IFC Originals

Background

IFC Originals is the television production arm of American cable channel IFC.

1st Logo (1994-2001)

Logo: We see two shots of black squares reading "F" and "C" respectively. We then cut to a rough square-like design with a spinning film reel in the center and the original IFC logo in the bottom left. Two lines extend from the top left and bottom right, and "ifc original production" with the channel name larger blurs in. A red bright square moves to the right while another zooms in.

Variant: A closing variant exists, with the logo white and still on a black background.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A short rock theme with guitar and drums, or none.

Availability: Seen on early IFC original productions, including Independent Focus.

2nd Logo (2001-2006)

Logo: On a white background, the IFC logo in black zooms and blurs in, with "Originals" beside it. It then cuts to a black screen containing the copyright info below the text "An IFC Original Production".

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A three-note rock tune similar to the last logo, but sounding more like a sting from a western film. This tune became IFC's signature sound at the time; a slightly modified version of it was also used in the IFC Films logo.

Availability: Seen on IFC original series from the era, including Henry's Film Corner and Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession.

3rd Logo (April 1, 2006-September 23, 2007)

Logo: On a backdrop of people walking, we see a picture of propane bottles in front of a white wall, which has the IFC logo with "originals" on it, taped to a glass wall. The camera cuts between multiple shots of the picture, then copyright info appears below.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: A six-note jazzy horn tune, or the closing theme.

Availability: Seen on The Business and The Henry Rollins Show.

4th Logo (July 21, 2007-2009)

Logo: We pan over several square sheets of paper on a white surface, one in the middle containing the IFC logo in black, "originals" below it. The middle sheet folds into a paper airplane, and copyright info appears below.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: Over industrial noises, an announcer counts down in the same style as if a rocket was being launched, followed by the sounds of paper folding and the announcer saying "That's original".

Availability: Seen on IFC original series from the era, including Indie Sex.

5th Logo (February 10, 2008-August 13, 2010)

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Logo: We see a giant white cupboard. The doors swing open, revealing it is comprised almost entirely out of identical silver cans with blank white labels, except for one with a black label and the then-current IFC logo, "ORIGINALS" below on it. The camera slowly zooms onto this can as "An IFC Original Production" appears below.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: The sound of the door opening, a violin chord as we zoom in, then two tuba notes at the end as an announcer says the same dialogue from the previous logo; the theme resembles that of the PlayStation 3 startup. Sometimes, it's a closing theme.

Availability: Seen on season 2-4 episodes of The Whitest Kids U'Know.

6th Logo (October 10, 2010-August 20, 2012)

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Logo: We see a frame with IFC Originals logo standing on a shelf surrounded by various things, including a fan and a metal monkey candle holder. A hand passes, whisking the dust away from the frame. Then a copyright notice appears below.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: A 1940s-style whistling tune with drums, or the closing theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on Bunk, Onion News Network, Bullet in the Face and seasons 1-2 of The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret.

7th Logo (January 21, 2011-August 10, 2012)

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Logo: A picture frame containing the IFC Originals logo is shown hanging on a wall, along with some books, a metal squirrel with a walnut, a mountain figure, and a painting of a child. A fly lands on it. A fly swatter comes out to swat it, but the fly flies away in time and the swatter instead hits the frame. The frame is knocked down, revealing "AN IFC ORIGINAL PRODUCTION" and copyright info, and knocking down a book as well.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: A quiet pedal steel guitar tune is used throughout. The sounds of the fly and flyswatter are heard as well as the book being knocked down by the falling frame. Someone is heard saying "Leave it, okay? Just leave it. Leave it there." Otherwise, it's the ending theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on the first two seasons of Portlandia, the final season of The Whitest Kids U'Know, and the first season of Comedy Bang! Bang!.

8th Logo (February 26, 2011)

Logo: On a background consisting of beach sand, several cropped images creating a mosaic of a seagull's webbed feet can be seen on the right. Beside it are the stacked words "THIS HAS BEEN A PRODUCTION OF" with the IFC logo in blue below. A white chalk line surrounds the text and logo, and moves slightly.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: A quiet and soft synth note accompanied by beach sounds and seagulls.

Availability: Only seen on the 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards.

9th Logo (December 14, 2012-December 19, 2014)

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Logo: We see the IFC Originals logo on a black background.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on seasons 3-4 of Portlandia, season 2 of Comedy Bang! Bang!, and The Birthday Boys.

10th Logo (May 8, 2014-June 20, 2018)

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Logo: We see the new IFC corporate logo on a cyan background with the text "This Has Been An" above and "ORIGINAL PROGRAM" in a bold font below. To the left side of "ORIGINAL PROGRAM" is a black diamond with the word "ORIGINAL" in it ("OR" is on top, "IGIN" in the middle, and "AL" on the bottom).

Variants: Starting in 2017, "ORIGINAL PROGRAM" is larger.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on the last seasons of Portlandia, Garfunkel and Oates, seasons 1-2 of Brockmire, Comedy Bang! Bang!, and Stan Against Evil.

11th Logo (October 30, 2018-)

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Logo: We see the IFC logo from before, this time in red on a salmon-colored background. On either side is "ORIGINAL" stacked in half and cut off, with two right-facing arrows connecting "ORIG" and "INAL". "This has been an" is seen above.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on the latest IFC originals, including season 3 of Stan Against Evil and seasons 3-4 of Brockmire.