Dolby Digital

Background
Dolby Digital, originally synonymous with Dolby AC-3, is the name for what has now become a family of audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories. Originally named Dolby Stereo Digital until May 1995, the audio compression is lossy, based on the modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) algorithm. The first use of Dolby Digital was to provide digital sound in cinemas from 35 mm film prints; today, it is now also used for applications such as TV broadcast, radio broadcast via satellite, digital video streaming, DVDs, Blu-ray discs and game consoles.

1st Trailer (Train) (June 19, 1992-Late 2000s)
Trailer: The trailer starts with a smoky background wavering about, complete with some swarms of barely visible dust, for a few seconds. It starts to dissipate slowly as the camera zooms out from the wheels of a rusty train. After the train has moved out of view, the Dolby Digital logo dissolves into view in a golden tone, and the smoke turns to black.

Variants:
 * On its early days, from around 1992-Thanksgiving 1995, the trailer is extended where it is slower and the finished logo, which is now a silver Dolby Stereo Digital logo appeared (Dolby Digital's old name) stays for longer. In its last few months, this was used in tandem with the standard variant.
 * The trailer exists in 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 widescreen, and in rare cases 4:3. It also exists in letterboxed 1.66:1.
 * When used on TV channels prior to their broadcasts of films with Dolby soundtracks, the text "where available" would shown below the Dolby logo at the end.

Technique: Early CGI done by Xaos using Alias Research. This logo was modeled and animated on an Intergraph TDZ-2000 computer, and rendered on Intergraph RenderRAX servers.

Music/Sounds:
 * For the early version, it starts with a mysterious wind that fades with a high-pitched, descending shriek of some sort. Following is some ringing sounds of bells, another wind, the metallic sounds of the train gears along with a train whistle and the rails clattering. An eerie synth drone/hum is heard throughout starting with the bells. "Sound design and mix by Academy Award® Winner Randy Thom, Skywalker Sound", according to the Explore Our World demo disc.
 * The later variant removes the sounds of a wind tunes, the descending shriek and the train whistle. Also, some of the sound effects are completely different.

Availability: Common.
 * This logo debuted on the theatrical release of Batman Returns.
 * It appears in some cinemas that use the Dolby Digital technology, but it can be easily found on certain LaserDiscs and DVDs, like the Japanese LaserDisc of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (in Surround EX) and the THX-certified 1997 DVD of Platoon.
 * The Dolby Stereo Digital version is seen on early AC-3 LaserDisc releases such as Stargate, True Lies, Speed, and Immortal Beloved.
 * The 4:3 version appears on the rare THX-certified 1998 LaserDisc of Singin' in the Rain, and the 1.66:1 version exists on the LaserDisc for True Lies.
 * The extended version was only seen in theaters and on the Dolby Digital Experience demo disc.
 * Can also be seen on the Dolby Digital Experience and Explore Our World demo discs, the DVDs that came with the first-edition, second-edition and third-edition copies of the book DVD Demystified, and some Roadshow Entertainment DVDs such as See Spot Run, Drop Dead Gorgeous, She's All That and Happy Feet.
 * The "where available" variant was seen on Starz in the late 90s and early 2000s when they began broadcasting films with Dolby Digital audio.
 * One of the last appearances of the Dolby Stereo Digital variant is believed to have been on the original theatrical release of Toy Story, which also used its print variant in the closing credits on most versions except for the Canadian-French version.
 * The early variant was once spotted on a bootleg Dragon Ball Z VHS (possibly one of the movies).

Legacy: An iconic debut. The CGI animation is a bit dated for today, but was pretty advanced for the early '90s; in all fairness, this logo's soundtrack is the real star of the show here, anyway.

