S4C

Credits

Descriptions by
graaagh

Captures by
graaagh

Video captures courtesy of
dragonarchive

Background

S4C, or Sianel Pedwar Cymru (Channel Four Wales in English) first broadcast on November 1, 1982. It was a result of the 1980 broadcasting act, which promised a dedicated Welsh language channel after complaints that not enough Welsh language programming was being shown on HTV Wales or BBC Wales.

1st Logo (November 1, 1982-May 1, 1987)

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Visuals: Over a black background is footage of a location somewhere in Wales. Below the footage, two numeral "4"s enter the screen from either side. When they collide, they continue going but leave a trail of red letters; "WALE" on the left and "YMRU" on the right, making the whole symbol read "WALES4CYMRU". When the two "4"s leave the screen, the "S4C" section of the symbol glows.

Variants:

• Several variants were made that feature different locations, such as a waterfall, a fairground, a market and a field. At the end of shows produced by S4C, a static version was used where the symbol is already formed and no footage is present, and sometimes with a copyright stamp underneath.
• A launch ident exists. On a black background, the camera pans to an outlined red "4". It then reveals the two outlined green letters "S" and "C". The logo then reveals itself, and flashes appear character-by-character.

Technique: A mix of live action and text streak animation for the text on the bottom. The launch ident uses motion control.

Audio: A short synth fanfare. The static variant plays either silent or the show's ending theme.

Audio Variant: The launch ident uses a synthesized trumpet fanfare.

Availability:

• Some variants are preserved on sites such as TVArk.
• The static variant is present on early SuperTed VHS releases.

2nd Logo (May 2, 1987-September 6, 1990)

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Visuals: On a gray gradient background, there is a blue "S" lying on the floor, with a green zigzag shape placed perpendicular to it. Above the zigzag is a yellow circle. After this scene fades in, the camera begins to pan around this odd composition. The shapes begin to spin around and eventually morph into a blue "S", a green "4" and a red "C" respectively.

Technique: CGI animation by Peter Leonard and Associates.

Audio: It begins with an eight note horn and flute riff that sounds very similar to that of The Maltese Companies' logo. This is followed by two brass notes accompanied by timpani drums, then a harp flourish and a brass chord accompanied by a cymbal crash.

Availability: Again, the logo has found its way to various TV museum websites.

3rd ID (September 7, 1990-May 31, 1993)

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Visuals: On a slate backdrop with water flowing across, the camera pans towards a white "S4C" symbol like the one from the previous logo. Blue, green and red water washes onto the S, 4 and C respectively, giving them their colour. The camera stops to focus on the newly-coloured symbol.

Variants:

• There was a variant involved around a room.
• In 2012, during S4C's 30th anniversary, this ident was revived. It was also adapted to widescreen, while the special logo at the time (the number "30" below a 5x6 grid) was added in the lower right-hand corner.

Technique: Live-action model work.

Audio: A somber violin piece as the camera pans around the slate, which quickly shifts to a bombastic fanfare when the logo is coloured in.

Availability: Same as before.

4th ID (June 1, 1993-December 31, 2006)

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Visuals: On a random scene, there is a mostly inanimate object that takes the form of a red dragon (the Welsh Dragon) in different ways (like in appearance and/or throwing fire). Either the 1987 S4C logo from before in white, or the 1995 S4C logo appears in a corner of the screen.

Variants: Many variants were made over the course of 13 years:

