Filmways Distribution

Background

Filmways Australasian Distributors Pty. Ltd. was an Australian film distributor founded in 1971 by Robert Ward and Mark Josem, operating as the distribution arm of Dendy Cinema and focusing on foreign and independent films. Following the death of Mark Josem, Robert Ward renamed the company to Filmpac Holdings. They have no affiliation with the American company of the same name.

1st Logo (1971-1981)

• 
  Main logo
• 
  Final result

Visuals: On a black background, a large letter "f" is seen to the left side of the screen, as well as "ilmways" to the upper centre right of it, forming "filmways". The entire thing is covered with a strange dust-like texture that shifts and shines through with light, and the "f" is overlaid onto a grey filmstrip on the left side of the screen, which also shows rotating stained glass shining through the translucent cells. Above "ilmways" is "Released By", and below it is "Australasian Distributors Pty. Ltd". Another film cell with a picture of a man operating a camera in the lower right is seen with the same glass visuals in them. In between the filmstrips and below the text, the location names "PARIS - MELBOURNE - LONDON - NEW YORK" appear in a stacked format (colored yellow, white, blue, and red in that order) and in their respective colors before they fade to white. Everything continues as normal for a few seconds before parts of the logo fade out as the lights inside of the filmstrip rotate away and the texture on "filmways", revealing the white base underneath. The text then settles back a bit before it blurs slightly and fades out.

Technique: Backlit cel animation.

Audio: A bluesy jazz piano theme.

Availability: Seen on early Australian theatrical prints of the films they distributed. It is preserved on Superbug film series (originally known as Dudu) which can be seen on their Australian VHS releases. It was possibly also seen on the original Australian releases of Watership Down, Language Of Love, Wild Honey, and Patrick, The True Story of Eskimo Nell, Fantasm, Blue Fire Lady, and Snapshot, among other films.

2nd Logo (1981-1986)

Visuals: 2 halves of a rainbow background wipe in from the top and bottom edges of the screen, eventually intersecting each other to reveal black sections that form the "f" from before. The letter moves to the left as a black filmstrip zooms out and frames it, revealing a leather-textured blue background. A white light flashes and begins to write out the text "ilmways" next to it. As the light finishes, the light then swoops around and flashes, dotting the "i", and the text "AUSTRALASIAN DISTRIBUTORS" fades in "filmways" below in a white Arial font, with a small map of Australia on the left of the text.

Technique: Analog computer animation.

Audio: A ominous-sounding timpani drum roll at the beginning, followed by a series of high-pitched reverberating synth notes as the text is written. As it finishes, a deep synth drone is heard underneath a held synth note.

Availability: Seen on theatrical prints of films released by/through Filmways in Australia (and possibly also New Zealand) during the mid-1980s like Videodrome, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Evil Dead, Kangaroo, The Naked Country, Club Life, Hopscotch, Bustin' Loose, and Carbon Copy.

Filmways Distribution

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