2nd Trailer (City) (July 1995-Late 2010s)
Trailer: The camera flies over a flat, mountainous landscape on a cloudy day at dusk, and a crack of lightning occurs as it travels into a city. A dark helicopter comes into view and starts flying with the camera, albeit without hitting anything in the process, and the camera starts to stray into the sky and move left. A bird's eye view of a nicely decorated theater unfolds as the helicopter flies past and surveys it. The theater has a big extension on which is placed the letters of the name "DOLBY" in blue neon capitals and a big golden Double-D symbol, with pink decorations on the sides of it. The marquee on the theater has the signs "THE SOUND OF THE FUTURE" on the sides, with Dolby Digital logos on top, and "NOW PLAYING" at the front. After stalling at an angle around 45°, the camera zooms into the theater as its doors open to let out a big burst of light. It transitions to a golden Dolby Digital logo on a black background with a purple flare shining on top. The flare moves to the left and ends at the left edge of the Double-D symbol before the animation is done.

Variants:
 * On 35mm prints, the finished Dolby logo at the end looks different. The text at the end is in a bolder font and flatter design (similar to the 2003 logo, but not exact), the light shining on the logo is a simple white dot that shines a little and is far less detailed, and it cuts to black instead of fading out. Also on this version, the cut to black occurs before the music finishes.
 * On early AC-3 LaserDisc releases, the logo ends with the Dolby Surround AC-3 Digital logo; "DOLBY SURROUND" in the rectangle, AC-3 below the "Double D", and "DIGITAL" underneath the rectangle).
 * There is also a variant where both the Dolby Digital and Dolby Surround AC-3 Digital logos are seen one after the other.
 * The logo exists in matted 16:9 widescreen but is usually 4:3.
 * On some Interplay Entertainment games, such as Descent 3 and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, after the animation finishes it cuts to a black background with the "DOLBY SURROUND" logo in gold, and shines a little bit.
 * When used on TV channels prior to their broadcasts of films with Dolby soundtracks, the text "where available" would be shown below the Dolby logo at the end.
 * This logo exists in both digital and filmed.
 * A short version exists where it starts from the finishing Dolby Digital logo.
 * A medium-length version exists where it skips the first helicopter part and starts at the movie theater.
 * On Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit, the short variant is used and it has the same Dolby Surround logo used in the early LaserDisc variant but without "AC-3" and "DIGITAL".

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: A thunderclap followed by a quick-paced drum solo ending with a cymbal hit, a helicopter and an ascending electric guitar strum that fades into a choir. Drum and cymbal hits and electrical sounds are heard as "DOLBY" is spelled out. A synth-like moan (or the helicopter) and 2 long, quiet flute notes with a sustained background string-section are heard during the zooming into the theater and finally a moaning sound and a descending piano tune. Mixed at Pacific Ocean Post Studios and remixed by Terry Porter at Walt Disney Studios.

Music/Sounds Trivia: The thunderclap heard in this trailer would later go on to become a stock sound effect used in many films, TV shows and trailers even before this trailer was released, such as Baraka, Jurassic Park, The West Wing, X2, The Illusionists, House of Cards, Coraline, etc. It was even used by THX themselves for their "Cavalcade" trailer.

Availability: Common.
 * It was later used mainly on later LaserDiscs from that time and on early DVDs, such as Cats Don't Dance, the 1997 MGM DVD of 2001: A Space Odyssey, and both the Dolby Digital Experience and Explore Our World demo discs.
 * Can also be seen on some Nutech Digital DVDs if you select Dolby Digital, such as Tom Sawyer, Peter Pan, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Wind in the Willows, The Odyssey, Treasure Island, among others.
 * Also seen on some DVDs from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Roadshow Entertainment, such as the region 4 DVD releases of Blue Streak, Girl Interrupted, Riding in Cars With Boys, Stuart Little, It Could Happen to You, Cruel Intentions, Stepmom, The Matrix, As Good As It Gets, Madeline, Almost Famous, Panic Room, Charlie's Angels and Spider-Man, as well as the American DVDs of Advertising Rules!, Re-Animator, among others.
 * It also makes a surprise appearance on the 1999 BBC DVD release of The Black Adder.
 * This also shows up on the 2017 Shock Entertainment Region 4 DVD release of The Craft (alongside the Sony Pictures DVD Center logo, likely because they used the source master from the original 2002 Collector's Edition DVD release, however the Shock Entertainment logo replaces the original Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment logo that was used).
 * This also appears on the 2003 Miramax Home Entertainment Region 4 DVD release of Kate & Leopold.
 * This also makes an appearance on the DVDs that came with the first-edition, second-edition and third-edition copies of the book DVD Demystified.
 * This was retained on the Australian 2014 DVD reprint of Stuart Little.
 * The Dolby Surround AC-3 Digital version can be found on the Dolby Digital Experience demo disc, the DVD of Tenchi Muyo in Love, the LaserDiscs of The Mask, Die Hard With a Vengeance, and Broken Arrow, the U.S. AC-3 LaserDiscs of Terminator 2: Judgment Day and The Great Train Robbery, and the letterboxed edition of The Indian in the Cupboard, among others.
 * Also appeared on Descent 3, and the DVD-ROM release of Wing Commander IV for the PC.
 * The "where available" variant was seen on Starz in the late 90s and early 2000s when they began broadcasting films with Dolby Digital audio.
 * The short version appeared on some late 1990s-early 2000s CBS Video DVD releases of the time, starting with The Twilight Zone, as well as the 1997 MGM/UA AC-3 Laserdisc of Blown Away.
 * The medium-length variant can be found on the 1996 Deluxe Widescreen Collector's Edition LaserDisc of Highlander: Director's Cut.

