Evolution Media

Background
Evolution Media is a production company generally focused on non-fiction television programming, although they have very occasionally dabbled in scripted media. In July 2017, they were acquired by MGM Television. Their logos can be viewed on their website, evolutionusa.com.

1st Logo (Early 1990s-1998)


Logo: In a time-lapse live-action video, we see two men spray-painting a wall black and then create an abstract globe against it. The company's name briefly flashes and the two men spray-paint "EVOLUTION", with "FILM + TAPE, INC." below it, over the globe, before spray-painting it white.

FX/SFX: Sped-up live-action footage.

Music/Sounds: A funky beat (taken from the opening of "Freedom! '90" by George Michael).

Availability: It's unknown if this was ever used on any actual programs, but it can be viewed on Evolution's website on their about page.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (1998-2001)


Logo: On a background that changes to show various videos of random objects, the word "EVOLUTION" emerges and stays in the middle.

Variant: On the 1998 HBO special Paul F. Thompkins Driven to Drink, the logo is still; the 1995 HBO Independent Productions logo would follow after.

FX/SFX: The background changing, and the word emerging.

Music/Sounds: A fast breakbeat (the "Industrapper" drum loop off Spectrasonics' Distorted Reality 1 sample CD) with weird-sounding yells ("Wailer" off the same sample CD).

Availability: Extinct. This was seen on Bug Juice when it was last aired on Disney Channel in Summer 2004, The Making of... episodes, and it was probably seen on Totally Hoops and Totally Circus. It's also seen on Screen Gems Network.

Editor's Note: The weird action in the logo (which isn't very suitable for the shows they appear on) can be found as startling by most people.

3rd Logo (2000-2001)


Logo: On a black/ gradient background, we see a box containing an abstract drawing of a fist holding a metallic rod, chiseled through a metallic bracket. The result looks like a stylized "E". The stacked text "EVOLUTION FILM & TAPE, INC.", with "EVOLUTION" in a chiseled font and much bigger than the rest of the text, fades in underneath.

FX/SFX: The box and text fading in.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Like the first logo, it's unknown what shows used this, but once again, it can be viewed on Evolution's website.

Editor's Note: Much tamer than the last logo.

4th Logo (June 3, 2001-)
Logo: On a red-orange background with a wheel moving behind it, we see a thick shiny vertical line, on the left. A stylized hand then thrusts a wooden rod into the line, and we zoom out to reveal that the line is actually the letter "E" without the middle stem, then a black bar with the text "EVOLUTION", in the same font as before, in the center. "EVOLUTION" slowly spaces out.

Variants:
 * Starting in 2006, the logo was enhanced in CGI, with the text now in shiny and the background having more movement in it. It was enhanced again in 2018.
 * An extended version can also be seen on the website.
 * An MGM byline was added in 2020 (which was originally in Impact font and a box, and a serif font with "MGM" in its corporate font starting in 2021).

FX/SFX: The wooden rod being put into the line, and the zoom-out.

Music/Sounds: A clang and a deep whoosh.

Availability: Uncommon.
 * The original version was first seen on the last season of the Disney Channel series Bug Juice and has appeared on series like Yo Momma, Clean Sweep and the first season of Fear Factor.
 * Those shows are long gone from TV nowadays, but it appears on sporadic Disney Channel airings of the DCOM Now You See It... and on season 1 of Fear Factor on DVD.
 * The enhanced version made its debut on the obscure Disney XD series Next X and currently appears on Vanderpump Rules, Botched, and several series in The Real Housewives franchise.

Editor's Note: The sound effects may get to a few.