SIP Animation

Credits

Descriptions by
MatthewLMayfield (originally TheMisterFree)

Captures by
TheMisterFree‎

Editions by
Michael Kenchington

Video captures courtesy of
ClosingLogosHD and EnormousRat

Background

SIP Animation was established in 1977 by Haim Saban and Jacqueline Tordjman initially as "Saban International Paris" (hence its initials), a television production company, that later in 1980, it moved into the field of animation with the formation of its American subsidiary "Saban Records" (later "Saban Entertainment"). At first, it just provided music for cartoons (it used a unique strategy whereby the animation company got to use the music for free, but Saban had the publishing rights and could collect broadcast royalties from TV stations via collection agencies), but eventually started producing its own animation. It produced many of Saban's animated series that had the prefix "Saban's" in front of them.

In November 1991, the company shares were divided when International Film Productions, a Luxembourg-based company, acquired a 49.7% stake while Saban retained a 49.8% stake. International Film Productions later gained another 0.2% share in the company in 1994 leaving Saban with a 49.6% stake. International Film Productions shares were later transferred to Pueblo Films AG, a Switzerland based company in 1996.

In March 1996, Saban acquired Créativité & Développement (C&D), a French studio owned by DIC Entertainment co-founder Jean Chalopin with was then absorbed into Saban International Paris while most of it's library went to Saban International.

On October 24, 2001, Saban Entertainment and Fox Family Worldwide were sold to The Walt Disney Company with Saban Entertainment being renamed to BVS Entertainment a month later. Disney also inherited Saban's 49.6% stake in Saban International Paris which remained under BVS. With the departure of Haim Saban, the company name could no longer be used. It was renamed to its then-new name on October 1, 2002 and produced shows for Jetix Europe.

The company was subject to liquidation in April 2009 and soon afterwards went dormant, with most of it's employees moving forward to other studios such as Zagtoon. In 2012, Disney acquired the remaining 49.7% share of the company that was held by Pueblo Films AG giving them full control over SIP. In 2023, Disney terminated the company through BVS Entertainment with the company fully closing on October 25, 2023.

Logo (September 3, 2003-June 8, 2009)

• 
  Early variant (2003-2004)
• 
  Later variant (2004-2009)

Visuals: On a white background, a blue, crudely drawn circle zooms out and spins, and large yellow and small black letters in a jumble spin out as the circle shrinks. It becomes the word "SIP Animation", with "SIP" written in large yellow letters, also crudely written, and "animation", in small, equally crude, dark blue lettering below, and the "I" is dotted by the blue circle.

Early Variant: In this logo's early years, the logo spins faster, and is also seen much smaller. The word below then spins letter by letter.

Variants:

• A still version exists.
• A print variant also exists, where the logo is seen inside a rotated yellow box on a grayish white background over a plain white background.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: Various "squeaky" laughing noises, along with the classic Hanna-Barbera zing-out sound effect. A split-second of "Sound Ideas, BIRD, ROOSTER - MORNING CALL, ANIMAL 01" and a party blower-like trumpet are also heard.

Audio Variants:

• On most shows, the ending theme plays or the logo is silent.
• On Teletoon airings of What's with Andy? season 2 and The Tofus, the sounds are played much faster.
• On ABC Kids airings of W.I.T.C.H. from January-March 2005, it used a generic theme.

Availability:

• The early variant is seen on the second season of What's With Andy? and the first two episodes of The Tofus.
• The main logo was seen on The Tofus, W.I.T.C.H. (last seen on ABC Kids and Toon Disney/Jetix in the US), A.T.O.M. - Alpha Teens on Machines (which also preserves the logo on Amazon Prime prints) and Combo Niños as well as four TV pilots produced by SIP, which are The Jokers, Ko Bushi, Wesh Wesh Express and Astaquana.
• The print variant is seen in the credits for Combo Niños and a short film titled Inukshuk, as well as at the beginning of Wesh Wesh Express.
• Gadget and the Gadgetinis was also produced by the company, but didn't use this logo, just an in-credit notice.

Final Note: Despite this logo not being used on television since 2009, it remained as the corporate logo until its closure in 2023.