ATN-7

Background

ATN-7 is the Sydney station of the Seven Network. It launched in 1956 to coincide with the Olympic Games in Melbourne.

1st ID (December 2, 1956-1989, 2013)

Visuals: There is three cartoon chickens around the ATN logo of the time singing, followed by a jumpcut to a cartoon kangaroo pointing at a painting/drawing on an easel with a smile on it's face. We then see a cartoon man looking at his TV in exaggerated shock. Next, there is a matte graphic of musical instruments and notes, followed by the heads of a smiling man and a confused woman with an ATN camera in the background, then a cartoon family laughing at their TV. Next, there is an image of the ATN transmitter which pans backwards as "bolts" come off it, a-la the RKO Pictures logo of the time, the screen then cuts to an animation of a clock and sand timer followed by the cartoon kangaroo from earlier pulling a chair towards the TV, then sitting in it. The screen then cuts to a pair of eyes which move around the letters "ATN" before resting on top of them. Next there is the cartoon kangaroo again, this time standing still as the camera moves in and out of focus. We then see the same kangaroo standing in front of a screen with the "ATN" letters on it and applauding. Finally, there is the kangaroo nailing a sign reading "Channel 7" to a wall, before cutting to the then-current ATN logo as an announcer presents the next show.

Sign off: There is a cartoon kangaroo with a joey standing in a bedroom at night with the test "ATN CHANNEL 7" behind it. The kangaroo yawns. She then moves to the side and grabs the "ATN" letters and forms them into a bed. next, she takes "CHANNEL" and turns it into a mattress onto which she places her joey. She then looks at her baby adoringly before taking the "7" and turning it into a blanket which she places over the joey. The mother kangaroo then pulls down a sheet with the words "Good Night" written on it.

Trivia: This is probably one of the oldest surviving Australian TV idents, dating back to the very first year of television in Australia. The associated closedown animation featuring the kangaroo from this ident putting its young joey to bed far outlasted this ident. It marked the end of the broadcast day for many years, only disappearing when the station finally started broadcasting 24 hours a day in the 1980s. Its later years would have it preceded by Debbie Glasser's 'Sydney' cartoon. During this time it became a staple of the station. It returned one final time for the shutdown of the station's analog feed in 2013.

Variants:

• For the 40th anniversary of HSV-7 in Melbourne and the 50th anniversary of BTQ-7 in Brisbane, Seven strangely created edited versions of this ident which replaced ATN with each station's respective call sign whenever it appeared on screen and rather haphazardly cut any references to ATN in the lyrics of the song. This was done despite this ident never having been used in either market.
• For the station's analog signoff in 2013, the signoff variant plays out as usual, except that "Goodbye" replaces "Goodnight" as the final text

Technique: Traditional cel animation.

Audio:

• Normal: A jingle called "We're on the air", similar in tune and lyrical themes to "This is It" from The Bugs Bunny Show, then an announcer presenting the next program.
• Signoff: Usually an announcer is heard over some generic music. In its later years, the closing theme of the 'Sydney' cartoon is heard. Earlier on, it was the Australian national anthem "Advance Australia Fair" and there was no announcemer.

2nd ID (1968)

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Visuals: Unknown

Technique: Live-action and 2D animation.

Audio: A cheery tune and an announcer proclaiming "Seven is fun! Seven is excitement! Sydney's Channel 7, the spearhead of Australian television!

3rd ID (1981)

Visuals: A rotating white column crosses the screen vertically, then a large flash reveals a yellow bar across the screen with a circle shaped gap. The white and yellow bars converge and flash, revealing the channel 7 logo.

Technique: Scanimate.

Audio: The opening segment of "Can't Let Go" by Earth, Wind and Fire

4th ID (1981-1982)

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Visuals: There is a live action hand against a rainbow gradient background gesture the number 7 with their fingers, i.e., extending all five fingers, then extending two. We then see the words "Lucky 7" in a style resembling an old-fashioned neon sign as the background changes to black with a bright light in the distance, partially obscured by a horizon effect. A bar flies in from the horizon, curving downwards to form a ring shape, which is then filled with rainbow colours. The shape rotates to reveal it is the ring in the Seven logo. The "7" then zooms into place in a neon-esque outline and flashes in solid white as the last note of the music plays.

Technique: Live-action and early computer effects

Audio: A bouncy synth piece.

5th ID (1981-1982)

Ident proper starts at 0:27

Visuals: The first half of the ident plays out like the ident used by ADS-7 at the time. The rainbow vortex transitions to an image of the Sydney skyline, complete with Opera House and Centrepoint tower. Over this image, a number of lights converge into a point resulting in a colorful firework effect. From the same point the words 'ALL", "THE", and "BEST" fly out from the point one at a time, followed by the 7 logo as the skyline fades away leaving dark background.

Technique: Live-action photography and digital effects

Audio: The same theme used by the equvalent ADS ident in Adelaide.

6th ID (1986-1988?)

Visuals: There is a stylized crowd drawn in an angular style, the screen then cuts forwards, away from the crowd to reveal the Centrepoint tower, rendered in an angular style, reminiscent of a neon sign. The screen then pans around to see other Sydney landmarks rendered in a similar fashion including the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, before zooming down between the buildings and over the harbour. The scene then fades to a 3D rendering of the "7" from the then current logo, rising from a flat position and swinging around as the rainbow ring zooms into place and the logo settles against a translucent panel.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An intense, percussion driven piece featuring vocoders.