Seems to be TV week on 4 Learning this week (is it still called that?) -with a couple of shows stripped across the week which are worth a look.
Firstly, at 9.30am there is Get Me the Producer - as Greg Dyke takes on the Alan Sugar role in this TV version of the Apprentice. Continues till Friday with the final on Friday at 10.30am.
Secondly, at 11.30am all week a documentary series asking "Is TV Dead?" - looking at the impact of things like the internet, Sky+ and YouTube, while the first episode concentrates on branding and flashy idents.
Indeed. Saw the first edition of
TV Is Dead?
in the listings and initially thought it was some sort of one-off documentary, but was chuffed to see it's a five-parter - I look forward to it.
Media Guardian seem to be enjoying reviewing Greg Dyke's show this week. Apparently it was originally destined for prime-time on E4, but ended up shunted to 9.30am on C4 - and it's not difficult to see why!
For a show about finding a producer and generating new ideas in TV, they really need to take care of their own show first. It's certainly no Apprentice!
Anyone been watching TV Is Dead? A very interesting couple of shows so far. Today's was about how TV is trying to chase back the teen or 16-24 audience through new media such as the internet, virals etc.
However yesterday's was probably the most interesting for us as it was about channel branding. It followed a promotion team creating a new trailer but a decent section dedicated to idents (with a splatting of idents, young and old, shown throughout the programme).
It had an interview with one of the marketing guys at C4 about how they wanted an unique identity to reflect their unique programming. Also had the TV editor at Heat (I remember his regular appearances on Liquid News!) talking about how similar BBC Two's idents are to C4.
Below is a clip showing the legend that is Peter Offer at work and with a brief interview.
BBC2 can only dream of being in C4's league when it comes to idents. I'm really not impressed with their latest bunch at all.
TV is Dead got it right though yesterday in generally not cropping the idents - instead using shots of TV's to screen them! Thought the teen edition today though was quite patronising.
Saw this programme on monday, missed Tuesday's episode though. Monday's was very interesting, even if its things that we already know, it was nice to see some things in process. The promo production was the best thing about the programme.
Was I the only one when watching the programme (or the clip below) who wondered what on earth the BBC Four programme was in the menu - Meet the Hankercheif tree?? What?
Interesting that BBC2 was said to be trying to become more like Channel 4 branding-wise - but then it's no good trying to be like another channel in that way, because that instantly contradicts any aim to 'stand out' amongst the digital crowd, which is after all what the identity is
supposed
to be doing.
This has also made me wonder that - though it might scare some marketing folks - is it not that truly daring to go 'against the grain' of the in-trend branding style would be the best way to stand out? I'm pretty certain that right now the 5 main channels all employ a number of live action-CG hybrid idents.
Before BBC2 rebranded, that was the last of the channels to feature a unique approach in its symbol format that no-one seemed to replicate - probably mainly because the character injected into it served to avoid an otherwise generic style and made the whole concept its own, only ever alluding to its own history in the process through a look that, relating to the other 4 channels, seemed nicely un-derivative. Now however, it's much easier to look at them all, and see they're all trying to push the boundaries, but in the same way.
The first time a real seamless, arresting live action-CG blend made an impact for me was obviously the current Channel 4 symbols, and the next thing that happened, BBC1 & 2, ITV1, Five, despite their differences are all featuring this blend in idents.
I see an irony in this though - while perhaps not evident at first, this oddly mirrored that point in the early 80's when, after Channel 4 launched and originally broke new ground with its CG blocks symbol, other broadcasters wanted their own CG logo. It appears very much the same now, with Channel 4 again achieving a technically outstanding identity by using computer power to great effect, and everyone else following - only difference is, back then it was CG alone to create idents, and now it's CG to manipulate / enhance / realize the scenes based in live action - while quality purely-CG branding appears largely absent.
A process repeated many times over the years - I was thinking the other day how all the main channels have now dropped celebs in their idents after C4, then Five and then ITV featured them.
I bet though Five will create one based around Kaplinsky!