Umbrella Entertainment

Background

Umbrella Entertainment is an Australian-owned distributor of home entertainment in Australia and New Zealand, which is operating on August 4, 2001. Umbrella specialises in a wide range of content for theatrical exhibition, home entertainment, TV broadcasting and online download platforms. It is based in Kew, Victoria.

1st Logo (2001-2014)

Visuals: The screen fades in on an animated backyard with the yellow umbrella figure hanging up on a spinning clothes line drying off, the clothesline then stops and we see the umbrella figure with a small fly flying around him, the fly disappears and the logo starts to fade to black, with the umbrella and clothes line only still shown, we then see a white line with the words:

umBrella entertainment

sliding out of the white line vertically, the logo then fades to black.

Variant: There's also a variant with the words "UmBrella aussie DVD", the white outline, the still artwork and the URL.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The sounds of children playing are heard, a dog barking, birds chirping, and the fly buzzing. When the logo fades to the words "Umbrella Entertainment", a relaxing piano riff plays.

Availability: Seen on most DVD releases that are under the name.^[Examples?]

2nd Logo (2004-2012) (UK titles only)

Visuals: There is the Umbrella mascot trying to position a TV aerial on an old-fashioned TV. As he does this, we see flags of different countries show up including Italy, Japan, France, the United States and Turkey. The umbrella finally stops moving the aerial when the TV shows a signal from the UK. The sequence then fades to the Umbrella Entertainment logo of the time with the yellow umbrella and his TV next to the logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Static and miscellaneous sound effects as the Umbrella tunes the TV, then a chime from Big Ben as the TV finally settles on the signal from the UK. Finally, we hear the same calm riff from the end of the first logo as the Umbrella logo fades in.

Availability: Seen on Umbrella DVDs of UK programs, such as compilations of Kenny Everett material.

3rd Logo (July 12, 2005)

Visuals: There is a CGI version of a yellow anthropomorphic umbrella walking down the street, it then starts to rain, much to the mascot's disdain, then the logo suddenly rewinds, this time he gets out an umbrella and keeps walking, we then see a neon sign of the company's logo at the time and the background fades out to leave the sign as the URL fades in below.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A funky tune (which contains the drum break from "Impeach the President" by The Honey Drippers), rain sounds, rewinding sound effects when the logo reverses itself and flickering sounds at the end.

Availability: Seen on very few Umbrella DVDs.^[Examples?]

4th Logo (2008-2014)

Visuals: The screen fades in on a dark thunderstorm. A light breaks through the clouds and the yellow umbrella mascot falls down from above the clouds. As he falls the sky becomes clearer. Eventually, the umbrella opens and drifts to the ground, as if he was skydiving. The umbrella then shakes off the water from the thunderstorm and stands proudly with his hands on his hips. The screen then cuts to the logo appearing via a transition effect.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Thunderstorm effects at the beginning, a heavenly harp trill as the sky opens and the umbrella falls into view. We then hear wind effects as the umbrella falls. Throughout we hear vocal effects from the umbrella itself including a "whoooo" sound as we see it fall into view and a satisfied "hmm" as it stands proudly at the end of the logo.

Availability: Seen on movies distributed by Umbrella during the late 2000s-early 2010s.^[Examples?]

5th Logo (2014-)

Visuals: There is a cluster of black umbrellas. The one in the middle of the screen is highlighted in yellow. Then the screen fades to the updated Umbrella logo.

Variant: A short variant just has the Umbrella logo fade in.

Technique: Live action and CGI.

Audio: Just a thunderstorm sound effect.

Availability: Seen on Australian movie releases distributed by the company.^[Examples?]

6th Logo (2021-)

Visuals: Various clips of movies are shown, with rain, which then turns into the yellow umbrella with "20 YEARS OF UMBRELLA ENTERTAINMENT" appearing.

Technique: CGI overlaid with footage from previous movies.

Audio: A soft orchestral piece with rain and thunder sound effects.

Availability: Can be seen on the company's YouTube channel and their 2022 Blu-Ray release of Tickle Me.