Channel 4 news

Good to see a new set is on the way. Interesting to note that the green tinting from the real set has been (mostly) lost in the CSO set - obviously this has been missing from the colour palette for 5 years now (or 2 I suppose if you include More4 News).

The interaction thing didn't hold too well, but I do like the 2-sided desk approach.

Not that there's anything wrong with the current titles, but it'd be nice to see a refresh at least of these too. Hell, why not go all-in and get 4Creative to do a serious ident to go in to the news - a modern take on a clock?

I think the set is rather good - especially as it's intended to look like a real set and not one designed to be virtual. Some camera angles look a bit funny but as others as said, most will not notice the difference other than the fake screen at the other end of the studio.

Oh, if they've got a new set they need new titles otherwise it's half a job. And I've never liked these website based titles at all.

Umm, really?


Exactly that!


None of the cameras angles so far are ones that couldn't have been achieved on the old 'real' set.

I agree with those saying it's a competent effort, especially for a situation that's only likely to last a month or so. FYI, they've also moved control rooms temporarily - they're now in PCR4 which was the old ITV News Channel control room. PCR4 is fairly limited so that probably explains any technical/graphical differences/problems.

I agree, apart from the minor issue with the gap between the window and the video wall it's pretty convincing.

One issue however, I seem to recall years ago when ITV had it's ridiculous virtual studio that the reason for the big swooping shots was because changing the background at the same time as changing the camera wasn't flawless and could end up with a nasty mess.

However C4 appear to be cutting nicely between cameras with the background changing up flawlessly. What exactly is the situation here? Has tech improved or am I incorrectly remembering the ITV issue.

Not sure if anybody has posted this yet, but Matt (also a TVForumer, see above!) has posted this picture of the C4 Studio now completely stripped, glass knocked out too!

http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg859/scaled.php?tn=0&server=859&filename=26ymj.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640
Larger Version:
http://yfrog.com/z/nv26ymjj

To be honest, I prefer the interface of Twitter rather than a forum (always happy to answer #BehindTheScenes questions on there) but just for the record, the glass is still there. It's just had its diffusion backing removed.


Well, ITV still have their "ridiculous virtual studio" although the same technology seems to be getting a fair few positive comments in the Channel 4 News setting! I'm afraid your memory lets you down a tad. We used (and still use) jib shots on ITV News because we want to, not because we need to. There was never an issue with cutting cameras and backgrounds, and there still isn't!

I was particularly referring to the original "Melanie Bellamy with the standing news" era of ITN (although in many ways I dislike the current set even more, I feel that, preposterous and over the top as it was, it looked better on screen).



Being someone who doesn't like to appear wrong, I have tracked down the original post: http://www.tvforum.co.uk/forums/post193651#post193651

Having re-read it, am I right in thinking the issue being referred to wasn't that the background wouldn't change with a camera cut (thus having a second of "wide" on the close up) but that the animation of the four squares flying in might begin on a wide and finish on a closeup thus looking less slick than with the jib shot?

[Also worth noting that, seven years later, I have just got noggin's "hosepiping" reference]

I'm just a cameraman. The set design is not my bag.


Sorry to say it, but as far as my memory serves (I worked on that first ITV News VR rebrand) there was never an issue about cutting between cameras and backgrounds, and there certainly isn't now. It's a long time ago, but I suspect than any perceived "issue" about animating backgrounds before cutting the camera was more to do with a sense of continuity rather than a VR problem. Claims of "hosepiping" are largely subjective. I hope you'd agree that the jib shots we use now are subtle and help the narrative rather than distract from it.

Yes that's what I suspect was actually being said rather than my earlier interpretation.

I can't say I've watched ITV News in a while, not since the yellow and black set appears, however I think that given the style of the 2004 set, and the way its graphics animated on the back wall the jib shots were justified. I was always a fan of the closing shot of that era, this being a slightly odd but quirky example:



Actually using your set properly is related to an issue I have with the current BBC News barco sets, namely that if you're going to have a big screen / vr wall you should at least embrace it properly. The original set with the stylised skyline worked well, as did Working Lunch's credits where the shark swam along the walls. However the current setup with an cringeworthy fake news room with utterly poor perspective shots and terrible use of insets drives me insane, they might as well have a painted cloth up in N6.

You should follow me on Twitter. I sometimes take endshot requests (within reason)...