France 3
RedheadXilamGuy
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Background
France 3 is a French public television channel owned by France Télévisions launched in 1972 as the third channel of the ORTF (Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française). Namely, it was the very first french channel to launch in color, as the second channel had existed since 1964 when it made the switch to color broadcasts in 1967. In 1975, the ORTF was broken up into 7 public companies, 3 of them being television channels with TF1 replacing the first channel, Antenne 2 replacing the second and France Régions 3 (often abbreviated as FR3) replacing the third. Originally independent from the other two, it would then join Antenne 2 under a common president in 1989 before becoming part of the newly-formed France Télévision (without an s) in 1992, with both it and Antenne 2 renamed to France 3 and France 2.
Similarly to TF1 and France 2, France 3 is a national television channel. But, unlike the two, it also provides an extensive regional output across all regions of metropolitan France as well as in Corsica. Each region has its own France 3 station, which is identified on-air during regional idents, handovers from or to the national feed, commercial break bumpers and so on. Local France 3 stations also exist within some regions, as well as specific channels made for said regions such as NoA, part of France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Both national and regional programming are in French. However, some regional programming, including the news bulletins, can be broadcasted in the region's own language.
In the past, France 3 (as FR3) also used to provide local programming in overseas islands, through the FR3 DOM-TOM channels, taking over from their ORTF counterparts around the same time as FR3's launch. RFO (which FR3 owned most of) then took over those channels before being integrated into France Télévisions in 2004 and then renamed to La 1ère in 2010.
Third Channel of ORTF
Logo (December 31, 1972-1975)
Visuals: The logo starts with a field of stars. The stars then change to the ORTF logo and the background becomes white. It then turns into the letters "c3". It then zooms in on one of them while circles appear from behind and stripes appear to the right. It then zooms in on the above space of the "3", showing the word "couleur". After that the logo gets a perspective. It then puts the screen into a white field full of "c3" logo's showing the word "couleur". Then the background turns blue with a few lines on the side. Then, the second "u" moves to the first one, forming a "3". After that the "o" loses a stripe and becomes a "c". Then it zooms in again while circles appear from behind and the word "3e chaine couleur".
Variant: There is a closedown variant that plays the logo in reverse.
Technique: 2D animation.
Audio: Starts off with a rising upbeat 12-note chorded piano theme, sounding much like music that would underscore a training montage in an old sports film, accompanied by cymbals, hi-hats, and a bass section. This phrase then repeats, but in a higher key. A jazzy drumline kicks in, seguing into a B-section led by chimes (possibly in 17/8 time), as the rhythms in the bass and drums briefly become more complex. The 12-note piano theme from earlier then returns, now with the chimes playing along, followed by two final notes in yet another key.
France Regions 3
1st ID (January 6, 1975-1985)
Visuals: On a black background, there is a cerulean eye-like shape, which becomes a hexagon and then a "3" that slightly zooms out while a world map highlighting all the French territories appears. The "3" then fades as the map becomes blue and fades out, and a drawing of the map of France zooms in while the words "FRANCE REGIONS" appear. Then trapezoids in multiple colors (clockwise top-to bottom: yellow, orange, purple, red, green and blue) appear around it, forming a hexagon. Then the drawing of France disappears, the text turns into the outline of the eye-like shape, all of the trapezoids slowly turn blue, and "FR3" sppears on the center of the hexagon.
Variant: There is a closedown variant in which the logo plays in reverse.
Technique: 2D animation.
Audio: A calm synth theme.
2nd ID (1985-1986)
Visuals: There is a rendition of the previous logo, while the different provinces fly behind it. Then the screen zooms out of the logo to see the provinces put on a map of France. It then zooms in slightly below the structure. Then the FR3 logo appears from below while a light writes in the words "BONNE NUIT" ("GOOD NIGHT" in French).
Technique: CGI.
Audio: A different rendition of the previous logo's music and some whooshing sounds.
Availability: This was used on the channel's closedown of the time.
3rd ID (1986-1989)
Visuals: On a blue gradient background, see the new FR3 logo (a gold abstract "3 and the text "FR3 with the "3" in the same style). The logo rotates a little and zooms in on the abstract "3" while the rest of it disappears, and the "3" zooms in and splits from the screen. After it, sea-related video clips are seen followed by scenes from a concert and various clips of reporters and journalists getting ready to communicate and recording various events. When the montage ends, the "3" logo closes again and zooms out to its original place.
