Final Draft: Ident Report

The main purpose of an ident is to display a short clip that appeals to the target audience of the television channel. This purpose is the most important as the ident will encourage the viewers to watch other shows the channel runs.
A second purpose of an ident is to brand a channel. Comedy Central, for example, have a few idents that brand the channel as British and patriotic; the design features of these idents in particular contribute to this.
An ident is also used to market a TV channel, their shows and their values. A good example of a channel that uses their idents to market the channel is E4; incorporating their fun, quirky and young identity into their idents. E4 also use the colour purple in each ident, usually as the colour of the logo, in order to give the viewers something to associate to the channel.
An ident can also be used to set the tone of a channel and give the viewers a clear idea of the genre or type of shows the channel plays. Idents are used to show a snapshot of the channel's personality amongst everything else.

The first ident I will analyse the design features for is:

ITV : 2013 Idents (4): Pugwash dent (v2)

Density of Information

In this ident, there is a relatively high density of information. At the very beginning of the ident, the ITV logo is displayed with the words: Channel of the Year, underneath and then slowly fades away. During the rest of the ident, the ITV logo is displayed on the screen throughout the entire clip after it has reappeared on the screen, catching the viewers' attention, with no other words being displayed. However, we hear the voice of TV Personality Keith Lemon after about 6 seconds into the ident, lasting through to the end. The voice over introduces the next programme due to be shown on ITV; Through the Keyhole, but also encourages the audience to interact with the show and post comments and opinions on a social networking site. The density of information is relatively high as ITV is a channel that is centred around its' viewers; they want their viewers to know what they're watching and when. Although there is a lack of visual information, there is plenty of verbal information compensating for this.

Composition

The composition of the ident is balanced. the ITV logo is displayed on the left hand side of the screen whilst the pug remains centre of the picture throughout the clip. A pair of hands enters the picture from the left hand side of the screen; one hand leaves the screen but returns holding a jug of water. There are no close ups, or shot type changes in this ident so as to keep the viewers attention on the soapy dog in the centre of the screen. The composition of the ident is good as it keeps the audience focused on the screen for long enough to listen to the voice over and find out information without having to read a list of upcoming TV programmes. This is similar to the other idents in ITV's series of idents; for example the Rhythmic Gymnastic Ident is composed very similarly, the only difference being the scene in the background.

Space and Time

The ident is set in a typical modern-day household; this is because ITV is a current and up to date television channel that shows programmes for all ages in a home environment. ITV is using this ident to portray this message that they show programmes for everyone, not just for one particular genre or age group. ITV are branded as a family channel and therefore use their idents to represent the channel's personality, target audience and overall aim; to cater for all. This is similar to other idents in ITV's series; for example the Tunnel Slide Ident shows a family outing to the park, reinforcing the idea of a family orientated channel.

Tempo

The tempo of this ident is a slightly slow pace. ITV have designed this ident to try to get across to their viewers that they need to slow down and watch an ITV program. The average household task of bathing the family dog is shown almost in slow motion so as to create a tired out mood, in an attempt to make the audience want to sit down, relax and watch ITV. The ident could also be seen as a way to relate to the viewers as they feel simple tasks take a lot longer than they should after a long day. The ident is neither sped up nor slowed down throughout the 29 second clip, keeping the viewers' attention on the ident and not elsewhere.

Interaction with Viewers

The information in this ident is presented informally. The voice of Keith Lemon is known to be informal and often uses colloquial language; which is what is used in the clip. At the start of the ident, when the program information is presented, the language used is formal, but delivered in an informal tone. Further into the latter stages of the ident, the voice over begins to use younger language, indicating that the channel wants to include all ages that could be watching the show, rather than just adults. Because of the two differing styles of communication, it implies that ITV are attempting to show that they are a channel that wants more than one age group to be interested in the programmes they show, as well as trying to relate to each type of viewer i.e. young or sophisticated.

Information or Entertainment led?

This ident is based on information as well as entertainment. The visual aspects of the ident are for the audience's entertainment; the dog with soapy bubbles on his head and body are meant to entice the viewers as lots of people will find this amusing and rather cute. However the program information is translated through the voice over, giving the audience the relevant material to chose whether or not they want to watch the show or not. ITV want to entertain you with this ident although they are aware of what information needs to be relayed onto their viewers and balance the visual and verbal aspects of the ident well.

The second ident I will be analysing is:

Channel 4 : Current Idents (1) : Diner ident

Density of Information

The density of information in this ident is relatively high. There is a high level of verbal information being communicated throughout the ident however no visual information being displayed. Other than the Channel 4 logo towards the end of the clip, all communication is verbal. The voice over tells the viewers some information about the actors taking the lead roles in the movie the channel is about to play and provides the audience with a warning of scenes that some viewers may find disturbing. This information is helpful to viewers as they are able to decide whether or not they wish to watch the film, suggesting that Channel 4 is considerate of its audience and what they may or may not react to.

