Classic Media

Background

Classic Media LLC (trading as DreamWorks Classics) was established by Eric Ellenbogen and John Engelman in 2000 to handle acquisitions, new productions and licensing of older cartoon and live action properties globally. Over the years, their library consists of properties that they acquired from other companies, including Rankin/Bass, United Productions of America, Harvey Entertainment, Golden Books Family Entertainment (sans their publishing division, which went to Random House) and Big Idea Entertainment.

In 2007, the company was acquired by Entertainment Rights. However, this eventually resulted in financial difficulties that caused ER to file for administration in April 2009. On the day of filing, Entertainment Rights was acquired by a new company called "Boomerang Media, L.L.C.", also founded by Ellenbogen and Engelman themselves with backing from private equity firm GTCR. Entertainment Rights was culminated under the Classic Media brand, while their distribution arm was renamed Classic Media Distribution. Big Idea Entertainment became a separate subsidiary, operating under its own name.

On February 20, 2010, Classic Media purchased the distribution rights to the then-upcoming manga-inspired television series My Life Me from the bankrupt Germany-based TV-Loonland AG. They later acquired Noddy and Olivia franchises from Chorion in 2012.

In 2012, DreamWorks Animation acquired the company for $155 million, and began trading Classic Media under the brand name of DreamWorks Classics. They have since reverted back to their former name after the box-office disappointment of Mr. Peabody and Sherman. The NBCUniversal acquisition of DWA transitioned Classic Media off to the main parent company and remains as such as an in-name subsidiary.

Classic Media Distribution was renamed as DreamWorks Distribution in 2013, although its parent Classic Media UK still retains its former name.

1st Logo (2001-2002)

Visuals: The logo starts over a white background with the black text "C L A S S I C" in a spaced-out font, with "MEDIA" to the bottom in a smaller font, where the SSI bit is. Then, a green swirl forms from the beginning to the end through a smokey effect.

Technique: Adobe flash animation.

Audio: A loud swooshing sound.

Availability:

Seen on some prints of Rankin/Bass material.
It can also be found on a few early DVD releases from Sony Wonder, such as the first two volumes of Madeline (titled "The Best Episodes Ever!").
It was also spotted at the start of Casper and Wendy's Ghostly Adventures on IMDB TV.

2nd Logo (2002-)

Visuals: Over a white background is a plain blue balloon shape facing on the top-right, with a smiling face drawn onto it as well as hair and cheeks. The text "Classic Media" is at the bottom of the balloon with the kid balloon in place of the dot of the "I" in "Media".

Variants:

Earlier on, the logo was much smaller.
From 2007-2009, the byline which reads "An Entertainment Rights group company" is seen below the logo.
Superimposed/in-credit versions are found on some shows notably Guess with Jess (with the 2004 Nelvana logo).
At the end of Postman Pat: The Movie and the making-of feature for said movie, the logo is seen in a white rectangle on a black background.

Technique: A still digital graphic.

Audio: Usually none, but in other cases, it's usually the closing theme of the TV show.

Availability:

Can be seen on newer prints of the pre-1974 Rankin-Bass Christmas specials such as Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman, and it also usually plasters the 1982 Broadway Video logo on current airings of Frosty Returns.
It is also preserved on licensed games as well, for instance on Where's Waldo? for the Wii.
The superimposed and in-credit variants can be found on Tinga Tinga Tales, the first season of Shelldon, the 2005 adaptation of Gerald McBoing Boing, later episodes of Guess with Jess, and the second season of Postman Pat: Special Delivery Service.
This logo is also seen at the end of current releases of The Last of the Mohicans (1936).
This logo is also seen as a de-facto home video logo on Sony Wonder/Genius Entertainment releases in the U.S., and began to be used in the UK in mid-2009, replacing the Right Entertainment logo.
Even though the company changed their name to DreamWorks Classics, this logo still remains in tandem with the DreamWorks Classics/Distribution logo.
This logo can also be found at the end of the official YouTube upload of Felix the Cat: The Movie (1989).

Legacy: It gained some notoriety for plastering older logos, mainly the Rankin-Bass logos.

Classic Media

DreamWorks Classics

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