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There's a brand new look and sound for River City with stunning new titles reflecting the everyday drama of life in Shieldinch.

Curtains opening on a new day; buggy wheels splashing through puddles reflecting sandstone tenements; threats being made in the shadows; a couple cuddling up in a bus shelter; and a group of dressed-up women heading on a night out. These are just some of the colourful scenes of Shieldinch life seen in River City’s stylish titles.

Why change?

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ producers felt the previous titles of the long-running soap required updating. In a brief they explained why the time was right to change, and why they were inviting submissions with ideas of how to do so:

"We feel that they need to be more modern and relevant to the show in its current form. We want them to communicate the genre, heritage, humour and drama of everyday life in Shieldinch and therefore Glasgow."

Representing Shieldinch

Production company Peter Anderson Studio (PAS) rose to the challenge. Among the ideas the team pitched to ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Scotland was one which suggested that reflections could introduce the city and its citizens:

"We see the everyday life, loves, laughs and struggles at the heart of Shieldinch reflected in different ways throughout the sequence."

This sample offered scene suggestions:

- A puddle reflects the tenement buildings as a bike or pushchair wheel runs through it disturbing the water. We see the life of a busy pub through pint glass. Perhaps the pint is knocked over by the hand of a spirited local.

- A comfortable couple on a sofa watching TV. Seen mostly through the reflection in the coffee table. We see them hold hands in the reflection.

- Group of high heeled women (on a night out) walk through the shot bright lights reflected on the floor moving to a club toilet selfie.

Reflecting Glasgow

Over a period of time PAS and the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ developed the idea, expanding it to include not only scenes of Shieldinch, but images reflecting contemporary Glasgow, too.

As a result, the High Street's St Mungo mural points to heritage and lively street art; the brightly-lit Hydro nods to thrilling nights out; the Duke of Wellington statue complete with his famous traffic cone hints at the city's sense of humour and travel scenes from the subway add to the vision of vibrant metropolitan life.

The refresh also brings with it a brand new version of the much-loved River City theme tune. The famous melody has been updated so that viewers can still recognise and feel comfortable with it, but be transported somewhere new at the same time.