Illuminations

Background

Illuminations is a British television production company that produces documentaries centered around history and the arts. They were founded in 1982 during the time Channel 4 was created, which was to develop producers who were working outside the broadcaster's area.

Contents

1st Logo (January 16, 1984-1994)	2nd Logo (1994-2002)	3rd Logo (September 30, 2002-)

1st Logo (January 16, 1984-1994)

Visuals: Starting off on a white background, the color zooms out and is shown to be a contracting light burst, revealing the text "ILLUMINATIONS" on a dark blue background. After that, "AN" and "PRODUCTION" as well as additional in-credit text such as a co-producer's notice and copyright info fade in.

Variants:

A still version exists.
On Six Into One: The Prisoner File, the logo is boxed and paired with the Yo-Yo Films logo.
On TV Heaven, floating gas transitions the end footage to the finished logo.
On Love in a Cold Climate and MeTV: The Future of Television, this logo appears with the 1988 BBC logo.
On the Worldwise episode Spirit of Whitby, the logo is inside a box and contains a thicker white burst.
The Without Walls documentary "Shooting Star" has a variant similar to the above episode except the text is white and the light burst closely matches the original variant's.

Technique: Analog computer animation.

Audio: A reverse cymbal crash or the ending theme of the programme.

Availability:

Seen on the company's earliest output including the Turner Prize specials up until 1993, MeTV: The Future of Television, TV Heaven, and Six Into One: The Prisoner File.

2nd Logo (1994-2002)

Visuals: On a dark blue background, a light burst emerges from the top left and expands, revealing a blue box with a white gradient on the top left and the white text "ILLUMINATIONS" on the bottom with "an" and "production" besides it. Underneath it is in-credit text containing a co-producer's name and a copyright notice. When both of these appear, the light dies down and the screen turns to black.

Variant: On The Last Machine and Je Suis A Stand-Up: Eddie Izzard Abroad, this logo appears with the 1988 BBC logo.

Technique: Analog computer animation.

Audio: None or the ending theme of the programme.

Availability:

It can be seen on The Last Machine, The King Meets The President, a Tate Triennial documentary, and Je Suis A Stand Up: Eddie Izzard Abroad.
Some of these programmes are available on-demand or through DVD copies from libraries or the company's website.

3rd Logo (September 30, 2002-)

Visuals: Usually an in-credit notice where the white text "Illuminations" is inside a blue rectangular box.

Variants:

A superimposed variant exists.
In its early years, the logo was set on a moving fire background with the logo positioned on the left.
Sometimes, the text in the logo fades in.
On the Great Performances episode "Julius Caesar", only the text is present.
On The Art of..., the logo is placed on a background of artwork.
Sometimes, this logo also shares the screen with the other logos as well.

Technique: None for the standard variant. The early variant has the flame background moving.

Audio: None or the ending theme of the programme.

Availability:

It made its earliest appearance on The Private Lives of Pompeii and was later seen on Turner Prize specials since 2003, The Art of..., some Great Performances episodes like "Julius Caesar" and "The Red Shoes", among others.
Some of these documentaries are on DVD and can also be viewed at libraries or obtainable through the company's website.