Legacy: A highly iconic logo, even if the CGI doesn't hold up to today's standards. It's very fondly remembered to the point where a remake/follow-up was made in 2006.

3rd Trailer (Canyon) (October 23, 1996-Late 2000s)


Trailer: The camera travels through a narrow canyon with steep walls either side. It passes an opening in the canyon where on top of a rock wall, the Dolby Digital logo is seen. As the camera slowly zooms into the logo, the sun shines on it, as well as the rock wall around the logo, after which a shadow of an eagle flying over it passes by. The canyon fades away, leaving the golden Dolby logo which shines.

Variants:
 * On 35mm prints, the finished logo cuts to black instead of fading out, and vice-versa.
 * This logo exists in 1.66:1 and 2.35:1 widescreen variants.
 * When used on TV channels prior to their broadcasts of films with Dolby soundtracks, the text "where available" would be shown below the Dolby logo when it comes into view.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: Rock falling sounds, bird chirps, and a coyote/wolf howl are heard with a tribal desert theme. The "stock" sound effect of an eagle is heard as its shadow appears over the Dolby logo. Sound elements from Project One Audio; mixed by David Parker at The Saul Zaentz Film Center.

Availability: Common.
 * Debuted at the 1996 ShowEast convention with a showing of Shine, to mark 500 films that had been mixed in Dolby Digital.
 * First seen in cinemas and was used on LaserDiscs (like Contact and The Lost World: Jurassic Park) and early DVDs (like Universal Soldier) from the era, including the DVDs that came with the first-edition, second-edition and third-edition copies of the book DVD Demystified, and on the Dolby Digital Experience and Explore Our World demo discs.
 * Can be seen on some DVD releases from Roadshow Entertainment like The Cell, The Man from Snowy River and Miss Congeniality.
 * The "where available" variant was seen on Starz in the late 90s and early 2000s when they began broadcasting films with Dolby Digital audio.

Legacy: Perhaps the CGI is dated by today's standards, but it's still a very nicely animated and soundtracked logo with a great atmosphere.

4th Trailer (Egypt) (December 1996-early 2009)
Trailer: In an Egyptian temple, a light shines, and the camera moves to reveal that it's coming from a wall (in a way that looks like a cinema projector). In front of the light, the Dolby Digital logo in gold is seen. The light shines bright twice as the camera zooms into the logo. When the logo is in close proximity, the light shines behind the logo very brightly, causing the logo to shine brightly, and the scene changes to a black background with the logo, which shines.

Variants:
 * Act III Theatres had a special variant that had the THX logo (with the Lucasfilm byline above it) in place of the Dolby logo, which is engraved on the floor with "PRESENTED IN" above. Then it fades out to show the Act III Theatres logo with "FEATURE PRESENTATION" below.
 * At the two Muvico Theaters Egyptian theaters (in Davie, Florida and Hanover, Maryland), the chain's logo (which features its mascot Splicer riding a star) appears on a black background after the flash rather than the Dolby logo. It fades out after a few seconds, and then "FEATURE PRESENTATION" fades in before fading out.
 * This logo exists filmed or digital and in 1.66:1 or 2.35:1 widescreen variants.
 * On 35mm prints, the finished logo appears after the flash transition rather than during it. This is also seen on the scope widescreen version. Also, the finished logo cuts to black instead of fading out, and vice-versa.

