Star Cinema
From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum
Background
Star Cinema is a Filipino movie studio and is also one of the major film imprints by Philippine media conglomerate ABS-CBN, with the second being Black Sheep Productions, a secondary subsidiary of the latter television company. It was established in 1993 as a successor to Vision Films and later became a division of ABS-CBN Corporation. The company specializes in production and distribution of films and television series and has released some of the highest-grossing Filipino films. In early April 2022, ABS-CBN signed a contract with rival GMA Network to air some of Star Cinema's films on the latter's network.
Star Cinema Productions
1st Logo (1993-2000)
Visuals:
- 1993-1994: On a blinking starfield background, an icy blue stellar dodecahedron flies in from the left and revolves around the center as the words "STAR CINEMA" fly in from the right and become illuminated by the spiked star, becoming a crystal white color. As the words pan from left to right, the camera rotates around them and when it gets to the end, they zoom out and position themselves into a straight position as the star rests as a 6-pointed star. It then glows a white aura, morphing into a flat sunburst-like shape, as a ball of light flies in, revealing "PRODUCTIONS INC." below, also in white.
- 1994-2000: On a black/blue gradient background (similar to the Viva Films and the V. Rich Film logos of the time), a spiked crystal ball flies in, looking much like the 1987 DiC logo's star, as the camera follows it to see the words "STAR CINEMA", in the same font as before but in white, panning from left to right. The camera then zooms out to reveal the full text as the star goes above it, transforming into the same shape from before but with a more crystal-like "3D" look to it. A ball of light then appears and brings up "PRODUCTIONS INC." below, this time in a Helvetica/Nimbus Sans font.
Variants:
- A short version exists.
- 1994-2000:
- A warped version can be found on Puso ng Pasko.
- On Hey Babe!, the logo has a sky blue tint.
- On Wanted: Perfect Father, a black background is used. This might be because of film quality, however.
- At the end of some films such as Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara, Notoryus and Amanos: Patas na ang Laban, a print version of the logo is seen as part of the closing credits.
- On a montage celebrating the reveal of the 2000 ABS-CBN logo during the ABS-CBN Worldwide Celebration of the New Millennium broadcast on December 31, 1999-January 1, 2000, the star goes above and the "STAR CINEMA" text already formed, with the ball of light reveals "PRODUCTIONS INC." has been cut off.
Technique: CGI.
Audio: There are two themes:
- 1993-1994: An orchestral fanfare with pluck sounds.
- 1994-2000: A dark synth tune with violins, ending more triumphant.
Audio Variants:
- On Eskapo and Basta't Kasama Kita, a majestic theme with some beeps is heard. On the latter film, a whoosh is added to the music.
- On Adan Ronquillo: Tubong Cavite... Laking Tondo (the company’s first film), a "triumphant" version of the fanfare was used.
- On Wanted: Perfect Father, whooshes and zaps are added to the music.
- On Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin, it is silent.
- On Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa, the opening theme is used.
- On Puso ng Pasko, a Christmas fanfare is heard.
- On Batang PX, the logo is high-pitched.
Availability:
- The early variant is harder to find due to its short lifespan, but it can be found on Home Along Da Riles and pre-1994 films. The said variant was absent on Hear No Evil.
- The later version is more common, and examples including it are April, May, June, Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita and ’Di Pwedeng, Hindi Pwede! Most films from the period are distributed by Star Records Video (Star Home Video), Regal Home Video on VHS/VCD/DVD, and/or digitally restored using ABS-CBN Film Restoration Project, and it appeared during the montage segment celebrating the reveal of the 2000 ABS-CBN logo on the ABS-CBN Worldwide Celebration of the New Millennium broadcast on December 31, 1999-January 1, 2000. It is absent on Goodbye America, Legacy and Ghost Fighter: The Movie (which the studio is distributing for Creative Products Corp.).