Variant: There is a closedown variant where people are turning off the lights and going home, the studio closing, and even a scene of Goofy getting in bed from the Goofy short "How to Sleep".
Technique: CGI.
Audio: An ethereal, calm synth theme in the scenes with the "3" and a beatbox theme during the montage.
4th ID (1989-1991)
Visuals: The first element shown is the FR3 logo on top, separated by a bar with the slogan "Le relief de la vie" ("Life's perspectives") below. The line opens to reveal two screens with blinking eyes in them as both texts move outwards and fade out, while other screens with the same image also open up, until there are twelve of them. It then zooms in on one of them while the logo and slogan both fade in below the eyes.
Variant: There is a closedown variant where the logo gets played in reverse.
Technique: 2D animation and live action.
Audio: A mysterious-sounding synth theme.
5th ID (1992)
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Visuals: The first element shown is the logo in full view. Then there are mountainous landscapes, barren wastelands and cities. Then the screen zooms in on the streets where several people walking are shown. Then a scene of a walking couple is shown, the woman stares and smiles at the screen and the FR3 logo and the text "la télé pour de vrai" ("television for real") both appear below.
Technique: Live-action.
Audio: A synth and piano theme, with an announcer saying "Toutes les télévisions au bout du monde. FR3 au plus, pas au bout de la rue. FR3, la télé pour de vrai." ("All televisions from the world. FR3 is more, not the end of the road. FR3, television for real.").
France 3
1st ID (September 7, 1992-January 6, 2002)
Visuals: Several frames are filled stripe wise with videoclips that range from fairly innocent natural landscapes, people participating in game shows or doing fairly mundane things and cute animals to natural disasters and people attacking each other. At the end, when the bottom stripe wipes away, the France 3 logo from the time (a giant 3 with the text "France" placed on its top). The two remaining stripes wipe away, and the logo disappears.
Variant:
- Depending on the variant, different imagery will be visible.
- For the break bumpers, a shorter version was used, with the bottom stripe saying "publicité" (licité in italics).
- In later years, France 3 experimented with the stripes for the break bumpers, changing the stripe widths or filling more or less stripes with footage.
Technique: Live-action and 2D animation by Gédéon.
Audio: A flute and synth theme.
2nd ID (1998-2007)
Visuals: The logo is similar to the last one, but it shows less violent scenes.
Variants: Starting from 2002, the logo is replaced to resemble a "3" in a blue trapezoid.
Technique: Same as the previous logo.
Audio: A beatbox theme.
3rd ID (January 6, 2002-September 1, 2003)
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Visuals: Same as the France 2 logo from the time, except that the quadrilaterals obtain a water-like texture before forming the France 3 logo from before.
Variant: There is an extended variant where the quadrilaterals of the France Télévisions logo move away to the right. Multiple more blue quadrilaterals and pictures of a few live-action sceneries appear in the background. The screen flashes in blue, and the quadrilaterals form the France 3 logo. "présente" appears below the logo.
Technique: CGI by Gédéon.
Audio: Either same as the France 2 logo from the time or the jingle is replaced with two completely different electronic echoes, one of which is lower in pitch.
4th ID (September 1, 2003-April 7, 2008)
Visuals: On a blue background, multiple trapezoids fly in each other and form the France 3 logo. The logo emits light, and the texts "france" and "présente" appear spaced between the logo.
Variant: There is a variant where the background is white instead of blue, including some regional variants with only the white variant.
Technique: CGI done by Gédéon.
Audio: A beatbox theme.
Availability: The white variant is seen on various programs like France Truc.
5th ID (April 7, 2008-2010)
Visuals: Same as the France 2 logo from the time, except that the quadrilaterals, the logo (with the "2" replaced with a "3") and the background turn blue to indicate the channel prior to the programme.
Technique: CGI by Gedeon and Dream On Studios.
Audio: Same as the France 2 logo from the time.
6th ID (2011-2020)
Visuals: There is the names of the regions in multiple rectangles. The rectangles flip, revealing footage of multiple kids bouncing on a trampoline or a rollercoaster in action with a woman looking around in a rectangle. The rectangles flip again to show the France 3 logo from the time with the name of the region in which it aired at the left. The channel's URL can be found at the bottom.
