Filmax (Spain)

Credits

Descriptions by
bigladiesman and Colorband

Captures by
Tobias Benson01 and RSX-798

Editions by
RSX-798

Video captures courtesy of
LogicSmash, dylan fagan, 4R Geo, nomeslogos and Inicios VHS & DVD CANAL ORIGINAL

Background

Founded in 1953 and based in the city of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (neighbouring Barcelona), Filmax is a veteran production and distribution (more than 800 films distributed throughout their history) company, and one of the few Spanish cinema companies that has acquired some international recognition.

Note: Not to be confused with the Mexican film distribution company Filmex or the Polish television network Filmax.

1st (known) Logo (1970s-1988?)

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Visuals: On a space background, clusters of stars zoom towards the screen, as a single star shines in the center. As the stars disappear, the text "filmax" zooms in, made of filmstrips and in yellow. The logo remains still on screen as the last stars clear out.

Variants:

• A later version exists. The logo is the same, but it then freezes near the end, and the text "GRUPO IVEX" in red zooms in with a trial at the end. The logo is also looks transparent in this variant.
• Another later version has the logo play out fully, but a byline consisting of the white text "IVEX FILMS S.A.", as well as an altered Grupo Ivex logo appearing. The logo looks similar to the one at the time, but the rectangles are black and don't have any bars around them and the thorn is replaced with a similar design, with the thorn looking much rounder and fatter and on top of a white rectangle, containing the "Filmax" text.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: A drum roll is heard at first, which is then followed by a bombastic fanfare. Another drum roll occurs, before one final beat and an announcer (possibly an early Romero) saying "Filmax, presenta..."

Availability: This can be seen on Filmax's tapes during the logo's runtime, including Uncommon Valor among others.

2nd Logo (1985-1991)

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Visuals: On a white background, there is the same "filmax" text from the first logo, but refined and in a metallic sheen. When the announcer says "Filmax", the logo quickly zooms in until disappearing. This short logo was a bumper that preceded the trailers for the upcoming attractions from this company.

Trivia: The announcer is Constantino Romero, famed TV/radio journalist and dubbing and stage actor. He was the Spanish voice, among others, of Clint Eastwood, James Earl Jones (Darth Vader and Mufasa included), the T-1000, Nexus 6, Roger Moore's James Bond, Apollo Creed (and Clubber Lang as well), the announcer on Meet the Feebles, and many other characters. He was the Spanish, English, and German-language announcer for the 1992 Olympics opening and closing ceremony as well.

Variant: A later version has appeared on promos for VHS packs. Here the logo is smaller at first, but grows to normal size at a beat. The announcer here is also different, being more lively.

Technique: Camera-controlled animation.

Audio: Just the voiceover, and some whooshes at the end.

Availability: It would have appeared before the trailers of their films. The later version can be found on VHS promos of their tapes. An example of it's usage is on the VHS Promo of Devil to Pay.

3rd Logo (1987-1997)

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Visuals: On a space background, a gold filmstrip zooms in while wrapping in downwards a bit. As it keeps zooming in, it reveals itself as a handwritten "L", which for its part reveals itself to be part of the word "filmax". While the word places itself in the center of the screen, the background gains a hazy blue/pink horizon below and a silver trail zooms in to reveal the words "GRUPO IVEX" in white. A filmstrip is drawn on the "i", dotting it.

Variants:

• When Grupo Ivex went down, or as an alternate variant, the logo removes the "GRUPO IVEX" animation by a mediocre job, as evident by the logo chroma-keyed and cut onto a still starry background, as well as part of the "f" disappearing. After the logo finishes, it fades to a still shot of the logo and the white text "PRESENTA" appear in a cheap star-shaped flash.
• On VHS prints of older films, it might disappear via a page flip effect.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An ominous-sounding fanfare with synths and drums, plus Mr. Romero saying "Filmax, presenta..."

Availability: Spanish VHS tapes with the Ivex label tend to have it. Its last known appearance is Napoleon (1995), which was released on VHS in 1997.

4th Logo (1997-2018)

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Visuals: On a space background, there is a blue star shines on and starts moving while leaving a trail, revealing itself to be a comet. The comet moves to the left, while three of the little sparks in its trail move to the right and start writing the word "filmax": one writes almost the entire word, another one dots the "i" and disappears, and the third one completes the x. The two sparks merge together and explode to form three comets: a yellow one, a red one, and a blue one, which rapidly move together towards a globe and circle around it. The globe shines, turning white with yellow, red, and blue spiral stripes (resembling a piece of candy) and moves backwards to let the handwritten and shining word "filmax" take its place in the center of the screen. Then the word "PRESENTA" fades in on the bottom right of the text above, shining as well.

Variants:

• On foreign releases, the word "INTERNATIONAL" fades in on the bottom right above the text above instead of "PRESENTA". There's a variant for Filmax Animation which is described in detail here.
• There are still variants, in which the Filmax logo is in a metallic look with "PRESENTA" or "INTERNATIONAL" appearing below.
• On a trailer of Errementari, the logo appears superimposed on a foggy red bckground, with several particles falling.
• On REC, the logo is much smaller and completely still, and is shown in the opening credits, only to be interrupted by static.
• There is a print version with some copyright info shown on the the NDS game of Donkey Xote.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: It begins with a "bling" sound when the star shines and a fizzing sound when it starts moving. All the while, a nicely rearranged version of the fanfare from the previous logo (with synths, drums, strings, and horns) starts sounding. Wind sounds can be heard when "filmax" is written by the sparks, and a ricochet sound when they merge. Finally we hear the same voiceover from the last logo.

Audio Variant: On a few films, the voiceover is absent.

Availability: Seen on films like Diary of a Nymphomaniac.

Legacy: Quite possibly popular in Spain due to being used for over 20 years.

5th Logo (November 16, 2018-)

Visuals: On a black background with particles, the feet of a man made of string walking on a tightrope appear. The scene cuts to a different view of the man, this time panning across from above, showing the pole the man carries as well as 2 spotlights on the ground. It cuts back to his feet, then back to a panning shot of the man walking across the tightrope (this time showing one of the buildings the man's rope is connected to). It cuts to a medium shot of the front of the man himself, then to a pan-out from above. The scene then cuts to a far shot below the man as the spotlights crisscross. Finally, the screen cuts to the other end of the rope as the scene pans away and the rope writes out the Filmax logo, which is more fluid than before. The rope shines and becomes the Filmax logo.

Trivia: The tightrope walker is a symbolic choice representing the bravery it takes to follow dreams of making cinema. Concept art and model work for the logo can be found here.

Technique: CGI done by Diestro under the agency Summa.

Audio: A rearranged version of the Filmax fanfare, done by Lucas Vidal. The fanfare is punctuated with various wind noises and creaking sounds as we see the tightrope walker make his journey. Unlike the previous logos, this doesn't feature the voiceover at the end.

Availability: It first appeared on El Desentierro and was later seen on Advantages of Travelling by Train.