An ident is a short visual or video that television channels use to identify themselves. It represents the channel and is used during scheduling breaks to attract viewers and maintain brand identity. Channel idents are designed considering factors like setting, tempo, interactivity, and the balance of information and entertainment. The BBC first created idents in the 1950s and has evolved their designs over time, including using globes and computer graphics.

2. What is an ident?
An ident is a short video/visual image that television
channels use to identify themselves.
Examples:
Link:
BBC Three Ident - Ooze
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9BnZUfqAhw

3. Ident Purpose
Raise
Identity Of Visual Viewing
Channel Marketing
Stimulation Figures
Break Up
Schedule Branding Rebranding
• Represents the upcoming • Represents the American
show (Family Guy) flag
• Informative • Attracts specific viewers as
• Attracts specific viewers it’s a reminder of the US
• Continuity election
• Channel identity • Continuity
• Channel identity

4. Ident Design
The design of the ident is also very important because it is the main way a
company will get across their message and the purpose of their ident to the
audience and will be the main representation of the companies image.
The key points for the design of an TV ident are:
 Setting/ Time
 Tempo
 Audience interaction
 Informative or Entertainment
 Density

5. Ident Design
http://www.theidentgallery.com/player.php?id=FILM4-2008-ID-KISS
Symbolizes a romantic movie
For Film 4 the design of an ident is a important factor, it enables the channel to address
the viewer of what type of genre of film is going to be shown
Setting/ Time –
From what we can see it looks like the setting is outside as its dark, only using the reliance of the moon for light and the
wind for the movement of the hair. There is no informative material which suggests the time period.
Tempo –
The tempo of the ident is going at a slow place, it goes along perfectly with the slow music in the background.
Audience interaction –
There is no interaction with the audience, its personal between two people, all the action purely happens within the scene.
Informative or Entertainment –
It has both informative and entertainment value, the narrator informs the viewer of what's coming up next and visually it
informs you that the film is going to be about romance, however it also has entertainment value as its something you can
watch.
Density –
There is no information inserted in the ident. The screen is full of the video however there is room for text/images to go on

6. History of Idents
BBC 1 Ident Timeline
Pre-1969 The Mechanical Globe/ The Computer The The Balloon Rhythm Circles
Nexus Orthicon Display Device Originated World Virtual Globe (1997-2002) & Movement (2006-present)
(1969-1985) (1985-1991) (1991-1997) (2002-2006)
 The first ident, "Television Symbol", or the "Bat's Wings" (1953–1960)
 The first incarnation of the globe, introduced in 1960 (1960–1964)
 The "mirror globe" ident, the first ident in colour (1969–1974)
 The final mirror globe using the twin-striped BBC1 legend (1981-1985)
 In 1985, the first computer generated BBC One ident was introduced, the "Computer Originated World" (1985–Feb 1991)
 The "Virtual globe", designed by the Lambie-Nairn branding agency (February 1991–1997)
 This outdoor image depicts Cley next the sea (1997-2002)
 The "Capoeira" and other Idents are predecessor of the current ident, "Circles". It marked the departure of the globe that was used as BBC
One's symbol for over 39 years. (2002–2006)
 The circle Idents were introduced on October 7, 2006.

7. Task 1
Name the idents
You have 5 minutes!!

8. Questions and Feedback
1. What is an ident?
2. Name two purposes of an Ident
3. Which channel created the first ever ident?
4. When does a ident usually occur on a channel?
5. Do you think having an ident helps you to identify a
logo to a channel?

9. Thank You For Listening

10. Bibliography
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9BnZUfqAhw - BBC Three Ident
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_BBC_television_idents 24.10.12 - History of BBC
 http://www.theidentgallery.com/ - Ident images
 http://www.theidentgallery.com/player.php?id=FILM4-2008-ID-KISS - Film 4 Kiss ident
 http://leesandersunit32.tumblr.com/post/10121213636/understand-the-design-and-
purpose-of-television-idents - Ident Design
 BTEC Level 3 National Creative Media Production Student Book – Ident design