Video Collection International

Background
Video Collection International (formerly The Video Collection) was a UK-based video company formed in 1984 and established in 1985. Originally part of the Prestwich Group, based in New Southgate, London, it was subject to a management buyout headed by Steve Ayres as CEO and Paddy Toomey (ex-Woolworths) as MD. The vision of "Sell Through Video" was born with the strong Woolworths association driving the retail sales. The Video Collection was allied with ITV and Channel 4, and distributed many of their titles from their franchises; they also operated the Cinema Club budget label, as well as an American division, Strand Home Video. The company was renamed to VCI in 1994 due to financial difficulties, and in 1999 the company was sold to the Kingfisher group. In 2004, the company merged with BBC Video to form 2 Entertain.

(September 11, 1995- July 2005)
Logo: In front of a black background, there is a wire frame globe, a bright light emitting godrays in the top left of the screen and some  mist below, and in front of those, a metal object flips in, along with a  sphere. This is later revealed to be the "C" in "VCI" in a bold, squished Futura PT Medium font, which flips around as it zooms out (with the sphere in the centre). The letters "V" and "I" would later spin in and arrange themselves vertically.

Variants: There are two DVD variants:  On Sindy the Fairy Princess, the VCI DVD logo (widescreen variant) plays as normal and after the logo ends, everything except the VCI text fades to black and the text moves to the left on the screen. The Optical Image logo fades into the right side and the word "Presents" appears. A still variant also surprisingly appears before the Rosie and Jim episode "Locks" on the 2016 UK DVD release of Rosie and Jim: Bumper Pack.
 * The VCI text fades out, the light glows and the DVD logo fades in. This variant appears in a 4:3 ratio and appears mainly on fullscreen DVDs (some widescreen DVDs, though, use this variant despite the logo remaining in fullscreen).
 * The DVD logo, which is also metallic, forms in the top right of the screen. This variant appears in a 16:9 ratio and mainly appears on widescreen DVDs. However, the VCI logo itself is cheaply made, as the logo starts in stretched 4:3, and then it stretches out into 16:9 as the logo finishes.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: A synth chime theme is heard alongside some whooshing sounds, with mechanical sounds for the VCI text arranging. Near the end, there are two deep synth notes, ending with a clang and a final chime, all of which is in a similar melody to the 1990-1992 Strand VCI Entertainment logo.

Availability: Common.
 * Standard:
 * Can be seen on the start and end of many releases from this time, including Phoenix Nights and later Thomas The Tank Engine releases, among others.
 * On DVD, the standard version only appears at the end of Roo Reveals All (as part of the Cinema Club DVD release of The Last Polar Bears) and at the end of Rosie and Jim: Flashing Fire Engine and Other Urgent Adventures. This is because both DVDs were taken from VHS masters.
 * The last few seconds of it also make a surprise appearance on the 2016 UK DVD release of Rosie and Jim: Bumper Pack, likely due to the master for the episode "Locks" being taken from the Rosie and Jim: Classic Collection master.
 * It also appears on the 1995 UK VHS re-release of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends: Rock 'n' Roll and Other Stories, the 1997 UK VHS release of Dennis Pennis R.I.P., a 1999 UK promotional VHS release of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends: 3 Splendid Episodes, the 2000 UK VHS release of Lion Of Oz and on a 2002 Marks and Spencer UK VHS re-release of Thomas & Friends: Thomas Goes Fishing and Other Stories, respectively, as well.
 * Despite appearing on the tape labels (and sometimes the covers) of direct reissues/later prints of The Video Collection-era tapes, it does not appear on them as they use The Video Collection's 1986-1995 logo instead.
 * DVD versions:
 * The 4:3 version appears on almost every Thomas and Friends DVD release until the 2Entertain merger. As noted above, it mostly appears on fullscreen releases such as Lion of Oz, Father Ted, etc.
 * The 16:9 version appears on a majority of widescreen VCI DVDs.
 * Also appears on these Thomas & Friends DVDs: "The Fogman and Other Stories", "Pulling Together!", "It's Great to Be an Engine!", and "Bumper Party Collection!".
 * It also appears on Fifi and the Flowertots - Fifi's Talent Show.
 * It appears on DVD releases from Hat Trick Productions, Channel 4 Video, Gullane Entertainment, Granada Video and Ragdoll, respectively.

