Film4 Productions

Background

Film4 Productions is a British film production company owned by Channel 4. Its first production was Walter, directed by Stephen Frears and released in 1982. Prior to 1998, the company was often identified as "FilmFour International". In 1996, the company changed to "Channel Four Films" for a short time. In 1998, the company permanently rebranded as FilmFour to coincide with the launch of a new digital TV channel of the same name. The company cut its budget and staff significantly, along with the FilmFour channel in 2002, due to mounting losses, and was reintegrated into the drama department of Channel 4. The name "Film4" was introduced in 2006 to tie in with the relaunch of the TV channel with the same name.

FilmFour International

1st Logo (1983-Early 1990s?)

Nickname: "Upside-Down Fours"

Logo: On a black background, we see two upside down fours connected in white outlines, in a sunset-themed color. Below the fours is a white text saying, "A FILM FOUR INTERNATIONAL PRESENTATION".

FX/SFX: The fading in/out.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare. It was only known to be seen on Shadey (1985).

2nd Logo (Early 1990's?-September 5, 1998, June 11, 2021)

Nickname: "FilmFour Shadows"

Logo: On a black background, we see "FiLMFOUR" slowly zooming in, while in the background 2 shadowy copies of it move both left and right. "FOUR" is colored white. The dot above "i" is replaced with the Channel Four logo.

Variant: A version exists with "DISTRIBUTORS" in white under "FiLMFOUR".

FX/SFX: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare. Seen on some films such as Hillary and Jackie. It made an appearance as a variation on Censor, released on June 11, 2021.

3rd Logo (1990s?-1998?)

Nicknames: "Boring FFd", "Filmstrip FFd", "The Ripped Filmstrip"

Logo: On a black background, we see the abbreviation "FFd" on a light blue broken filmstrip that zooms in, then the text "FILM FOUR DISTRIBUTORS LTD" appears.

FX/SFX: The zooming in.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availabilty: Extremely rare. This logo was spotted on the trailer for Brassed Off.

Legacy: This logo was thought to be lost for a long time.

Channel Four Films

(May 24-November 29, 1996, 1999)

Nickname: "The Green Number"

Logo: On a dark background, filled with greenish sun blinks, we see the white text "CHANNEL FOUR FILMS" slowly zooming in. Then, the left side of a big "4" zooms from beyond and takes "FOUR" inside, making it black. The number is made from two bars and a dot.

Variant: There is a shortened version on Brassed Off.

FX/SFX: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: A dark but good ambient soundtrack with ascending booming near to the end.

Availability: Uncommon. It's seen on Brassed Off, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Secrets & Lies. It was seen again on an unknown film in 1999.

FilmFour Productions

1st Logo (June 12, 1998-October 1, 2004)

Nickname: "The Flashlights"

Logo: There are light streaks, spots, and various effects appearing all over the screen, like in a police siren. They are colored blue and red. We can see the Channel Four logo appearing inside the flashing. Suddenly it all ends, leaving a red box with "FILMFOUR" inside ("FILM" in black, "FOUR" in white, and the "F" and "M" connected).

FX/SFX: The effects of light.

Music/Sounds: An industrial noise including wind-like squeal and booming sounds.

Availability: Seen on some films such as East is East, Jump Tomorrow, Sexy Beast, and Charlotte Gray. It first appeared on The Land Girls released on June 12, 1998 in the US. It was last seen on Dead Man's Shoes, released in October 1, 2004.

2nd Logo (September 24, 2004-October 27, 2006)

Nickname: "The Burning Firetruck"

Logo: We start in a very dark street. Suddenly a burning firetruck rolls from the left and stops. We zoom into the truck and then the logo zooms out, similar to the 1998 logo box, but with bigger words inside.

Variants:

A short version exists starting from where the firetruck stops.
A long version exists, where the firetruck drives from the right, and goes offscreen to the left, then the firetruck comes in burning.
At the end of the credits of The Motorcycle Diaries, a still, print version was used.

FX/SFX: This seems to be slightly edited live-action. Done by Pete&Tom.

Music/Sounds: A somber music entry with fire crackling sounds and clanging noises at the end.

Availability: Seen on films such as Isolation, Last King of Scotland, and Death of a President. It plastered older logos too. It first appeared on the end credits of The Motorcycle Diaries, released in September 24, 2004.

Legacy: The burning firetruck and the quite sad music may get to some people, plus the burning firetruck is a case of irony gone wrong.

Film4 Productions

1st Logo (June 23, 2006-May 13, 2016)

Nickname: "The Film Studio"

Logo: We start in a dark room, where a bunch of lamps light on behind the screen. Then we move across the room to see the screen in front. There are many components of the logo standing in the room (in various distances). When we complete moving, they all form a logo, as it were flat. The logo shows a red box with "FILM" carved out in the bottom, and it is surrounded by other boxes so the spaces between them form a stylized "4".

Trivia: The animation is similar to Channel 4's 2004-2015 channel idents, in which a set of seemingly random blocks in live-action locations form the channel's logo when the camera reaches a specific perspective.

Variants:

A short version exists where the lights have already been turned on.
A still version exists (set on a black background) with the word "FILM4" duplicated in a different font right next to the logo.

FX/SFX: Live action.

Music/Sounds: Sounds of lamps turning on, followed by the same music from the 2004 logo.

Availability: Can be seen on films from the time.

Legacy: This is considered a very creative logo. The music is much more fitting and relaxing here than it was when it was used with the previous logo.

2nd Logo (May 15, 2016-)

Nickname: "The Filmstrip"

Logo: We start in what appears to be the inside of a building, with light coming through it. We then pan down to the same scene, with a red line. We keep panning down and it keeps getting faster, akin to a filmstrip. As we keep panning, the lines that make up the 4 appear, as well as the letters F, I, L, and M. Along with this, the light on the wall keeps moving. We then slow back down as we see the finished product; the Film4 logo, this time in negative space. The light is also shining on the 4.

Trivia: This logo was designed at ManvsMachine. The animation is based on Film4's current idents, in which a scene pans down in the same way as this logo, also forming the Film4 logo.

Later Variant: Since September 27, 2018, the logo that forms is different: the Film4 logo is now the Channel 4 logo with the word "FILM" put into it, with the Channel 4 logo in a deeper red than the "FILM" portion of the logo.

FX/SFX: A combination of live action and CGI. Wonderful work from MvM.

Music/Sounds: Starts with violins, then moves into a single piano note which repeats every time we pan down, then ends with violins and a single, deeper piano note. This was composed by Resonate.

Availability: Current. The 2016 version premiered on American Honey and Free Fire, and was seen on other movies before the rebrand. The 2018 version was first seen in the C4 Network Rebrand Reel, a video uploaded prior to the rebranding of the Channel 4 multichannel portfolio and is seen on films which they produced. Don't expect this logo to appear on Widows despite co-producing it, although the logo was seen on the posters.

Legacy: Generally considered a great logo and a suitable successor to the previous one. The 2018 variant doesn't work that well, however, and feels to some like a somewhat lazy revamp.