KinoMost

Background
Kinomost (КиноМост; transcripted as CinemaBridge) was a Russian movie and television production company and the subsidiary of MediaMost holding company, which was liquidated in 2001. The studio was then split up into MakDos, DomFilm and Avrora.

1st Logo (1998-2000)
Nicknames: "KinoMost KM", "KinoMost Eagle", "Filmmakers' Eagle", "Quiet/Loud Music: Russian Way", "Dawn Over the KinoMost River"

Logo: We see an eagle (possibly a tawny eagle or Eastern imperial eagle) flying towards us over a sunset sky. When the eagle comes close, the background becomes letterboxed and everything morphs into a still image and the golden word "КиноМост" appears below from the outline. Suddenly, the logo cross-fades into a completely different one, with the silvery letters "KM" and a gold eagle insignia over them. It slides to the corner to make a room for the name of the other company which KinoMost associated with.

Technique: The live animation of the eagle, the letterbox, the transformation. The effects are used poorly and the logo looks rather cheesy. The transformation is also a weird thing.

Music/Sounds: A bell toll followed by a soft and peaceful theme consisting of bells, violins, oboe and an accordion, before suddenly segueing into a majestic fanfare. The theme is actually a re-orchestration of "Prelude: Dawn over the Moscow River" from Khovanshchina, by Modest Mussorgsky. The theme became well-known on Russian television.

Availability: Can be seen on some films like President and his Granddaughter. Also seen at the opening of some TV series (in Russia, the logos are used in the series opening instead of the closing credits like in other countries).

Legacy: The music is somewhat loud, and the closeup of the eagle might scare some.

2nd Logo (2000-2001)
Nicknames: "KinoMost Eagle II", "Filmmakers' Eagle II", "Improved Filmmakers' Eagle", "Quiet/Loud Music: Russian Way II", "Dawn Over the KinoMost River II"

Logo: On a cloudy sunset sky with heavenly rays beaming, a glowing animation of an African fish eagle flying briefly illuminates, before the sky fading to black, then the transparent close-up of a filmstrip fades in while golden rectangular frames appear from sprocket holes and shoot out from them, revealing the same eagle. The frame folds, finally turning into a glowing rounded rectangle and transforming into a golden four-section rectangle. The rectangle then ejects some of its parts and a section slides in to make a abstract "KM", with the familiar eagle insignia on its right corner. The word "КИНОМОСТ" is wiped in below and holes appear in the "K". The logo slides to the corner, making room for other logos, and the eagle shines.

Technique: The frame animations with the transformation. Looks really impressive for the time, making it even better than the previous logo.

Music/Sounds: Same theme as before, but improved a bit.

Availability: Seen on the DVD sets of some television series well-known in Russia.