Composition

The composition of this ident is cleverly done; the clip is filmed from the perspective of a driver passing an American gas station/Motel. Throughout the ident, verbal information is being relayed to the audience, while the picture on screen moves from right to left. The location on the screen is displayed through the eyes of a driver, passing through a small town with a motel and gas station. As the driver passes through, we see the illuminated signs for the diner and motel form the shape of the Channel 4 logo as the camera gradually moves. This is a clever way of arranging an ident as it makes the audience feel they are included in what they are viewing; it also suggests that Channel 4 has thought about how to catch the audiences attention in a more abstract way. This Is similar to the Pylons Ident in Channel 4's ident series as the same camera movement is used, however from left to right and with electric pylons.

Tempo

The tempo of this ident is reasonably slow in most aspects of the clip. The music playing in the ident is slow and relaxed, leading the audience to believe the movie that is going to be played is an evening film, aimed to help the viewers relax. The pace of the voice over's words is normal, there is no sense of urgency in his voice and he is not talking slowly as if he was bored or uninterested. The voice over's tone and speed makes the viewer think they should watch the film as it would be interesting and entertaining. The speed of the camera however is very fast compared to the rest of the ident. The camera travels from left to right across the screen, similar to the speed of a moving car, at the beginning of the ident. It then slows down towards the middle, suggesting the driver (the audience) is taking more time have a look at the diner/motel, or in the viewers case, to listen to the information about the movie. After the main chunk of information has been said, the camera speeds up and continues at that speed until the end of the clip.

Space and Time

The Channel 4 ident is set in a small, abandoned  town, in what I would say is Nevada in America. I would say this because there is a dusty, old Motel/Gas station in a sandy, desert type setting. The ident is set at dusk, the sun is setting in the background and the sky is gradually turning darker. This setting suggests that Channel 4 are now able to play more adult shows as they have passed the national watershed time of 21:00. This means that the ident is used to imply that the movie about to be shown has adult content, maybe offensive language or violent scenes, and is a visual warning to viewers.

Interaction with the Viewers

The interaction with the viewers in this ident is good. As Channel 4 have cleverly filmed the ident through the perspective of a passing driver, it makes the audience feel connected with what is about to be shown. The clip shows a regular task for most adults; pulling into a gas station and then leaving. This makes the viewer feel like channel 4 is reflecting them and that this is their time to enjoy a relaxing evening movie.

Information or Entertainment led?

This ident is information led. Channel 4 is aiming to use this ident to relay important information to the audience about the movie and what it contains. There is an element of entertainment in this ident as the setting of the clip sets the tone of an evening film; it also implies that the audience that they can relax and have the opportunity to 'wind down' at the end of a long day.

The third ident I will be analysing is:
Comedy Central : Current Idents : Anagrams ident

Density of Information
The density of information relayed to the viewers in this ident is low. The clip shows various anagrams of the words: Comedy Central, throughout the ident although there is no visual information displayed other than the logo at the end. There is verbal information, very briefly about the show; it describes the show and a few characters rather than which episode or what kind of content there is. This suggests that Comedy Central are more interested in their audience being entertained than given information.

Composition
The composition in this ident is clever and exciting. The words Comedy Central are jumbled up to create approximately 6 anagrams in the centre of the screen. The words stay in the centre of the screen in order to catch the viewers' attention and keep it. There is a small red box that travels horizontally, from left to right, across the screen so as to display another anagram of the Channel's name, later on in the ident, it travels in other directions to show the channel's logo. This ident is very similar to the other idents in Comedy Central's series of current idents;  the Push Ident in particular. The small red box travels across the screen and 'pushes' the Comedy Central characters to the centre of the screen; also, the ident ends with a red screen and has the same red white and black colour scheme as do all the other idents in the series.

Tempo
The ident starts at a medium speed; the viewers are able to read the anagrams clearly and without trouble. Very soon into the ident the tempo speeds up and the red box begins to move faster and faster. However, throughout the ident the speed of the voice over stays at the same pace. This means that as the visual effects of the ident gradually become quicker and quicker, Comedy Central is aiming to challenge their audience into guessing the words so as to keep their attention.

Space and Time

There is no indication of the space or time this ident is set in. I can only assume that the ident is meant to be set on the television as the screen is black, until the end when a red background is pulled down. This suggests that Comedy Central want their idents to be simplistic, implying to the audience that the channel shows nothing but Comedy.

Interaction with the Viewers

The interaction with Comedy Central's viewers in this ident is quite low. Other than the voice over giving the audience information, there is no obvious interaction with the viewers; however the ident does catch the viewers' attention. The use of the unusual, funny and random words created by the anagram catches and keeps hold of the audience's attention and focus until the end of the clip. This shows us that Comedy Central have thought about how to captivate their audience with more than just their program's.

Information or Entertainment led?

