AVID:Logo Hunting

Tutorial by VPJHuk Edited by LoganStuff & Fry Letterman

Welcome to the logo community! Now, there is a crucial thing about the logo community, and that is logo hunting. This page is for people who would like to learn about logo hunting in general.

What is logo hunting?
Logo hunting is finding logos from any form of media, whether that be television, movies, and even other formats such as video games.

What video formats/areas could these logos be in?
There are many video formats around, ranging from well-known to obscure. Here is a brief list of the most common media formats, however do keep in mind that there's many more formats that aren't listed here.

Home Video Formats

 * 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
 * Blu-ray Disc
 * HD-DVD
 * DVD
 * LaserDisc
 * VHS
 * Betamax
 * Video-2000 (Only in European territories)

Other Formats

 * Film reels (standard/Super 8mm, 16mm, 35mm and 70mm films)
 * U-matic
 * Capacitance Electronic Disc (CED)
 * Video High Density (VHD, only in Japan)

Other places to find logos

 * Syndication prints on TV
 * Bonus features on DVDs, Blu-rays, etc.
 * The internet
 * Streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, TubiTV, etc.)

Where can I find these formats?

 * eBay is usually the best place to find logos, as they have pretty much every format up for sale, from U-matic tapes to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs. This might be a bit expensive as people are trying to profit from selling these old tapes. You also might have to pay for shipping as well.
 * Garage sales, thrift/donation stores and flea markets are also good ways to find old formats. It's usually much cheaper finding VHS and DVDs this way.
 * Check your old tapes! Your old home-recorded videocassettes from the 70's to the early 2000's may contain some (possibly rare) logos on them.

How rare are logos?
Logo rarity varies from common to extinct, perhaps even lost. This is a list of the different rarities that various logos have. This is also the same scale the wiki uses underneath the "Availability" section of a logo's page.
 * Ultra common/Very common: This logo can be found everywhere (also if this logo plasters everything).
 * Common: This logo can be found on newly produced shows/movies of that company, or is left intact on reruns/DVDs.
 * Uncommon: This logo may be found on some prints of produced films/shows of that company.
 * Rare/Very rare: This logo only appeared a few times on several releases/prints.
 * Scarce: This logo may only be found on some prints/releases.
 * Extremely rare: This logo appeared on some old releases/prints that haven't been widely distributed.
 * Ultra rare: This logo is difficult to find or appears on a very special release or print.
 * Extinct/Near extinction: This logo has been replaced by other logos and/or is beyond hard to find, but can be found on very old releases/prints.
 * Lost: Cannot be found on the Internet, however there may possibly be rumors/partial video/audio files for the logo.

Suspecting a fake find?
The Internet, more specifically, video hosting websites like YouTube, have a lot of videos of logos uploaded for archival purposes. However, some users like to make fake logos, and some of these fake logos are created to intentionally mislead others. Here is a list of things to look out for to spot a fake logo.
 * Make sure the source/film is a real thing. For example, make sure the movie that the "logo" comes from is indeed a real movie. In case of this happening, try looking for a different source that contains the same logo/variant.
 * Brighten the capture or increase the contrast in an image or video editor. If you see anything strange, such as boxes covering up parts of the logo, then it could possibly be a fake. However, studios sometimes lazily black out their bylines to create new variants of older logos. These are usually real, but check the original source just in case.
 * Usually, the quality of the logo must match with the rest of the video. For example, if the quality is HD, yet the audio is in bad quality, there is a chance the logo could be fake.
 * Always look close and keep a keen eye on any logo capture you find. You may spot something suspicious that you wouldn't have found otherwise.
 * If the video says "Reconstruction" or "Remake", then it is fake.
 * If you have suspicions on a logo/variant being fake, but you're unsure if it actually is or not, you can create a thread over on the forum asking for help.

Other tips
These are tips that are small, but could be important.
 * Researching is key on finding logos. If a company doesn't have a lot of information, you could try researching for some information. Sometimes, there might be undiscovered logos, due to poor researching.
 * Do not search lost logos directly! You will likely get no information, even after a lot of research.
 * Try looking for logos on different sources. International websites are good on these ones, as they would probably contain rarer logos. You may never know what could appear!
 * If you are looking on the internet, try searching the company name on a website that has videos/photos. If you look hard enough, you may spot a logo that maybe could even be a new variant!

That's about it. Have fun!