Production - Ident

Here is a LINK to a short video explaining the production of the Channel 4 style Ident.

I heard the name 'ident' mentioned when researching the codes and conventions of Channel 4 projects. I then researched it and found it to replace my previous definition of 'those funny bits at the beginning of Channel 4 programmes where random things make up a number four'.

I found a good quality Ident who's footage was most appropriate to the subject and setting of my documentary and set about editing it to make it specific to my show and to not infringe on any copyright laws. I asked a friend with an unusual voice to read out a set script that I wrote down earlier and recorded it on the recording equipment available in my school's media department.

The next hurdle was having a bedding track without the previous presenter's commentary. This required a lot of precision in looping the first 5.20 secs of the clip's audio over the duration of the ident. Carefully matching the beats and using subtle fades between each loop gave the impression of a seemless bedding track on which I could then place John's replacement commentary which produced the ident shown in the video above.