Concept and creative process
BBC Religion commissioned the broadcast design team at BBC Resources at New Broadcasting House in Manchester to produce an identity – including logo, onscreen design system and title sequence - for BBC Religion’s Sunday morning magazine series ‘First Light’ presented by Steve Chalke. The programme format included interviews with people from a wide variety of backgrounds discussing the journey to confirm their Christian faith.
The client at BBC Religion was executive producer Hugh Faupel. Designer Gregory Millar was supported by senior designer Mark Allen. The creative thought for ‘First Light’ was ‘going a bit deeper’. In the title sequence we see a dark space being lit up by the light spilling from an opening door. The door reveals an animated scene of a grandfather pushing his grandchild on a tricycle. This is quickly followed by other ‘doors within doors’ opening to show different animations of everyday human activities: a farmer driving a tractor across a field, a mechanic repairing a car engine, reunited lovers embracing at a railway station, a guitarist busking in the street, a cheering crowd. Suddenly the camera pulls back as all the doors quickly close together to reveal the programme title ‘First Light’. An uplifting theme tune, composed by Ded Good Music, complemented the gentle title sequence visuals. The sequence was post-produced on Quantel Harry in Manchester.