Darlow Smithson Productions

Credits

Descriptions by
CLGCreator Returns! and RSX-798

Captures by
RSX-798

Editions by
RSX-798, Blue2000 and TheRealMarcel2000

Video captures courtesy of
4D Geo

Background

Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP) is a production company that was formed in 1988 by directors David Darlow and John Smithson. In 2002, Darlow quit, while John Smithson followed suit in 2011. The company itself was sold to IMG Media in 2006, along with Tigress Productions and Tiger Aspect Productions, and both companies were sold to the UK division of Endemol in 2009. It is currently owned by Banijay since 2020.

1st Logo (March 14, 1993-December 16, 2002)

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Visuals: Over a black-dark blue gradient background, the logo starts with the 3D letters "d" and "s" rotate towards the screen before settling in the centre. A white circle fades in, and the "ds" turns black as the words "a darlow smithson production" fade in and extra credit info fades in below the logo.

Variant: On Driven, the "ds" circle is red and stands next to the Ideal World Productions logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The end theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on Darlow Smithson's television shows from the period, like Black Box, Driven, Survival in the Sky, Crash, Mayday and documentaries like Japanese Teen Killers, Science and the Swastika and Hollywood, Inc.

2nd Logo (April 1, 2003-March 7, 2007)

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Visuals: On a black background, a symbol flashes and pulses in. It consists of a letter "D" extending into an "S" and coloured in various colours. The symbol is distorted. Then the text "DARLOW SMITHSON PRODUCTIONS" in a monoscript font appears below the text. Sometimes, extra credit info appears below the logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An electric shock sound over a synth note or the end theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on shows and documentaries from the company, like The Fight for Baghdad, The World's First Time Machine and Seconds from Disaster, among others.

3rd Logo (May 20, 2007-2012)

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Visuals: On a black background, the distorted "ds" symbol from the last logo draws in. It shifts to the center as the text "Darlow Smithson Productions" wipes in below the logo, and a line fades in. A streak wipes the byline below the logo.

Bylines:

• 2007-2008: "an IMG media company" (with "IMG" in its corporate font).
• 2008-2009: "AN IMG ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY" in a common font.
• 2009-2012: "an endemol company" with the Endemol logo at the right.

Variants:

• Sometimes, the logo is on a white background.
• Sometimes, the logo is bylineless.
• Sometimes, the logo is still.

Technique: 2D digital animation.

Audio: None or the end theme of the show.

Availability: It was seen on documentaries and shows from the time period in the UK, such as The Diary of Anne Frank, Tsunami: Caught on Camera and Thrilla in Mania.

4th Logo (December 7, 2012-April 27, 2022)

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Visuals: On a black background, a coloured circle swirls in, revealing that the swirling object is the "ds" object from the last logos. The word "dsp" slides in from the right, and then the company byline fades in below the logo.

Bylines:

• 2012-2016: "an endemol company" with the Endemol logo to the right of the byline.
• 2016-2021: "part of EndemolShineGroup" (in its corporate font)
• 2021-2022: "We are Banijay", with the Banijay logo to the left of the DSP logo.

Variants:

• Sometimes, the logo is shown in-credit.
• Sometimes, the logo is on a white background.
• Sometimes, the logo is still.
• Rarely, the company name is omitted.

Technique: 2D digital animation.

Audio: The end theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on DSP's shows from the period, like The Mill, Hawking, To Catch a Comet, Nazi Mega Weapons, Secrets of the Salisbury Poisonings and Agatha and the Truth of Murder, among others.

5th Logo (March 7, 2023-)

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Visuals: The text "dsp" is shown to the right of a hot pink vertical bar and the 2020 Banijay logo, as well as on top of "We are Banijay".

Variant: There is a "SOUTH" variant that features said word underneath "ds". It is also in the same colour and format.

Technique: A still, digital graphic.

Audio: The closing theme of the programme.

Availability: The logo is seen on Interior Design Masters beginning with season 4 and The Stormtrooper Scandal.