Variants: Starting from 2018, the logo is changed to feature a blue dot next to a giant "3".
Technique: A combination of live-action and computer animation.
Audio: The sequence starts off with an electronic note, followed by a guitar and drum theme. At the end, there is a woman saying "France 3". It's slightly altered in the Rollercoaster variant, with an additional electronic tune before the guitar theme. It's also accompanied by clapping sounds.
7th ID (Les Marmottes) (2016-2018)
Visuals: A group of marmots do a humorous activity, such as play some musical instruments, parody movies, or compete in sports. At the end, the France 3 logo appears at either the left or the right.
Variants: Many variants were used:
- Starting from 2018, the logo is changed to feature a blue dot next to a giant "3".
- In one variant, the marmots are playing as a rock band in a concert. There is also footage of people cheering for them. There is also one cut away where a man tries to enter the tour, but his ticket is rejected by a staff member. At the end, one of the marmots jumps, and the screen fades to a black background with the France 3 logo along with "joyeuses fêtes" under it.
- Six marmots play next to a churro stand.
- Two marmots dance next to a swimming pool, with another two of them playing the turntables on a floatie.
- Four marmots are portrayed as a rock band in a field with a woman resting on a chair in the background. There's also a trailer and a tent in the background.
- Four marmots are seen playing instruments on a handrail of a boardwalk. One of then is playing the tambourine, another is playing the durm, and the other two are blowing into woodwind instruments. One of them is also playing a conga.
- Four marmots are portrayed as a rock band on a picnic table in a field.
Trivia:
- The initially planned mascots were hamsters, but marmots were used in their place because their skeletal structure allows them to move in an anthropomorphic way more realistically.
- The Olympics-based set of idents won a Silver Entertainment Clio award in 2021.
Technique: Entirely animated in CGI done by Dream On Studios, Mikros Image, and MPC.
Audio: Whatever musical instruments the marmots are playing or sound effects of their antics. At the end, a female announcer says the channel's name.
Legacy: A very beloved series of idents in and even outside of France, with over 70 million views across social platforms. Their cute mascots and humorous nature will be missed.
8th ID (Les Poules de Soi / Cot, Kot, and Cotte) (December 6, 2021-)
Visuals: There is three silkie chickens named Cot, Kot, and Cotte get into a humorous situation as they strut and peck around. At the end of the logo, the blue dot pops up, and the "3" wordmark fades in beside it, both at the left or the right.
Variants:
- On a hanger rack in a field, one of the chickens tries eat a bikini, but falls off and nearly hits a hair comb but is hanged. Another one of the chickens lands on the field, looking around.
- Two of the chickens are on a dining table in an outdoor restaurant. The other chicken jumps from a tree branch and lands and swings on a lantern until it knocks over a toy of a couple on a cake. The lantern lands on the cake, and the aforementioned chicken falls onto the table.
- The three chickens are walking on a zebra crossing, possibly parodying the Beatles. The three chickens notice that a car is about to hit them, and they duck. They then continue walking.
- One of the chickens are dancing on the mill of a counter in a supermarket. It then trips over a green soda can and lands its head on a yellow bucket. A second chicken is portrayed as the cashier typing in the equivalent of π, while the third one is seen dancing on an egg carton. The chicken as the cashier is then knocked away by the register
- It's winter time, and the chickens are watching TV in a living room. The TV shows a fox in a filed. One of the chickens on the table changes the channel to show two hands cracking and cooking an egg on a pan. The chicken on the table changes the channel again, only for the TV to show footage of roasted chicken being cut, much to the other chickens' shock, with one of them accidentally hitting the TV.
- One of the chickens tries to eat popcorn kernels that are on the floor, until another chicken comes in and vacuums up the kernel, along with the others. There is only one kernel left on the floor, and it's also vacuumed up. The third chicken runs towards the door, slams into it, and faints.
Trivia: It took seven months for the concept of these idents to be finalized. Suggestions for possible replacement animals for the marmots included moles and hippos. In the end, chickens were chosen due to the increasing popularity of backyard chicken keeping in France, with silkies specifically being selected due to their unique and silly appearance.
Technique: Entirely animated in CGI also done by Dream On Studios.
Audio: The chickens' clucks and other sound effects.
Audio Variant: The sizzle reel variant uses "Romeo" by Jungle.
