Categories
Channel 4 Videos: Idents

Film4 takes idents to the big screen.

> Quicktime H.264
(1.5mb)
> iPod Compatible
(342kb)
> Watch in Flash
(565kb progressive)

The studio ident for Film4 Productions is a new take on the “Channel 4 formula”, that sees the logo slowly revealed to the viewer through the magic of perspective.

Check out more from Film4, or just more studio idents.

Categories
Videos: Idents

Please don’t Telstra. Oh crap, you already did.

> Quicktime H.264
(5mb)
> iPod Compatible
(2.4mb)
> Watch in Flash
(3mb progressive)

France Télécom, the parent company of telco Orange, recently entered the world of film, with the launch of its own production company Studio 37.

Studio branding has always interested me, and although Studio 37 is far more subtle than the big studios, this beautifully crafted spot by French agency Moustache is 20 seconds of self described “movie clichés” all done without over emphasisng the fact that its owned by a mobile phone company.

Unfortunately for Australian’s though, our largest telecommunications provider Telstra, has also just revealed that its getting into the movie business, by turning a horrible series of ads into a film.

Telstra: 1. Progression of Australian film industry: 0.

Categories
Videos: Idents

The idents of cinema: The big six studios.

> Quicktime H.264
(5.9mb)
> iPod Compatible
(2.3mb)
> Watch in Flash
(2mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(5.3mb)
> iPod Compatible
(2.8mb)
> Watch in Flash
(2mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(3.6mb)
> iPod Compatible
(1.9mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.4mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(7.1mb)
> iPod Compatible
(4.3mb)
> Watch in Flash
(2.2mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(6mb)
> iPod Compatible
(2.2mb)
> Watch in Flash
(1.4mb progressive)

> Quicktime H.264
(9mb)
> iPod Compatible
(4.2mb)
> Watch in Flash
(3.3mb progressive)

These six videos are some of the most ubiquitous examples of entertainment branding found in popular culture. They come from the “big six” studios and preface the vast majority of films produced, and all have one thing in common.. unusally epic and grandiose imagery that only the film industry could get away with using.

The histories behind these stately logos are as interesting as some of the movies they precede: Paramount’s mountain logo for example is the oldest surviving studio emblem dating back to 1912, and is believed to be based upon Ben Lomond Mountain in Utah, although Peru’s Artesonraju is a closer fit.

While Columbia’s torch carrying lady dates back to 1924, the most recent incarnation is not as some thought modelled by Annette Benning, but actually the much more unassuming Jenny Joseph, a mother of two from Houston.

And the iconic Art Deco monument that 20 Century Fox uses as a logo was developed in 1935, and received a series of revisions before being standardised in 1994 with CGI, but only after a failed attempt to actually build a live action version of the monument.

What are some of the better studio idents around at the moment? I’ve always been a fan of Pixar’s jumping desk lamp myself.

Categories
Videos: TV

For Your Consideration: The Oscars opener.

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(34.6mb)
> iPod Compatible
(18mb)
> Watch in Flash
(9.4mb progressive)

While there isn’t an Oscar category for title design yet (the proposal was rejected in 1999) it shouldn’t stop us from looking at the Academy’s own opening credits.

Personally I think TCM’s creative and mesmerising take on the movie montage would have served as a much more eloquent introduction to the 80th Academy Awards.

Categories
Foxtel Videos: Promos

A fresh paint of Oscar brilliance.

idents

> Quicktime H.264
(31.4mb)
> iPod Compatible
(18.4mb)
> Watch in Flash
(12.6mb progressive)

The 80th Academy Awards is scheduled for the 24th of February, and to celebrate these eight decades of excellence in cinema Turner Classic Movies is holding 31 days of Oscar programming across its network.

Produced by Fresh Paint, this stunning promo melds classic moments from movie history with live action and animation to create a truly creative and refreshing take on the old programming song-and-dance.

The simple yet beautiful music composition is incredibly effective and transcends the varied movie genres represented in this stunning piece of television promotion.

– First discovered through the Motiongrapher, check them out.

Categories
ABC1 Videos: TV

At The Movies with The Simpsons.

> Quicktime H.264
(48.3mb)
> iPod Compatible
(27.7mb)
> Watch in Flash
(14.6mb progressive)

For someone who makes quite as big a deal about The Simpsons as me, I have to admit.. I still haven’t seen the movie, although not through lack of trying.

Watch David and Margaret’s review above (and David’s virginity admission), or check out what Triple J’s resident critic thought about it here.

Categories
ABC1 Videos: Promos

The ABC Brand (David and Margaret in bed finally).

partof

> Quicktime Download in H.264 (7.7mb)
> RealPlayer Media (3.3mb)

This sixty second video is a cinema ad for the ABC brand as a whole, it highlights the way that the ABC has infiltrated our national lexicon and generally influenced our culture.

Its more light hearted then the BBC brand pieces (here, here and here), but the ABC is different to the beeb, and I like that they highlighted the creative contribution the ABC has made to Australia.

The video references Playschool, Kath and Kim, Bananas in Pajamas and At The Movies, although I’m not sure what the shower scene is meant to be referencing.

It was made by Sydney agency Host and as always the iPod compatible version is available from the podcast (launches iTunes).

(Thanks for video Mitch)