2nd Logo (2000-2003)
.jpeg)
_B.webp)
_C.png)
.png)
Visuals: On a space background, a blue comet appears and forms a yellow curve. It shines and a star emerges from it, which emits light rays that move from left to right. Then, the text "STAR CINEMA" flies in from the bottom and centers itself and shines. The logo fades out.
Variants:
- A short version was seen on Bagong Buwan.
- On certain television productions by the studio, the logo appears in the last seconds and it cross-fades to the 2000, the 2003 50th anniversary variation or the 2004 ABS-CBN logo.
Technique: CGI.
Audio: A majestic fanfare, including a stock flute warbling (which was also heard on the Kinowelt logo) with whoosh sounds, with brief synth blares at the ending flourish.
Audio Trivia: The music uses Peter Siedlaczek's "Orchestral Colours" sample library.
Audio Variants:
- On Pera o Bayong: Not Da TV and on the studio's TV productions, the opening theme is used.
- On Dekada '70, the logo is silent.
Availability: Seen mostly on early 2000s films, including Mila, Jologs, and Got 2 Believe. Starting in 2003, it was used as de facto logo for home video releases by Star Records Video after their 3rd logo retired and it used until 2004. The TV variant is seen on productions made for ABS-CBN, including Panagko sa Yo (2000) and it also make a surprise appearance in the 2003 ABS-CBN's 50th anniversary documentary special Limangpung Taong Ligawan: The Pinoy TV Story in October 2003.
Legacy: This logo marks the first appearance of the shooting star and fanfare, which is still used to this day.
Star Cinema/ABS-CBN Film Productions
1st Logo (February 11, 2004-May 2013)
.webp)
.webp)
_1.webp)
_2.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
Logos:
- Prototype logo (February 11, 2004): On a black/blue gradient background, there is a yellow spark making the yellow curve from before while the camera follows it. Lights are seen surrounding it after two seconds. When it finishes, the spark flashes to form the star from before, while the words "STAR CINEMA", "ABS" and "CBN", which are in glass zoom out and place themselves while emitting light rays. The latter two move to their normal positions to form the familiar name and then turn blue. The star glows, and "FILM PRODUCTIONS, INC" fades in below "ABS-CBN". A light appears on the star for a second.
- March 17, 2004-December 24, 2010: On a black background with stars, an orange comet appears and starts to go faster, making a flash, which writes in the text "STAR CINEMA". "ABS-CBN" also writes in with the help of lights. The comet appears again and forms the curve, and makes the star when it finishes. It glows yellow for a few seconds, while "FILM PRODUCTIONS, INC" fades in below "ABS-CBN", just like before.
- November 3, 2010-May 2013: It begins with the first second from the 2004-2010 version, but it looks different and the star starts to move around. It moves close to the center to become the star in the curve, while the curve starts drawing. The "STAR CINEMA" and "ABS-CBN" texts fade in and glow, and later "FILM PRODUCTIONS, INC.". The curve shines and the background becomes a field of stars.
Variants:
- Prototype logo (February 11, 2004):
- A prototype version of the logo is seen on TV commercials of Milan.
- On a trailer for Otso-Otso Pamela-mela Wan, the logo is slightly tinted gold.
- 2004-2010:
- A filmed version exists, where the text "FILM PRODUCTIONS, INC." is shadowed over the curve and the background is darkened.
- On several films, the logo fades out early when it's formed.
- On Feng Shui, the logo is tinted blue and cropped to an octagonal shape, resembling a mirror from the bagua.
- On Dubai, the last few seconds of the logo are in warp speed.
- On First Day High, the logo fades to outer space.
- On a trailer for Agent X44, the logo is in black and white.
- On a trailer for You Got Me, while the logo finishes forming, the logo zooms in and out, turns black and white and flips horizontally for split seconds.
- On a trailer for Sukob, the logo is zoomed out. The trailer of Cinco has the logo also zoomed out, but in a dark brown tint.
- On Dreamboy, You Are The One and When Love Begins, the logo stars off in the exact point where the comet flashes.
- On Villa Estrella, after the logo is formed, it fades to a body of water.
