DNA Productions (1987-1991)

Background: In 1987, Federalwood was reorganized into DNA Productions by John A. Davis and Keith Alcorn and moved from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Dallas, Texas.

1st Logo

(September 19, 1987-May 6, 1989)

Nicknames: "They Ripped Off Cinar, Warner Bros. Animation and the 1998 Viacom Productions logo!", "Interlocked Pink Bars", "Sparkles", "Rotating Pink Bars", "16-Bit DNA", "Super DNtendo", "Cheesy CGI DNA", "DAA", "Helix, the Purple Cat Scientist", "The Return of Helix", "Late 80's Helix"

Logo: On a primitive computerized dark purple background vaguely looking like stone or rock, we see a purple cat (nicknamed Helix and previously the mascot of Federalwood) with two tails looking like DNA and a big pink human-like nose, wearing a white lab coat with a purple bowtie on it, walking in from the right for a bit before stopping and turning his head towards us, at this point, a pink line line draws in, revealing many bright pink 3D bars interlocking with each other. The bars rotate up and zoom-out, revealing the text:

DNA

glittering with stars. The word "DNA" is thick and full of segmented lines, with each of the letters connected together, almost exactly like the final Federalwood logo. Finally, a line slides in from the left and forms into "PRODUCTIONS INC." in the same font as the 1984 PBS logo text.

Variant: On the final five episodes of season 9 of Andre Alligator's Friends, the logo is shorter, so that it starts fading into the zoom-out. The background is not rocky. This variant is also remarkably faster.

FX/SFX: Helix walking in and then leaning onto the finished product, the bars interlocking, and the glittering stars.

Cheesy Factor: Rather primitive computer graphics and cheesy "glittering" effects, although this is saved by the coolness of the animation (kinda resembling the Marvel Productions "CGI Spidey" logo). It is also somewhat hard to make out on the text with the huge connection of the "N" and the "A" which makes it look like it says "DAA" instead. You would've thought DNA would learn their lesson after how poorly the final Federalwood logo turned out, but this is obviously not the case here. As a matter of fact, the animation and final product looks too similar to the 1985 Cinar logo.

Music/Sounds: A synthesized rock score, complete with drums, a synthesizer and even a guitar, and finally a 7-note trumpet-like theme that sounds like it came from an SNES game.

Availability: Pretty rare. Last seen in the U.S. when Boomerang reran Andre Alligator's Friends. Can be seen on DNA shows of the period on VHS releases by RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video due to their shows all being co-productions with New Line Network, as well as season 9-10 episodes of Andre Alligator's Friends on the complete series DVD set by Warner Home Video (as well as the earlier solo releases of both seasons).

Scare Factor: Low to medium. Helix might catch you off guard if you haven't seen it before, expecting the next logo or the 1994-2001 logo and wind up with this, but it's still a cool logo, even with the primitive animation. The music can also surprise some.

2nd Logo

(September 16, 1989-May 13, 1995; 1997; November 24, 2001-July 6, 2002)

Nicknames: "They Ripped Off Cinar II", "Still Ripping Off Cinar", "Cinar Meets Pixar and WNET", "Space", "DNA in Space", "CGI DNA", "1989: A DNA Odyssey", "Helix, the Purple Cat Scientist II", "The Return of Helix II", "Helix Trek: The Next Generation", "Early 90's Helix"

Logo: On a space background, "PRODUCTIONS INC." in the same font as the previous logo zooms out off-center. Then Helix the Cat (also from the previous logo), again in 2D, hops by. He stops once he stands next to the text. He holds his arms out, triggering a white flash forming a redesigned DNA logo that then flashes again. Most of the differences are subtle, but the most obvious is that the letters are separate.

Variants:

A still version of this logo exists with "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" below "PRODUCTIONS INC." on the 1991 animated revival of The Munsters, which was followed by the prototype variant of the 1st Universal Cartoon Studios logo.

Another variant exists where the full animation of the logo plays, but "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" (above the DNA text) and "AND" below "PRODUCTIONS INC." fade in after the first flash, seen only on season 1 of Night In The Woods, this was preceded by said show's custom variant of the 4th Stoner-Ruegger Productions logo and followed by the 1987 Paramount Television logo (1990 byline).

Some shows/movies such as the final season of Vampire Mice from 1990 would have the logo shortened to just the flash.

FX/SFX: The letters zooming out, Helix hopping and the white flashes. Great CGI/2D combination that improves on the last logo's faults...

Cheesy Factor: ...but despite all that, this still looks similar to the Cinar logo of the period, in this instance the 1991-2004 logo.

Music/Sounds: A whoosh followed by the same music as the WNET "Radar" logo. Some shows instead used the ending theme of the show.

Availability: Rare. Survives on season 11-season 16 (final season) episodes of Andre Alligator's Friends, season 1 of Night In The Woods, season 1-season 4 episodes of Salmonsplat and season 1 and season 9 (the last New Line co-produced season, where it was used instead of either the 1994-2001 logo or the 2002-2006 "Paul" logo) episodes of The Forest Ranger Troop, in each case on both DVD and VHS (first via RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video, then Columbia TriStar Home Video, later Turner Home Entertainment and finally Warner Home Video; all by way of New Line Home Entertainment from 1991 until the end of VHS) as well as whenever any are reran. Also appeared on the 1995 and 1997 Johnny Quasar (the prototype of Jimmy Neutron) pitch shorts.

Scare Factor: Low. The darkness, quick pace and Helix may get to some, especially if you were expecting the 1994-2001 logo but end up with this, but it's a favorite of many.

Final Note: New DNA titles would begin using other logos starting in 1991, but Andre Alligator's Friends continued using this logo until it's final episode in 1995, while Salmonsplat used this logo for it's first four seasons before switching to the 1994-2001 logo for the rest of the show, Night In The Woods also debuted with this logo on it's first season but also switched to the 1994-2001 logo for the remaining three seasons, and The Forest Ranger Troop debuted with this logo on it's first season as well but switched to the 1994-2001 logo as well during S2-S8 episodes before, for an unusual reason, switching back to this logo for it's final New Line-co-produced season.