Draft:UPN

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum




Background

UPN (United Paramount Network) was Viacom, Paramount and Chris-Craft's attempt at a major network. It was formed from independent stations owned by each of the three respective companies. Viacom purchased 50% of UPN in 1996, and purchased the remaining 50% in 2000. In 2000, Viacom and CBS merged, making UPN O&O's sister stations to CBS O&O's. UPN ceased operations in 2006 along with Time Warner's network, The WB, and both networks merged to form The CW.

1st ID (January 16, 1995-1998)

Network IDs


Local IDs



Visuals: On a black/silver background with the text "UNITED PARAMOUNT NETWORK" arranged in a circle, there is a silver sphere with a "U", as a "P" slides downward in the background. The sphere shrinks into a gold pyramid with a "P" as an "N" slides down in the background. The pyramid morphs into a silver cube with an "N". It then morphs into the UPN logo, and the text "UNITED PARAMOUNT NETWORK" zooms away. "UNITED PARAMOUNT NETWORK" fades in below, and the background becomes one of the following:

  • Red in the middle, dark gray concrete textures on top, black on the bottom
  • Shiny gold in the middle, yellow/orange diamond metal with flying sparks on top, black on the bottom
  • Satin green in the middle, twisting metal on top, black on the bottom
  • Satin blue in the middle, molten-looking silver on top, black on the bottom

Trivia: This set of IDs, as well as the graphics package that they were packaged with, were designed and animated by 3 Ring Circus.

Variants:

  • The local affiliate version uses the blue version of the network ID, but at the end, as the UPN logo forms, it moves to the top of the screen and the station's call letters and/or logo appears in the center. Also, the circle of text seen during the animation is absent here.
  • Another local affiliate version is the same as the aforementioned one, but the finishing product is different: The background is vertical instead of horizontal (with the molten silver on the right, the satin blue in the middle and black on the left); The UPN logo moves to the left side and the station's channel number appears in the middle with its call letters on the bottom right of it. The name of the station's city will sometimes appear below.
  • There are shorter versions of the network and affiliate IDs with cuts between the morphing animations.
  • There is an extended version of the ID that starts with a small sphere morphing into a bigger sphere. The animation then continues as normal.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A synthesized jingle ending with three guitar notes (which are supposed to evoke the "UPN" acronym).

Audio Variant: On January 16, 1995, when UPN launched, Beau Weaver is heard saying, "Welcome to the first night of the first network for the next century: UPN."

Availability: These were only used as station ID's. The versions with the extended ID animation were found on a demo reel of UPN's 1995 graphics package (video above) and it is currently unknown if these were ever used on TV.

2nd ID (1998-1999)


Visuals: Unknown.

Variants: Unknown.

Technique: Unknown.

Audio: Unknown.

Audio Variant: Unknown.

3rd ID (1998-2002)


Visuals: Unknown.

Variants: Unknown.

Technique: Unknown.

Audio: Unknown.

Audio Variant: Unknown.

4th ID (1999-2000)


Visuals: Unknown

Trivia: This was designed by Attik.

Variants: Unknown.

Technique: Unknown.

Audio: Unknown.

Audio Variant: Unknown.

5th ID (2000-2002)


Visuals: Unknown.

Trivia: Like the previous ID, this was designed by Attik.

Variants: Unknown.

Technique: Unknown.

Audio: Unknown.

Audio Variant: Unknown.

7th ID (2002-2003)


Visuals: Unknown.

Trivia: This was designed by Meccanica.

Variants: Unknown.

Technique: Unknown.

Audio: Unknown.

Audio Variant: Unknown.

8th ID (2003-2006)


Visuals: Unknown

Trivia: This was designed by Troika Design Group.

Variants: Unknown

Technique: Unknown

Audio: Unknown

Audio Variant: Unknown

UPN
The CW