S4C (UK)

Background: S4C, or Sianel Pedwar Cymru (literally Channel Four Wales) first broadcast on the 1st November 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, 1982-1988)

Logo: On a black background, we see 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.

Variant: 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 with a copyright stamp underneath, and no footage is present.

FX/SFX: A mix of live action and text streak animation for the text on the bottom.

Music/Sounds: A short synth fanfare. None for the static variant.

Availability: Extinct. Some variants are preserved on sites such as TV-ark. The static variant is present on early Super Ted tapes.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo

(1988-1991)

Logo: On a grey gradient background, we see 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.

FX/SFX: Early computer animation. Not the best of its sort but by no means the worst.

Music/Sounds: 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: Extinct; again, the logo has found its way to various TV museum websites.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo

(1991-1993)

Logo: 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 waterwash onto the S, 4 and C respectively, giving them their colour. The camera stops to focus on the newly-coloured symbol.

FX/SFX: Unless it's very convincing CGI, this ident appears to have been filmed using a model. Either way, it's pretty nifty-looking for 1991.

Music/Sounds: A sombre 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 logo 2.

Editor's Note: None.

4th Logo

(1993-December 31, 2006)

Logo: We see inanimate (in most cases) objects take the form of a red dragon.

Variants: Many variants were made over the course of 13 years, here are a few:

"Dragon Man"- a man dressed as a dragon in a mountainous region blows fire.
"Scissors"- a pair of red scissors open up and blow an orange piece of tissue paper to represent fire.
"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.

From 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.

FX/SFX: Mostly live action, though some of the later idents appear to use CGI.

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

Availability: No longer current. However, thanks to its long lifespan, most variants are easy to find on the internet.

Editor's Note: The fire may not sit well with some, but they're mostly harmless.

5th Logo

(January 1- January 17, 2007)

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Logo: We see 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.

FX/SFX: Live action.

Music/Sounds: A calm xylophone and accordion piece.

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

Editor's Note: None.

6th Logo

(January 17, 2007-April 10, 2014)

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

Variants: Several variants exist, with more still being introduced:

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.

FX/SFX: Mostly live action; there is probably some CGI present in the idents as well.

Music/Sounds: Each ident has its own jingle.

Availability: No longer current.

Editor's Note: None.

7th Logo

(April 10, 2014-)

Logo: Live action scenes involving a various scenarios, such as a café, a gymnasium, a forest, etc, with the majority of footage slowed down. Part way 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.

FX/SFX: Mostly live action, aside from the logo appearing.

Music/Sounds: Each variant has its own jingle.

Availability: Current.

Editor's Note: None.

S4C (UK)

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