What the Fuck is this shit ?
WCPO has changed their graphics. I would like to say it is a "retro" look as the garish gold 3D shit was very popular at one time, but nowadays it just looks pathetic. I am reminded of the satirical take on black exploitation movies, I'm Gonna get Ya Sucka! where the guy died of "overgolding". I was going to compare this to the graphics at The Onion where they go over the top on purpose, but even they have toned it down! Hell, Fox News isn't as crazy as this anymore.
Awhile ago, I posted that WCPO was laying off graphics folks & parent, Scripps, was consolidating graphics in Tampa. I am hopeful the decision to use this graphic theme was not made in Cincinnati. I have seen the work of area designers & have been privileged to work with a few. This area is teeming with talent. Apparently, Tampa is not. Or the head of Scripps just gave his teenage nephew with a warez copy of 3D Max a job.....
Beyond the garish hideousness is the impracticality & just doofynessness of the design.
In the 4-up / Hollywood squares kinda graphic, the announcers seem painfully aware that they look like douchebags.
The graphics dwarf the talent, they need to get the talent's head bigger. The title bar thingie is raised higher than need be to accomodate scrolling ticker crap. Don't see why they can't slide it down when there's nothing there. With all the other crap moving around, it wouldn't be any more distracting.
What the hell is this? Some 3D debris that was still flying around from the previous animation ? Just more flying shit. Digital monkey house design.....
The field photographers need to rethink how they are shooting & frame everything higher. Dunno if they can glob the new graphics into their viewfinder. Maybe stick some tape on it ?
the photographers need to rethink their canvas & maybe the talent should get a little bigger & move over to the side then frame the news scene to the side of the announcer. This would also move the title thingie away from the speaker's chin.
If the folks at WCPO want my help, I would be more than happy to oblige.
3 comments:
Wow, wasn't aware of this. It definitely looks like Art Deco met ESPN in the 70s (maybe 80s) or something - a real change for sure. Also, hadn't heard about the layoffs or the remote consolidation. Sad. It's all about the bottom dollar, I suppose, and strangely conveying that to the public by flaunting gold-plated digital banners? Note: I'm guessing that the location/size of the "lower third" there is due to "title safe" considerations, but still, they could have minimized the font size a bit. Though, title safe is becoming a thing of the past with HD displays, so maybe that's not it. Anyway, the Team Coverage shot definitely looks like they're prepping for relocation to Bristol, Ct., to prepare for Superbowl coverage.
Wow, LOL but sad!
I never loved their old graphics, so when I heard they were changing them to the new centralized Scripps theme, I had high hopes, all of which were dreadfully massacred when I first laid my eyes upon this excuse for professional news graphics. I put up with it for a while, but then I started watching WKRC because of their far superior graphics. Plus, they broadcast in 1080p HD versus WCPO's 720p, os it looks even better on an HDTV. Even though I'll miss Clyde Gray and Carol Williams, I have come to like Rob Braun and Cammy Dierking.
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