This Comedy Central ident is entertainment led. The channel wants the viewers to concentrate on the anagrams and hope they realise the words are anagrams of 'Comedy Central'. From this we can see that the channel wants viewers to spend time watching the channel and they try to entice the audience by challenging them with a somewhat simple task. This implies that it is not difficult to watch the channel as Comedy Central believe their target audience will be entertained by all the shows.

The fourth ident I will be analysing is:

Animal Planet : Current Idents : Hippo and Meerkats ident (HD)

Density of Information

The density of information in this ident is extremely low. There is no verbal information and other than the logo at the end of the ident, no visual information either. There are sounds of the natural environment as the aural setting for the ident as well as the sounds of splashing water and small paws scuttling along the ground. Other than this, there is no other information given to the audience. This suggests that Animal Planet keep all the information within their shows, implying they show a lot of animal documentary type programs.

Composition

All the visual elements in this ident are enhanced by the audio played. For example the hippo splashing in the water would go unnoticed unless the noises were played. The camera captures most of what Animal Planet want their audience to focus on, in the mini planet, most importantly the channel's logo at the end of the clip. This implies that Animal Planet is trying to get their viewers to watch the shows to find out the information. This is similar to the other idents in Animal Planet's series; the Cat and Dog Ident, the Bears Ident, the Penguins Ident and others. This series of idents are all set on their own island planets, focusing on different earthly scenes.

Tempo

The tempo of Animal Planet's I dent is relatively slow. The camera travels from left to right at a constant slow speed. The camera slows down and gradually stops at the end of the clip to show the channel logo for approximately 2 seconds at the end. The environmental sounds and natural noises are played at the speed you would expect to hear them; not too quick and not unnaturally slow.

Space and Time

Animal Planet's ident is set in an African watering hole; however this is on a mini planet. The clip shows the scene as if someone had cut a circle in the ground and lifted it out, continuing the channel's idea that it is show dedicated to animals. The ident is set at midday, with a bright blue sky and shining sun in the background of the clip. The reflection on the water also suggests that the ident is set during the day. This suggests that the ident is normally played during the day to advertise the channel. 

Interaction with the Viewers

There is very little interaction with the audience in this ident. As there is no verbal or visual information relayed, the viewers are only able to identify which channel they are watching through this ident in particular. The animals in the clip are not directly facing or interacting with the audience, behaving normally in what is displayed to be their natural environment. The ident catches the viewers' attention with the sounds of the wild environment and the cartoon animals. 

Information or Entertainment led?

This ident is entertainment led. As there is no information given the viewers about the channel, the show, upcoming shows etc. and only the visual and aural displays of the animals in their environment, there is nothing to suggest this ident is information led. Overall, the ident is a short clip to break up adverts and entertain the audience with the small Meerkats moving across the screen and the hippo enjoying himself in the water.

Final Draft: Successful and Unsuccessful Idents

Successful and Unsuccessful Idents

         Idents are shot clips that inform and/or entertain a channel’s target audience; they have opportunities as well as limitations within them. Some of the main opportunities connected to an ident are; the ease of displaying information, the ability for it to create a corporate identity and tone for a channel, the ability to brand a channel, the ability for it to appeal to the target audience and to encourage brand loyalty among viewers.

         However, there are also limitations to an ident that may determine whether or not an ident is successful. The typography of an ident is important; being able to clearly read information and text is going to be an important factor in whether or not an ident succeeds. Also, the resolution of the ident will contribute to its success; the higher the resolution the better the quality of the image, however the longer it will take to download. This may be an inconvenience to some viewers using tablets or smartphones to view a program online, and so the ident must be of good quality yet convenient to download. The colours in an ident are also important; is the channel using the colours associated with them or just random combinations? And finally, whether or not the aspect ratio is appropriate; if the image does not adjust well to widescreen to smartphone screens, the audience will be less likely to continue viewing the channel.

         The UKTV Gold channel idents are good examples of successful and unsuccessful idents. The older ident UKTV Gold presented in 1992 is an example of an unsuccessful ident. In terms of the design features, there is an extremely low density of information as no verbal or visual information being relayed to the audience. The composition and tempo of the ident is also unexciting and dull; the music was neither upbeat nor enthusing and the tempo was rather slow, giving off a laboured feeling. Although the ident is set in a normal household and is intended to entertain the audience, watching someone do their washing up then being shown the dirty water is not at all entertaining as there is no excitement; there is no intensity or amusing events.

            UKTV Gold’s newer ident, released in 2004, is much more successful. The updated ident interacts with the audience much better than the old ident and possess many more appealing features. While the newer ident has little visual information in the form of text, the visual effects and events happening on screen are much more attention grabbing and entertaining for the target audience. In terms of tempo and space and time, the clip is played at a moderately fast speed and is not set in reality, giving the ident a much more stimulating appearance. Moreover, the verbal information creates an improved interaction with the audience and viewers; using colloquial language and old slang engages with the target audience much more than the old ident. By displaying old toys, objects, games and activities, the target audience are entertained visually and can use these images to relate to past experiences.