Technique: CGI designed and animated by Erik Nels Johnson at Digital Artworks using Alias Wavefront PowerAnimator on a Silicon Graphics computer with Softimage software.

Music/Sounds: The logo starts with Egyptian percussion. Crickets, birds and a lion roar can be heard during the logo. A rattlesnake rattles before the light is visible. Egyptian music with wood instruments is heard; at the end are drums. Sound elements from Project One Audio; mixed by David Parker at The Saul Zaentz Film Center.

Music/Sounds Variant: The Muvico variant has more powerful drum sounds at the end, especially with the last sound during the "FEATURE PRESENTATION" portion.

Availability: Common.
 * It was later used mainly on later LaserDiscs (like Saving Private Ryan and Volcano) from that time including DVDs, such as The Stunt Man, as well as the DVDs that came with the first-edition, second-edition and third-edition copies of the book DVD Demystified, and on the Dolby Digital Experience and Explore Our World demo discs.
 * Can also be seen on Roadshow Entertainment and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVDs such as The Wedding Singer, Autumn in New York and Mulholland Drive (oddly, on The Wedding Singer, the trailer proceeds the New Line Cinema logo, instead of being played on a separate title as the trailers normally would).
 * The Scope version can be seen on 5.1 Anchor Bay Entertainment DVDs if you select Dolby Digital, like The Evil Dead, Highlander, and Near Dark, and also on the 1998 Warner Home Video LaserDisc of The Devil's Advocate, among others.
 * The Muvico Theaters variant is extremely rare and could even be considered lost, as it only appeared at both of the chain's Egyptian theaters in Florida and Maryland from their respective openings in 1999 and 2000 up until Cinemark's acquisition of those theaters in March 2009.

Legacy: Another gorgeously atmospheric Dolby logo. Rather therapeutic as well.

5th Trailer (Game) (Late 1990s-February 16, 2006)


Trailer: The trailer starts with a rendered scene of a military intervention reminiscent of the graphics of the PlayStation 2, with helicopters flying about and tanks laying on the ground behind Double-D symbols that are used as barricades. There are some jumbles of numbers that change quickly, and a green grid briefly comes on-screen before a helicopter is shot at ground level and conveniently explodes. It changes into a racing video game with a man riding a motorcycle and a big blue race car. An average red car crashes into the latter and is jettisoned toward the camera, transitioning to a scene in an industrial environment. This time, there is a man with a muscular build who resembles the character Duke Nukem, wearing a blue jumpsuit with a yellow Double-D symbol on his chest. The camera zooms past him and passes a robot character doing attack poses as it zooms out to see that this whole thing is playing on a screen with five Dolby-certified loudspeakers surrounding it. A swarm of golden shards quickly flails about and clumps into itself to form a gold Dolby Digital logo.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: Sounds to correspond with the various scenes with a synth chord at the end.

Availability: Technically, it's unknown.
 * It was said that it appeared on Need For Speed: High Stakes, but it does not appear that is the case on any version.
 * However, it appears on the DVDs that came with the second-edition and third-edition copies of the book DVD Demystified.

Legacy: Quite dated now, but at the very least, it was serviceable for its time, that is if we even knew what game (if at all) this logo came from.

6th Trailer (Rain) (December 11, 1998-early 2010s?)


Trailer: The trailer starts with some bronze-coloured water which briefly reflects the Dolby logo; then it flashes and transition to a 12-second slow shot of a stream of water whose drops hit each other. After this, the waterdrops cut into a faster shot of water drops falling down toward the camera. One of them hits the screen and disrupts it, causing a big reflected Dolby logo to show up. It dissolves to a view of a golden Dolby Digital logo lying inside some water with bronze-coloured lighting. It speeds up after a few moments as the Dolby logo statically smears itself out of view. Finally, against a waving bronze background, the URL “www.dolby.com” appears in gold.

