New NBC ArtWorks graphics package

[24994J 5585]

I'm just hoping the new package can be customized color-wise. Blue-and-white would seem awkward at a station like WTVJ.

That's what I was thinking...if the graphics department created different color and fonts schemes that were coherent to each other while unique to the stations, they'd have an economical, yet creative image for each station's presentations.

[ABC5EyewitnessNewsCenter 0]

I say all the NBC O&O's should start using these graphics but customize them to the specific markets.

[Jess 1115]

First off, this new look is very, very impressive. It's a departure from the overly colorful looks they've used in the last few years, but it works, especially with the KNBC theme. I also like how it really fits with the NBC "house style" of late - the white, "web 2.0" motif that's evident across MSNBC, CNBC, Weather Channel, etc. is really strong here. I like that - it's not the dark and sort of gloomy news graphics CBS is running, nor is it the over-the-top CG the other groups are using.

 

Another strength of this package, and Artworks' stuff, is their use of typography. They're one of the very few places I think that really chooses typefaces that look distinctive and enhance the design. Gotham, the main font, is a little overused in general design but it's not prevalent in TV news design that much, and the serif headings is an inspired design choice.

 

It's why I thought ArtWorks, and the Texas team in particular, deserved the benefit of the doubt when everyone started wondering if they'd go to GO or Hothaus or someone. NBC's in-house graphics operation is capable of work as good as, and often better than, the big outside firms.

 

Now that I think about it, WNBC is due to move onto a new set in the next month or so. Perhaps they'll debut a version then?

Also, don't forget, KNBC is moving to Universal City within the next few months as well, and they're already using parts of the new package in promos. Honestly, I'd expect the new package to show up on either of those stations when they move into their new digs, and then roll out to whatever parts of the group are going to use it.

 

im surprised they used KNBC's theme instead of their WNBC 2003 theme that KNTV is using. maybe licensing issues?

Again, it might be the whole thing where it was designed for KNBC, but for whatever reason the demo used KNTV assets. Or, perhaps, KNTV is moving to the KNBC theme when they switch to the new look.

 

What I'm more curious about is the fate of the customizable package Stephen Arnold devised for the NBC O&Os. It's already in use at KNSD and WCAU, but those are the only two so far, and I suspect probably the only two versions we'll ever hear. Kind of a bummer because 10's version is a very good package to my ears.

 

That's what I was thinking...if the graphics department created different color and fonts schemes that were coherent to each other while unique to the stations, they'd have an economical, yet creative image for each station's presentations.

 

This times a thousand. It's why I think the best standardized look is the CapCities Chrome look from the late 80s. Every ABC station, cept maybe WLS, used it in some form or another - but they were customized so much that each station looked unique. I can absolutely see the opportunity for customizations here - different colors, added colors, different font combinations. And given that Look C had some tweaked custom elements for the O&Os, I don't see why that won't be the case here.

[Jess 1115]

Second post, but I wanted to get my opinions out before I broke some news, so here we go.

 

NBC updated the iPhone apps for all ten stations today. Before, they were patterned after the block logo "lifestyle" sites with a complete mess of a user interface. The updated apps are much closer to a "standard" iOS news app experience. More notably, the apps now feature the local branding of the NBC station - the splash screen is the station logo, and the icon is usually the station logo as well.

 

All of the apps have a similar logo on skyline splash screen design, but three of the stations have new logo treatments. Here they are:

 

KXAS:

KXAS' logo has been simplified, it looks like. The boxes surrounding the 5 are gone, and the logo looks flatter. I think it reads better, in all honesty, and the simpler logo would work with the graphics.

 

WCAU:

Not modified so much as reinterpreted here. WCAU's logo got some web 2.0-style shading and gradients added to it, and it looks really nice. I'm also 99% sure the web address is typeset in Gotham.

 

WRC:

...yeeeeeeah.

 

Of the 10 stations, they were the only one to switch to the block logo design - everyone else is using the logo they've been using. Methinks the management lobbied for the block look here.

 

WMAQ:

 

Okay, their app doesn't have a newish looking logo. But, WMAQ viewers and fans should hopefully feel better after seeing this image that popped up on their actual site above the schedule.

 

http

 

Definitely the new look. The banner on KNBC's site up until yesterday used some elements from the new look, and a few stations are sprinkling Gotham into these things.

[24994J 5585]

WMAQ:

 

Okay, their app doesn't have a newish looking logo. But, WMAQ viewers and fans should hopefully feel better after seeing this image that popped up on their actual site above the schedule.

 

http

Yeah, they've had these ads up for a few weeks now, alongside some new tv promos with the "If it matters to you..." slogan.

[News24/7 3]

Pictures of the modified desk...

 

[24994J 5585]

Proving once again that the networks see this page, the demo video has been taken down.

[WCAUTVNBC10 413]

Proving once again that the networks see this page, the demo video has been taken down.

 

Not taken down. Just made private.

[anthonyz 26]

Proving once again that the networks see this page, the demo video has been taken down.

and thats why i saved it... to admire it offline lol

 

i think it was the video views that got their attention.

[News24/7 3]

Time to flood youtube with "Resynchs" of it.

[24994J 5585]

Time to flood youtube with "Resynchs" of it.

No joke, I tried it out with Tower V.1 the other day... ^_^

[AriX 8]

Any chance someone who capped this video in time could reupload it (with original audio) for those of us who were unlucky enough to miss it? Thanks!

