Ontario Educational Communications Authority

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

Ontario Educational Communications Authority was the predecessor of TVOntario.

Logo (1970s-1981)


Visuals: Against a black background, a large yellow "eye" composed of concentric circles comes in from the left, which flip around. As the circles flip, it is revealed that the eye is bent slightly. The circles look somewhat like the letter "O" set in a Times-esque font. They are all arranged diagonally, at opposing right angles. As the eye makes its way to the center of the screen, all the circles (except the innermost one) collapse below it, one by one, forming a white horizontal line. Then, it unfolds into the words:
ONTARIO
EDUCATIONAL
COMMUNICATIONS
AUTHORITY

which are all written in white. They move downward and then move their way slightly upward. At the same time, a series of concentric circles zoom in from inside the circle, re-forming the same eye from earlier.

Variants:

  • 1st Variant: We see various lines stretched out across the screen, which retract one-by-one to form the eye as seen in the 1st variant, only in various colors. The eye flips upward once as the usual text flies into place.
  • 2nd Variant: There is the multicolored eye from the first variant, then circles zoom in one-by-one outwards, while the same eye, but with two dark gray outer circles and three light gray inner circles, zooming and flipping vertically in to the near-top of the screen, once it's done, the usual text zooms in word-by-word, while outer and inner circles of the eye turn dark blue and lavender, respectively.

Trivia: This logo was designed by Burton Kramer, a well-known Canadian graphic designer who also made the CBC "Exploding Pizza" logo used from 1974 to 1986. On promotional material and print variations of this logo, the number of circles are multiplied.

Technique: Scanimate.

Audio: An ominous, warbling Moog synthesizer piece, which gets even louder when the logo is fully formed.

Availability: Seen on OECA-produced TV programs of the period, and should be found on old tapes.

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