Wowow Idents 2007

Wowow, Japan's largest satellite TV channel, returned to Framestore Design for the third year in a row for another year's worth of station and genre idents, and this time they wanted a completely new look.

 

The genre idents are 5-second visual devices intended to indicate different genres of programming. The results of Framestore Design’s labours are quite lovely to look at. The word for each genre appears in characters from the Japanese alphabet, with the letters forming themselves as three dimensional liquid brushstrokes – a sort of digital calligraphy. Senior Designer Adam Parry collaborated with Commercials 3D Technical Director David Mellor to achieve the effect he was after.

 

In addition, five 5-second station idents were also commissioned (the four seasons plus Christmas), with the channel's name as the visual focus. For these, Parry created five spots in which the word 'Wowow' revolves, explodes and interlaces with itself, each in a manner sympathetic to, and suggestive of, its designated season.

 

All of the spots were accompanied by specially commissioned music – delicate variations on a 4 note melody – created for them by composer Sam Hooper.