An ident is a 10-20 second video that airs on television channels to introduce upcoming programs and provide a schedule. It advertises the channel's content and brand. Idents on different channels vary in style to reflect the type of programming and target audience. BBC 1 idents usually feature nature scenes that form into the channel's circular logo to represent unity. E4 idents are animated, feature the color purple, and have a random, comedic style matching the channel's comedy shows. ITV idents primarily use real footage related to upcoming programs with voiceovers and animate their logo, maintaining a calm tone.

1. Ident Analysis
An ident is a video identification of a channel that advertises the
different programs to an audience by introducing the next program
and showing a time schedule of the shows that are coming on. It
usually lasts about 10-20 seconds and is normally animated
creating a target, which carries out different elements to specific
audiences. These elements inform the audience on what the show
contents and who its suited for, for example, E4’s idents often
portray comedy, thus reflecting their themes of programmes and
ethos. The purposes of idents are:
 To inform viewers about the content of a program, swearing
or nudity.
 Introduce programmes
 Getting the viewers attention by showing the brand identity
 Channels that are happening - might catch interest of viewer.
 Identifying a television show
 Free advertising. A reminder for the viewer of which channel
they’re watching
 Promotes the channel and other programmes that are going to
be showed.
 Showing different idents for different times of day for
example since idents would only be showed early hours in
the morning or very late at night.
 Warning viewers about flashing lights during the show.

2. BBC 1
The BBC 1 ident consists mainly of nature, or people doing a
particular thing and then forming a circle. For example, this hippo
ident begins with them swimming around freely, then forming a
circle motion when swimming. This is because BBC 1's trademark
logo is a circle, no matter what it is made from. It symbolises unity
and the world, the fact that it broadcasts for everyone and everyone
is equal. Another BBC 1 ident example is the forest themed one.
This again features the circle formation, but this time without
hippos and with trees and roots. It still sends the same image but
changes depending on the time of the year. The camera within
BBC idents almost always starts by tracking an image, which leads
towards the circular formation of BBC’s logo. In this particular
ident the colour theme is green and brown, to resemble nature.
However in other idents the colour can vary depending on the
themes. In terms of sound, all of them are non-diegetic, meaning
all of it has been added in pre production, rather than real audio
being used. There is almost always a calm song being played
underneath the ident.

3. E4
The idents on E4 are always
very random. They always have
the colour purple and are
generally animated. The
example on the left is quite
evidently E4 because it has the
logo, and the signature colour
scheme of purple. Also it is
very random, this reflects the
television channel in the types
of things it broadcasts, a lot of it is comedy and things you
wouldn't see on a more contemporary channel. The second
example is again extremely random, not giving any information; it
only entertains the audience and is seen as quite comedic, once
again reflecting the channels' broadcasting material. In E4’s idents
the camera techniques tend to be slow tracking shots, panning and
focusing on the actions. In terms of sound, they mainly use non-
diegetic, but often they use some diegetic effects, for example, the
ident displayed above uses the actual sound effects of the
instruments. Colours always have purple, with a contrasting colour
like grey, white or black. This fits in with the companies corporate
identity theory.

4. ITV
ITV Idents are mainly portrayed through the use of real footage
with a final animation to round it off. Almost all of their idents
consist of every day activities, whilst a voice over explaining what
is coming on next and so on. Their logo is displayed on each ident,
which is always the same font of ITV, and the colours that they are
depends on the scene going on in the background. The footage is
often to do with or directly linked with the programme currently
being showed or about to be showed. This is unlike the majority of
other channel idents in the fact that they normally display
something else and there is only a voice over explaining what is
happening on the channel. The camera techniques used are
generally always pans and zooms. This reflects the calm nature of
the footage going on, it is never out of the ordinary or comedic,
unlike E4’s idents. The colours used always reflect the television
programme that is coming up next, which is really quite clever and
a nice little addition to their idents. For example, the ident that
appears before Downtown Abbey is mainly brown and darker
colours, reflecting the difference in time. In terms of sound, they
use non-diegetic almost always. Mainly they use things like calm

5. ‘elevator’ kind of music, again reflecting the calm nature of the
channel and their corporate identity theory.