Broadcast specialist blue completes audio post for C4 idents

Full-service postproduction facility blue has completed full sound design and music composition for Channel 4’s newly redesigned idents.
The project follows on from ongoing audio work for Channel 4’s E4 idents and 'Faces on Four'.
The aim of the new idents is to recapture the boldness and dynamism of Martin Lambie-Nairn’s 1982 design in a 21st century way. The series of 15 different idents, each of varying lengths, incorporate Channel 4’s iconic ‘4’ logo in various guises. In each one, the ‘4’ floats in the centre of a different environment – ranging from a cornfield to an urban street – and takes on the colours and textures of its surroundings.
Commissioned to do both the sound design and music composition, blue worked closely with Channel 4’s Creative Director Brett Foraker, and blue’s Rich Martin was involved from the conceptual stage of the project.
“It was a very collaborative process right from the start. The client came in and we tried out different things,” said Martin. "They basically booked a block of time with us, so we had the flexibility to just get on with the job.”
The idea that eventually emerged was to create an eerie, almost impossible sound for each ident. Martin used ProTools to create the type of sound that cannot be found in music libraries.
“Each of the idents is very different, so the challenge was to create a sound track for each one that reflected musically what the viewer sees on screen. In effect we had to meet 15 different briefs, so it was important to come up with fresh ideas each time,” he said.
Although the initial plan was not to have any music to accompany the idents – the audio would be heavily effects-based – Foraker decided that music would be able to add something to evoke emotion together with the visuals viewed on screen. He and Martin spent a number of weeks working together to create 15 unique tracks which were used in the final versions of the idents.
Eight of the new Channel 4 idents are currently on air, with more set to follow shortly.
(GB)