Dolby Stereo: Difference between revisions

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Background

Dolby Stereo is a sound format made by Dolby. It is a unified brand for two completely different basic systems: the Dolby SVA 1976 system used with optical sound tracks on 35mm film, and 70mm noise reduction on 6-channel magnetic soundtracks on 70mm prints.

Contents

1st Trailer (1979-1991)	2nd Trailer (1979-1991)	3rd Trailer (1987-1991)	4th Trailer (1988-1991)	5th Trailer (1991-2002)	6th Trailer (April 1997)

1st Trailer (1979-1991)

Trailer: On a scrolling starry space background, the words "OUR FEATURE PRESENTATION" fades in above. After a moment, the DOLBY STEREO logo (with the "Double "D" and box with "DOLBY STEREO") inside it slowly scrolls from the right to the middle of the lower half of the screen with a trail effect. As the Dolby Stereo logo finishes trailing, the words "PRESENTED IN" fade in between the upper text and the logo.

Technique: The starry space background, the appearance of the text, the Dolby Stereo logo scrolling in, via Scanimate animation. This was done by Filmack Studios (who got the license to use the Dolby logo).

Music/Sounds: "Zap!" by Derek Scott.

Availability: More than likely extinct. Seen on theaters of the time which had Dolby Stereo technology. Reportedly one of the film showings to have this was Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Legacy: Basic animation for the time, but the music definitely makes up for it.

2nd Trailer (1979-1991)

Trailer: On a zooming starfield background, "OUR FEATURE PRESENTATION" zooms in from the bottom and shines. After that, we see a blank Dolby Stereo logo zoom from the top with a trail effect until it gets to the center. About before the trail is done, we see the whole logo, and "PRESENTED IN" zooms to the top of it afterwards. The logo "shines" from left to right then flashes brightly.

Technique: Rather limited animation. This was also done by Filmack Studios.

Music/Sounds: Same as the first trailer.

Availability: Probably extinct, but was common in the past; it was the most common Dolby trailer in cinemas before the introduction of Dolby Digital.

Legacy: Pretty cool concept, but the execution is standard for its time.

3rd Trailer (1987-1991)

Trailer: We have a space background. Suddenly, a Dolby logo zooms in fast. Then, it zooms out from the left. When it's done, it flashes and forms the box with "DOLBY STEREO". When that is done, the slogan "FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE" fades in below.

Variant: A Dolby Stereo SR variant also exists. In this variant, the Dolby logo zooms our with two boxes reading “SR”. “SPECTRAL RECORDING” is formed on top of the box reading “DOLBY STEREO”.

Technique: The animation. Great animation for the time, albeit, a little choppy.

Music/Sounds: Whooshing sounds, then a “bang” when the logo comes together. If one listens with headphones, a “whoosh” can be heard panning from left to right after the logo forms.

Availability: Probably extinct. It was possibly seen in theaters with Dolby Stereo and Dolby Stereo SR technology.

Legacy: Compared to the Filmack trailer, this manages to hold up much better to today's standards.

4th Trailer (1988-1991)

Trailer: On a light blue gradient background, an animated bumblebee (named Berta) flies in from the middle of the screen. She flies to the right, and scratches herself. She waves to the viewer, humming, as she flies to the left. After scratching her head again, she goes to the right off-screen. She flies by the screen from the left and right, yelling in enjoyment. She heads to the middle of the screen, before facing the viewer. She yells "Yipee!" before flying at the screen, hitting it and flying back to the middle, dazed. After shaking herself off, her wings stop moving, making her fall of the screen from the bottom. After a few moments, the Spectral Recording Dolby Stereo logo (as described in the previous logo) appears in the middle.

Technique: Simple hand-drawn animation.

Music/Sounds: The buzzing of Berta, her hooting and hollering, and a crashing sound when she hits the screen.

Sound Variant: The German version has an announcer saying this is a presentation in Dolby Stereo when the Dolby SR logo appears.

Availability: Extinct outside of any 35mm prints found nowadays. Likely appeared in cinemas that had Dolby SR technology at the time. It is unknown if this was used co-current with the 2nd and 4th trailers like the future Dolby Digital trailers were.

Legacy: A cute, charming trailer with nice hand-drawn animation.

5th Trailer (1991-2002)

Trailer: A camera flies through various terrain and mountains. A mountain presents itself and then the camera flies over it, where a man throwing a piece of cloth off it is seen, signaling the camera to go into the sky. A Dolby logo floats down, with the "Making Films Sound Better" text later appearing below.

Variant: A Dolby SR version exists where the Dolby Stereo logo replaces the standard Dolby logo, and the Spectral Recording branding appears along with the "Making Films Sound Better" text.

Technique: Mostly live-action.

Music/Sounds: A majestic orchestrated fanfare composed by Henry Mancini. It would be later re-orchestrated for the Dolby Digital version.

Availability: Extinct. It was only shown in theaters.

Legacy: A rather impressive and breathtaking logo; however, the ending animation of the Dolby logo floating down and the byline appearing is pretty low-effort and primitive, sadly.

6th Trailer (April 1997)

Trailer: The camera approaches a temple, and climbs up the stairs. When it finishes its climb, it goes around a column and approaches a pedestal with a Dolby logo on top of it. The background fades out leaving the Dolby logo, which shines a few times before fading out.

