Relativity Media

Main Logo Variations

Relativity Media
Founded:	May 18, 2004 (19 years ago)
Founder:	Lynwood Spinks Ryan Kavanaugh
Location:	United States
Subsidiaries:	Madvine Trigger Street Productions R2 Entertainment Relativity Europacorp Distrubition Rogue
Website:	http://relativitymedia.com/

Background

Relativity Media was founded in 2004 by Ryan Kavanaugh and Lynwood Spinks as a film production company arranging multi-film slate deals with studios by way of financial support from banks. In 2009, the company acquired Rogue Pictures from Universal Studios. In 2010, the company became a mini major after acquiring the marking and distribution assets of Overture Films. In 2015, Relativity filed for bankruptcy, due to lawsuits and missing loans. In 2016, the company acquired Trigger Street Productions, producer of Netflix series House of Cards, Relativity's television division was spun off as Critical Content, and emerged from bankruptcy in March 2016; however, after continuing to struggle, Relativity filed for bankruptcy again in May 2018, and was sold to UltraV Holdings that August. Relativity returned to film distribution in 2020 with Come Away, their first film in four years.

1st Logo (June 16, 2006)

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Visuals: On a black background, there is a light flash create a white pillar coming down from the flash. It rotates to then reveal four connected pillars. As they are rotating, they are colored in blue and white, revealing an "r" and an "m". A white spark then passes through, drawing the words "RELATIVITY MEDIA" in a Courier font below the connected letters.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: The opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Only seen on The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

2nd Logo (September 7, 2007-September 18, 2009)

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Visuals: In space, there is a bright light that illuminates us a vision of different sized planets. As the camera moves faster in the center of the planets, tiny planets and small rings of different colors appear and form a bond between the planets, which now form big and small circles. As this happens, the words "RELATIVITYMEDIA" are seen below with "RELATIVITY" in Trajan Pro and "MEDIA" in Futura as it shines.

Variant: On 9, a print version is used.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The opening theme of the film. Otherwise, silent or a somber string piece on some films.

Availability: Seen on quite a few of Relativity Media's films during the era, including 3:10 to Yuma, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Role Models, The Tale of Despereaux, and Love Happens.

3rd Logo (January 9, 2009-October 11, 2013)

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Visuals: On a black background, there is an atom with some electrons zooming out from us. As the view continues to zoom out, there are other atoms, then the molecular structure, the planets and finally the whole galaxy. It stands rotated near to the right side and its center emits a light beam to the upper left corner. The background consists of stars and a few planets. The words "RELATIVITY MEDIA" appear separated by the galaxy's center, each letter being followed by a light curve and shining. Some planets appear while the logo forms itself and then fades out.

Trivia: This was designed by Mark Whiting, who's otherwise known for his work on animated productions such as The Iron Giant and Duck Dodgers.

Closing Variant: At the end of The Raven, a print version of the logo on a black background is used.

Technique: CGI produced by Radium, who was part of Reel FX around this time.

Audio: Various zooming sounds, then a loud "whoosh" when the galaxy zooms out. Otherwise, it's silent or has the opening/closing theme of the film.

Audio Variant: On Mirror Mirror, a calm orchestral theme composed by Alan Menken (based on his soundtrack) is heard, with some of the whooshing sound effects remaining intact.

Availability: It can be seen on The Unborn, Fighting, 9, Limitless, Immortals, Mirror Mirror, Act of Valor, and The Raven, among others.

4th Logo (2010-2017)

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Visuals: On a black background, the word "RELATIVITY" appears, with an ellipse coming through the letter "A".

Technique: A still, digital graphic.

Audio: The closing theme of the movie.

Availability: Seen at the end of some films such as My Soul to Take and Limitless, among others, and is used seen as a print logo on movie posters and DVD covers on most of their films.

5th Logo (June 19, 2013-)

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  Textless version

Visuals: Pretty much an updated version of the 3rd logo with more advanced CGI and a more atmospheric feel. However, after the galaxy is revealed, the camera moves further and there are several meteors, then there is the word "RELATIVITY" (like in the previous logo, but without the ellipse) turning from above and positioning itself as the camera zooms out even more to see some clouds and planets.

Trivia: Like the 3rd logo, this was designed by Mark Whiting. A look behind the scenes of this and the 3rd logo can be found here (profanity warning). A textless version of the logo used to be the background of Relativity's website.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Zooming sounds that sound similar to the 3rd logo, along with a deep voiced vocal ambience.

Audio Variants:

• On Free Birds, sounds of particles and whooshing planets (designed by Randy Thom, the film's sound designer/re-recording mixer) and a science fiction-oriented majestic orchestral fanfare (composed by Dominic Lewis) are heard, which segues into the Reel FX logo.
• On Out of the Furnace, it's silent.
• On Relativity's Whiting Pictures' webpage and on Violet, near the end the sound uses a weird synth drone.

Availability: It first appeared on the trailer for Free Birds, then debuted on the film itself, and appears on newer Relativity Media movies like Out of the Furnace, 3 Days to Kill, and Oculus.