Design- Density of Information

Rich in Information:

The E4 interval had more depth and contained more information since it says what is coming up next and which programme just finished. The Efer (Robot) and the dog is seen throughout during the intervals showing that, that is their TV ident and they represent the channel. 

E4 tends to use visualisation to their power and pitch it to the audience through their ident and at times can be seen as niche and surrealist. In this video, we see the E4 mascot on the canal boat with a painter by the side of the canal, with a beautiful scenery you would think the painter would be capturing those fine details. Except the image we see completely surprises as it is a painting of female breasts. This meets the conventions of the channels target market since it corresponds to popular culture. The use of this small reference it keeps up to date with the time period as well as having the viewers engaged. Then it cuts back to the E4 mascot holding a banner which reads ‘TOUCH ME WITH A BARGEPOLE’. There is also a POV shot watching a television screen on top of the boat with the dog. On it they are watching another one of E4’s ident. This ident is quite lengthy and contains quite a bit of detail, giving the ident more of a character and a face to the channel, in most of their idents a robot mascot gives it an identity in itself. Using the mascot helps reinforce the visual aspect and creates some sort of identity for the channel. The logo of the channel has a specific colour, the white and purple is recurrent in their channel. Colour is also used to reflect a channels content, utilizing an assortment of colours and textures can be used dynamically to interact with as programme being shown and various colours can be included in their time schedule as well.

Minimal Information:



This BBC ident is solely used as an interval, especially when the news is coming up next it is a way to give them time to set up. It was more on the abstract side and compared to the E4 ident it wasn’t as informative, thus making it minimal in information. The fact that it has zero narrative the action doesn’t really justify the ident. However, this is probably due to the fact that most of BBC’s programs tend to be informative and educational, thus they wouldn’t use elements that can be seen in E4’s idents. In addition to this, they use specific idents during the cue up of the News meaning that it is informative since it is indicating the audience what is coming up next on the channel without the narration. The colourful colours could probably connote diversity and they have also included their theme colour- red and white.

SCREEN TEMPO:


The tempo fitted with the show that was about to precede, using fast tempo with the help of the visuals and the music acts as a boost in order for them to get the viewers ready and in the right mind set of whatever content preceding. In this case, a football pitch, fast actions, upbeat music and with the tone and the tempo of the voice over really pitches the vibe and the excitement of the upcoming content.


INTERATION OF THE VIEWERS:


E4 has really valued the viewers and allowed us to interact with them by using Eefer the robot as the vessel. The message on the board that Eefer holds onto are actually messages tweeted by the viewers and they get to choose the messages that shows during ad space. It is very unique since no other channel has that option and in a way distances them to the viewers and makes the channel less surreal. Eefer was released on that same day as the return of the popular American sitcom "The Big Bang Theory", it is very clever since Eefer is a robot and and it fits the content of the show.


INFORMATION-LED:


There weren't any entertainment value but provides information to the consumer, informs you to what to come and provides with lawful regulation, "flashing images" they are informing the viewers as to the upcoming content and that people with epilepsy would be advised not to watch it or at least pre-warned for safety measures.