it may affect how readable the text is. Even today technology still has technical limitations. moire fringing is the effect of changing angles when two straight lines are so close together that they create the illusion of movement. This can be quite and irritation for some viewers as they end up focusing on this rather than what they're watching. Moire fringing can also happen when clothing is worn with things such as shirts with stripes. Somethings never change though as Tv is still based on horizontal lines.
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Colour
Along with screen size and resolution graphic designers can never know for certain what the colours will appear like. Some may have Hd flat screens, where by the colours appear just as they should where as others may have black and white or tube televisions. Obviously the colours would not appear on a black and white television and are most likely not going to appear as they were intended to. This may effect the design and impact the on-sceen graphics have on the viewers. RGB - Red, Green, Blue - is a colour model used for screens. the problem with the colour red is that it is to prone to noise, which is why graphic designers tend to not use it when they are aware the graphic will be transmitted to various devices with different screen sizes and resolutions. YUV is like RGB. It is a colour encoding system used for analogue Tv.
Along with screen size and resolution graphic designers can never know for certain what the colours will appear like. Some may have Hd flat screens, where by the colours appear just as they should where as others may have black and white or tube televisions. Obviously the colours would not appear on a black and white television and are most likely not going to appear as they were intended to. This may effect the design and impact the on-sceen graphics have on the viewers. RGB - Red, Green, Blue - is a colour model used for screens. the problem with the colour red is that it is to prone to noise, which is why graphic designers tend to not use it when they are aware the graphic will be transmitted to various devices with different screen sizes and resolutions. YUV is like RGB. It is a colour encoding system used for analogue Tv.
Some colours will work nicely together where as some may not work together so greatly. This is all based on how a colour wheel works. For example oranges and pinks do not work nicely together as it can become garish and the colours will clash. It also becomes hard to read if you had a pink text on and orange background or visa versa. The colours work with Primary colours and colours which match them, we call these complimentary colours. The primary colours are Red Blue and yellow. The complementary colour to red is green, yellows is purple and blues is orange. This means you could use these colours for background and text colours and it would not be garish or difficult to read. where as if you used green and yellow as it would blend together and strain the eyes.
Also on a brief side note you cant broadcast metallic colours as they do not mix well and do not come through efficiently.
Screen size
There is no standardised screen format. This means that there is no control over the final output of the transmitted graphic. This is a clear limitation, as the graphic can lose quality. This leads into analogue and digital transmission systems.
Also on a brief side note you cant broadcast metallic colours as they do not mix well and do not come through efficiently.
Screen size
There is no standardised screen format. This means that there is no control over the final output of the transmitted graphic. This is a clear limitation, as the graphic can lose quality. This leads into analogue and digital transmission systems.
Aspect Ratio (16:9 - 4:3 etc)
Aspect ratio is basically the width of screen compared to height. Traditional Tv's have a ratio of 4:3. For example a 32 0inch traditional television screen would be 25.5 inches wide and 19 inches tall. Wide screen aspect ratio is 16:9. A 32-inch widescreen television screen would be 28 inches and 19 inches tall.
Anamorphic, also know as cinematic is conventionally known as the screen size we watch during a trip to the cinema. It is a much bigger screen which means the films/shows/adverts shown on screen need to have a high resolution.
The ratio will vary depending on what kind of device you use.
Creative Communication.
Creative communications shown in idents through music, sounds,graphics, pictures and colours. It is very important to display the channels brand identity to viewers especially if they ate aiming towards a particular audience. for example a specific type of music can be used. This inspires brand loyalty because if the channel reaches out and communicates and acknowledges its audience they feel a real connection with what they see and hear on screen. The stronger the connection the more loyal the viewer will be to the channel. aside from the social connection idents also provide an opportunity to inform, they do this with the use of text and sometime using a voice over. it allows the channel to communicate the content of the channel across to its viewers, so they know if the upcoming programmes are related to their interests. However blind people cant see the onscreen text and deaf people cant hear the voice over. This makes the use of visuals and voiceovers doubley important so they can involve all types of viewers.
Creative communications shown in idents through music, sounds,graphics, pictures and colours. It is very important to display the channels brand identity to viewers especially if they ate aiming towards a particular audience. for example a specific type of music can be used. This inspires brand loyalty because if the channel reaches out and communicates and acknowledges its audience they feel a real connection with what they see and hear on screen. The stronger the connection the more loyal the viewer will be to the channel. aside from the social connection idents also provide an opportunity to inform, they do this with the use of text and sometime using a voice over. it allows the channel to communicate the content of the channel across to its viewers, so they know if the upcoming programmes are related to their interests. However blind people cant see the onscreen text and deaf people cant hear the voice over. This makes the use of visuals and voiceovers doubley important so they can involve all types of viewers.
E4 has a target audience that ranges from 15-35 year olds in my opinion. People in this age range can appreciate a mix of mature and immature content. The programmes shown on the channel tend to be more comedy base, young dramas and reality shows. Meaning that the people watching are probably very upbeat casual people.
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Mid-Cheshire College has a target audience that ranges from 16-25 year olds although it can also appeal to older people looking to learn something new. MCC is a further education college which students can join at the age of 16 once they have completing secondary school. People of all ages can join the college if they are over the age of 16 though it is not to common to see someone over the age of 20 roaming the college campus
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Generating themes an appropriate ideas.
My first idea is inspired by daryl dixon. I want my ident to have a small group of people who are running from a zombie at the very end of the scene the zombie gets shot in the head by an arrow and falls to the ground and goes on to reveal the E4 logo as the arrow head. I want to create a digitised world in which my characters roam. using photoshop to colour and edit/manipulate my drawings. This is a piece of my work i had done a while ago. This is the style i am thinking of using for my identi like this idea because it means the image will be easier to manipulate and will look neater and more appealing to the eye. It also means i can keep the colours blocked and neat as opposed to using a felt tip that could run out and change colours.
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My final idea is a series of hand drawn images of a small cloud. His life seems quite boring bland and plane his world is all black and white until he is stunned by an incoming object/hand which squishes him to reveal a purple splurge, when the hand is removed all that remains is the E4 logo. I think this could represent E4 because it could help represent how E4 can bring a bit of interest into your life. My idea was inspired by Don Hertzfeld. Though this may be a little inappropriate for television itself i took a liking to the little cloud characters and have created one of my own in the same style.though i hope to make mine a lot more before water shed friendly.