Author: John Beohm

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Foxtel MTV Videos: Idents

MTV Australia gets a little more Australian.

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MTV Australia have launched local idents, ditching the generic international look for an Australian skew on this generational phenomenon that is Music Television.

And while the networks programming has over the years ranged from the inane to the influential and the socially aware, its brand has for better and/or worse always had an enourmous impact on popular culture.

The powerful MTV brand gets deconstructed in these new idents showing the importance of remaining an “evolving creature, something new and slightly unusual”, especially important with the fickle tastes of your target audience.

I really like the new look, instead of embracing whatever trend the kids may be going for this very second, the idents take a more natural approach, showing the MTV logo as being fluid and always adapting to its surrounds.

For more design from MTV, check out the “narrative and visual break” created for the South American arm of the network here.

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ABC2 Videos: Idents

The cutesy sign off ABC2 says good night with.

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When ABC2 switches off at around midnight each night, this somewhat cutesy, yet charming footage rolls. And while there’s probably more creative ideas than this one, at least they’re doing something.

As ultimately useless as it is (like the entire contents of this blog), its the little things about how a channel operates, whether its some awesome idents, a mesmerising test pattern, or some creative programming that creates the connection with a viewer that makes a channel special, and not just a vending machine of trash.

UPDATE: It turns out they have a pretty similar video for when ABC2 turns back on in the morning around 7am, check it out below.

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Videos: Idents

The idents of cinema: The big six studios.

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These six videos are some of the most ubiquitous examples of entertainment branding found in popular culture. They come from the “big six” studios and preface the vast majority of films produced, and all have one thing in common.. unusally epic and grandiose imagery that only the film industry could get away with using.

The histories behind these stately logos are as interesting as some of the movies they precede: Paramount’s mountain logo for example is the oldest surviving studio emblem dating back to 1912, and is believed to be based upon Ben Lomond Mountain in Utah, although Peru’s Artesonraju is a closer fit.

While Columbia’s torch carrying lady dates back to 1924, the most recent incarnation is not as some thought modelled by Annette Benning, but actually the much more unassuming Jenny Joseph, a mother of two from Houston.

And the iconic Art Deco monument that 20 Century Fox uses as a logo was developed in 1935, and received a series of revisions before being standardised in 1994 with CGI, but only after a failed attempt to actually build a live action version of the monument.

What are some of the better studio idents around at the moment? I’ve always been a fan of Pixar’s jumping desk lamp myself.

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Foxtel Videos: Idents

Apollo 554, we have a channel change.

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While the Discovery networks in the US have been busy getting a rebrand, in Malaysia viewers of Discovery Science are being reminded that the number on the dial has changed in this short, NASA inspired spot.

– Thanks to Alex from Motion Foundry for the video.

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SBS Videos: Idents

The always emotive SBS relaunches.

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Everyone seems to have an opinion about the multicultural broadcaster SBS, which is certainly a better position to be in than having nobody care about you either way. So I’m sure we’re all bound to have something to say about this mornings relaunch of its on air image and logo. As for me, I think its pretty great, and well overdue.

The broadcaster refreshed its still very effective former logo based on the Mercator map, with a slightly more modern interpretation to create what is easily one of the best logos on Australian television (as it battles it out with the Lissajous).

SBS hasn’t been everyones favourite public broadcaster of late, especially thanks to the insertion of advertisements midway through shows, previously only allowed before and after programs. That aside though the network is growing a stable of quality alternative programming, including but not limited to South Park, Mythbusters, Big Love, Skins, Top Gear, and later this year Top Gear Australia. And while the network is still rooted in the obligations of its charter, perhaps this new look is all part of play to become Australia’s equivalent of Channel 4.

Branding was beginning to seem like an after thought to SBS in recent times, with no actual idents on air we were starting to get worried, especially considering the mini masterpieces that had once graced our screens. But it looks like sanity has resumed with these beautifully crafted on air images, a graceful modern logo, and a whole new website.. now if only we can get rid of the ads.

The multicultural broadcaster is now also blogging, with an explanation about the new brand from the networks Director of Marketing available here.

More videos from the relaunch after the jump…

Continue reading “The always emotive SBS relaunches.”
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Foxtel Videos: Idents

Watch What Happens when Arena rebrands.

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The Bravo inspired new look Arena is now on-air, and while its all very bright, its also very much linked to those few big name shows the network happens to air.

The biggest of those shows is Project Runway, which recently become the first reality show to win a Peabody award for excellence in broadcasting, but is also jumping ships to Lifetime in the US. The president of Bravo recently described the brand (which Arena is now piggybacking on) as “a consumer-immersed environment”, which to me sounds like a bad thing, but maybe its just not my style.

Speaking of subscription television though, one of the best spots I’ve seen continues to be this video from the Bio. channel.

Keep reading for a look at how Arena used to look, before getting Bravo’d.

Continue reading “Watch What Happens when Arena rebrands.”
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Channel Five Videos: Idents

Hello, Fiver. The new look Five Life.

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UPDATE: Download high-def versions of the idents here (70mb) and here (54mb).

Two days ago UK broadcaster Five rebranded its multichannel Five Life as.. Fiver. The new look channel is an attempt by Five to jump start is fledgling digital expansion, which also includes the Five US network.

Fiver is being touted as a “younger, faster, louder re-invention of Five Life”, and an attempt to capture some of the male audience scared off by the Five Life brand.

And musically, the first of the two idents feature the track ‘The Message’ by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, not sure about the second video sorry the second video is ‘I Get Around’ by Dragonette.

The new look of the network revolves around the cursor motif, and were designed by the team at We Are Seventeen, London. Keep reading for a Fiver promo..

Continue reading “Hello, Fiver. The new look Five Life.”
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ABC1 Videos: Promos

You may love May on the ABC.

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“You may love May”.. Are they suggesting there’s a chance we won’t? That’s the ABC’s confidence lacking tagline being used in this otherwise resplendent promo.

And while its obviously in reference to the month its the kind of thing your unlikely to see on another network. The ABC received some bad press over a recent Logies promo that went to air, so this deliberately low key outing is probably welcome.

Outside of the ABC however, May should be an interesting month for Australian television with a new look SBS set to launch, and Arena’s Bravo-style rebranding.

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European TV Videos: Idents

The Irish idents of RTÉ Two.

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Somewhat surprisingly these idents from Irish broadcaster RTÉ Two date all the way back to 2004, which in the world of design seems like decades ago.

And while Irish viewers may very well be sick of them, design wise they’ve stood up to fickle ravages of modernity for nearly four years now, something most on-air looks could only wish for.

These idents were created by Piranha Bar, with 3D and compositing MV75.

– Thanks to Morten for the videos.

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BBC (Other) Videos: Broadcast News Videos: Openings

BBC News 24 is no more.

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More of the white space infused refresh of the BBC’s news output, including the new BBC News Channel, BBC News at 10, and regional BBC News service Points West.

The BBC have actually blogged about the changes themselves here and here, and have also compiled a video montage of the look of BBC News over the years here.

Among other things they explain the dropping of the 24 from their news channel:

BBC News 24 becomes simply “BBC News”… The channel is not just at the heart of BBC News. Now it is BBC News.

For videos from the newly renamed BBC World News channel click here.

– Thanks for the videos Craig.