Canal+

Credits

Descriptions by
The_Username_!5

Captures by
Dison

Editions by
Dison

Background

Canal+ is a premium television channel in France. Launched on November 4, 1984 by Havas Conseil president André Rousselet and journalist Pierre Lescure, it was the fourth French television station after TF1, Antenne 2 and FR3, and the first commercial station. They later founded the film production subsidiary Le Studio Canal+ on January 1, 1987.

Over the years, Canal+ launched numerous sister channels in France, along with localized feeds in Spain, Poland, the Netherlands etc., further establishing the Canal+ Group. The group was acquired by French media conglomerate Vivendi on December 9, 2000, and today remains its flagship property after their exit from NBCUniversal on January 26, 2011.

1st ID (Late 1983-November 3, 1984)

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Visuals: Over a sky background are the stacked words "CANAL" and "PLUS" tilted in at an angle, with a rainbow-colored "C" behind them that at the top end has a shining star.

Variant: A long variant was often seen instead of the still image. There is a woman walking towards a TV. She presses a button on it and a comet flies around her that then goes into the TV. After that, many lines are seen shifting in left and right directions. The lines would eventually come together in order to make the "CANALPLUS" logo be seen. Then there are some teasers. After every teaser, the "CANALPLUS" logo appears with the techno theme.

Technique: None. A mix of live-action and 2D computer animation for the long variant.

Audio: An instrumental version of Mia Frye's "I'm the One".

Audio Variant: The long variant has sounds corresponding for the actions and a choir composition (not unlike the ones heard in future idents).

Availability: It was shown in the days before the channel's launch.

2nd ID (November 4, 1984-1995)

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  Standard logo
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  The grid
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  Polish white-lettered variant
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  10th anniversary variant
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  Air date
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  Arabic version
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  Russian version ("Journal" variant)

Visuals: On a black background, a line draws vertically across the center of the screen. After this, more lines draw horizontally and diagonally, each of which is labeled with a number. The vertical line is "1", the horizontal line is "2", and the two offset diagonal lines are "3" and "4". Twelve lines draw across the screen from the top, labeled "5" through "17" as they are drawn; the lines "15" through "17" are a bit bolder than the others. A circle is drawn between lines "6" and "12", labeled "18". A larger circle is drawn in between lines "5" and "13", labeled "19". A final line, labeled "20", crosses through line "3" and creates an axis. The orange outlined letters "CANAL" (along with more lines through each letter to give a "blueprint" effect) and a plus-sign in a darker shade of orange appear, labeled "21" through "26" for each respective character. A rainbow gradient begins to spin around in the two circles formed earlier. It starts to rotate away from the viewer, and the "CANAL+" letters become dark gray after filling with static.

Variants:

• There is a startup/closedown variant with a remix of the theme, where parts of the lines are still visible at the end and where the ring vanishes.
• There is a shorter variant in which the line for the ring gets immediately drawn, while an opera theme plays. After the vanishing, the ring turns blue and a screen appears indicating the date of airing with a guitar theme.
• When the channel launched, a bottle of champagne attached to a rope flied across the screen and broke, revealing the intro from the first logo. It played just like the 1st logo until after the comet flies across the TV screen. There is a diagonal line being drawn, then the word "CANAL". While the word is changing the color of its letters to black, the line becomes shorter and eventually transforms into a rainbow ring. When the ring is formed, it starts spinning and the "+" symbol (which replaced the "PLUS" word from the first logo) appears next to "CANAL" which forms "CANAL+". The same music from the 1st logo played in the background.
• In 1994, a 10th anniversary variant was made, where all the transitions are normally played, but instead of showing the logo, they show the words "10 ANS CANAL+" with the logo flashing.
  • The closedown version has the transition of the 10th anniversary startup played in reverse.
• A variant exists where the animation starts at the ring rotating into place. In this variant, the white lettering "D.A." (standing for "Droits Audiovisuels") slides into place underneath the logo.
• Russian and Arabic versions exist, with the latter having the animation mirrored in order to be read easily.

Technique: 2D computer animation with 3D effects, done by Étienne Robial.

Audio: Composed by Philippe Eidel and Arnaud Devos, there is a gurgling-type noise with a high note to start with. Three atmospheric synth notes are repeated, and cowbell-like noises (paired with a ding) are heard when lines "5" through "13" are drawn. A gong note is heard on line "14", a soft bell noise on line "15", a pan-crashing noise on line "16", and the same noise from before along with an echoing "bouncy" note on line "17". This sound repeats and becomes lower pitched on the drawing of the first circle ("18"). A solemn synth note is then heard, along with three guitar notes and a reverse cymbal. A theme plays after this.

Audio Variants:

• The Spanish and Polish versions of the channel used different music tracks. The former is accompanied with some guitar music, while the latter has synths, bass, and drums.
• On shows co-produced with Canal+, the end theme may play over it, or it's silent.

Availability: This was a bumper to signal the channel's initial broadcast. The short version with "D.A." was seen on Mighty Max when that show last aired on the USA Network in the late 90s; it's possible other Canal+ co-productions of the era may have it as well.

Legacy: This is another infamous logo throughout the community. Known by many for its interesting style.

3rd ID (August 28, 1995-2003)

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Visuals: A white screen with a black square in the middle appears. Then after the screen flashes, there is a white square in the middle. Then it cuts to a white screen with a black rectangle in the middle, with a red square to the bottom left circling around the screen while bars pop up. Then it cuts to a green rectangle flashing that later turns into a square, while bars from all places pop up. Then it cuts to a black rectangle at the top with moving orange squares at the bottom that then move to all places of the screen. Then it cuts to a screen with a black rectangle at the bottom, while at the top, a blue square moves from left to right. Then flashing yellow squares are seen. Then it cuts to a quickly flashing rectangle from the bottom left, while black and gray squares move around the other places of the screen. Then it cuts to a flashing screen, then gray squares in the middle and finally to the company's name that first goes to the top, then the bottom and then the middle.

