BBC Points West's Revamp

I'll just begin this post by saying that I'm not being negative for the sake of it, I'm being constructive. I realise the regional team works hard and nothing is personal here, just how I feel after watching it.

I'm surprised how positive the feedback has been. Take this shot for instance:

http://www.thetvroom.com/area-b/images-bbc-west/images-2004/main-4.jpg

It is SO uninviting and unfriendly. The two are perched on a little breeze block in front of a wall. The space is just wasted, and that particular shot is very harsh on the eyes.

http://www.thetvroom.com/area-b/images-bbc-west/images-2004/main-8.jpg

Again, this is so uneasy to watch - I've already said this, but the background does look like the advertising boards put round building sites.

I just think the elements work badly together, especially for Points West. It is so unwelcoming and harsh and industrial I suppose is a good word. Not sure.

Also...
http://www.thetvroom.com/area-b/images-bbc-west/images-2004/aston-6.jpg

Could somebody please explain the reasoning/purpose behind that bug?

(TV Room images)

Indeed. As has been mentioned, there are some sets that really aren't meant for regional news. This is one of them.

But at least they haven't got them standing up for no reason...

Let's take a closer look shall we...

Like the titles - very nice scenic shots (and not "people" for once!!) and definately a step in the right direction. However, the awful BBC LDN endboard again spreads to another region - just doesn't look right and it looks completely bland - they'd have been better designing their own. But that shouldn't take away the niceness of the titles overall.

Soft set - always nice and good use of the projection screens behind.

No ramdom standing up.

But I'm afraid that's pretty much all it has going for it...

The backdrop and the desk - in fact the whole design of that part of the studio looks completely awful.

Bad use of the mirrors - just doesn't work here and doesn't make the set look any bigger - it just makes it look more fake. Particularly bad place to use them was behind the sofa - the shooting makes it looks very poor indeed here.

Weather now presented in front of the projection screen. AWFUL! The graphics aren't clear - it's possibly the bit of regional news that people pay most attention to. Also weather presenter stood around 12ft away from the screen created a very strange effect - not to mention a HUGE drop shadow.

The "oooh look - it moves" camera shots. Don't do it any favours. Nothing wrong with the odd zoom in or out, or perhaps even a very slow pan. But zooming round the studio, shoving the camera into the presenters faces just doesn't work. Leave the clever camera tricks to ITV, guys.

Finally - but certainly not least....the screaming woman in the music. What's that all about? In fact, as DAS mentioned - the music just isn't suitable at all. Not only does it sound like a cheap remix but it doesn't fit the style of ANY news programme I've seen in the UK. The music wouldn't sound out of place on Fox News. Just doesn't work.


So, overall - not too good really. I understand they've tried to be different and all - fair play to them for giving it a fair crack. But it hasn't really worked.

I agree with what DAS and Isonstine have said in terms of my opinion on the new look Points West. Just one question though - who composed that music? It's dreadful! It certainly isn't corporate - surely David Lowe didn't come up with that??!

It looks like the little studio on the bbc.co.uk ads

Only seen the screengrabs and the videos from the TV Room, but am intrigued.

The music is an... interesting... variation on the corporate music (I think it's the higher pitch that mainly tells against it, plus the fact that it's a little repetitive - the standard regional news music has a little more variety and texture within it).

It's nice to see a region taking a different approach in these days of the 'diluted corporate' look, but I feel I should come out as a NIMR (Not In My Region)

It's surely one of the most memorable buildings in the town, though!

I think the music is quite good. The beeps may be too high a pitch but it's really fresh and different to the music used all the time for the past 5 years. Certainly I think it's better then flogging the London music to another region. I can understand what people are saying about it being unsuitable for news but I still think it's very nice.

Stunning titles. (Apart from Swindon)

EDIT: Oh, and yes the mirrors are wrong, little enlarging effect whatsoever, and when you can clearly see reversed images, it's quite silly, that one of the man...

As far as the music is concerned, it's a good listen - that's for sure. And I'm sure it'll be a grower as well.

It just struck me especially at the end when he said "Let's have a look at the headlines again" and then all of a sudden the Ministry of Sound kicked in. It just sounds very odd reading out stories about D-Day over that funky music white boy.

But I would rather have that than London, definitely.

Yes, the current regional music is a good composition because of the reasons you stated there - it has variety and texture. That new Points West music sounds really strange. It doesn't suit a news programme, and I think it sounds "awkward" somehow.

As for the region moving away from the corporate look - I know that Spotlight wasn't happy about having the corporate look forced upon them four years ago, but I have a vague memory of Points West feeling the same way too. Given what they've done, I'd say it was true. I think that's as far away from corporate than any region has dared to go! Compare that to North West Tonight, and it's amazing how different they are! I think NWT is the only region to still have the same old set, completely unchanged (albeit with a lick of red paint over the mustard yellow) since 2000!

Absolutely brilliant - love the new music !

True - but it ain't half ugly!