All 4

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

All 4 (launched as "4oD" in 2006) was the video-on-demand service of Channel Four Television Corporation, which offered a variety of programs from Channel 4 and its sister channels (E4, More4, Film4, 4Music and 4Seven), as well as additional short content under the "Shorts" label. On 17 April 2023, All 4 rebranded as Channel 4, becoming the "first UK broadcaster to adopt one brand identity across its digital and linear channels".



1st Logo (30 March 2015-Early 2018)


Visuals: On a white background, several blocks rise up from the ground, which is actually the Channel 4 logo, but at an angle and the sides of the blocks (the tops are obviously white) reflecting the various channels: dark blue for Channel 4, purple for E4, red for Film4, yellow and sky blue for More4, green for Channel 4 Shorts (a short series by Channel 4 since 2014), pink for 4Music, and turquoise and gray for 4seven.

Trivia: This logo is also the then-current logo for Channel Four Television Corporation, the current owner of Channel 4 and its various other channels and services.

Variants: There are different versions related for almost all the channels:

  • Channel 4:
    • The gold block first rises from the ground, followed by all the other blocks except for the dark blue one. It rises up a second later, but then emits spikes, puncturing almost every block, while the gray block is pushed away. The voice and music are abruptly cut off when it emits the spikes.
    • The blocks all rise up as normal, but then all the blocks, except for the dark blue block, start to melt. The voice and music also get a similar effect when it melts.
    • The blocks rise up, but then they start to shake and get attracted against the dark blue block like a magnet, making them crack. The sky blue block splits, as it lands on the pink block.
    • The blocks rise up, but not the dark blue block, which is compressed into its space. The dark blue block then pops up, causing the other blocks to do the opposite. This continues for a while, represented by a cash register sound. The final pop causes the dark blue block to stay out while the others are in their color-coded spaces.
    • The blocks rise up, but the dark blue sinks into its space, only to come back from the sky. When it lands into its space, the other blocks are launched out and land, but in random locations, leaving the dark blue block rising alone.
  • Channel 4 Shorts:
    • The blocks rise up, but a giant ant crawls over the logo and grabs the green block, before walking off with it.
    • The blocks rise up, but are all very tiny. A magnifying glass comes over the screen, enlarging them to normal size and reveals that the green block is jumping up multiple times, saying "Shorts" in a very squeaky voice. The magnifying glass exits the screen.
  • E4:
    • The blocks rise up. Then the purple block starts spewing out multiple copies everywhere. The voice is an escalating choir of E's, ending with a squeaky "4".
    • The blocks rise up, while the purple block lowers. A second later, the block rises up over all the other blocks with a cooked sausage on it. Steam can be seen before it has risen, however.
    • The blocks rise up, with the purple block bending like its struggling to get out. It breaks free and lands a bit from its space, crawling like a worm offscreen. The announcer has an electronic sound to her.
    • The blocks rise up, while jackhammer noises are heard before the purple block rises from the ground, far from its original space. Surprisingly, it appears to not have white on the top when it exits.
  • More4:
    • A saw appears where the gold block is, producing a gold line as it does. Then the gold block rises, along with the rest of the blocks a bit later. This is also the only variant where the logo looks normal at the end.
    • The blocks rise up. Smaller copies of the gold block pop out like a matryoshka doll.
  • Film4:
    • The blocks rise up, with the red block continuously scrolling up like a filmstrip.
    • The blocks rise up, with the red block floating out of its space like there is no gravity.
  • 4Music:
    • The blocks rise up, but the pink block gains speakers and plays a vibey drum beat, while the blocks dance to the beat.
    • The blocks rise up, with the pink block making dubstep, performing like a wavelength, while the blocks dance to the music.

Technique: CGI, designed by Magpie Studio and 4Creative, and animated by weareseventeen.

Audio: A simple wind sound throughout, with an ambient theme and sounds that are different for all the variants. A voice also says the corresponding channel it comes from.

Availability: Seen on programmes that aired on the service between 2015-2018.

2nd Logo (Late 2017-28 February 2019)


Visuals: On a white background, there is a dark blue block with the Channel 4 logo, then a purple block with the E4 logo, the yellow and sky blue blocks with the More4 logo, a red block with the Film4 logo, the turquoise and gray blocks with the 4seven logo, and finally a pink block with the 4Music logo. When the blocks rise into the Channel 4 logo, the word "ALL 4" fades in below, with the very top of the first "L" obscured by the sky blue block.

Later Variant: After Channel 4's multi-channel rebrand in October 2018, the animation was changed up a bit: the green block would rise up for More4 instead of the yellow and sky blue blocks, and the gray block is omitted at 4seven. The channel logos were also changed per the rebrand.

Technique: CGI by weareseventeen.

Audio: A slash sound and a deep note each time a block rises up, then a bling sound when all the blocks rise up, while a voice says "You're watching All 4".

Audio Variant: Sometimes, the voiceover is absent.

Availability: Seen on programmes that aired on the service during 2018 and before the rebrand.

3rd Logo (28 February 2019-17 April 2023)


Visuals: On a dark gray background, there is a turquoise bar moving to the right, while it shifts to a gold bar and forms the Channel 4 logo. The bars continue to move.

Technique: 2D computer animation created by design agency DixonBaxi and Channel 4's in-house design team 4Creative.

Audio: A synth/piano tune similar to Fourscore (Channel 4's signature fanfare by David Dundas that was regularly used from November 2, 1982 to November 1, 1992).

Availability: Seen after the first ad break on the service.

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