Most Video

Background
Most Video (lit. Bridge Video; Mediabridge in translation) was a home video distributor in Russia, a subsidiary of Media Most, the media empire of Vladimir Gusinsky mostly specializing in distributing Warner Home Video releases in Russia. In 1999, Varus Video, along with its movie rights, was taken over by Media Most. When Gusinsky was accused of fraud and fled from Russia, this led to the slow demise of his companies, and eventually was bought out by Gazprom Media in 2001. Most Video then lost their distribution rights from Warner Bros. in 2002. Since that, it continued to operate as an independent distributor until its closure in 2005.

1st Logo (1998?-2002)
Nickname: "Media Eye"

Logo: On a black background, a glowing orange eyeball is drawn while zooming out. As it stops and dissolves away, the word "МОСТ" ("MOST") is drawn out while rotating in a arc. Finally, a series of bright orange lines draw out while zooming out, briefly revealing "ВИДЕО" ("VIDEO") before a brief sphere of orange light appears. It reveals the eyeball, now white and containing a green sphere whose polygon count increases until it becomes perfectly smooth, "МОСТ" sitting curved above the eye, and "ВИДЕО" ("VIDEO") below it. A vertically tall rectangle is then drawn as a green line flashes into existance, and "МЕДИАМОСТ" ("MEDIAMOST") appears under it while stretched out, condensing into the box. Eventually, the sphere fully smoothens out, not unlike the one in NTV's logo, and then it cuts to black, where a orange beam of light shoots across the screen. White letters jitter in to reveal "ПРЕДСТАВЛЯЕТ" ("PRESENTS").

FX/SFX: The letters and the eye being drawn, the light flash and box forming, the words move into the box. Not bad for the time.

Music/Sounds: A blaring synth note plays at first, overlapping a dramatic, yet calm synth fanfare. It ends with a echoing phaser sound. The final screen has a condensed "whoosh".

Availability: Seen on VHS releases in the late 90's, when the Varus Video brand was abandoned.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (1999-2002)
Nickname: "The Eagle"

Logo: On a black background, a dark blue spotlight appears in the corner as a light blue ribbon grows into view and begins swerving. As the ribbon starts moving, it reveals more of the translucent ribbons twining around in a circular motion, with the blue light flying to the right as they do. The camera then flies through the tower of ribbons and some of them draw in, creating a rather sharp point. It then fades to a different shot where the ribbons, which are creating an eagle silhouette, are over a large blue rectangle. The ribbons move out, leaving a cut-out as the rectangle rotates and flashes, causing the eagle head to split apart even more, and the rectangle then settles. "МОСТ ВИДЕО ФИЛЬМ" ("MOSTVIDEOFILM"), then scrolls in onto 2 set lines, shrinking the rectangle to a square, and leaving "МОСТ" and "ФИЛЬМ" on the top and bottom lines respectively, with "ВИДЕО" wiping in. Eventually, the logo shines and the words emit a ray of light from them for a few seconds before diappearing.

FX/SFX: The moving ribbons, words and box.

Music/Sounds: An piano-driven orchestral piece, with a gong in the beginning and twinkles when the logo shines.

Availability: Seen on their DVDs, mainly on Banditskiy Petersburg compilations.

Editor's Note: None.