- On Cinco, the logo is on a dark red background, with the curve drawing and the star appearing before the texts fade in. It can also be seen on the film's audience reaction commercials.
- On trailers and TV commercials for 100, Noy, Donsol, and Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, the words "DISTRIBUTED BY" appears and the logo is in the box.
- Currently, on restored prints of films made by the company, the logo is in a brown or a slight gold tint.
- 2010-2013:
- On trailers and TV commercials for Thelma, Ikaw ang Pag-Ibig, Bwakaw, The Strangers, Captive, Amigo, and the restored versions of Himala and Ora, Plata, Mata, the words "DISTRIBUTED BY" appears and the logo is in the box.
- On a promotional video by the theater chains promoting the policy of video recording in the cinema, the finished logo appears on screen.
Technique: CGI.
Audio: Same as before, the opening theme of the film, or for the case of 2010-2013 version, a piano theme which transforms into a beautiful fanfare. It is the only 21st century Star Cinema logo to use a different theme (not a rearrangement/re-orchestration of the 2000 fanfare).
Audio Variants:
- 2004-2010: On Dubai, the last few seconds of the logo's music is cut off and segues to the Ely Buendia's song "Alapaap" to start the film.
- 2010-2013: The 2000 fanfare can be heard on the 2012 film of The Strangers.
Availability:
- The 2004 prototype logo was only used for the film Milan.
- 2004-2010: It began appearing on most Star Cinema produced films starting with Otso-otso Pamela-mela Wan (which used the 4th logo in the trailer). Also often seen on collaborations with Viva Films, including Ang Cute ng Ina Mo, A Very Special Love, and You Changed My Life. Restored prints have the ABS-CBN logo and extra credits preceding it. It also appears as a de facto home entertainment logo for releases distributed by Star Records Video from 2004 until the formation of Star Home Video in 2007. It was last used on the trailer of Bulong on December 24, 2010, with the movie was released on February 2 of the following year.
- 2010-2013: Seen on recent Filipino films, including Bulong. It also appears on Viva Films collaborations, like Catch Me... I'm in Love. It is also made cameo appearance on the promotional video regarding the video recording in the cinema that is screened in the theater chains throughout the country.
2nd Logo (20th anniversary variant) (May 24, 2013-December 14, 2014)
.webp)
Visuals: On a starfield, there is a star, leaving a yellow trail, zooming to us. It then zooms out while spinning to the left, and a filmstrip moves around to stop it. The filmstrip appears again and the letters of "STAR CINEMA" appear scrolling to the left while spinning. The filmstrip moves to the center and dissapears again, then appears again when the letters are gone. The filmstrip starts forming a "0" on the star while another filmstrip comes and forms a "2", making the "20". "STAR CINEMA" fades in below the logo and rotates to face the camera, and "ABS-CBN FILM PRODUCTIONS, INC.", with "ABS-CBN" in its 2000-2014 wordmark, also fades in below.
Variant: On trailers and TV commercials for Ekstra, Hari ng Tondo, Sa ngalan ng ama, ina at mga anak, the Thai film Pee Mak and the restored versions of Ganito kami noon... Paano kayo ngayon?, Virgin People (appearing along with the ABS-CBN and Central Digital Lab logos), the words "DISTRIBUTED BY" appears and the logo is in the box.
Technique: CGI.
Audio: The fanfare from the 2000 logo.
Audio Variants:
- On Momzillas, whooshes and sparkles were added to the fanfare.
- On some films, like Bride for Rent, the fanfare from the 3rd logo is used.
Availability: First seen on On the Job. It can be found on films by the company of this time period before the revamped logo was introduced, including Four Sisters and a Wedding and She's Dating the Gangster.
Star Cinema
1st Logo (December 25, 2014-May 16, 2018)
.jpeg){kind=logo}
Visuals: On a space background with clouds, there is a golden star rotating and moving towards the left. A sun can be seen on the right of the screen. The star leaves sparks during the spinning. When it stops, a golden curve forms and flashes a red light. The words "STAR CINEMA" zoom out, tilted over the finished product. The star sparkles red. The white byline "AN ABS-CBN COMPANY" (with ABS-CBN uses its 2014 horizontal logo, while the "A" and "COMPANY" is in Gotham typeface) fades in.