Variants:
 * A short version exists starting with the appearance of the Dolby logo. The URL is absent as well.
 * A digital version exists, but is usually filmed.

Technique: A mix of live-action footage and CGI, made with Alias Wavefront Maya, done by yU+co. Only 10% of this logo used CGI; much of the water effects are surprisingly live-action. A special water machine was made to help capture the impacts of almost every drop of water during filming, albeit at a rate of at least 200 frames per second, which is too fast for human eyes.

Music/Sounds: Water gurgling and an ominous sounder cutting to a flash sound, some quite tings and ominous harp strokes, and an intense orchestra which becomes more whimsical and ends with a 5-note sounder (idealized by Marco D'Ambrosio) along with some strange flourishing sounds coming from a waterphone. Mixed by Gary A. Rizzo at Skywalker Sound; sound design and mix by Marco D'Ambrosio at MarcoCo; music by San Francisco Ballet, Opera and Symphony.

Music/Sounds Variant: A shortened version of the orchestral tune at the end of the trailer is used for the short variant, with some of the eerie low flourishes removed.

Availability: Common. Appeared in many theaters with Dolby Sound starting with the theatrical release of Star Trek: Insurrection.
 * The original length version has been spotted on the Explore Our World demo disc, as well as the DVDs that came with the second-edition and third-edition copies of the book DVD Demystified, the French DVD of The Crimson Rivers (Les Rivières pourpres), and international releases of Terminator 2: Ultimate Edition (the US release uses the next logo), among others.
 * The short and long versions can be seen on some Australian DVDs such as the Roadshow Entertainment DVDs of Practical Magic, What Women Want, Bring it On, Two Weeks Notice, The Notebook (long version), Sugar & Spice and Elf (short version) as well as some TV airings of movies, a few TV shows, and the Japanese LaserDisc of U-571.
 * The digital version can be found on yU+co's official Vimeo channel and their official website. It was also seen on the feature Rain: Behind the Scenes on the Explore Our World demo disc.
 * It can also be seen on some games like the Xbox port of Dinotopia: The Sunstone Odyssey and Metal Gear Solid 4.

Legacy: Yet another great Dolby logo with gorgeous visuals and a breathtaking atmosphere, made even better with the addition of practical effects.

7th Trailer (Aurora) (May 19, 1999-August 15, 2013?)


Trailer: The trailer starts with a starfield in space. Suddenly, lights appear from the left of the screen in a manner resembling an aurora. The lights then move around into the Double D symbol of Dolby as the entire logo is slowly filled in with aurora lighting and zooms out slowly. In the background, the camera pans through the stars which turns up into nebula. When the logo finishes, the website URL "www.dolby.com" fades in below.

Technique: CGI by yU+co, made using footage from NASA.

Variant: A poor-quality double filmed version exists.

Music/Sounds: A brass piece which rises in sound and intensity. When the logo is zooming out a choir is heard. At the end, a slower version of the 5-note sounder from the "Rain" trailer is heard with the brass piece at the same note. The score was performed by the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra, with choirs provided by members of the Chamber Singers (now known as SonoVoce), the leading choral ensemble of Sonoma State University, and the Sonoma County Bach Choir. Sound design by Macro D'Ambrosio at MarcoCo; Mixed by David Parker at The Saul Zaentz Film Center and in Surround EX by Gary A. Rizzo at Skywalker Sound.

