Tag: zspace

Categories
ABC2 Videos: Idents

Connecting 2: The new look ABC2 idents.

Download the whole H264 bunch in one swoop here (81mb *.zip).

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(11.2mb)
> iPod Compatible
(5.7mb)
> Watch in Flash
(3.2mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(6.9mb)
> iPod Compatible
(3.5mb)
> Watch in Flash
(2mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(13.5mb)
> iPod Compatible
(7.1mb)
> Watch in Flash
(2mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(5.3mb)
> iPod Compatible
(2.7mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.6mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(4.5mb)
> iPod Compatible
(2.3mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.3mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(12.7mb)
> iPod Compatible
(6.4mb)
> Watch in Flash
(mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(3.4mb)
> iPod Compatible
(1.8mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(3.6mb)
> iPod Compatible
(1.9mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.1mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(6.9mb)
> iPod Compatible
(3.6mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.9mb progressive)

ABC2 got its best bit of PR to date on Friday when ABC TV formally became ABC1 and reminded, or alerted people for the first time that there was in fact a whole other channel available from the National Broadcaster.

Like everything the ABC does, the old look of ABC2 had its hits and misses, some of my favourites from the previous set of idents are here, but again they were far outweighed by all the ordinary ones.

Now though we have a whole new on-air look to dissect, and the first thing I thought when I saw these was… hey, its ITV4! Back in 2005 ITV4 used a similar split screen device to create visual puns, ABC2 on the other hand seem to be using the split screen to highlight various juxtapositions, city-nature, young-old, casual-professional etc. Which is fine, although it completely falls apart about half way through and I find myself wondering what two girls drinking a milkshake is meant to represent..

Comments in a previous post have already pointed out the similarities that the first of these ABC2 idents above have to the video clip of “Concrete Boots” by After The Fall, check it out and see what you think. It’s a good song either way.

Then finally, to dislocate the entire series a little more they’ve introduced two other idents (below) that are based on “parkour“, the ‘art of displacement’ which again is a fine concept for a series of idents, but why only throw in two of them.

I guess what I’m saying is that I like consistency and a central theme to my idents, something that can be explored and developed, not just random images linked at times, but then not at others.

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(5.3mb)
> iPod Compatible
(2.7mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.4mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(8mb)
> iPod Compatible
(4.2mb)
> Watch in Flash
(2.4mb progressive)

(The idents were produced by zspace, who also did the new look ABC1.)

Categories
ABC1 Videos: Idents

It begins with 1: The new look ABC1 idents.

Download the whole H264 bunch in one swoop here (129mb *.zip).

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(11.4mb)
> iPod Compatible
(5.8mb)
> Watch in Flash
(3.1mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(12.5mb)
> iPod Compatible
(6.3mb)
> Watch in Flash
(3.4mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(11.3mb)
> iPod Compatible
(5.9mb)
> Watch in Flash
(3.1mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(8.8mb)
> iPod Compatible
(4.2mb)
> Watch in Flash
(2.5mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(7.1mb)
> iPod Compatible
(3.6mb)
> Watch in Flash
(2mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(14mb)
> iPod Compatible
(7.4mb)
> Watch in Flash
(4.3mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(6.2mb)
> iPod Compatible
(3.1mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.8mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(17.7mb)
> iPod Compatible
(9mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.1mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(6.9mb)
> iPod Compatible
(3.5mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.9mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(8.7mb)
> iPod Compatible
(4.5mb)
> Watch in Flash
(3.6mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(8.2mb)
> iPod Compatible
(4.1mb)
> Watch in Flash
(4mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(17.3mb)
> iPod Compatible
(8.9mb)
> Watch in Flash
(5.4mb progressive)

I was desperate for the ABC to do something exciting when they relaunched their on-air brand today, but as yet I’m not sure if they’ve done it. While its a no-brainer that the national broadcaster needed to bring its channels into line with each other through a name change, the actual substance of the new look is where I am slightly less convinced.

From a technical and production standpoint the idents for ABC1 are on par or better than the rest of free to air to Australia, and while conceptually anything is deeper and more meaningful than ‘We Heart TV’, I guess I was expecting something grander and more profound than what I saw when I turned on the television at noon.