Trivia: The font used in this logo is Akzidenz-Grotesk, whereas the print logo uses Gotham for the name instead.
Variants:
- On an older YouTube print of Loving in Tandem, the widescreen variant of the logo is cropped in the Cinemascope format, covering the byline. Current prints use the normal Cinemascope cropping.
- On trailers and TV commercials for local films produced by other companies and foreign films distributed by the studio, along with the restored versions of Sana Maulit Muli (20th anniversary restored version), Batang PX, Hihintayin kita sa langit, Banaue: Stairway to the Sky, and Ikaw Pa Lang ang Minahal, the words "DISTRIBUTED BY" appears and the logo is in the box.
Technique: CGI.
Audio: Same as before.
Availability: Seen on Filipino films starting with The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin and Feng Shui 2. Other films including these are Always be My Maybe (2016), A Second Chance (2015 film sequel to the 2007 film One More Chance), Crazy Beautiful You, Just the Way You Are (2015), My Ex and Whys and Sin Island. The logo is absent on certain foreign films distributed by the studio; releases featuring the logo include theatrical prints of Reset (2017).
2nd Logo (May 16, 2018-February 18, 2022)
.webp)
Visuals: On a black background is blue, green and red rings from the ABS-CBN logo. The letter "C" with film strip holes appears with the star outline, while the rest of the words "STAR CINEMA" place on the "C" before the screen zooms out. Then the star wipes in diagonally and glows in yellow.
Variant: On a trailer for Quezon's Game, the logo plays in black and white while in warp speed, then after the logo forms, it turns into color.
Technique: CGI.
Audio: A rearranged, shorter version of the familiar Star Cinema fanfare, which starts from the preceding ABS-CBN Films logo.
Audio Variant: The 2000 fanfare can be heard on Hello, Love, Goodbye and Unbreakable (both released in 2019).
Availability: First seen on Kasal (2018), and has appeared on most Star Cinema films afterwards, including First Love (2018), The Girl in the Orange Dress, Hello, Love, Goodbye and Four Sisters Before the Wedding. The last film to use this was On the Job: The Missing 8. the logo was not shown on foreign films from 2018 to 2019, however, certain foreign films were transferred to the sister label Cine Screen beginning in 2019. It's usually preceded by the ABS-CBN Films logo.
3rd Logo (October 21, 2022-)
.jpg)
Visuals: On a black background is many yellow particles all move to the bottom left of the screen to form into a star, ala the 1994 United Artists logo. Then, as the black background turns into white, the star flies from the bottom left to the middle moving in a circular line, and draws a yellow oval line, while the screen zooms in. After that, the text "STAR CINEMA" in the Arimo font zooms in cheaply, and the star with the line shines.
Technique: 2D animation.
Audio: A futuristic-sounding synth ditty, followed by a whooshing sounds, followed by a shorter reorchestration of the familiar fanfare, as another whoosh is heard. Unlike the previous logo, it sounds similar to the 2000 logo's fanfare.
Audio Variant: On An Inconvenient Love, the fanfare fades into the opening theme.
Availability: First seen on the end of the trailer of An Inconvenient Love, on their official channel, and the full animation debuted on the actual film. The logo is also seen on collaborations with Viva Films such as Partners in Crime. Like the previous logo, the logo usually preceded by the 2018 ABS-CBN Films logo.
Legacy: This logo marks the return of the shooting star after a four-year absence.
4th Logo (September 27, 2023-)
.png)
Visuals: On a space background, it zooms as it shows the metallic logo of the words "STAR CINEMA" and on the bottom has a large "30" with a star inside the zero. The space background keeps zooming while the logo fades out after a few seconds.
Technique: 3D animation.
Audio: Same from above.
Availability: It can be seen on films starting with A Very Good Girl.