         Eden’s Jungle Ident form 2009 is a second example of an unsuccessful ident.  The ident contains a moderate density of information in the form of lots of verbal material regarding program times and names. However the visual information is low as only the logo is shown at the end of this ident, suggesting there is more to find out about the ident. The composition is rather unbalanced with lots of the same colour, green, frequently used on the screen and minimal other colours. The slow tempo of the ident is one of the main reasons as to why this ident is unsuccessful; the visual actions are presented in a very dreary way, though they are supposed to provoke the ideas of adventure, an exciting concept. Even though the talking pace is at a normal speed, there is little connection between the ident and the target audience; it does not make the audience anticipate the show and what it may contain. The jungle setting is supposed to create excitement within the viewers, and even though the setting implies great discoveries and adventures, the slow and lethargic movements of the people and animals featured in the ident take away this excitement and make the audience less enthusiastic. Nevertheless, the ident is led by intending to relay information to the viewers and so is not necessarily going to focus heavily on the aesthetics of the ident. The verbal information the audience is given suggests that the channel shows factual programs, for example documentary style shows. The ident does not attract their target audience as it does not catch their eye and appeal to them; the target audience will be interested to see things they have not witnessed before; even though Eden have tried to do this by showing the exploration of a jungle, it is not exciting enough to challenge the target audience's knowledge.

         The successful ident Eden currently being displayed on the channel is the Science Zone ident. In terms of the design features of the ident, it is much more successful than the previous ident form 2009. The Science Zone ident had a moderate density of information; little visual information is shown however plenty of verbal information is communicated. The composition of the current ident is very good; the visual elements of the ident are well balanced and compliment the verbal information being relayed to the audience. The visual aspects of the ident all relate to the topic of the program and are all interesting and attention grabbing images that may not be seen in everyday life for most viewers, enhanced by the verbal information explaining in slight detail more about what the show contains. The tempo of the ident is also of moderate speed, keeping the viewers interested in what is happening on the screen rather than elsewhere. The tempo speeds up further into the clip in order to challenge the viewers into paying attention to everything shown on the screen, a good way of keeping the audience focused on the clip. The interaction with the viewers is good because of these points as they all aim to keep the audience engrossed by the ident. Moreover this also shows that the ident is entertainment led and succeeds in keeping the audience amused. Lastly, as the ident is set in outer space, it is an unusual setting once again grasping the audience’s attention and entertaining them and continuing to spark idea’s as to what they can expect from the program. As this ident is dedicated to one specific program the channel shows, it is much more specific in the kinds of things that appear in the clip, leading to the higher success rate of the ident.

         A third example of an unsuccessful ident is UKTV Dave’s 2007 miscellaneous idents. These idents are extremely low in information, with no verbal or visual information about programs being shown, only Dave’s logo and slogan is displayed. The composition of the ident is also unbalanced; the ident contains no verbal information and only visual components, although they do not move and show a still image. Due to the idents being still images and having no verbal information, the tempo for the ident is non-existent. This does not give the audience and exciting look into the kinds of programs the channel shows and certainly does not represent the channel’s personality well. Each ident is set in a living room; however each ident has a different background, what we assume to be wallpaper, and different objects and items placed at the centre or around the image. There is no indication of the time each ident is set in unless there is a window letting in natural light to the image. The idents are neither entertainment nor information led as the ident does not achieve either of these aims; they also do not interact with the audience in any way as only the channel logo is displayed. The still images are neither informative nor entertaining to look at and do not grab the audience’s attention and focus. This ident does not appeal to Dave's target audience as they are not comical and do not represent the channel well; the viewers expect constant comedy and are not engrossed by the idents, they are less likely to watch programs on the channel as they expect the shows to be similar to the underwhelming idents.

         UKTV Dave’s updated and current idents, the Sailing Boat ident is a much more successful and effective ident. In terms of the design features, this ident contains much more information than the previous idents. In this ident in particular, a male voice speaks over the visual events explaining a bit about the program and what the viewers should expect from it. This shows the audience that the channel wants to inform them as well as entertain by giving them a brief idea of the program they are about to watch. The composition of the ident is much better compared to the old miscellaneous idents. This ident has lot of bright colours and attention grabbing objects and events going on, as well as a nice balance between the verbal information and the visual entertainment; neither one detract from the other, in fact they commend the other aspects of it. The tempo of the ident is a good moderate speed. The voice over talks in conversational style, interacting with the audience well, contrasting to the slightly slower visual events; the two people featured in the ident move slowly to begin with and then begin to move slightly faster and with less anxiety. The Sailing Boat ident is set in the modern day, with the characters featured wearing up to date fashionable clothing and hair styles. I assume the ident is set at around midday as there is blazing sunshine coming from the top right hand corner of the screen. This suggests to the viewer that Dave show up to date, fresh and exciting programs that the target audience will be easily entertained by. Due to the ident being led by the information the channel wants to communicate to the audience, there is a good interaction with the viewers; the visual and aural setting in the ident is toned down in order to focus the viewers’ attention in the information.

