Commercials
I've seen two commercials in recent months with test patterns (late 1999-early 2000). (At least ones I've video captured for use here!)
The first was a Wonder Bread commercial. The spokesperson (a pseudo-scientist) had just taken a bite of a peanut butter sandwich and couldn't speak so they switched to the pattern.
Just recently, Wendy's started a campaign that used several patterns and an effect that looked like old pieces of film. Their "This is a Test" (real title unknown) uses two variations of the Indian Head, and a conventional station test pattern.
In the commercial, they altered the Indian Head so that the center circle had a design that circled counter clockwise. And the broken line to the right of the large circle appears and disappears in a manner similar to a modern LED audio meter, though not in tempo with the announcer.
On their version of the regular station test pattern, a plus-shaped broken white line runs counter-clockwise.
The last frame shows the old Academy® leader with words and two arrows added to the design.
When it comes to the countdown leaders for motion picture film this particular design was more fascinating to me than anything else since the pattern closely resembles a test pattern.
In this vintage countdown leader the basic pattern stays on throughout and various pieces of information appear. The countdown numbers appear for three frames (at least in the 16mm version), the first and third frame of the three frame sequence the number appears on a white background within the smaller circle and the middle frame has the number against a full frame white background. The numbers 6 and 9 are spelled out.
The last number to appear in the countdown sequence is the number three, then the screen goes to black for the remaining time and then the actual filmed material begins.
I hope Wendy's (and Wonder) did their homework properly. Since the copyright laws were changed a few years ago the copyrights on the Indian Head Test Pattern and the Academy® leader countdown should still be good. The two commercial enterprises might be in a bit of trouble with the entities that created these patterns. (Just a thought.)
Test Pattern Collection
Station IDs
Academy Countdown Leaders
Index
Click On Thumbs To See Larger Picture
test pattern from Wonder Bread commercial 2. Indian Head variation 2 5. conventional t.p. 8. an old Academy® leader
©1999-2000
Wendy's Ad - ©May 2000 (#1 - 8)
I don't know the title
but it could be:
"This is a Test"
1. Indian Head Variation
3. Indian Head variation 3
(Dave's Head?)
4. corner of test pattern
6. modern color t.p.variation
7. cool misc. pattern
(piece of film with 11-second countdown)
with words and arrows added