 

P.S. Is the new package called "Look G"? http://vimeo.com/album/1664851

[24994J 5585]

Any chance someone who capped this video in time could reupload it (with original audio) for those of us who were unlucky enough to miss it? Thanks!

 

P.S. Is the new package called "Look G"? http://vimeo.com/album/1664851

• Yes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7cuesjkjCk&feature=channel_video_title
  
• What are we supposed to be looking at?
  

I've given up on trying to embed...I any higher could do so, it'd be appreciated!

[AriX 8]

http://www.youtube.c...nel_video_title[/url]

Thank you very much for uploading, but this video has a low framerate, is bad quality, and worst of all, the whole image is mirrored. Did anyone download the original video?

 

What are we supposed to be looking at?

The NBC Artworks Vimeo account has an empty album called "KXAS - Look G Styleguide."

[WCAUTVNBC10 413]

P.S. Is the new package called "Look G"? http://vimeo.com/album/1664851

 

Maybe. It could be the look detailed in the earlier leaked demo reel or it could be something completely different. By my count of all the local packages ArtWorks has made (each one of them named after a letter) that only brings us to Look E being the failed look that only KNSD is currently using.

 

Here's a refresher of the previous packages:

 

 

Look A:

[yt]kABBjw98h5A[/yt]

 

Look B:

[yt]MzGWihWIIY8[/yt]

 

Look C:

[yt]8rJ98TZXp_8[/yt]

 

Look D:

[yt]x0pzFE1b2iY[/yt]

 

Look E:

[yt]BadNjiwfxII[/yt]

 

So that leaves a Look F unaccounted for and there may be an H an I and J for all we know. The writing on the wall from the new bosses pretty much has said all along that there won't be any more standard looks, but it looks as though ArtWorks will be making (perhaps) individual looks for the O&Os. We'll see...

[first on fox 18]

I truly can't get over how bad that KNSD look is. Like, that came from Art House? Woof.

[A3N 1002]

I truly can't get over how bad that KNSD look is. Like, that came from Art House? Woof.

The whole graphics package screams cheap. It seems like someone slapped it together at the last minute and gave it to KNSD to use. I'm hoping that they decide to use the new look, but we'll see what happens. I will say this though, at the time that KNSD went HD, the only HD ready graphics package for them might have been this look. Keep in mind that they were rebranding to NBC San Diego, so if they wanted to use Look C, it would have required ArtWorks to redo them. That and the fact that the rest of the O&O's were headed to the NBC [city name] branding.

[Guest]

I'm pretty sure "Look C" was designed in HD and I "Look B" is also an HD-ready gfx pkg, isn't it?

[A3N 1002]

I'm pretty sure "Look C" was designed in HD and I "Look B" is also an HD-ready gfx pkg, isn't it?

Yes, Look C was designed in/for HD. I'm just stating that in KNSD's case, for them to have been able to use Look C when launching HD news would have required the package to be redone with a new logo, colors, etc. Simply put, the build a block graphics package was probably the only way to go.

[News24/7 3]

Look "B" aka "THE PYBURNS" :awesome: Was originally an SD package. It was remade in HD.

Oh, and have a look at some music options...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zX_N9aH_OY

[24994J 5585]

Thank you very much for uploading, but this video has a low framerate, is bad quality, and worst of all, the whole image is mirrored. Did anyone download the original video?

My apologies. I do have a non-mirrored copy, but I don't need and/or want my YouTube page messed with...it's the same quality, but the poor quality doesn't look hardly as bad as when it is flipped.

 

I don't recall if there is a special email policy around here, but I'd be willing to send you a copy!

[AriX 8]

My apologies. I do have a non-mirrored copy, but I don't need and/or want my YouTube page messed with...it's the same quality, but the poor quality doesn't look hardly as bad as when it is flipped.

 

I don't recall if there is a special email policy around here, but I'd be willing to send you a copy!

 

Thanks, I appreciate it... I'll PM.

[WCAUTVNBC10 413]

Look "B" aka "THE PYBURNS" :awesome: Was originally an SD package. It was remade in HD.

Oh, and have a look at some music options...

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=7zX_N9aH_OY

 

Actually the HD package is what is Look B and that was a collaboration between ArtWorks (who did the final look) and a company called Element New York (who did the original design and also did the CNBC look from '02). Pyburn only did the original SD package.

[WCAUTVNBC10 413]

So I did some snooping around ArtWorks' vimeo page and that KXAS album that was earlier linked to, while it is empty, if you go to the list of albums, said album does have a thumbnail of what I guess is supposed to go in there:

 

 

http://vimeo.com/nbcartworks/albums

 

Looks a lot different from the KNTV look but that's just me.

[detroiter313 180]

 

Maybe. It could be the look detailed in the earlier leaked demo reel or it could be something completely different. By my count of all the local packages ArtWorks has made (each one of them named after a letter) that only brings us to Look E being the failed look that only KNSD is currently using.

 

Here's a refresher of the previous packages:

 

 

Look A:

[yt]kABBjw98h5A[/yt]

 

Look B:

[yt]MzGWihWIIY8[/yt]

 

Look C:

[yt]8rJ98TZXp_8[/yt]

 

Look D:

[yt]x0pzFE1b2iY[/yt]

 

Look E:

[yt]BadNjiwfxII[/yt]

 

So that leaves a Look F unaccounted for and there may be an H an I and J for all we know. The writing on the wall from the new bosses pretty much has said all along that there won't be any more standard looks, but it looks as though ArtWorks will be making (perhaps) individual looks for the O&Os. We'll see...

 

So looks like the original NBC O&O graphic package done by Novocom does not count, right?