• Dragon Man: A man dressed as a dragon in a mountainous region blows fire.
• Dragon Standard: On different angles, fire is spreading around some sticks. The screen then proceeds to show the whole object, which is a floating red standard in the shape of a dragon.
• Scissors: A pair of red scissors open up and blow an orange piece of tissue paper to represent fire.
  • A short version had a closer view of the scissor's blades, which has smoke coming from it.
• Kite: A kite made to look like a dragon floats around in the sky.
• Standpipe: A standpipe is turned on and emits fire.
• Extinguisher: A sentient fire extinguisher sees a flame and proceeds to put it out.
  • A short version had a closer view of the extinguisher's pressure gauge, which is constantly moving.
• Pencil: A red pencil draws fire on the floor. Then, the screen shows a close view of the pencil, which has the S4C flame emblem on it.
• Fan: A fan is located near an open window on a room, working. Eventually, it blows fire rather than wind.
• Gas Pump: The upper part of a gas pump rotates and then blows fire. The screen then shows the entire object.
• Horn: A yellow horn, likely over a table, blows fire.
• Bin: The upper part of a pedal bin is seen moving around a bit. Garbage falls from above, which the bin catches, then burns away.
• Iron: A flatiron slides through, ironing a red table cloth. It backs and lifts up, emitting steam from its flat, then lays down and its buzz lights up while emitting the steam.
• Vacuumer: Multiple shots of a vacuum cleaner in front of the curtains moving its tube around, with audience clapping heard throughout.
• Shower: The scene opens up to a bathroom with someone seemingly showering. The curtains are pulled to reveal a red shower head, looking around frightened. It blows fire and pulls the curtains back.
• Magic Trick: A wand taps a red magic hat on a blue table, preparing for a trick. After the camera pans out and the wand flies away, fire blows out of the hat, followed by confetti.
  • A variation of this has yellow flowers pop out of the hat.
• Food Press: In front of a blue kitchen wall, a food press blows fire as it presses.
• Lawnmower: Multiple shots of a lawnmower in action on a big grass field, which moves slightly erratically.
• Speaker: A loudspeaker hops in and blasts breakbeat, then turns towards the camera and blows fire. It then hops out and later appears in the background.
• Egg: An egg is situated on a checkered table in front of a white wall. It blows its top and fire comes out of it, followed by red smoke.
• Stapler: A pink stapler rushes in and notices a red textile bar, which it catches. Struggling a bit, it tears the bar from its original place, then flails it around as if it were its tounge.
• Mouse: A computer mouse rushes through the scene multiple times, then gets stuck and does escape, but also reveals its connector tail. The mouse then shakes and wiggles its tail.
• Computer: The computer mouse stops by a blue computer, its monitor igniting with fire and revealing a continuity screen.
• Starting in 1995, the original serif S4C logo was dropped, and replaced with a new symbol with the channel name in Futura, with a flame next to the "C" as if it were breathing fire.
• During the S4C 30th Anniversary, two idents were revived (the Dragon Standard and Stapler variants). These idents, again, were also adapted to widescreen and used the same special logo previously mentioned.
• Christmas Idents:
  • Christmas 1993: A toy dragon looks around inside a greenish snow globe with a tree and some presents. The background is slightly brownish.
  • Christmas 2002: Several close views of green leaves are shown from either a holly or a mistletoe. The background is more orange than red.
  • Christmas 2004: A bunch of blue and light blue pieces are moving and re-ordering to form a tree, with a yellow glow resembling a star. The background is white.
  • Christmas 2005: A red/white light glow moves to the right side of the screen on a dark background.

Technique: Mostly live action, though some of the later idents appear to use CGI. The original live-action set was designed and directed by Charlotte Castle and Brian Eley at Lambie-Nairn.

Audio: Each variant has its own variation on a common five-note leitmotif, which seems to be a rearrangement of the 1991 jingle.

5th ID (January 1-17, 2007)

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Visuals: There is a living room with an old-style TV. The TV keeps flicking through various images that are then projected onto the wall behind it.

Variant: Several versions of the ident were made with the TV at different angles.

Technique: Live action.

Audio: A calm xylophone and accordion piece.

Availability: This was a temporary ident used for two weeks while the channel prepared for its next ident package below.

6th ID (January 17, 2007-April 10, 2014)

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Visuals: Live action scenes involving inanimate objects coming closer together; apparently based around "The invisible patriotic energy which binds Welsh people together". Halfway through the idents, the logo, now stylised as "S4/C", forms in the bottom left hand corner of the screen.

Variants: Several variants exist:

• Pier: A night time scene of a pier that starts to light up.
• Balloons: A mass of balloons crowd together under a bridge.
• Buoys: Some buoys roll along a beach whilst the tide's out and attract to each other.
• Chairs: Several chairs slide along a school sports hall. The camera then pans across to reveal that a big pile of chairs have already attracted to each other.
• Frisbees: A series of frisbees congregate round a telegraph pole.
• Christmas Idents:
  • Christmas 2010: On a snowy place with some walls around it, are scattered several white glowing balls around. After moving a bit, light rays are twirling to form a tree. The S4C logo is shown after the tree is fully seen.
  • Christmas 2011: On a random place (around 6, like a church, a village hall, a bandstand, or a stable), a white shining star is seen far away. The S4C logo is still instead of animated.
  • Christmas 2012: Colored light rays are moving around a place, while people are looking at it. Eventually, the screen shows the light rays already forming a Christmas-related object (a blue present, a green tree, or an orange angel). The S4C logo is again still.
  • Christmas 2013: On a polygonal environment, a robin is flying around different snowy places (like in the forest or on a town), sometimes finding glowing spheres. The S4C logo is animated.

Technique: Mostly live action; there is probably some CGI present in the idents as well. Produced by Proud Creative in London.

Audio: Each ident has its own jingle, composed by Simon Pyke.

7th ID (April 10, 2014-)

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Visuals: Live action scenes involving various scenarios, such as a café, a gymnasium, a forest, etc, with the majority of footage slowed down. Halfway through the ident, the S4C logo slides in (usually from behind an object or person). The logo is once again stylised as "S4C" and is written in a somewhat similar typeface to the 1995-2007 logo.

Variants:

• Christmas Idents:
  • Christmas 2014: A refreshed version of the S4C Christmas idents from 2013. The places are the same, although more and colorful objects are scattered around. The 2014 S4C logo also appears instead with its usual animation.

Technique: Mostly live action, aside from the logo appearing. Done by Sugar Creative.

Audio: Each variant has its own jingle.