         In conclusion, there are a few main differences between the successful and unsuccessful idents. We can see that the design features of an ident are a very large contributing factor into whether or not the ident is successful. Firstly we can see that the more the design features aid the interaction with the target audience, the higher the chance of the ident being successful. Secondly, the better the ident is presented, the more likely it is to catch the viewers’ attention and focus. Finally, the more exciting the audience finds the ident, the higher the chance the viewer will return to the channel to watch other programs and become loyal to the branded channel.

Draft Two: Successful and Unsuccessful Idents

Successful and Unsuccessful Idents

         Idents are shot clips that inform and/or entertain a channel’s target audience; they have opportunities as well as limitations within them. Some of the main opportunities connected to an ident are; the ease of displaying information, the ability for it to create a corporate identity and tone for a channel, the ability to brand a channel, the ability for it to appeal to the target audience and to encourage brand loyalty among viewers.

         However, there are also limitations to an ident that may determine whether or not an ident is successful. The typography of an ident is important; being able to clearly read information and text is going to be an important factor in whether or not an ident succeeds. Also, the resolution of the ident will contribute to its success; the higher the resolution the better the quality of the image, however the longer it will take to download. This may be an inconvenience to some viewers using tablets or smartphones to view a program online, and so the ident must be of good quality yet convenient to download. The colours in an ident are also important; is the channel using the colours associated with them or just random combinations? And finally, whether or not the aspect ratio is appropriate; if the image does not adjust well to widescreen to smartphone screens, the audience will be less likely to continue viewing the channel.

         The UKTV Gold channel idents are good examples of successful and unsuccessful idents. The older ident UKTV Gold presented in 1992 is an example of an unsuccessful ident. In terms of the design features, there is an extremely low density of information as no verbal or visual information being relayed to the audience. The composition and tempo of the ident is also unexciting and dull; the music was neither upbeat nor enthusing and the tempo was rather slow, giving off a laboured feeling. Although the ident is set in a normal household and is intended to entertain the audience, watching someone do their washing up then being shown the dirty water is not at all entertaining as there is no excitement; there is no intensity or amusing events.

            UKTV Gold’s newer ident, released in 2004, is much more successful. The updated ident interacts with the audience much better than the old ident and possess many more appealing features. While the newer ident has little visual information in the form of text, the visual effects and events happening on screen are much more attention grabbing and entertaining for the target audience. In terms of tempo and space and time, the clip is played at a moderately fast speed and is not set in reality, giving the ident a much more stimulating appearance. Moreover, the verbal information creates an improved interaction with the audience and viewers; using colloquial language and old slang engages with the target audience much more than the old ident. By displaying old toys, objects, games and activities, the target audience are entertained visually and can use these images to relate to past experiences.

         Eden’s Jungle Ident form 2009 is a second example of an unsuccessful ident.  The ident contains a moderate density of information in the form of lots of verbal material regarding program times and names. However the visual information is low as only the logo is shown at the end of this ident, suggesting there is more to find out about the ident. The composition is rather unbalanced with lots of the same colour, green, frequently used on the screen and minimal other colours. The slow tempo of the ident is one of the main reasons as to why this ident is unsuccessful; the visual actions are presented in a very dreary way, though they are supposed to provoke the ideas of adventure, an exciting concept. Even though the talking pace is at a normal speed, there is little connection between the ident and the target audience; it does not make the audience anticipate the show and what it may contain. The jungle setting is supposed to create excitement within the viewers, and even though the setting implies great discoveries and adventures, the slow and lethargic movements of the people and animals featured in the ident take away this excitement and make the audience less enthusiastic. Nevertheless, the ident is led by intending to relay information to the viewers and so is not necessarily going to focus heavily on the aesthetics of the ident. The verbal information the audience is given suggests that the channel shows factual programs, for example documentary style shows.

         The successful ident Eden currently being displayed on the channel is the Science Zone ident. In terms of the design features of the ident, it is much more successful than the previous ident form 2009. The Science Zone ident had a moderate density of information; little visual information is shown however plenty of verbal information is communicated. The composition of the current ident is very good; the visual elements of the ident are well balanced and compliment the verbal information being relayed to the audience. The visual aspects of the ident all relate to the topic of the program and are all interesting and attention grabbing images that may not be seen in everyday life for most viewers, enhanced by the verbal information explaining in slight detail more about what the show contains. The tempo of the ident is also of moderate speed, keeping the viewers interested in what is happening on the screen rather than elsewhere. The tempo speeds up further into the clip in order to challenge the viewers into paying attention to everything shown on the screen, a good way of keeping the audience focused on the clip. The interaction with the viewers is good because of these points as they all aim to keep the audience engrossed by the ident. Moreover this also shows that the ident is entertainment led and succeeds in keeping the audience amused. Lastly, as the ident is set in outer space, it is an unusual setting once again grasping the audience’s attention and entertaining them and continuing to spark idea’s as to what they can expect from the program. As this ident is dedicated to one specific program the channel shows, it is much more specific in the kinds of things that appear in the clip, leading to the higher success rate of the ident.