Visually the idents share a couple of characteristics with a series Channel Five in the UK ran early last year to celebrate its ten years of existence. In a similar style to what ABC1 has done they mixed live action with animation and in the case of Five contrasted the realities of life working in television against an evolving backdrop of child like imagination. And while the Five series cleverly aligned a networks tenth birthday to that of a child’s birthday through the animation, I’m unclear as to what the ABC is trying to achieve with a similar concept.

With all that said however, any criticism of the collection so far is from a perspective of international comparison, a comparison the average viewer will not be making, and when compared solely to local competition these idents and the new look in general is simply stunning, and will strike a chord as uniquely ABC.

I couldn’t agree more with Kim Dalton’s assertion that the national broadcaster is “embracing true multi-channelling”, and by taking an alternative path to that of other Australian networks is truly building a future and extending the longevity and purpose of the ABC in a landscape where other media organisations are looking downhill towards their own demise and irrelevance.

(The idents were produced by zspace, who have previously worked with the ABC to produce this earlier set of idents as well.)

Categories
ABC1 Videos: Idents

The network that would be ABC1.

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(15.2mb)
> iPod Compatible
(5.4mb)
> Watch in Flash
(6.1mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(23.7mb)
> iPod Compatible
(11.8mb)
> Watch in Flash
(6.5mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(5mb)
> iPod Compatible
(2.6mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.3mb progressive)

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(6.7mb)
> iPod Compatible
(2.8mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.7mb progressive)

The ABC launched its current “There’s more to..” campaign on December 21st 2005, and with tomorrows impending shake up and name change it seemed the time was right for a short retrospective.

The above videos are just a selection of the many, many variations on the theme that have been broadcast over the past few years, including the original 60 second video that began the rebrand back in 2005.

While there have certainly been varying levels of quality, some of the stand outs from the series include the “genre collection” released early last year, and of course The Chaser’s directors commentary, noting the series obscurity and pretension.

Categories
ABC1 ABC2 Videos: Idents

The ABC goes cross platform, and a little yellow.

Download the whole H264 bunch in one swoop here (22.5mb *.zip).

> Quicktime H.264
(3.5mb)
> iPod Compatible
(1.9mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.4mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(3.5mb)
> iPod Compatible
(1.5mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.2mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(3.8mb)
> iPod Compatible
(2mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.5mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(3.9mb)
> iPod Compatible
(1.5mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.5mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(3.9mb)
> iPod Compatible
(1.5mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.5mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(3.8mb)
> iPod Compatible
(1.4mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.4mb progressive)

Thanks to this comment from Sam at zspace I’m able to clear up some self induced confusion. The above three idents are part of a new Cross Platform collection created for the ABC, and are separate to the now christened “Genre” collection (still my favourite Australian idents).

All round brilliant stuff from both collections, and the best the ABC has looked in my (albeit short) living memory. And, if there’s anymore to come they’ll end up on this post.

Categories
ABC1 Videos: Idents

ABC1 idents get good…. real good.

Download the whole H264 bunch in one swoop here (56.4mb *.zip).

> Quicktime H.264
(8.9mb)
> iPod Compatible
(4.3mb)
> Watch in Flash
(2.4mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(10.9mb)
> iPod Compatible
(5.6mb)
> Watch in Flash
(2.3mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(7.6mb)
> iPod Compatible
(3.9mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.7mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(7.5mb)
> iPod Compatible
(3.9mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.6mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(8.7mb)
> iPod Compatible
(4.5mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.8mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(13.1mb)
> iPod Compatible
(6.5mb)
> Watch in Flash
(2.8mb progressive)

ABC1 idents have always been a little hit and miss. This latest release though, which started to appear at the beginning of the month have been the most polished, coherent and unified I have seen from the national broadcaster since I started this site.

I hope they build on this foundation, not make hundreds and just play the good ones, I’d rather get sick of seeing something good too many times, then seeing a thousand shades of mediocre.

For the first time they have started to feel like a real set of idents, I look forward to seeing what they add to these. (There’s more to.. Podcasting?)