Pandora Pictures

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

Pandora Cinema was a film and (despite the name) television distribution company first formed in Paris, France,[1] with subsidiaries and headquarters in Luxembourg[2] and the United States.[3] In 1998, Gaylord Entertainment Company (now Ryman Hospitality Properties) purchased Pandora, and used it as its mid-budget and genre film division (referred to as Pandora Pictures).[4] In 2006, Gaylord sold several of their subsidiaries, with their film divisions going to Qualia Capital, who merged Gaylord Films and Pandora with Rysher Entertainment to form Qualia Libraries (now owned by Village Roadshow through Vine Alternative Investments).



1st Logo (September 19, 1992-1993)

Visuals: On a white background with grey segmented lines, the blue words "pandora" are seen. Above the logo is the black words "distributed by:" aligned to the right.

Technique: A still image.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on the short-lived TV series Hollywood Babylon.

2nd Logo (1992-August 2, 2002)


Visuals: There are some blue slashes (the second is orange) zooming out from the left as the background slowly turns from full-black into half black-blue gradient. As this happens, the word "pandora" slowly slides from left where the slashes arrived. The word "pandora" then shines.

Variant: There is a short version that begins with the flash, and "distributed by" is above "pandora".

Technique: CGI animation.

Audio: A dramatic synth tune. Otherwise, the opening theme of the movie or silence plays instead.

Availability: Seen on most movies produced by the company such as A Price Above Rubies, Maybe Baby, A Walk to Remember, Cypher, and Donnie Darko (theatrical cut only, the Director's Cut uses the 3rd logo). Also seen on international prints of Shine; American prints have the Fine Line Features logo instead. The short version was seen on the short-lived game show Scramble.

3rd Logo (September 30, 2002)

Visuals: Over a black background, there's the word "pandora" in a silver chrome texture.

Technique: A still image.

Audio: The opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Seen on Welcome to Collinwood.

4th Logo (October 11, 2002-August 27, 2004)


Visuals: There is a key falling from an orange sky. It lands in a hand (by this point the sky is blue), which uses the key to unlock a door. It opens and light comes out, which overtakes the screen. It turns into a keyhole shape, with "PANDORA", then the byline "a gaylord films company" in spaced-out letters to fit the width of "PANDORA", fading in soon after.

Variant: On the Director's Cut of Donnie Darko, the logo starts at the point where the light fills the screen.

Technique: Seems to be a mix of live-action and CGI animation.

Audio: A beautiful synth choir tune composed by Jeff Cardoni. Otherwise, the opening theme of the movie or silence plays instead.

Availability: Appears on White Oleander, Grind, the Director's Cut of Donnie Darko and Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie.

References