Amazon MGM Studios

Background
Amazon.com is an e-commerce and cloud computing company, founded by Jeff Bezos as "Cadabra" on July 5, 1994 in Seattle, Washington. Originally founded as a bookstore, Amazon later diversified to physical audio/video discs, music streaming, software, video games, electronics, car parts, and fresh produce. They also sell "everyday" products (USB cables, batteries, portable speakers, even patio heaters) under the "AmazonBasics" brand, as well as their own supply of electronics (Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets/streaming boxes/sticks, Echo smart speakers). Amazon is also responsible for their line of cloud services, namely Amazon Web Services, Alexa, and Amazon Drive (a competitor to Google Drive). Around 2008, Amazon entered the film production industry, producing The Stolen Child with 20th Century Fox. Two years later, Amazon Studios was created for the purpose of producing/distributing TV shows, movies, and comics from online submissions and crowd-sourced feedback. Their content is distributed through Amazon Prime Video, which is a competitor to Netflix and Hulu.

1st Logo (January 9, 2013-)
Nicknames: "Orange Dots", "The Smile"

Logo: On a black background, many dots (could represent either atoms or dust particles) zoom out and form the outline "amazon" (in its corporate font). As it is zooming out, an arrow/smile is revealed under the "amazon" text, then it is zoomed out even further, revealing the text "studios". When it has finished zooming out, "amazon" lights up in white.

Variant: There was an early version of this logo, which was slightly extended.

FX/SFX: The dots, the zooming-out, and "amazon" lighting up. Nice CGI complied at Eyeball Studios NYC, with design and animation by Benjamin Hill.

Music/Sounds: The early version contains a reversed synth note which gradually gets more intense, followed by a deeper synth note. The later version is a recomposed version of the demo logo, this time followed by a piano/string chord.

Availability: Current. Seen on Amazon's original series and pilots, such as Good Girls Revolt, the US version of Mad Dogs, and Little Big Awesome.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (December 4, 2015-)
Nickname: "The Smile II"

Logo: We see the Amazon Studios logo fade in on a black background as it slowly zooms in towards the viewer. It shines, but not so noticeably.

Variant: A still version is seen at the end of Elvis & Nixon.

FX/SFX: The fade and the shine. A bit too simple.

Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Current. Seen on Amazon's original movies, such as Chi-Raq, Creative Control, and Elvis & Nixon. Also appears at the end of Manchester by the Sea, which uses the next logo at the beginning.

Editor's Note: It's a rather boring logo, though the next logo is the exact opposite of that.

3rd Logo (June 24, 2016-)
Nicknames: "Amazon City", "Amazon Cinema"

Logo: On what at first glimpse appears to be a -tinted marble surface, we see a hardcover book in a closed position. As we start to zoom in closer to the book, it opens by itself and flips a few pages. We then see a city starting to form itself (roads uncurling, buildings sticking together like a magnet/stretching into its full position, etc). The marble surface fades to a sunset sky background (just without the sun) as that happens. Moving into center position, the last roads finish unfurling and we move further on to see street lights, a sidewalk and apartments surrounding our view. As the camera stops moving, we encounter a cinema taking form. The ending product is a typical cinema entrance sign, filled with lighting around the sides, and the Amazon Studios logo in the center of it, finally slamming onto the lighted ceiling below it.

FX/SFX: Truly outstanding CGI created by Antenna Creative! It's clear that there was a lot of effort put into this logo.

Music/Sounds: The sound of pages flipping, followed by a set of string instruments warming up (bearing a resemblance to the THX "Cimarron" trailer and the PlayStation 3 "Waves" screen), with city construction sounds in the background, and finally an orchestra hit.

Availability: Current. Seen on Amazon's theatrical movies, such as The Neon Demon and Manchester by the Sea.

Editor's Note: This logo is one of the best from the 2010s, given that its nature truly makes you feel like you're being brought into the movie.

4th Logo (April 24, 2020-)
Logo: On a -black gradient background, we see the text "AMAZON" wipe in from the left and "STUDIOS" wipe in from the right, both set in the Amazon Ember typeface. Then a white overlay of the text fades in from the center. The background fades, and the logo wipes out after a few seconds.

FX/SFX: Just the background fading, and the text wiping in and out.

Music/Sounds: None.

Music/Sounds Variant: On Borat's American Lockdown, the 2015 rearrangement of the 2013 Amazon Originals jingle is heard.

Availability: Current. First debuted on Happiness Continues: A Jonas Brothers Concert Film and seen on nearly every Amazon original since 2020.

Editor's Note: Like the 2nd logo, it's a rather boring logo.