Availability: Common. Premiered with the theatrical release of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.
 * Seen in cinemas as well as the Japanese LaserDiscs of The 6th Day and The Cell, and a few early DVDs, including the US release of Terminator 2: Ultimate Edition.
 * It also appears on the DVDs that came with the second-edition and third-edition copies of the book DVD Demystified, the Japanese DVD of Cardcaptor Sakura the Movie: Enchanted Cards, and the Explore Our World demo disc.
 * The double filmed version was found on the DVD releases of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
 * Also seen on some Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Roadshow Entertainment DVDs as well such as the Region 2 and 4 DVD releases of The Wedding Planner, Identity, Gothika, Monster House, Open Season, Blast from the Past, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, 50 First Dates, Big Fish, 13 Going on 30, Click, St Trinians, and Spider-Man 2.
 * The US release of Terminator 2: Ultimate Edition has a 2.21:1 version of this logo, but it is letterboxed for full-screen despite the release being anamorphic, and is off-center in terms of letterboxing.
 * It appeared on international Sony releases from 2003 until at least 2009, with Lakeview Terrace being one of the last releases to use it.
 * Most recently seen on the 2013 Malaysian DVD of Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler.
 * It also strangely appears on a international TV print of Totò Sapore and the Magical Story of Pizza.
 * It was also seen on Starz in the early-to-mid 2000s when they broadcasted films with Dolby Digital audio.
 * It can also be seen on the French-exclusive Les Années Laser THX Trailers DVD if Dolby Digital is selected at the beginning of the disc.

Legacy: The sheer beauty of this logo signifies how well it has aged. The gorgeous orchestral fanfare is probably one of the best and most beautiful musical pieces featured in a logo.

8th Trailer (Starz variant) (2002-2005)


Trailer: A dark, cloudy background fades in. The right half of the familiar Dolby symbol slides in from the right, meeting its opposite half on the left of the screen (the screen shakes slightly when the halves meet). As the right half slides in a golden bar with the Dolby text appears in golden light. The "DIGITAL" text then plasters itself letter by letter beneath that symbol and bar. The finished logo shines briefly before fading out.

Technique: CGI. Presumably, whoever was responsible for the 2002 Starz rebrand was also responsible for this trailer.

Music/Sounds: A bunch of whooshing and slamming noises.

Availability: Extinct. This was a custom trailer only used on the Starz premium cable channel from 2002 to 2005 (prior to this they had used the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trailers with "where available" shown below the Dolby logo). When Starz and Encore received a unified rebrand in 2005, Dolby soundtracks were solely identified in the ratings bumpers from then on.

9th Trailer (Explore Our World optimizer test variant) (2002)


Trailer: The 1965 Dolby logo and text in sky blue fades in, which then fades to an optimizer test with the text "Optimizing this disc for playback" above it. A copyright appears below.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: A redone version of the signature 5-note sounder from the "Rain" trailer.

Availability: Rare. Only seen at the beginning of the Explore Our World demo disc.

10th Trailer (Stomp) (May 2003-Late 2010s)


Trailer: On a black background, a hand snaps its fingers three times. On the third snap, the background changes to white with gray Dolby logos as the viewer sees several members of the performance group Stomp make music with garbage cans, brooms, trash can lids and keys. The camera pans to the left throughout the duration of the logo up to a man walking with his feet strapped to large garbage cans. The camera cuts to him stomping on it from ground view, then cutting to a shiny gray Dolby logo appearing. A Dolby byline and the STOMP logo appear below it.

Variants:


 * A variant exists where the text 'DIGITAL' is absent. In addition, the logo also shakes slightly upon the impact of the last can.
 * A Surround EX variant with the respective branding added below "DIGITAL" exists.

Technique: Live-action footage.

Music/Sounds: The Stomp crew stomping around and making noise with the aforementioned. Drums are heard in the background. The crew laughs, then applauds at the end.

Availability: Uncommon. It was seen in theaters as well as on certain DVDs, such as the Japanese DVD of Swing Girls.

Legacy: This is the first trailer to use the 2003 redesign of the Dolby Digital logo.

11th Trailer (Enlighten) (2002-Late 2000s)


Logo: The silver Dolby logo rotates on the screen, emitting -lavender-peach colored lights while it rotates.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: A synth flourish.

Availability: It was only known to appear on the Explore Our World demo disc. On said product, this trailer is listed as a "Game Trailer", but it is unknown what games it was used in or if it was used at all.

Legacy: It is a shame that this logo was wasted, though.

12th Trailer (Argon) (July 21, 2004-Late 2010s)


Trailer: lines of light comes from the sides of the screen. When they meet the Dolby Digital logo forms.

Technique: CGI by Imaginary Forces.

Variant: On some games, the Dolby Pro Logic II logo is used instead.

Music/Sounds: Just the sounds the light makes.

