M-CORP's posts

…and finally

As my last post, I would like to say that I always preferred the Digital Spy forum. (only joking... it's actually Cook'd and Bomb'd)

Seriously, thanks for everything, folks

Five is a brand

I have a feeling this might be an unpopular view, but I quite like the 2002 Five logo. It popped up on screen the other day and looked quite modern and crisp. I'm a bit of a sucker for that sans-serif, typographic, Helvetica Designers Republic aesthetic, even though the idents were dull. At least it wasn't trying to look like a poor man's Channel 4 (although that may have been more fitting).

That might be my last post on this forum... once again, cheers folks.

Martin Lambie-Nairn has died

What, the Carlton ident?

Though to be fair, even that wasn't bad.

BBC One promo DOG returns

I was watching Bloodlands last night. They showed the promo for new Line Of Duty last before the programme, and then that bloody promo DOG still showed up after the recap for a few seconds. I said 'Oh, for God's sake' quite loudly - as other people have pointed out, it seems more Channel 5 than BBC.

I said this to the people sitting beside me, they didn't give a toss. Philistines.

The BBC Coat of Arms

I do sometimes wonder if maybe the BBC should embrace their heritage more in their aesthetic. Bringing back the coat of arms might be taking it too far, but I think the bats' wings could work wonderfully. They'd contrast quite strikingly with anything the other channels are doing, and there's so much you could do with them in terms of lighting effects...

Then again, there would be a wrong way of doing it that went too far and did look a bit silly and old-fashioned. It's only worth doing if you can modernise it somehow, and the bats' wings would be more flexible than the coat of arms... (also more futurist in their aesthetic than the coat)

BBC One

Stuff it. These are very rough sketches that I wouldn't have shared at all were it not for the news tonight about TVF closing up. I share them because I think there's a good idea in there somewhere, even though I don't really have the skill to execute this properly.

The main thing I want to draw attention to is the end board - in general, I think you have the base of a good concept, making the BBC blocks front and centre, informing every part of the design.

Idents are influenced by DCM (), which would be a very flexible template - I'm thinking an ident for each and every possible genre and mood of programme, to reflect what's coming next. But there could also be a hint of late-90s Channel 4 coming through as well.

I used Reith before seeing the new BBC Select logo, and only because the 1 in Reith looks more like a 1 than that of Gill Sans. I think I got the proportions OK.

My first and last TVF mock. It's not the execution, it's the idea.

…and finally

Well, if Oneness crashed the servers, best to get out before the BBC logo gets its inevitable Reithanisation.

I've been looking at the site since 2013 IIRC, and have been a member for a couple of years. While the news is unexpected shock, I completely understand the decision. I can only copy what others have said - thank you Asa (and all other contributors) for your tireless efforts, and I wish you all the best in the future. Props for archiving the site as well.

Good Morning Britain

GMTV??

The Sound of TV with Neil Brand

Just seen tonight's episode - substantial bit towards the end about TV idents, with Martin Lambie-Nairn being interviewed about his work with Channel 4 and the BBC. Noted that TVARK was credited at the end. Not much new info but you get to see The BBC One balloons without the logo on top, plus the 90s BBC Two idents in rather good quality (but then I was watching in SD). Nice to see ML-N and the related composers being recognised for their work, that is David Dundas, David Lowe and even Anthony and Gaynor Sadler. A pleasant surprise; I though they'd just be talking about adverts...

BBC One Christmas idents 2020

Well, the Gruffalo Child's ident may be a throwback to 2011, but I have to agree it was nice and heart-warming.

These aren't bad, and nice to see Magic Light's work being appreciated and celebrated with the honour of the whole package. Certainly we could have got far worse. My main bugbear is that with the placement of the logo I just feel like I'm watching trailers or clips from programmes as opposed to idents. Then again, that's less a problem with these idents and more an issue with BBC One's wider identity, which after 14 years could do with a complete revamp...

Best and worst idents from each BBC1 and BBC2 set post-1991?

My choices, with too much thought put into them...

BBC1 90s - this is tricky. The virtual globe is really nicely lit and has a lovely moody ambience that was a nice different direction to take the globe. On the other hand the balloon is more interesting and the fact you had multiple idents meant it retained its freshness. The best idents, however, were the initial launch idents in '97, because there the balloon was flown for real (as opposed to being CGed in later), and like a Storm Thorgerson album cover, it gains so much from being done for real.

BBC1 R&M - Skateboarders was a nice contrast to the rest of the set - sombre and graceful, avoiding the obvious route that many of the other idents took - that being 'Yo mate! We're down with the 18-25 year-old demographic!' Music Video was probably the worst offender in this category, and also unsuitable for about 90% of BBC One's programming - at least Tumbler fitted in perfectly with daytime television. (I do also like Capeoria and Tapdogs.)

BBC1 Circles - Kites and Mission Control are my favourites, the latter for nostalgic Doctor Who-related reasons. Windows was the blandest but even that had a cute soundtrack. Though all the idents were hindered by their being shortened down.

BBC1 Oneness - JESUS CHRIST GSGUG^Yw$!%£&@(!))

BBC2 1991 - Immediate favourite would be Firecracker, with close calls being Wave, Car, Neon or Diary. With the exception of Paper Cut-Out where nothing happens (but even that one isn't too bad), they're all consistently class.

BBC2 1997 - See above, except they dropped Firecracker and Diary to make way for the 2000 idents.

BBC2 2001 - Sticky Label was a nice then-unusual attempt to muck around with the logo and do comedy in an ident, while Formation has an iconic end shot in my view. Don't really have a worst ident, they were all consistently decent, if trying too hard to be funny on a channel that still had to show Newsnight.

BBC2 2007 - Mirror and Seascape were the best, Tagging was an interesting idea, Sunroof was the worst for being bland and not standing up to repeat viewings, washing over the viewer without really drawing your attention.

BBC2 2018 - all are decent, but Gritty and Punchy stick out as my favourites, while Illuminated was too simplistic for my tastes.

Spitting Image to return on BritBox

Oh, and does anyone else find it amusing that Spitting Image seemingly came back primarily to take the mick out of Trump, yet just a month after the programme returns their main target, who was at the centre of the show's promotion, is on the way out (albeit not quietly and quickly)?