MTV Entertainment Studios

Background

MTV Entertainment Studios is the film and television production arm of American cable network MTV. It was originally founded in 1991 as MTV Productions to produce television shows for the network. In 2020, MTV Films was merged with MTV Studios, which became MTV Entertainment Studios in 2021, encompassing content for and based on all of MTV's brands.

MTV Productions

1st Logo (June 2, 1991-January 1, 1995)

Logo: On a swirling background with blue water droplets (from the intro of Liquid Television), we see the MTV logo in a red gradient with "TV" and "MUSIC TELEVISION" in white. The logo zooms in slowly and tilts to the right.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the show.

Availability: Extinct. Seen on Liquid Television.

2nd Logo (October 25, 1993-June 23, 1995)

Logo: It's a shortened version of the MTV "Mirror" bumper of the era, but with "PRODUCTIONS" appearing below.

Technique: Same as the MTV "Mirror" bumper.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the show.

Availability: Extinct. Seen on The Jon Stewart Show.

Final Note: From 1995-2003, most MTV shows used either an in-credit notice or a shortened version of the 1996 MTV Films logo.

MTV Production Development

(2003-2019)

Logo: We see a shot of some grass with the silhouettes of (presumably) a camera crew. Then the MTV logo appears, followed by the stenciled text "Production" and "Development" and a copyright stamp below it (all in white).

Variants:

There is a version that takes place on a beach, with waves crashing into the sand.
There is another version that takes place near a swimming pool.
There is a rare variant where the words "Production Development" and the copyright stamp appear at the same time.
Sometimes, the logo is still.
In 2010, the logo was updated with the newer MTV logo.
In 2011, the copyright stamp now mentions Viacom Media Networks instead of MTV Networks, due to a rebrand.
On Teen Wolf, the logo is shortened to a tenth of a second.

Technique: Live-action footage.

Music/Sounds: An ambient piano theme with the sound of a sprinkler and crickets chirping, or the ending theme of the show.

Music/Sounds Variants:

On the beach version, the sound of seagulls and waves crashing is heard with the music.
On the swimming pool version, only the sound of water is heard.
On The Substitute, the music is sped up.

Availability: It was seen on all MTV-produced shows such as Teen Wolf and Jersey Shore among others until 2019.

Legacy: This logo is well-remembered by people who grew up watching Teen Wolf and Jersey Shore, as well as other MTV shows of the time.

MTV Music & Series Development

(2003-2006)

Logo: It's just the text "MTV Music and Series Development" improvised in the end credits depending on the show. Sometimes, the MTV logo can also be seen above the text.

Variants:

On Viva La Bam, the logo is seen on a letterboxed brown background, and the text is stenciled, just like on the MTV Production Development logo.
- Starting with Season 4, the background varies depending on the episode, and the logo is seen on the bottom.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme and/or dialogue of the show.

Availability: Seen on all 5 seasons of Viva La Bam and other MTV-produced shows from the era.

MTV Studios

1st Logo (2018-June 13, 2019)

Logo: Same as the 1996 MTV Films logo, but the reflected part is replaced with the 2010 MTV logo. A rectangle is seen next to it with the word "S T U D I O S" inside of it.

Technique: Same as the 1996 MTV Films logo.

Music/Sounds: A descending synth sound, followed by a remade version of the 1981 "One Small Step" theme.

Availability: Only seen on Viacom's Vimeo account.

2nd Logo (June 13, 2019-March 4, 2021)

Opening variant
Closing variant

Logo:

Opening: We see a spaceman holding a flagpole (an homage to the very first MTV ID from 1981), then it cuts to the MTV logo waving as the flag. The spaceman thrusts the flagpole to the ground, then the MTV logo flickers to white and "STUDIOS" appears spaced out below, which then moves up to the logo and boldens.
Closing: The second half of the opening, with "STUDIOS" spacing out at the bottom.

Variant: There is a long version where we see the spaceman look at a static screen opening up with vibrating and melting colors, with references to the animated shows Æon Flux and Beavis and Butt-Head seen inside. The spaceman then enters the screen and starts falling in it, feeling like sliding in paint. As he falls, he grabs part of the static in the shape of a flagpole, and falls out of the static. The same animation from the opening proceeds, only this time, as the spaceman thrusts the flagpole to the ground, the screen flashes to black with the MTV logo and "STUDIOS" appearing.

A scene of the long version, along with the moonman landing down and placing the flag, the MTV logo changing into the yellow "M" with blue edges and the red "TV" being sprayed to make the 2021 MTV logo, much like the MTV Entertainment Studios logo, then changing into M-Frames, is seen in Loyalkaspar's MTV rebrand case study.

Technique: A creative mix of live-action and 2D-3D animation by Antibody.

Music/Sounds: A dreamy five-note jingle based on MTV's very first ident from 1981.

Music/Sounds Variants:

The long version has a synthesized fanfare.
On Emily in Paris, the jingle is sped-up.

Availability: Seen on the Facebook Watch iteration of The Real World, including the Mexico and Bangkok versions. It also appeared on the first season of Emily in Paris. The full version was uploaded to Vimeo by Patrick Clair.