TF1

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum



Background

TF1 is a French free-to-air television channel owned by TF1 Group, which is controlled by the Bouygues construction company. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network.



1st Logo (January 6, 1975-1976)


Visuals: On a dark blue background, several gold 6-pointed stars are seen. In sync with the music, they grow and arrange into a pattern similar to the current USA flag. They then turn to "t" shapes, which flip to "f" shapes while they zoom in and change color. When they get closer to the screen, the background turns pink and the shapes take various colors and flash at random times. A green "t" appears and makes copies of itself that flip in sync with the theme as the background becomes dark blue again. It then slips into 3 "f" shapes before one "f" remains and flips around to form the "t", interlocking with the "f". A "1" zooms out and locks in with the logo, which comes closer to the screen with a yellow shadow and the letters in red, white, and blue respectively. "TELEVISION FRANÇAISE" and an eye shape appear below also in sync with the music. The camera then zooms into the "1" as the background becomes blue. The camera reveals a purple background with the "1" on a blue circle. The shape of a eye then appears around it, with 3 copies coming out. It moves up and the copies disappear as the logo appears below, this time in red, pink, and green, respectively. The camera zooms in on the logo as copies emerge from the eye, and cuts back to the logo fully forming.

Variant: There's a closedown variant in which the logo plays in reverse.

Technique: 2D animation, which is a bit smoother this time, but still limited.

Audio: A triumphant trumpet fanfare.


Legacy: This logo is well-known for its trippy, choppy, but unique animation.

2nd Logo (1976-1985)

Visuals: On a black background, several orange curves come in, forming the eye from the previous logo and making a sunrise shape. A circle zooms in, completing the eye, which zooms in to reveal a time lapse sky background. 2 multicolored ribbons come in and form 2 "t" shapes from the previous logo. The second shape rotates to become the logo's "f" and a "1", also made from a ribbon, slides in and forms the logo, which zooms in. It then cuts to a different sky background with multiple "tf1" logos drawing in. They fly away as some of them attach to a whole row of the logos, scrolling along. It then cuts to another sky background with a scrolling floor made of TF1 logos and a golden eye. The eye zooms into the screen, which then cuts to a different sky background with the logo in blue, purple , and pink zooming out, having a bit of an emboss effect. "TELEVISION FRANÇAISE" wipes in, followed by the eye appearing.

Variants:

  • A closedown version exists. The eye colors are different at the beginning and zoom out, followed by a glowing outline of the eye scrolling up. The sky background is replaced by a space background, with each "tf1" logo being in one of different colors and drawing in around. It then fades to the wall, also in different colors, with one logo drawing in. A new segment is also added, where a pink "tf1" logo rotates and the 3 pieces in green, yellow and orange go through it, fusing and flattening when they get through, before being colored in and zooming at the camera. The penultimate scene has the logos on the floor glowing, and the logo on the final scene now sparkles, with the bottom text in red.
  • A still in-credit version was used on 1981 episodes of Sesame Street's original French co-production (1, rue Sésame) alongside the 1978 Children's Television Workshop logo.

Technique: A mixture of Slit-scan camera effects, Evans & Sutherland mainframe computers, and motion-controlled cameras. Done by Robert Abel & Associates.

Audio: A disco-like remix of the fanfare from the previous logo composed by Vladimir Cosma. The closedown variant's music has a more mysterious and dreamy feel.



3rd ID (January 1, 1985-1992)

Visuals: On a sky background, the screen zooms past several pillars into a temple-like structure. Rings form on the top and bottom as several "1" shapes fly around. A sphere with "1"s on its outside then comes up from the bottom, briefly rolling on the floor as a cube made of "1"s with a sphere inside flies by. The cube floats a little before flying out of the pillars, causing silhouettes of different people on squares to slide down. The rings on the top now move away as the sphere, now larger and with another blue sphere inside it, comes into view and we go inside it. The sphere of "1"s then comes inside it and several videoclips play, with the sphere having a ring of them. The sphere then ejects the camera and flies past a sculpture of a woman's body. The temple then comes into view, as well as 2 of the "1" cubes. The temple and cubes zoom away as a blue object comes in, revealing it's a segmented version of the previous logo. It rotates into an angle as the lines on the front become lighter blue. A rectangle iris-out then ends the logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A funky synth theme with piano.


4th (known) Logo (2006-2010)


Visuals: On a dark blue background is the TF1 logo surrounded by dots. It then zooms out, while the dots light up (first in a wave shape, then in a stripe shape). A few lights below the logo also light up.

Variants: There are variants where the beatbox sound and stripe shape are slightly different.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A beatbox sound.


5th (known) Logo (2011-2013)

Visuals: On a snowy background is the TF1 logo. Then the letters "T", "F" and "1" in an icy font move from right to left behind the logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Same as the previous logo.


6th (known) logo (2013-2021)


Visuals: Unknown

Technique: Unknown

Audio: Unknown

Availbility: Extinct since January 6, 2021.

7th (known) logo (2021-)

Visuals: Unknown

Technique: Unknown

Audio: Unknown

Availbility: Current.

Première chaîne de l'ORTF
TF1
Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.