Atlantis Communications

Credits

Descriptions by
Nicholas Aczel and Sean Beard

Captures by
Eric S., V of Doom, Subzero917, and Shadeed A. Kelly

Editions by
V of Doom, Eric S., Michael Kenchington and TheRealMarcel2000

Video captures courtesy of
Eric S. and Subzero917

Background

Atlantis Communications (also known simply as Atlantis) was a Canadian film distribution and television production company, founded in 1978 by Michael MacMillan. In 1998, the company entered a joint venture with Alliance Entertainment Corporation, forming Alliance Atlantis.

1st Logo (May 21, 1985-March 17, 1991)

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Visuals: The screen is divided with the top half black and the bottom half blue. A golden sun rises from under the blue portion. When it's halfway up the screen, the text "ATLANTIS" zooms out and flashes. The blue portion disappears as the screen becomes a black background with a sunburst in the middle and the "ATLANTIS" below it shining.

Variants:

• A variant exists with "IN ASSOCIATION WITH" above the logo. The logo is also still.
• Another variant exists with the copyright stamp for "Atlantis Package One (or "Atlantis Package Two") Limited" below it.

Technique: Backlit cel animation; a still image for the "IAW" variant.

Audio:

• A six-note bell tune, followed by a horn fanfare. Composed by Eric Golden.
• On the final season of Airwolf, it used a dramatic drum rolled fanfare.
• On a VHS of Destiny to Order, it used a different horn fanfare.
• For the final season of The Twilight Zone (1985 series) and 110 Lombard Street, the last few seconds of the end theme play over the logo.

Availability:

• The still version was seen on the final season of The Twilight Zone (1985 series) on Chiller and MeTV and the short version was last seen on the final season of Airwolf on RTV.
• The long version can be found on a VHS of Destiny to Order.
• It also appeared on The Girl From Mars and the first season of Maniac Mansion.

2nd Logo (July 20, 1990-December 30, 1995)

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Visuals: On a sky and sea background, the familiar sunburst from before rises from the sea. The text "ATLANTIS" zooms out and settles itself below the sunburst. A star shines on the "S" in "ATLANTIS".

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The ending theme of the show, or none. Starting in 1995, the audio is a calm synth jingle with a singing choir vocalizing it.

Availability:

• It can be seen on The Outer Limits (1995 series) on Comet.
• It also appeared on Ray Bradbury Theater from season 4 onwards (but Comet airings have the FilmRise logo in its place instead), the pilot Limboland, the TV movie Heads, the Maniac Mansion TV series and TekWar.
• It appeared on Wild Side Show (later retitled Wild Side), which last aired on the Noggin channel (now rebranded as Nick Jr.) on March 31, 2002.

3rd Logo (December 14, 1995-December 18, 1998)

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Visuals: On a black background, two parallel golden laserlights draw a round curve across the screen. As the screen zooms out and turn up on their side, notice the focal points of the lower curve 5 laserlights, about an inch apart, draw lines connecting with the upper curve. A flash of light comes to the CGI sunburst with the text "ATLANTIS" below it on a dark blue marble background.

Variant: In 1998, the company's website URL "www.atlantis.ca" appeared under the logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: Digitally synthesized whoosh sounds amongst a dreamy choir vocalizing it.

Audio Variant: On NightMan, it has the Tribune Entertainment music. This is due to a double plaster error.

Availability:

• Seen on reruns of Earth: Final Conflict, The Outer Limits (1995 series), Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal, and other shows produced during the period.
• Also appears on some made-for-TV movies, such as Night of the Twisters.
• It also appeared on the obscure Disney Channel series Flash Forward (not related to the 2009 ABC series).
• It may be followed by a Fireworks or Endemol Entertainment logo.

Atlantis Communications

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