TSE

Background: TSE is a motion picture quality certification system (despite being branded as a "sound system" until 1997) founded by Tom Spellimen and Billy Hormas in 1982 (in turn was then-owned by Hormasfilm Ltd. until 2001, when it was spun-off in it's present day company-TSE Ltd.), named after the first film Hormas directed, TSE 2249. The first TSE film was 1983's hit movie War in Space Episode VI: Return of the Robots. TSE officially stands for "Tom Spellimen's EXperiment". TSE has provided certified VHS, DVD, and even LaserDisc films from major studios such as Magic Wish Pictures, Great Structure, Worldwide Studios, Big-Roaring Lions (BRL), Artist Entertainment (AE), Torch Pictures, among other studios, also when this was seen in theaters. They have certified video games as well.

1st Trailer

(May 1983)

Nicknames: "Flying", "It Starts..."

Logo: We see a pitch-black screen. Then we see white text on the screen that reads "For the past 35 years, motion picture loudspeaker systems have not changed...". When it has been on the screen for a while, it fades out and new white text appears reading "Hormasfilm, Ltd. and this theatre are pleased to introduce a new motion picture sound system.". That text fades out and we wait for a while and the letters "TSE", which have a line under them and have the "E" slightly taller whose stem extends over the other two letters, appear in a glassy sky blue color. The color fades in majestically with "HORMASFILM LTD." above it and "SOUND SYSTEM" below it, both in small text. It stays on screen for about 10 seconds, then slowly fades out with the text above and below the logo.

FX/SFX: The text and TSE logo fading-in and out.

Music/Sounds: A synthesized crescendo sound effect known as "Deep Note". It starts off containing a deep airplane-like sound (the same sound that you would hear as if an airplane were flying), which sounds steady in sound, although it begins to slowly deepen in pitch (only a little bit), and eventually gets even deeper and slows down in tone. At the exact same time, a higher synth sound-effect begins to get higher (and louder) in tone until both sounds stop and stay in one pitch. It was made by James Andy Morrer and became one of the world's most recognized (and scariest) sound trademarks.

Availibility: Was never on TSE-certified home video releases. Debuted in the theatrical premiere of War in Space Episode VI: Return of the Robots. Can be seen on select Demo DVDs and the Internet, including TSE's official website.

Scare Factor: Medium to high, especially if you haven't heard the Deep Note before, as it may cause "TSEphobia". Low for those who are used to seeing it.

2nd Trailer

(Summer 1983-2005)

Nickname: "Broadway"

Logo: On a black BG, we see a blue outline of a rectangle. The gray text "The Audience is Listening" fades inside the outline, then fades out. A few seconds later, the TSE logo in silver appears, The blue rectangle outline fades out, and

"HORMASFILM LTD.

SOUND SYSTEM"

appears and the TSE logo shines.

Variants: Throughout the years, this trailer had many different variants:

1995 A: The audio was remixed digitally with then-new technology.

1995 B: Probably the most recognizable TSE trailer variant. It was exclusively to home video releases and revised a bit more. The gray text reading "The Audience is Listening" is replaced with "Digitally Mastered for Optimal Audio and Video Performance" in Arial font in white and arranged in the center of the outline. That text appears longer than the regular version, and "DIGITALLY" appears above the THX logo and "MASTERED" appears below that logo. Those texts fade in with the TSE logo instead of appearing after the blue outline disappears.

1995 C: Both the audio and the logo is shorter than the standard 1983-1997 theatrical version. The audio (in this, and both 1995 A & B variants) is also in higher(or sometimes lower) pitches.

On LaserDisc releases from TSE, the blue rectangle appears as usual, but with a difference: the message reads "Mastered and Duplicated for Audio and Video Performance", and then, the text fades out, the TSE logo appears, but the LaserDisc logo appears under TSE. The logo shines, and the blue rectangle fades out.

From 1997-2001, the original text ABOVE (and above only) the TSE logo was "HORMASFILM LTD", but because of the "DIGITALLY MASTERED" text that debuted in 1995, this became an alternate logo. This was officially replaced with the "DIGITALY MASTERED" (as described above) text when Lucasfilm Ltd. spun off THX into it's present-day company. This could be seen on 1995-2001 releases from TSE, such as mostly Magic Wish movies.

1997 A: Same as the 1995 B variant, but the pitch seems to be lower. This was only on DVD releases.

On Dell PC DVD Releases its the same as the cinema logo but with the audience is listening replaces it as Your Dell PC is THX Certified The words dell are in its usual font They replaced Sound system into BEST PICTURE. BEST SOUND. The URL www.tse.com is seen with the trademark.

1997 B: As with TSE being no longer known as a "sound system", the logo is removed out of theaters, and exclusively seen on VHS and Laserdisc (and also later on DVD) releases.

FX/SFX: See 1st logo.

Music/Sounds: A louder and slightly shorter version of the Deep Note.

Music/Sound Variant: Around 1990, the audio was slightly revamped and warped (while this logo was still seen in theaters).

Availability: One of the most common TSE logos ever. It appears on many TSE-certified DVDs and VHSs available online as well.