Variants:

• A later start-up variant starts with "CANAL+" covered in orange stripes. It fills the screen full with orange lines. Later it does the same with green lines, red lines, gray squares, yellow squares and black squares. It then cuts to the logo that first goes to the top, then the bottom and then the middle.
• There is a closedown variant where the logo first moves to the bottom, then to the top. Then the black screen fades to white, then a black stripe is put in the middle. After it is a gray rectangle and then the screen cuts to a yellow screen with a black rectangle in the middle. Then another gray rectangle is seen followed by another black one. Then it cuts to black and an orange screen and then a gray stripe. Then another black rectangle is seen followed by yet another gray rectangle. Then a black rectangle is seen, followed by a green rectangle after which a green rectangle is seen, then it cuts to a black rectangle and a red rectangle. Then a black rectangle is seen with a white square in the middle fading to black. Then it cuts to full black.
• A different short version was used as a bumper/feature presentation ident. Here, a line first shoots vertically across the black square (a throwback to the 1984 idents), which turns white. Then, the square flashes rapidly between multiple colors, then turns white again with the company logo fading in the middle line. The logo then goes into one of the lines and squares move in the remaining space. The screen then flashes to the company name in the middle gradually fading out, with colored squares above and below.
  • This variant was also a base for the Canal+ Video and Le Studio Canal+ logos at the time.

Technique: 2D computer animation done with a Quantel Paintbox, like with the previous logo, by Étienne Robial.

Audio: A violin composition with a choir at the end, plus sounds of flashing, bubbles, chirping birds and drinking, again, composed by Philippe Eidel and Arnaud Devos.

Audio Variant: The bumper/feature presentation version has a single note sung by a soprano opera singer, followed by a percussive theme with a string section. The female notes change with clapping percussion. When the percussions stop (strings continue), a natural sound (which varies from time to time) plays, ending with an echoed, low-pitched beeping sound.

Availability: This ident was used for Canal+'s initial broadcasts with this ID until 2003.

Legacy: Like the previous logo, this logo has an iconic design to it that makes it infamous and/or recognizable in the community.

4th ID (2003-June 30, 2006)

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Visuals: There is the logo together with moving squares. First from both sides from left to right, then from top to bottom, then from all 4 directions, then it turns black.

Variants:

• Sometimes, different colors are used.
• There is also a longer variant in which the same scene is repeated with different rectangles. Then it zooms in and the rectangles start spinning around. Then it cuts to combinations of them moving from left to right. At the end, several rectangles are put upon each other, then the flashing starts again. Then it cuts back to moving rectangles with a play symbol put in the design and then all the rectangles move normally. Then it cuts to the logo.

Technique: 2D computer animation, like before, done by Étienne Robial.

Audio: A theme with trumpet and clocks, composed by Stephanie Saunier and Florent Barbier.

Availability: This ident was used for this channel's initial broadcasts with this ID until June 30, 2006.

5th ID (July 1, 2006-August 30, 2009)

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Visuals: "CANAL+", written in 3 different colors (blue to the left, red to the right and green to the bottom) get juxtaposed on each other, causing the logo to become white, then rectangles with "CANAL+" written on them (blue to the left, red to the right and green to the top) move from the logo to the borders of the screen. Then it fuses with the rectangles and the background turns white.

Variants:

• Sometimes, different colors may be used.
  • • Sometimes, "MERCI ÉTIENNE" gets written in small below the finished logo. This variant pays tribute to Étienne Robial, who by this point has created over 2000 different idents for Canal+.

Technique: 2D computer animation, like before, done by Étienne Robial.

Audio: A jazz-like theme, like before, composed by Stephane Saunier and Florent Barbier.

6th ID (August 31, 2009-2020)

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  Snow
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  Rain on the window
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  Car wash
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  Water on web
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  Flashing

Visuals: There are several things with a split between 4 screens. Then the logo forms itself on the split, with "+" combining all 4 corners.

Variants: A lot of variants were used for all Canal+ channels.

Technique: Live-action with the logo forming in the middle. These were designed by Devilfish, who would later design the 2011 StudioCanal logo.

Audio: A sort of techno beatbox theme for all the variants, all composed by Norbert Gilbert. Usually, the formation of the "+" is marked by one of the beatboxers making a "shhh" or "chhh" noise.

7th ID (2020-)

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Visuals: On a black background, many glass spheres and lines can be seen, and the camera pans through them. This lasts many seconds, before a black square is seen with a cut-off "+" in it. Then the Canal+ logo flickers for a bit, (almost) syncing with the song, before it merges together, and all the glass spheres and lines clear out.

Variants:

• A short version exists, where the screen zooms out at a high speed and on the plus square, then all the glass spheres and lines fade out instead of clearing screen by screen, and the plus flips to the Canal+ logo.
• On several feature films, the white byline "1ER PARTENAIRE DE LA CREATION CINEMATOGRAPHIQUE EN FRANCE", in two lines, fades in below the formed logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A dreamy, yet ominous, Tchaikovsky-like orchestral tune. Silent for the short version.

Availability:

• Can be seen on the channel's feature films, including Bigger Than Us and Maria rêve. The byline variant can be found in Le Parfum vert, Le lycéen and Anatomie d'une chute.
• The short version can be seen on YouTube clips of some of their shows, such as Les Guignols.