         A third example of an unsuccessful ident is UKTV Dave’s 2007 miscellaneous idents. These idents are extremely low in information, with no verbal or visual information about programs being shown, only Dave’s logo and slogan is displayed. The composition of the ident is also unbalanced; the ident contains no verbal information and only visual components, although they do not move and show a still image. Due to the idents being still images and having no verbal information, the tempo for the ident is non-existent. This does not give the audience and exciting look into the kinds of programs the channel shows and certainly does not represent the channel’s personality well. Each ident is set in a living room; however each ident has a different background, what we assume to be wallpaper, and different objects and items placed at the centre or around the image. There is no indication of the time each ident is set in unless there is a window letting in natural light to the image. The idents are neither entertainment nor information led as the ident does not achieve either of these aims; they also do not interact with the audience in any way as only the channel logo is displayed. The still images are neither informative nor entertaining to look at and do not grab the audience’s attention and focus.

         UKTV Dave’s updated and current idents, the Sailing Boat ident is a much more successful and effective ident. In terms of the design features, this ident contains much more information than the previous idents. In this ident in particular, a male voice speaks over the visual events explaining a bit about the program and what the viewers should expect from it. This shows the audience that the channel wants to inform them as well as entertain by giving them a brief idea of the program they are about to watch. The composition of the ident is much better compared to the old miscellaneous idents. This ident has lot of bright colours and attention grabbing objects and events going on, as well as a nice balance between the verbal information and the visual entertainment; neither one detract from the other, in fact they commend the other aspects of it. The tempo of the ident is a good moderate speed. The voice over talks in conversational style, interacting with the audience well, contrasting to the slightly slower visual events; the two people featured in the ident move slowly to begin with and then begin to move slightly faster and with less anxiety. The Sailing Boat ident is set in the modern day, with the characters featured wearing up to date fashionable clothing and hair styles. I assume the ident is set at around midday as there is blazing sunshine coming from the top right hand corner of the screen. This suggests to the viewer that Dave show up to date, fresh and exciting programs that the target audience will be easily entertained by. Due to the ident being led by the information the channel wants to communicate to the audience, there is a good interaction with the viewers; the visual and aural setting in the ident is toned down in order to focus the viewers’ attention in the information.

         In conclusion, there are a few main differences between the successful and unsuccessful idents. We can see that the design features of an ident are a very large contributing factor into whether or not the ident is successful. Firstly we can see that the more the design features aid the interaction with the target audience, the higher the chance of the ident being successful. Secondly, the better the ident is presented, the more likely it is to catch the viewers’ attention and focus. Finally, the more exciting the audience finds the ident, the higher the chance the viewer will return to the channel to watch other programs and become loyal to the branded channel.

Draft Two: Ident Report

The main purpose of an ident is to display a short clip that appeals to the target audience of the television channel. This purpose is the most important as the ident will encourage the viewers to watch other shows the channel runs.
A second purpose of an ident is to brand a channel. Comedy Central, for example, have a few idents that brand the channel as British and patriotic; the design features of these idents in particular contribute to this.
An ident is also used to market a TV channel, their shows and their values. A good example of a channel that uses their idents to market the channel is E4; incorporating their fun, quirky and young identity into their idents. E4 also use the colour purple in each ident, usually as the colour of the logo, in order to give the viewers something to associate to the channel.
An ident can also be used to set the tone of a channel and give the viewers a clear idea of the genre or type of shows the channel plays. Idents are used to show a snapshot of the channel's personality amongst everything else.

The first ident I will analyse the design features for is:

ITV : 2013 Idents (4): Pugwash dent (v2)

Density of Information

In this ident, there is a relatively high density of information. At the very beginning of the ident, the ITV logo is displayed with the words: Channel of the Year, underneath and then slowly fades away. During the rest of the ident, the ITV logo is displayed on the screen throughout the entire clip after it has reappeared on the screen, catching the viewers' attention, with no other words being displayed. However, we hear the voice of TV Personality Keith Lemon after about 6 seconds into the ident, lasting through to the end. The voice over introduces the next programme due to be shown on ITV; Through the Keyhole, but also encourages the audience to interact with the show and post comments and opinions on a social networking site. The density of information is relatively high as ITV is a channel that is centred around its' viewers; they want their viewers to know what they're watching and when. Although there is a lack of visual information, there is plenty of verbal information compensating for this.