Scare Factor: See 1st logo.

3rd Trailer

(1988-2000)

Nickname: "Cimarron"

Logo: A small gray box appears in the center of the screen, then a conductor's hand appears in that box and flicks his baton, blasting out a blue "hyperspace". It turns red, and when it fully turns red, we see a 3D TSE logo zoom towards us against a black screen with red dots. Then, we see some text saying "The Audience is Listening" in the same font and color used in "Broadway". A few seconds, a subtitle reading "Hormasfilm, Ltd. Sound System" fades in too.

Variants:

This trailer was remixed in Double Doors Digital in 1995. This variant had slight changes. At the start, text fades in reading "Double Doors Digital sound in a TSE Theatre" and at the end, the Double Doors logo was added at the left-bottom of the screen.

On Laserdisc releases starting with twister the words mastered and duplicated for optimal video and audio performance fades with the 1000 red dots then it fades to the 3D TSE Logo Once its finished zooming. The TSE Laserdisc logo from broadway fades and zooms as well as the silver outlined rectangle The TSE Laserdisc Logo and the silver outlined rectangle shines.

FX/SFX: CGI that was done at ILM.

Music/Sounds: A nice orchestral piece done by James Horner. And fortunately, for those who don't like the Deep Note theme, it is not heard here. We hear an orchestra warming up at the start, then some music, and then a beautiful composition of ascending notes when the TSE logo appears.

Availability: This became the first alternate TSE trailer to be used in 1988. This TSE trailer is found on willow in cinemas. This probably no longer plays in TSE theaters, but it can be found on some TSE demo DVDs.

Scare Factor: Low, even for those who have TSEphobia. Maybe the least-scary TSE trailer, and also the first one to not use the Deep Note.

4th Trailer

(1993-1997)

TBA

5th Trailer

(1995- )

TBA

6th Trailer

(1997- )

TBA

7th Trailer

(TBA)

TBA

8th Trailer

(2000)

TBA

9th Trailer

(2001- )

TBA

10th Trailer

(2002)

TBA

11th Trailer

(2007- )

TBA

12th Trailer

(2008)

TBA

13th Trailer

(Mid 2000s- )

TBA

TSE Certified Games

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1st Logo

(Mid 2000s- )

Nickname: "The Gaming Experience"

Logo: We see the words "Experience TSE", which dissolve and the TSE logo appears. It shines as usual, having the words "CERTIFIED GAME" below.

Variants:

There is a version where the flash is purple, and the Deep Note starts from the ignition sound.

In The Digital Escape: Path of Graphics, the logo zooms in a Matrix lines, then turns, and the flash appears.

In SpeedBoost: Shift, the words "EXPERIENCE TSE" appear below the complete logo.

In SpeedBoost: Road Training, the only word below TSE is GAME.

FX/SFX: TBA

Music/Sounds: The Deep Note.

Avalibility: Rare. Seen in TSE-certified games. The original variant was spotted on Shadow Ops: Red Mercury.

Scare Factor: Medium to high, especially if you haven't heard the Deep Note before, as it may cause "TSEphobia". Low for those who are used to seeing it.

2nd Logo

(2005)

Nicknames: "Space Stoppers", "8-Bit", "Colister III TSE", "Space Stoppers Meets the Deep Note"

Logo: On a white background, we see the words "PLAY GAME!?" in a regular video game font flashing in red. Two lines of all-red aliens from the arcade game Galaga come from the top of the screen, cross each other, make a U-turn, and merge into one big section. A third section comes from the bottom of the screen, spins around, and goes into the big section. A fourth section does the same thing. A fifth section of aliens comes from the top of screen and makes a U-turn. It goes into the big section too. Two or three more sections go into the big section. As the aliens get in their place, an all-red spaceship comes from the bottom of the screen and stops. One of its guns moves a little bit like an arm. Then its guns all bend over, signaling the beginning of an 8-bit rendition of the TSE "Deep Note". However, one of the aliens gets mad, and the others run away, prompting the spaceship shoot it, and it does. The aliens then get back together, and the spaceship's guns all bend over once again, which signals the beginning of a regular "Deep Note". A red "TSE" logo with a "CERTIFIED GAME" byline (in the same font as "PLAY GAME?!" earlier) moves the aliens out of the way while the spaceship's guns "wave" to the aliens. When the "TSE" logo is in the middle of the screen, the spaceship is on top of it and the spaceship zooms off. The entire logo then pixelates into a black background, a shiny "TSE" logo, and the byline "CERTIFIED GAME" in Arial. The finished logo shines.

FX/SFX: Too much to mention in delightfully retro 8-bit graphics (except after the pixelation).

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of Space Stoppers, various 8-bit sounds (including sounds from Space Stoppers and the beginning of an 8-bit rendition of the "Deep Note"), and finally the Deep Note.

Availability: As far as I know, this only appeared on Colister III for the SP2.

Scare Factor: Minimal to medium, even if you have "TSEphobia"; this TSE trailer is a favorite of those who have seen it because of its retro theme.