Concept and creative process
In this model animation the Two logo was dressed in a more outlandish patterned style, vaguely reminiscent of its Red, Green, Blue and White brand colours, as a foreground to a child-friendly revolving wheel animation containing illustrations of different animals. It was one of several similar idents for Christmas on Two in 1989. Whereas BBC One branding was always much more conventional and mainstream, BBC Two could afford to be the arty sibling. For this job, designer Lucy Blakstad commissioned Canadian artist Jean-Christian Knaff, whose work she loved. “I called him up out of the blue, not expecting for a moment he would want to create an animation for BBC Two, and I remember he was great fun to meet and collaborate with. I love the whimsical, imaginative nature of his work and wanted to create a series of short animations with him that reflected the BBC Two brand and its innovative programming, especially in the Arts. Jean-Christian made a 3D model which we lit and filmed, with the layers of animation being hand cranked like a theatre set. Different illustrations of whales, elephants, tigers etc. rotated around a big fluffy cloud. Like a wind-up musical toy, this animation could play for as long as the Presentation Department needed between the programmes, in order to announce what was coming up next . You would never get bored of seeing it, as a whole menagerie of different animals popped up behind the BBC Two logo, which Jean-Christian made out of waxed painted card. His attention to detail was exquisite. The music complemented this quirky rotating world - which has always been one of my favourite pieces of work - and echoed the cyclical, rotating, magical, menagerie, sounding as if it was being played on handmade instruments made of natural materials.”