Video Communications, Inc. (1979-1984)

Credits

Descriptions by
mr3urious, Eric S., Nova and others

Captures by
Henrynguye5

Editions by
Henrynguye5

Video captures courtesy of
LogicSmash

Logo (1979-1984)

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Visuals:

• Opening: On a black background, a giant red “V” zooms in quickly, stopping on the left side of the screen. A giant red “C” zooms in and positions itself just above the “V” from the right side. A giant “i” zooms in and positions itself from the same side of the “V” as the “C”, but from below the “V” and “C”. While the “i” zooms in, three white lines are drawn around the letters, looking like television screens, all clumped together. Then, the “TVs” are filled in with a school bus yellow color and the borders disappear. The letters also change from red to black, then, three stars blink on each of the letters. Next, the screen cuts to a large black and yellow abstract figure, with pink chasing lights flashing across the top row (the middle section is curved down) over a cerulean blue background. A pink light flashes and zooms out to form the word “COMMAND” in the Broadway font, and another pink light zooms out below “COMMAND” to reveal the word “PERFORMANCE” in the same font. Then the entire logo fades out, except for the lights, which fade out seconds later. Later releases often excised this portion.
• Closing: On a black background, a small yellowish TV tube moves in from the right of the screen and stops at the left. It then splits into three screens in a "V" formation tilted 90 degrees to the right. Then, the words "VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS INC." fade in to the right, and the tubes fill with red, green, and blue from top to bottom simultaneously. This is then followed by one of several trailer reels, before the finished product is shown again.

Trivia: This logo would later resurface in 2017 as the identity of VCI's Retro Elite label.

Technique: Shot on film, possibly done with cel animation.

Audio:

• Opening: A catchy big-band tune, excerpted from the JW music library track "The Aggressors" by Ray Davies (no relation to the Kinks' lead singer). On tapes released in association with Media Home Entertainment, such as Dark Star, as well as later tapes, the logo is silent.
• Closing: A bombastic brass fanfare, sourced from the KPM library track "Fanfare (1)" composed by Neil Richardson and released on the 1970 album Scenesetters, Fanfares, and Punctuations (catalog number KPM 1057).

Availability: This was at the beginning and end of most VCI tapes of the period. However, some early releases (including Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None) may not have this logo, and others, such as Clash by Night, only have this at the start.

Legacy: Some have wondered what "COMMAND PERFORMANCE" in the opening variant means.

Video Communications, Inc. (1979-1984)

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