Composition

The composition of the ident is balanced. the ITV logo is displayed on the left hand side of the screen whilst the pug remains centre of the picture throughout the clip. A pair of hands enters the picture from the left hand side of the screen; one hand leaves the screen but returns holding a jug of water. There are no close ups, or shot type changes in this ident so as to keep the viewers attention on the soapy dog in the centre of the screen. The composition of the ident is good as it keeps the audience focused on the screen for long enough to listen to the voice over and find out information without having to read a list of upcoming TV programmes.

Space and Time

The ident is set in a typical modern-day household; this is because ITV is a current and up to date television channel that shows programmes for all ages in a home environment. ITV is using this ident to portray this message that they show programmes for everyone, not just for one particular genre or age group. ITV are branded as a family channel and therefore use their idents to represent the channel's personality, target audience and overall aim; to cater for all.

Tempo

The tempo of this ident is a slightly slow pace. ITV have designed this ident to try to get across to their viewers that they need to slow down and watch an ITV program. The average household task of bathing the family dog is shown almost in slow motion so as to create a tired out mood, in an attempt to make the audience want to sit down, relax and watch ITV. The ident could also be seen as a way to relate to the viewers as they feel simple tasks take a lot longer than they should after a long day. The ident is neither sped up nor slowed down throughout the 29 second clip, keeping the viewers' attention on the ident and not elsewhere.

Interaction with Viewers

The information in this ident is presented informally. The voice of Keith Lemon is known to be informal and often uses colloquial language; which is what is used in the clip. At the start of the ident, when the program information is presented, the language used is formal, but delivered in an informal tone. Further into the latter stages of the ident, the voice over begins to use younger language, indicating that the channel wants to include all ages that could be watching the show, rather than just adults. Because of the two differing styles of communication, it implies that ITV are attempting to show that they are a channel that wants more than one age group to be interested in the programmes they show, as well as trying to relate to each type of viewer i.e. young or sophisticated.

Information or Entertainment led?

This ident is based on information as well as entertainment. The visual aspects of the ident are for the audience's entertainment; the dog with soapy bubbles on his head and body are meant to entice the viewers as lots of people will find this amusing and rather cute. However the program information is translated through the voice over, giving the audience the relevant material to chose whether or not they want to watch the show or not. ITV want to entertain you with this ident although they are aware of what information needs to be relayed onto their viewers and balance the visual and verbal aspects of the ident well.

The second ident I will be analysing is:

Channel 4 : Current Idents (1) : Diner ident

Density of Information

The density of information in this ident is relatively high. There is a high level of verbal information being communicated throughout the ident however no visual information being displayed. Other than the Channel 4 logo towards the end of the clip, all communication is verbal. The voice over tells the viewers some information about the actors taking the lead roles in the movie the channel is about to play and provides the audience with a warning of scenes that some viewers may find disturbing. This information is helpful to viewers as they are able to decide whether or not they wish to watch the film, suggesting that Channel 4 is considerate of its audience and what they may or may not react to.

Composition

The composition of this ident is cleverly done; the clip is filmed from the perspective of a driver passing an American gas station/Motel. Throughout the ident, verbal information is being relayed to the audience, while the picture on screen moves from right to left. The location on the screen is displayed through the eyes of a driver, passing through a small town with a motel and gas station. As the driver passes through, we see the illuminated signs for the diner and motel form the shape of the Channel 4 logo as the camera gradually moves. This is a clever way of arranging an ident as it makes the audience feel they are included in what they are viewing; it also suggests that Channel 4 has thought about how to catch the audiences attention in a more abstract way.

Tempo

The tempo of this ident is reasonably slow in most aspects of the clip. The music playing in the ident is slow and relaxed, leading the audience to believe the movie that is going to be played is an evening film, aimed to help the viewers relax. The pace of the voice over's words is normal, there is no sense of urgency in his voice and he is not talking slowly as if he was bored or uninterested. The voice over's tone and speed makes the viewer think they should watch the film as it would be interesting and entertaining. The speed of the camera however is very fast compared to the rest of the ident. The camera travels from left to right across the screen, similar to the speed of a moving car, at the beginning of the ident. It then slows down towards the middle, suggesting the driver (the audience) is taking more time have a look at the diner/motel, or in the viewers case, to listen to the information about the movie. After the main chunk of information has been said, the camera speeds up and continues at that speed until the end of the clip.

Space and Time

The Channel 4 ident is set in a small, abandoned  town, in what I would say is Nevada in America. I would say this because there is a dusty, old Motel/Gas station in a sandy, desert type setting. The ident is set at dusk, the sun is setting in the background and the sky is gradually turning darker. This setting suggests that Channel 4 are now able to play more adult shows as they have passed the national watershed time of 21:00. This means that the ident is used to imply that the movie about to be shown has adult content, maybe offensive language or violent scenes, and is a visual warning to viewers.

Interaction with the Viewers

The interaction with the viewers in this ident is good. As Channel 4 have cleverly filmed the ident through the perspective of a passing driver, it makes the audience feel connected with what is about to be shown. The clip shows a regular task for most adults; pulling into a gas station and then leaving. This makes the viewer feel like channel 4 is reflecting them and that this is their time to enjoy a relaxing evening movie.