Availability: Seen mainly on games from this era, such as Godzilla: Save the Earth, Ape Escape 3, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Project Gotham Racing 3.

13th Trailer (Symbols/Symbolon) (2005-Early 2010s)


Trailer: Many symbols and lines form, with snowflake-like symbols shooting out before the vines form the Dolby symbol. The rest of the logo zooms out, forming the Dolby logo with either "DIGITAL" or "PRO LOGIC II" below it.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A bunch of indescribable sounds with some synths, squeaks, and a soft chord.

Availability: Rare. Appeared on video games of the time, such as Crash of the Titans and Project Gotham Racing 4.

14th Trailer (Curious George) (October 2005-February 1, 2006)
Logo: On a yellow background, the character Curious George runs in making his usual monkey vocalizations before a whisper entices him to stop. The moment he hears someone knocking on a door, he scrambles toward the left and opens a trapdoor on the floor, practicing to live up to his name. After the sound of a doorbell, he runs to the other side of the screen and opens a circular window into nothingness. Having been tricked twice, George runs straight to the viewer and scratches his head of hair, after which he runs back and opens a two-sided door. The flustered primate goes to the trouble of handling pull-strings, trapdoors, blinds, vents, and all kinds of openings before he gets tired and recuperates in the center of the screen. The red words "Curious Where Great Sound Comes From?" in a custom font spin onscreen and stop above George as he smiles at the camera. To conclude this process, he jumps to the top-right of the screen, grabs the edge tightly with his monkey hands, and lets the force of gravity do the rest, pulling the screen off like a sticker to reveal a golden Dolby Digital logo on a black background. It is complete with a URL and a Houghton Mifflin copyright notice at the bottom in subtle lettering as the logo shines slightly.

Variant: A Dolby Pro Logic II variant exists on the 2006 Curious George video game.

Trivia: Part of the animation used here would be used in a trailer for Curious George 2: Follow that Monkey!.

Technique: 2D animation by Universal Animation Studios.

Music/Sounds: The various sound effects throughout the trailer which accompany the actions, mixed with the vocalizations of George, who is voiced by Frank Welker. There is also a helicopter blade sound when the aforementioned phrase flies in, and a twinkly tune at the end when the Dolby logo appears.

Availability: Uncommon. Seen in cinemas to help promote the 2006 Curious George film (but oddly not on the film itself). It appears on various Universal and DreamWorks DVDs and VHS tapes for the same promotion, such as Madagascar, Kicking and Screaming, and Cinderella Man.

15th Trailer (City Redux) (2006-Mid-2010s)
Logo: A futuristic city appears during sunrise, and a hovercar flies past the right side of the screen. The camera then quickly starts moving to the bottom left, and zooms past a bunch of close up buildings before zooming downwards. The camera pans down and rushes through a circuit-board type hole with lots of hovercars darting past it, left and right. Eventually, it pans up, ending up in a New York-esque town, following a singular road before stopping outside a cinema with a neon Dolby logo on it. It stops for a few seconds, before zooming forward, into the cinema doors. They open, blasting a white light which then fades away, revealing the Dolby logo.

Variants:
 * In some cases, 'DIGITAL' will appear below 'DOLBY'.
 * In theaters that uses Surround EX, "SURROUND EX" in a rectangle appears below it.
 * A 35mm variant exists.

Technique: Amazing CGI by Reel FX. Similar to the original City trailer, but with updated and photorealistic CGI.

Music/Sounds: Sci-fi sounds, general conversation around the theater entrance, and an orchestral hit which represents the Dolby sounder.

Music/Sounds Variant: There exists a 6.1 surround version used for the "Surround EX" variant where some of the sound effects were mixed differently. A 7.1 remix also exists on Dolby's demo Blu-rays to promote TrueHD.

Availability: Uncommon.
 * Seen on a DVD of Free Jimmy.
 * Also seen in theaters and DVDs, plus Blu-rays as well (possibly during that time period until the 2010s, including Dolby's own The Sound of High Definition) and Dolby's official YouTube channel.
 * Arguably the most common place to find this trailer would be on channels part of Rede Telecine in Brazil, where the Dolby Digital version of this trailer was shown before every movie on every channel from around 2011 all the way until 2019, when the network was completely rebranded.

