Having just got a childrens DVD for a joke, i was pleasently suprised to see that it had a Thames skyline ident. I think it's the one from the 80s, but not the computer generated one as it looks like it still has the filmic scratches on it.
Anyways, i thought i'd capture it and post it here incase anyone wanted it.
There are plenty of Thames idents on DVD. Michael Bentine's Potty Time (Network Video) not only has the idents and prodcaps intact but every second programme has the VT clock as well. But these are hidden - you'll need to rewind the disc to see them.
I'm afraid the clip doesn't play - it requires codecs my RealOne player didn't have (and which Auto Update could not find).
There are plenty of Thames idents on DVD. Michael Bentine's Potty Time (Network Video) not only has the idents and prodcaps intact but every second programme has the VT clock as well. But these are hidden - you'll need to rewind the disc to see them.
I'm afraid the clip doesn't play - it requires codecs my RealOne player didn't have (and which Auto Update could not find).
I've got Minder Series 7 and 8 on DVD, even though S7 was made in 1988 and shown in 1989, it still has the skyline, it even makes an appearance on the S8 DVD's, even though they were made and shown in 1991! To be honest I think Clear Vision Video who distribute Minder on DVD, have probably added them on, as the Skyline was well out by 1991. I don't know if they make an appearance on the Series 9 DVD's, as they aren't even credited to Thames Television, just Euston Films and in Series 10, it became Euston Films for Central.
They also appear on the Rainbow 30th Anniversary DVD, there's a skyline at the start of the DVD and the start of the 1st episode, but for some reason on alot of the episodes we still have episodes that are 'A Thames Colour Production', appearing on episodes made as late as 1988 or so!
On the Rainbow Episode i've got from 1992, the Thames skyline is there however they cut off the endcap "Thames Production for ITV" which is quite annoying especially as the music goes over the endcap, and so the episode cuts off before the music has finished. Annoying.
That's definitely an inserted Skyline, it had long gone by 1992.
I believe an American Mr Bean DVD set has inserted skylines too. The recent (and different) UK release doesn't.
I always wonder when the skyline fell out of proper use. I remember it appeared wen CITV repeated Spatz (made in 1990) in 1996, I doubt that would have been falsely added.
It would of prob been used on repeats on Sky for a long time after. It's only since FremantlePearsonThamesBananaTelevisionProductionCompany Limited stole all of Thames masterpieces that the skylines were ripped out. A lot of original ITV regional productions on Sky still have their original front and endcaps intact.
It would of prob been used on repeats on Sky for a long time after. It's only since FremantlePearsonThamesBananaTelevisionProductionCompany Limited stole all of Thames masterpieces that the skylines were ripped out. A lot of original ITV regional productions on Sky still have their original front and endcaps intact.
I think it depends what programme it is and what channel it is being used by. For instance, Minder (again) when it is shown on Paramount there is no frontcap, but there is usually either a 'Distributed by Pearson International', 'Thames Television Production, A Pearson Company' endcap followed by the obligitory 'Distributed by Fremantle Media' endcap. Though I am aware that a quite alot of episodes of Minder have been digitally remastered and edited, either for international use, use on multi-channel, but the main reason was so ITV could show it in the Daytime a few years ago.
If it is something that belongs to ITV Plc, it is likely that it will have not been messed with, probably staying the same as how that ITV station had left it, so for example there are loads of 'A Central Production for ITV' endcaps appearing on ITV3, and the episodes from the first 2 series of The New Statesman have the YTV Liquid Gold frontcap on them, though they're nowhere to been seen on DVD, but I would assume that the copies are different.
I think it depends what programme it is and what channel it is being used by. For instance, Minder (again) when it is shown on Paramount there is no frontcap, but there is usually either a 'Distributed by Pearson International', 'Thames Television Production, A Pearson Company' endcap followed by the obligitory 'Distributed by Fremantle Media' endcap. Though I am aware that a quite alot of episodes of Minder have been digitally remastered and edited, either for international use, use on multi-channel, but the main reason was so ITV could show it in the Daytime a few years ago.
The versions of Minder shown on paramount wouldn't be the ones shown on ITV daytime, as they had been cropped to widescreen. The paramount episodes are in 4:3.
I always wonder when the skyline fell out of proper use. I remember it appeared wen CITV repeated Spatz (made in 1990) in 1996, I doubt that would have been falsely added.
The skyline frontcap would have stopped being broadcast generally from January 1st, 1988 (the day that frontcaps were officially scrapped). Thames may well have continued to tack it to programme masters after this date however (YTV did until November 1989, and TSW did right until the bitter end in December 1992).
The skyline however was still used for as an ident for presentation until early 1989 (with the skyline 'Thames Colour Production' endcap surviving until then too), so it is possible that anything made up until then might have a skyline frontcap on it. Anything made beyond (at the very latest) mid 1989 which comes with a skyline frontcap/endcap now has it tacked on after the fact.