Information or Entertainment led?

This ident is information led. Channel 4 is aiming to use this ident to relay important information to the audience about the movie and what it contains. There is an element of entertainment in this ident as the setting of the clip sets the tone of an evening film; it also implies that the audience that they can relax and have the opportunity to 'wind down' at the end of a long day.

The third ident I will be analysing is:
Comedy Central : Current Idents : Anagrams ident

Density of Information
The density of information relayed to the viewers in this ident is low. The clip shows various anagrams of the words: Comedy Central, throughout the ident although there is no visual information displayed other than the logo at the end. There is verbal information, very briefly about the show; it describes the show and a few characters rather than which episode or what kind of content there is. This suggests that Comedy Central are more interested in their audience being entertained than given information.

Composition
The composition in this ident is clever and exciting. The words Comedy Central are jumbled up to create approximately 6 anagrams in the centre of the screen. The words stay in the centre of the screen in order to catch the viewers' attention and keep it. There is a small red box that travels horizontally, from left to right, across the screen so as to display another anagram of the Channel's name, later on in the ident, it travels in other directions to show the channel's logo.

Tempo
The ident starts at a medium speed; the viewers are able to read the anagrams clearly and without trouble. Very soon into the ident the tempo speeds up and the red box begins to move faster and faster. However, throughout the ident the speed of the voice over stays at the same pace. This means that as the visual effects of the ident gradually become quicker and quicker, Comedy Central is aiming to challenge their audience into guessing the words so as to keep their attention.

Space and Time

There is no indication of the space or time this ident is set in. I can only assume that the ident is meant to be set on the television as the screen is black, until the end when a red background is pulled down. This suggests that Comedy Central want their idents to be simplistic, implying to the audience that the channel shows nothing but Comedy.

Interaction with the Viewers

The interaction with Comedy Central's viewers in this ident is quite low. Other than the voice over giving the audience information, there is no obvious interaction with the viewers; however the ident does catch the viewers' attention. The use of the unusual, funny and random words created by the anagram catches and keeps hold of the audience's attention and focus until the end of the clip. This shows us that Comedy Central have thought about how to captivate their audience with more than just their program's.

Information or Entertainment led?

This Comedy Central ident is entertainment led. The channel wants the viewers to concentrate on the anagrams and hope they realise the words are anagrams of 'Comedy Central'. From this we can see that the channel wants viewers to spend time watching the channel and they try to entice the audience by challenging them with a somewhat simple task. This implies that it is not difficult to watch the channel as Comedy Central believe their target audience will be entertained by all the shows.

The fourth ident I will be analysing is:

Animal Planet : Current Idents : Hippo and Meerkats ident (HD)

Density of Information

The density of information in this ident is extremely low. There is no verbal information and other than the logo at the end of the ident, no visual information either. There are sounds of the natural environment as the aural setting for the ident as well as the sounds of splashing water and small paws scuttling along the ground. Other than this, there is no other information given to the audience. This suggests that Animal Planet keep all the information within their shows, implying they show a lot of animal documentary type programs.

Composition

All the visual elements in this ident are enhanced by the audio played. For example the hippo splashing in the water would go unnoticed unless the noises were played. The camera captures most of what Animal Planet want their audience to focus on, in the mini planet, most importantly the channel's logo at the end of the clip. This implies that Animal Planet is trying to get their viewers to watch the shows to find out the information.

Tempo

The tempo of Animal Planet's I dent is relatively slow. The camera travels from left to right at a constant slow speed. The camera slows down and gradually stops at the end of the clip to show the channel logo for approximately 2 seconds at the end. The environmental sounds and natural noises are played at the speed you would expect to hear them; not too quick and not unnaturally slow.

Space and Time

Animal Planet's ident is set in an African watering hole; however this is on a mini planet. The clip shows the scene as if someone had cut a circle in the ground and lifted it out, continuing the channel's idea that it is show dedicated to animals. The ident is set at midday, with a bright blue sky and shining sun in the background of the clip. The reflection on the water also suggests that the ident is set during the day. This suggests that the ident is normally played during the day to advertise the channel. 

Interaction with the Viewers

There is very little interaction with the audience in this ident. As there is no verbal or visual information relayed, the viewers are only able to identify which channel they are watching through this ident in particular. The animals in the clip are not directly facing or interacting with the audience, behaving normally in what is displayed to be their natural environment. The ident catches the viewers' attention with the sounds of the wild environment and the cartoon animals. 

Information or Entertainment led?

This ident is entertainment led. As there is no information given the viewers about the channel, the show, upcoming shows etc. and only the visual and aural displays of the animals in their environment, there is nothing to suggest this ident is information led. Overall, the ident is a short clip to break up adverts and entertain the audience with the small Meerkats moving across the screen and the hippo enjoying himself in the water.