New 2023 Channel 4 TV idents

[Retro]

Yesterday at 18:55, Channel 4 released its new channel idents (the branding bit shown between programmes) and showed off the whole set in a short film. I like the recursion used in the video where the last ident would actually be thousands of times smaller than the first one if shown next to it. Check it out.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

My favourite idents are the original 1982 one of the 4 comprising of coloured blocks smoothly coming together and the 2000s one where objects coalesed into a 4 from a particular vantage point as the camera moved forward. I especially liked the impossible shapes hovering in mid-air created by those, with the power lines being one of the best.

News article explaining the new idents:

Channel 4 unveils new idents > RXTV info

Channel 4 has unveiled a new series of idents that will introduce programmes on the channel from Wednesday evening.

rxtvinfo.com

 

[Crims]

My favourite 4 idents don't have poetry, though the elephant in the office was quite a funny sight to behold
I'm surprised the 80s was when that logo started when a lot of innovations in motion graphics were at the turn of the 00s. Music video directors at the time were experimenting and pushing the field further. Eyecatching is definitely my preference with this stuff - I'm not entirely into the style of 'understate the motion graphics' because it always ends up egotistical, though that had some highlights, for sure.

 

[Retro]

Talking about motion, did you notice how the sweep motion from the current level into the new one actually subtly changes direction a bit, like they have to line it up? It's quite subtle. Perhaps that bit had a manual component to it, can't tell. Or perhaps the sweep was done manually and then programmed so it moved like that for all the level changes?

I really like recursive graphics like that and there have been a couple of adverts that use it recently which fascinated me. One was for Tanqueray and I think the other for a car.

 

[Crims]

Honestly it's all the same, the motion itself is designed to be too complex to track. My preference with motion graphics are ones that have a actual fixed camera and followable subject matter. Very detailed and 3d though.