Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation was an animation division of MGM, founded in 1992 by Paul Sabella and Jonathan Dern. Its main purpose was animated productions based on MGM's library, the first one being The Pink Panther in 1993. In 1999, Sabella and Dern left the company (they would go on to form Sabella Dern Entertainment), with the studio itself going dormant in 2002.

Logo (September 13, 1993-February 3, 1999)


Visuals: Superimposed over the closing credits is a still 1986 MGM logo. The text "Animation" in a gold script wipes in below, with "Produced in Hollywood, U.S.A. by" above in an Arial font.

Trivia: The Robocop: Alpha Commando variant has a grammatical error. The byline reads "For Orion Pictures, Corporation", when it should read "For Orion Pictures Corporation" without a comma.

Early Variants:

  • On the first season of The Pink Panther (1993), the logo is in grayscale. The text "Animation" appears in a plain gray font.
  • On season two of The Pink Panther (1993) and season three of All Dogs Goes to Heaven: The Series, the logo is more "cartoony" with a drawing of Leo. Unlike the regular logo, "TRADE" and "MARK" are absent, substituted by a small "TM" symbol where the ® usually is. Plus, the initials of "Metro Goldwyn Mayer" are red like in the 1953 and 1957 MGM logos and there is a dark blue-light blue gradient circle inside the ribboning behind the lion.

Variants:

  • A variant in which the text "For Orion Pictures, Inc.", then later, "For Orion Pictures, Corporation" exists, which appears below the logo. This logo is on a green background with scenes from RoboCop: Alpha Commando.
  • On the first two seasons of All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series, "PRODUCED IN HOLLYWOOD, U.S.A. BY" is in a bolder Roman font. The MGM logo is the print artwork. However, the first four episodes of the first season use the normal MGM logo, but with a black circle inside the ribboning behind the lion.
  • On The Pink Panther (1993), the above text is in a pink Dom Casual font.
  • On The Lionhearts, the logo is on a black background.
  • On season three of All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series, the 2nd early variant has the initials of "Metro Goldwyn Mayer" in gold and the "Metro Goldwyn Mayer" and "Animation" words are larger. Also, "PRODUCED IN HOLLYWOOD, U.S.A. BY" is in all caps.
  • On the theatrical Pink Panther cartoon Driving Mr. Pink, the "cartoony" variant is on a black background with no text above.

Technique: 2D animation for the Animation text.

Audio: The opening/ending theme of the show/short.

Availability: Appears on The Pink Panther (1993), Robocop: Alpha Commando, The Lionhearts and All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series.

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