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I first gushed all over these ‘audio reactive’ idents back in December last year, and that was when I’d only seen three of them. Now I’m happy to present the whole collection, along with a making-of video. And while my absolute favourite of the bunch remains the “lamp store” spot, some of the new inclusions such as “welding” and “power lines” are just as excellent.

And while the concept for these idents continue to blow me away, I think the more successful spots tend to be the ones that have the voice altering the environment in a more natural and realistic way. For example the “car park” ident doesn’t have the same impact when the visual reaction to the voice is quite so surreal. And as for the “ice cream truck” spot, I’ve been told its used during children’s programming, which makes sense, because compared to the rest its straight out bizarre.

Check out the making of video below, and a big thanks to folks at Proud Creative and Minivegas for the videos.

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Proud Creative, working for Welsh broadcaster S4/C have created some of the most stunning videos I’ve posted on this site. I was immediately impressed by the “invisible patriotism” of the Welsh people that they captured in their earlier idents for them, and everyone was mesmerised by the infinite loop that filled S4/C’s on-air down time.

Now though it’s time for something new from Proud and S4/C, something technically very tricky and something thats a world first. Basically they have shot some new idents on film, but with some computer wizardry from Minivegas and some custom designed audio reactive software they are able to create “realtime rendering of live action elements”. Which means the continuity announcers voice actually effects what is on screen, similar to what BBC Four used to do, but on a whole new level.

Watch the videos above in order for the best experience, as they give an explanation as to what is going on, and start thinking about the endless possibilities S4/C have to expand this series.

- Thanks to Dan and Roger from Proud for the videos.

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While English does not have de jure status in Australia as our national language, in Wales its a very different story. Wales is officially bilingual which means by law English and Welsh have to be treated equally.

This pop-up book inspired promo for Welsh broadcaster S4/C explains how to get the most out of the channel in your language of choice. The production is excellent, and its made a very memorable clip out of something that could have just as easily been a very boring piece-to-camera.

Proud Creative have been the folks behind all the S4/C videos I’ve posted, and its been some of the best stuff I have seen from anywhere in the world since I started this site. The new brand they have built for S4/C is incredibly genuine, thoughtful and just constantly visually stunning.

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What do you get when there’s a break in the schedule of television early in the morning? Infomercials? Test patterns?.. Not if you live in Wales. This loop, created for S4/C by Proud fills those gaps with a serene and mesmerising flow of five lines.

Its the kind of thing you’d expect to see projected on the wall in a big dark room at Georges Pompidou, not on early morning television in Wales. In fact, if it wasn’t on TV, we’d probably all call it art.. which it is, just like S4/C’s stunning idents collection.

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Something there should probably be more of on this site… a look behind the scenes at the making of some idents. This making of video comes courtesy of Dan at Proud Creative and gives us a peek at some of the production that went into making this awesome ident package.

Check out the ten idents that make up the finished product here.

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Thanks to Dan from Proud Creative for sending me their latest creation, in collaboration with Universal Everything the new, and stunning idents for Sianel Pedwar Cymru, thats Channel Four Wales or simply S4/C.

According to Universal Everything the concept revolves “around the idea of magnetism and the invisible patriotic energy which binds Welsh people together”, and while thats a big idea to try to represent in just 20 seconds, I think its the kind of thing idents should be about.

Channels should impossibly strive to reflect the society and culture in which they broadcast, not just promote other shows on the network. Idents can be art, and S4C’s latest prove that. If I were Welsh I would be proud (no pun intended) to frame my television viewing through these elegantly created vignettes.

Update: Watch the making of these idents in the video below.

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