Produktionerne (Denmark)

Background: Produktionerne (Danish for The Productions) is one of the oldest television production companies in Denmark, tracing it's roots in 1966. First, the company just distributed American TV shows to the Danish television, until in 1969, when they started production of the short-lived Dårlig Darling. In 2013, it was bought by 1st Leader Television. Currently 1L distributes their shows to be shown in Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, the USA and Canada, under the name 1L/Produktionerne.

1st Logo

(1969-1985)

Nickname: "Drawing Produktionerne"

Logo: On a red background, we see various white lines appearing on the screen and forming the word "PRODUKTIONERNE".

Variants: During 1969-1970, the background was gray due to the company's shows airing in B&W.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: Quite simple animation.

Music/Sounds: None, or the closing theme of the show.

Availability: Extremely rare. The B&W variant is still saved on DVD prints of Dårlig Darling, with the 1L logo following it. The color variant made it's appearance in 1971 with the TV movie Gå til Ham, with current HV prints of it being followed or replaced by a 1L logo. Blu-ray releases of mentioned movie just have that logo replacing it. After the movie was released, the logo was shown in the debut (and later on all it's episodes) of Østtyskland, which can be also commonly shown in HV prints. The company only produced 11 shows at the time, 7 of them now have minor recognition and have hardly reran.

Scare Factor: None. It's simple and harmless compared to the next logo.

2nd Logo

(1985-1989)

Nicknames: "Produktionerne of Doom", "Zooming Produktionerne"

Logo: On a black background, the blue word "PRODUKTIONERNE" zooms in and "shines", while a TV warp effect occurs during the whole logo.

Variants:

Post-1987 syndicated reruns of the logo had "DISTRIBUTED BY" chyroned in above the text.

At the end of TV specials from the company, the distribution variant plays but the text's replaced by "A PRODUCTION OF".

A "®" symbol would or would not be seen next to the top-right corner of the logo.

During 1985-1988, a common way to find the logo was in black and white.

On a few shows by the company, including Nye Forventninger, the logo was superimposed.

Yet another chyron variant of the logo includes the copyright stamp below the word.

FX/SFX: The TV effect, zooming and shining.

Music/Sounds: A 5-note piano theme with a soft string accompanying it, with a light vibrato effect. Sometimes, the closing theme of the show.

Availability: Very rare. If you live in Denmark, check your tapes along with other of the same company's logos. This may appear on shows like Robust Hud, Manen er en Satellit and In The Woods. Some variants are extinct on television but still retained on American HV releases by 1L, but note that a few of them have a 1L Television logo replacing it. The superimposed variant is still retained on TV re-runs, DVD and Blu-ray. Currently the version with "®" is easily found on Scandinavian and Finnish HV releases, including those of Robust Hud.

Scare Factor: Medium to high, because the logo was shown in a black background, and the fast zooming, TV effect and vibrato doesn't make it friendly at all, even if you're not expecting it. Low if it has the closing theme or if it's superimposed, but the eerie nature is still here. None for these who are used to it.

3rd Logo

(1989-1990)

Nicknames: "TV and Stripes", "Produktionerne of Not-So-Doom"

Logo: On a black background, we see a 3D drawing of an old TV with 3 stripes facing it at the right side of it, made with a metallic pattern, zooming out and rotating vertically. When it places, the "PRODUKTIONERNE" from before, now blue, flashes in below the drawing.

Variant: An early version used during the logo's first months had a cloud background. This was later removed because the colors of the background and "PRODUKTIONERNE" didn't flow well together.

FX/SFX/Cheesy Factor: The drawing zooming out and rotating, the word flashing in (which looks cheap).

Music/Sounds: Same as before, but without the vibrato effect. The closing theme of the show in a few cases.

Availability: Very rare. This was likely used as a placeholder to the next logo. Can be still found on 1989-1990 airings of Robust Hud, Det er en meget lille verden and other shows by the company. Still saved on HV releases and the 1L Television logo isn't seen replacing it, so it's a more easier find.

Scare Factor: Low. The music without the vibrato is better but the fast animation can be found unexpected for some people.

4th Logo

(1990-1998)

Nickname: "Striped Produktionerne I"

Logo: We first see a TV, showing a white screen which is illuminating a dark room. Four metallic stripes then appear out of nowhere and enter the screen. We zoom in while the blue word "PRODUKTIONERNE" (in a different font than before) zooms in. The stripes then go to the name once it places to slash it, leaving stripes. They then dissapear.

Variants:

A still variant is seen on Kan Ikke Se.

On Secret Listener and Take The Lead, the copyright stamp is seen below the company's name.

FX/SFX: Best CGI for it's time.

Music/Sounds:

1990-1992: A warp-speed whoosh.

1992-1998: A 4-note piano theme with a hit at the end.

In some cases, the closing theme or none.

Availability: Uncommon. Believed to debut on the 5th season premiere of Robust Hud, since the previous logo is seen on the TV movie Run Away which is the last appearance of said logo. Seen on the company's other shows and co-productions with partner company Borders Communications.

Scare Factor: Low bordering on medium. The fast-paced logo suddenly appearing after the credits may catch people off-guard. Lowered with the 1992 theme, since it makes it tamer.

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