Zespół Filmowy Syrena

Background

Zespół Filmowy Syrena was a Polish film studio that was founded on May 1, 1955. Their best-known films include Stawka większa niż życie and Czterej pancerni i pies. Like other "first generation" film companies, Syrena dissolved on April 30, 1968, due to the events of March 1968. Because of this, their last few films did not see a theatrical release until 1972.

Contents

1st Logo (December 3, 1959-October 19, 1961)	2nd Logo (December 29, 1961-September 2, 1962)	3rd Logo (August 6, 1963-February 12, 1972)	4th Logo (April 4, 1972)

1st Logo (December 3, 1959-October 19, 1961)

Visuals: On a black background, a vertical array consisting of four gray circles differing in size briefly flash. In order, the top one is first, followed by the third (the smallest one of them all), the fourth circle, and lastly the second (biggest one). All of them then appear alongside "zespół realizatorów filmowych" horizontally aligned to the third circle in the stack. The latter word, "filmowych", is to the right of the circle as opposed to the left like the other two words. "syrena" in white is also shown on the largest circle.

Then, the third, fourth, second, and first circles are filled white. As a result of the color change, "syrena" becomes black and bolded. All four circles revert to their original color simultaneously. This sequence repeats two more times and then the third circle, alongside "zespół realizatorów filmowych" disappears. Quickly following suit, the remaining circles disappear and are replaced with "przedstawia film", positioned where the third circle lies.

Variant:

On Ostrożnie Yeti, "p.t." is added after "przedstawia film".
On Drugi człowiek, the circles remain static even after appearing, and "syrena" within the large circle flashes from white to black three times when the rest of the text appears. "przedstawia film" wipes in from left to right instead of abruptly appearing.
An in-credit variant exists on Biały niedźwiedź, where the font is slightly thicker and the circles are slightly more spaced out.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: A fast, randomized set of high-pitched notes performed by either a piano or a string instrument.

Availability:

This logo is only known to appear on three films: Odwiedziny prezydenta, Ostrożnie Yeti, and Drugi człowiek.
The in-credit variant was only seen on Biały niedźwiedź.
Their movies beforehand either use an in-credit notice or go straight to the opening credits. Despite its low output, the films were spotted on TV airings.

2nd Logo (December 29, 1961-September 2, 1962)

Visuals: Fading in on a white sky background sits the silhouette of a statue of a mermaid wielding a sword and shield. A few seconds in, the light illuminates the sculpture, showing the mermaid looking at the screen and with the shield covering most of her chest. The statue rotates slightly towards the left before stopping.

From here, the camera choppily zooms into the shield, halting where the entirety of the protector is still on-screen. Shortly before the zoom-in finishes, text fades in. "ZESPÓŁ • REALIZATORÓW • FILMOWYCH •" arcs within the shield, leaving a small portion in the bottom half of the shield untouched. Further within the shield, "„SYRENA"" is shown in a large size and underneath the following stacked text:

kierownictwo:
artystyezne-Stanislaw Wohl
literackie--------Jerzy Pomianowski
szef produkcji-Zygmunt Goldberg

This represents some of the producers for the management of the movie. In English, Stanislaw is the artistic producer, Pomianowski is involved with the literary production, and Goldberg as the head of the movie. The logo remains still for around ten seconds before the credits crossfade to "przedstawia film p.t.".

Trivia: The sculpture in this logo is the Mermaid of Warsaw. She is a symbol of said city, representing it in multiple other imagery including its coat of arms.

Technique: A mix of live-action and cel animation (for the fading text).

Audio: A classical horn fanfare. After the theme finishes, the opening theme of the film plays.

Audio Variant: On I ty zostaniesz Indianinem, the theme repeats twice.

Availability: Like before, the logo was not used on many films and had a short lifespan. Its only known appearances were Zuzanna i chłopcy and I ty zostaniesz Indianinem. There is no known source to obtain these movies outside of an old print preserved by Telewizja Polska.

3rd Logo (August 6, 1963-February 12, 1972)

Visuals: On a black background, eight vertical white lines are shown. There is also a wide gap between the second, third, and fourth lines. From left to right, each line (excluding the third one) turn around to the right where they display a printed etching of a mermaid holding a bomb and flowers with her right and left hand respectively. The first two slices capture the right half of the etching whereas the rest display at least most of her face. The right-most slice, however, has her face cropped off.

After each line, the speed of the slices' rotation increases. After the eighth slice is shown facing the screen, a ninth slice on the very right pops in. Additionally, the third vertical line disappears and is replaced with stacked text reading:

ZESPÓŁ

REALI-
---ZATORÓW

FILMOWYCH

kierownik artystyczny
STANISŁAW
WOHL
kierownik literacki
JERZY
POMIANOWSKI

szef produkcji
ZYGMUNT
GOLDBERG

The headers for each credit as well as the producers' names are condensed, the former of which is more squished together. After a few seconds, "SYRENA" in a white color, blocky font, and against a rectangular black box pops in, covering the third-fifth mermaid copies' chests. A few more seconds later, the slices flip back in the same speed and animation in reverse, disappearing entirely and leaving just the credits and "SYRENA" text on a black background.

