We started with the design concept that the floor should essentially be a deconstructed version of the familiar logo in its ‘generic chat’ state; then, when the gameplay began, the logo would spin, twist and contract in 3D to create a tighter circle around the Jeremy and the contestant and complement the big lights down moment.
Each different section of the show, such as ‘Ask The Audience’ and ‘Fastest Finger First’, had bespoke animation created for the floor, screen and ribbon. This also gave us a chance to break out of some of the traditional show colours and add some variety.
It was a real luxury to work with the pre-existing and memorable sound effects as it gave us the opportunity to match the animation and timing. For example, we added a subtle pulse effect in time with heartbeat during the tension moments. It was also fun to work on new format points such as ‘Ask The Host’, where lighting and graphics combined to put the focus on Jeremy Clarkson.
Before arriving in the studio, we worked with lighting designer Dave Davey and lighting programmer Alex Mildenhall to pre-visualise all the looks and sync with triggers coming from the games computer. This saved a huge amount of studio time by having the bulk of the programming complete, meaning we could spend time just perfecting everything on camera. The show aired with huge ratings and ITV picked up the show for 7 more series.
DESIGN RESPONSE
Potion Pictures were approached with a brief to make the studio graphics modern and up to date, while keeping the familiar house look of the franchise. Patrick Doherty’s new set included an new LED floor, an LED backdrop and LED ribbons that contoured the set. We needed to design graphics for all three outputs, to punctuate key moments of gameplay, enhance the set and add drama.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire is one of the most recognised formats in the world. Twenty years after its initial inception ITV brought it back with an updated set and new host.