Legacy: A wonderful homage to the original City trailer, while having its own unique identity and CGI that mostly holds up today. This is an amazing, successful and worthy follow-up that lives up to a well-respected logo, if not exceeding it in some aspects.

16th Trailer (Forza Motorsport 2/3 variant) (May 29, 2007-October 27, 2009)


Trailer: On a black background, the 2003 Dolby Digital logo is seen in silver. As soon as it fades in, 2 silver flashes (a la the 1995 logo) from the top right and bottom left sides of the logo appear. They go to the other sides of the logo, and they disappear.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: A whooshing sound, followed by 4 droning-like sounds.

Availability: Appears on Forza Motorsport 2 and 3 for Xbox 360.

17th Trailer (Dolbee) (November 2, 2007-March 10, 2008)


Trailer: Barry B. Benson, the protagonist of Bee Movie, is practicing his job of collecting sound data for Dolby Laboratories to improve his own film, with Ken and another sound editor named Joe in front of him in a mixing room. Ken feels impatient and asks the bee to flap his wings at least once so he and his coworkers can finally leave. After being insulted by Ken under his breath, Barry starts flapping his wings and pushing the microphone with his hands. The sound of his wings, especially when Ken turns the Dolby switch up, is enough to push the man right into the wall behind him and leave him there for a few seconds. After Barry increases his wing power, the entire glass window bursts backwards and right onto Ken, punting him through the wall and breaking it to reveal a ladies' washroom with a lady screaming about. Barry utters the pun "Dolbee?" and asks if the studio has any more cupcakes. The golden Dolby logo itself reads "DOLBEE" for a few moments before it changes back to normal and shines subtly.

Trivia: The voices of Barry and Ken are provided by Jerry Seinfeld and Patrick Warburton respectively.

Technique: CGI by DreamWorks Animation and Pacific Data Images.

Music/Sounds: The dialogue and sound effects corresponding to the animation, and the same end sounder from the "City Redux" trailer. It's possible that Randy Thom and Will Files are the sound designers here, since they were such on the film.

Availability: Common. Seen on the theatrical release of Bee Movie and on Dolby's official YouTube channel. Appears on some international DVDs and Blu-rays of the film (not in Region 1/A).

18th Trailer (Catalyst) (2010-Late 2010s)
Trailer: A trail of blue particles appears from the left, vanishing in the center. Another trail proceeds from the right, then both sides, and towards the viewer. The bubble explodes in the center, leaving the Dolby True HD logo.

Variants:
 * On Call of Duty: Black Ops II and The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, the logo is missing "TrueHD", while "Dolby" is centered.
 * On certain games, the Dolby Digital logo is shown instead.
 * In some cases, the "TrueHD" logo is replaced by the logo of a different quality brand.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: The whizzing sounds and a synth tune.

Availability: Rare.
 * Seen on Call of Duty: Black Ops II, with the exception of the Wii U version.
 * Also seen on Forza Horizon, its sequel, Forza Motorsport 4, and The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct.

19th Trailer (Spheres) (June 12, 2010-)


Trailer: Several spheres are thrown to the ground, made from various materials, one even from glass. They fly forth into a dim space. Then four other spheres fly in slow motion, leaving rich colored trails, and explode in the sky. Two streams of green and blue bubbles proceed, forming the double D symbol, while the other parts of the stream condense into the Dolby wordmark.

Technique: CGI by Imaginary Forces, who also made the 2004 "Argon" trailer, as well as the 2012 FilmNation Entertainment logo, the 2005 Xbox 360 logo, and the 2017 HBO Feature Presentation ID, among others.

Music/Sounds: Sounds of spheres hitting the ground and other sounds, such as bubbling. At the end, a female voice whispers, "All around you," with added spatial effects.

Availability: Current. Debuted with Toy Story 3. Also appears on The Art of Flight, on Dolby's official YouTube channel, and in theaters that do not have access to Dolby Surround 7.1 and Dolby Atmos (in which the 35mm print linked above is used, which happens to be Dolby's final 35mm trailer).