Suddenly, a full picture of the mermaid etching pops in, replacing the credits. Not long after, "PRZEDSTAWIA" in black and within a white rectangular box appears further below "SYRENA" and to the right of the mermaid picture.

Variants:

An alternate variant uses a more detailed mermaid, appearing as an etching rather than a print copy. This variant also has several differences from the normal logo: there are six lines at the start instead of eight, the slices are wider, and the credits now read as follows:

ZESPÓŁ

REALI-
-------ZATORÓW

FILMOWYCH

kierownik artystyczny
STANISŁAW
------------WOHL
kierownik literacki
JERZY
POMIANOWSKI

szef produkcji
ZYGMUNT
-----GOLDBERG

SYRENA" is wider, larger, and within a rectangular box in a slightly brighter shade of black, noticeable to distinguish itself from the bar containing the credits. The mermaid etchings flipping in reverse are fast and slightly vary in speed. Rather than popping in, the bar containing the credits flip around to display the full mermaid etching with "PRZEDSTAWIA" appearing simultaneously. Said word is also closer to "SYRENA"

A color version exists that is a near match of the above variant. Here, the lines at the beginning are not straight and their flipping speed are identical. The credits match the version in the normal logo but are slightly stretched out more than said version. The box containing the company name is slightly lower with the mermaid copies' nipples uncovered. The mermaid etchings flipping in reverse, the full picture of said etching, and "PRZEDSTAWIA" appearing are like what was described in the normal logo. The only things colorized in the logo are the box containing "SYRENA" and the bomb and flowers the mermaid is holding, all of which are in red.
On Walkower, after the mermaid etchings flip in, the logo cuts to the finished product, followed by "PRZEDSTAWIA". The soundtrack is also cut to where the gong is heard.
On a few films, only the credits and company name are displayed. They match the one in the alternate variant.
- On Jowita, the box containing "SYRENA" is visible, being shown with a dark gray color.

Technique: Stop-motion animation for the turning slices; cel animation for the text appearing.

Audio: A drum roll plays, being slightly delayed from the start. Then, as the slices flip in, there are nine ascending piano notes, the last of which is held out and accompanied by a gong crash. When the copies turn away, we hear a descending harp. As the full picture of the mermaid pops in, a gong crash interrupts said instrument. Alongside the gong are four descending drumbeats.

Availability:

Its first appearance was on Ostani Kurs and last appeared on Dancing w kwaterze Hitlera.
The normal logo can be seen on Dwa żebra Adama, Monolog trębacza, Wiano, and Walkower.
The alternate variant is more common and appears on Życie raz jeszcze, Lekarstwo na miłość, Dancing w kwaterze Hitlera, among a few other movies. The logo was restored on a modern printing of the former film.
The mermaid-less variant can only be found on two movies: Potem nastąpi cisza and Jowita.

4th Logo (April 4, 1972)

Visuals: On a gray background, and after a few seconds, a 2D, minimalist filmstrip scrolls down. A gray box pops in within the bottom portion of the strip, displaying various, upside-down closeups of random letters. While said sequence plays, a roll, appearing to be made from paint strokes, forms, continuing to rotate and gradually expand. The roll also gradually slows down in speed after each revolution. Shortly before coming to a halt, a short line of filmstrip slides down from the roll and forms a curve directing to the top left side.

After the roll stops spinning, the head of a mermaid facing the right and down to her neck is shown taking up most of the white box in the filmstrip. Additionally, the holes on the left disappear and those on the right are mostly cropped off (a small piece of the right section is still dangling from the strip). Then, the paint strokes on the roll crossfade to a black circle with a small, gray dot with eight perpendicular lines.

A few seconds later, the screen cuts to a black background displaying a closer shot of the same shape right beforehand but flipped, facing the left. "SYRENA" is on the top, horizontal bar whereas "ZESPÓŁ REALIZATORÓW FILMOWYCH", in a stacked format with the latter word aligned to the right, is shown on the bottom, horizontal line. The words blink and are replaced with the names of the same producers from before and their position on the top and bottom bars, respectively. "KIEROWNIK" is also shortened to the first four letters followed by a period. After the last producer's name appears, the words disappear and the camera shutter-like shape expands like said object, revealing "PRZEDSTAWIA FILM:".

Technique: Traditional animation.

Audio: There are camera clicks throughout the logo. When the producer names replace the company's, three sets of electronic siren-like noises play with each set descending in pitch. They drop in pitch in-sync with the names appearing.

Availability: Only seen on Słońce wschodzi raz na dzień.