Variants:

In theaters from the defunct theater chain Act III Theatres, this was used as a feature presentation bumper. After the Dolby logo appears, the logo fades out to reveal the Act III Theaters Logo the same design used in the 1992 logo of its parent company, only "THEATRES" replaces "TELEVISION") with "FEATURE PRESENTATION" below it, all also in shiny silver.
On 35mm prints of this logo (except the one mentioned above), the logo cuts to black instead of fading out, and vice-versa.

Technique: The fly through. Nice CGI, done by Digital Domain.

Music/Sounds: A choir harmonizing throughout ending with a slow gong and chimes/string-section. Wind, pigeons and an owl hooting are heard. Sound elements from Project One Audio; Mixed by David Parker at The Saul Zaentz Film Center.

Availability: Said to appear on a DVD of a Rambo film. For some unknown reason, this appeared on the 2000 Pakistani film Ghar Kab Aao Gay. It also appears on the Explore Our World demo disc, and on the 1999 Australian DVD of True Romance.

Legacy: A moody atmosphere coupled with some neat CGI makes this logo effective in its presentation. This trailer was originally made for theaters who are still using Dolby SR or Dolby A during the transition to digital sound. This trailer was later remixed for the Explore Our World demo disc by Dolby themselves in Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic II.

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 '''Trailer:''' On a scrolling starry space background, the words "OUR FEATURE PRESENTATION" fades in above. After a moment, the DOLBY STEREO logo (with the "Double "D" and box with "DOLBY STEREO") inside it slowly scrolls from the right to the middle of the lower half of the screen with a trail effect. As the Dolby Stereo logo finishes trailing, the words "PRESENTED IN" fade in between the upper text and the logo.
-'''FX/SFX:''' The starry space background, the appearance of the text, the Dolby Stereo logo scrolling in, via Scanimate animation. This was done by Filmack Studios (who got the license to use the Dolby logo).
+'''Technique:''' The starry space background, the appearance of the text, the Dolby Stereo logo scrolling in, via Scanimate animation. This was done by Filmack Studios (who got the license to use the Dolby logo).
 '''Music/Sounds:''' "Zap!" by Derek Scott.
@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 '''Trailer:''' On a zooming starfield background, "OUR FEATURE PRESENTATION" zooms in from the bottom and shines. After that, we see a blank Dolby Stereo logo zoom from the top with a trail effect until it gets to the center. About before the trail is done, we see the whole logo, and "PRESENTED IN" zooms to the top of it afterwards. The logo "shines" from left to right then flashes brightly.
-'''FX/SFX:''' Rather limited animation. This was also done by Filmack Studios.
+'''Technique:''' Rather limited animation. This was also done by Filmack Studios.
 '''Music/Sounds:''' Same as the first trailer.
@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 '''Variant:''' A Dolby Stereo SR variant also exists. In this variant, the Dolby logo zooms our with two boxes reading “SR”. “SPECTRAL RECORDING” is formed on top of the box reading “DOLBY STEREO”.
-'''FX/SFX:''' The animation. Great animation for the time, albeit, a little choppy.
+'''Technique:''' The animation. Great animation for the time, albeit, a little choppy.
 '''Music/Sounds:''' Whooshing sounds, then a “bang” when the logo comes together. If one listens with headphones, a “whoosh” can be heard panning from left to right after the logo forms.
@@ Line 70: / Line 70: @@
 '''Trailer:''' On a light blue gradient background, an animated bumblebee (named Berta) flies in from the middle of the screen. She flies to the right, and scratches herself. She waves to the viewer, humming, as she flies to the left. After scratching her head again, she goes to the right off-screen. She flies by the screen from the left and right, yelling in enjoyment. She heads to the middle of the screen, before facing the viewer. She yells "Yipee!" before flying at the screen, hitting it and flying back to the middle, dazed. After shaking herself off, her wings stop moving, making her fall of the screen from the bottom. After a few moments, the Spectral Recording Dolby Stereo logo (as described in the previous logo) appears in the middle.
-'''FX/SFX:''' Simple hand-drawn animation.
+'''Technique:''' Simple hand-drawn animation.
 '''Music/Sounds:''' The buzzing of Berta, her hooting and hollering, and a crashing sound when she hits the screen.
@@ Line 90: / Line 90: @@
 '''Variant:''' A Dolby SR version exists where the Dolby Stereo logo replaces the standard Dolby logo, and the Spectral Recording branding appears along with the "Making Films Sound Better" text.
-'''FX/SFX:''' Mostly live-action.
+'''Technique:''' Mostly live-action.
 '''Music/Sounds:''' A majestic orchestrated fanfare composed by Henry Mancini. It would be later re-orchestrated for the Dolby Digital version.
@@ Line 112: / Line 112: @@
 * On 35mm prints of this logo (except the one mentioned above), the logo cuts to black instead of fading out, and vice-versa.
-'''FX/SFX:''' The fly through. Nice CGI, done by Digital Domain.
+'''Technique:''' The fly through. Nice CGI, done by Digital Domain.
 '''Music/Sounds:''' A choir harmonizing throughout ending with a slow gong and chimes/string-section. Wind, pigeons and an owl hooting are heard. Sound elements from Project One Audio; Mixed by David Parker at The Saul Zaentz Film Center.