Task Two - Understanding the limitations of the televsion ident

Television idents can be good for TV channels but they also have many limitations. Things such as typography, colour, aspect-ratio, adhering to a desired tone, and duration need to be considered carefully in order to make a television ident work effectively. 

The first limitation to a television ident is the typography. Many channels have their own signature design for their idents which means that typography is kept to one specific design. For example the BBC idents all consist of a large font. This allows the channel to be recognised by the audiences easily and keeps confusion to a minimum. For example BBC One use the theme of a circle in all of their idents and the colour red is their trademark. Likewise BBC Two is mainly green, BBC Three is purple and pink and BBC Four is black. However, the limitation is that design plans lack in choice, meaning that the style of the ident may eventually become dull and tedious. 

Colour is also another limitation when designing television idents as many channels have their own signature colour that audiences recognise them by. An example is the E4 ident which is identifiable by the colour purple in all of their idents. Similarly, channels such as CBBC and CBeebies have their own colours as well.  Having a specific colour means that audiences can easily recognise channels, similarly to the idea of having the same typography. This means that there is limited choice on what the design could be without changing the ident too much as the colour has to be kept the same throughout to avoid any confusion. Also there are many different meanings for colour in society and the designer must take this into consideration. Additionally they need to make sure that there are no bright colours or flashing lights when creating the ident as this could affect audience members who suffer from epilepsy. Although there are limitations overall having a specific colour is a positive aspect as the association with a channel and a colour will stay in the audiences mind. For example E4 is based around the colour purple so audience members who know that will associate this colour with the channel when they see the same colour used for another logo.

Another limitation is the aspect-ratio. This means that all programs, adverts and idents must be delivered in 16:9 widescreen, meaning that the image must fit the 16:9 screen both vertically and horizontally without distortion. This is less of a limitation compared to aspects such as the typography and colour. This is because the majority of the population own a widescreen TV that is made to fit an image of 16:9 onto it, nevertheless it is a limitation as there are some members of the population who do not own a widescreen TV or one big enough to fit the image on without distortion. This means that the image will constantly be too big for the screen and some of the image will be cut off.

Adhering to a desired tone is another aspect that has to be taken into consideration when making a TV ident as the ident must be suitable for the audiences likely to watch it. An example of this is the BBC Four idents which are created to keep the audience engaged with the scheduling of programs. BBC Four show programs that are normally aimed at the older audience and include drama,suspense, and documentaries, therefore an ident must be created that appeals to the target population. There are, however, limitations to this. For example the creators of the ident must do a lot of research in order to create an ident that they know will appeal to their target population, but they must also make sure that it is different from the channels other idents to ensure that the audience don't lose attention.

Finally the duration is also a limitation when making an ident as the timing has to be correct to fit into the time slot given. Many idents shown on TV are cut down to around 30 seconds to ensure that the audience are kept entertained and at the same time advertising the channel. It is important that the ident doesn't last too long as that is likely to become tedious and dull, for example the CBeebies cannot be too long as the target audience is young children between 1&6 and they are unlikely to sit and watch an ident that lasts longer than 30 seconds. However, the duration isn't only a limitation but can also be a good idea., This is because the break between different shows allows the audience to have a short break before continuing on with what they are watching, meaning they are more likely to stay engaged with what is going on and be entertained at the same time.

Task One - Understanding the purpose of television idents and the opportunities they present

A television ident is important for many different reasons. Having a specific ident allows the channel to be identified by the audience, if it is effective then they are likely to remember it. It also allows the schedule to be organised and acts as a break, or segmentation, between programs which means the audience are unlikely to miss a program. It is used to tell the audience what is coming on next. In addition it is also helpful when regulating the channel, for example BBC Ones programs start at specific times such as half past or on the hour, therefore there is time in between that needs to be filled. This is when the ident can be helpful as it keeps the channel regulated, allowing the programs to start at their allocated times. Having an ident also gives the channel or program an identity, which can then be used for things such as merchandise and when the channel is off air, for example BBC Three created a specific ident relating to the 2012 Olympics to promote the event and ensure everyone tunes in to watch it, and also to inform people who may not be aware that the Olympics will be starting soon. 

As television channels are no longer restricted to one country, having an ident means that the channel has a brand that is known in many different countries. It also helps with consistency. Brand loyalty is also ensured with an ident as it allows the audience to become familiar with it and the style of the channel. An ident can also be used to identify a particular program or show and that a certain program belongs to a channel, for example the BBC have a specific ident for The Voice to show that this particular program can only be seen on that channel. Throughout the ident they have the narrator talking to tell the audience what is coming on next, but in the background we can still hear the upbeat music to advertise The Voice. The purpose of this is to make sure the audience are aware that the program can only be seen on that channel. 

As well as identifying a channel, an ident can be used to provide the audience information about that channel and the type of programs shown on it. Setting the right tone for the channel it is on is important as it helps to keep the audience engaged. The tone of the ident has to be appropriate for the audience members who are likely to watch it, a channel for kids should have fun and interactive idents whereas a channel for an older audience may be more factual, for example the ident for Cbeebies is filmed in a style that will be appealing to younger audiences. The music used for it is cheerful and you can hear children laughing and playing in the background, as well as added sound effects of the plants growing and the rainbow. They can also be used to promote a large event or a new series of programs, for example Sky created a specific ident to promote the Drama and Romance genres available to the audience. They achieved this by using different settings and landscapes which represented the different genres. For example the ident starts with green grass and characters who appear to be wearing Victorian clothing, which represents the idea of drama, it then goes on to a winter landscape with fairies and a pirate ship. For each element there is a specific type of music playing in the background, when the ident is focusing more on romance the music is gentle and slow, but when the main focus is drama the music gets faster and more upbeat. However, if the ident's purpose it to appeal to an older generation then they are likely to change it. An example of an ident which appeals mainly to the older audience is BBC Four's ident of a woman organising library books. By having a librarian and books in the idea it means that older people who enjoy literature are likely to stay engaged on the channel. The way in which it is filmed is also appealing as it is done through the use of a split screen, when the librarian goes one way she comes in another, and when she puts a book in one place, it comes out somewhere else, making it intriguing.