Sony Entertainment

Main Logo Variations

Credits

Descriptions by
fig2090, Gabkat2007 and PluMGMK

Editions by
indycar, zman1997, GoAnimateFan199Pro, SuperMax124, MJ2003 and TheRealMarcel2000

Video captures courtesy of
szjdfgsALT and Riley Moorfield

Background

Sony Entertainment, Inc. is an American entertainment company established in 2012, focusing on Sony's film, television and music businesses. It is a subsidiary of the Japanese Sony Group Corporation and managed by Sony Corporation of America.

1st Logo (April 10, 2014-January 14, 2022)

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Nicknames: "Be Moved", "The Sony Flash"

Logo: On a black background, we see the Sony corporate logo, in white, appearing in the center of the screen. It fades in gradually from a white light appearing between the "O" and "N". As it lights up the rest of the logo, it then flashes, which fully lights up the logo. After a few seconds, we then zoom in on the "O", revealing that the Sony logo and the black background are actually a cut-out of a black metal plate with a metallic rim around the holes, transitioning to the logo of whatever Sony Pictures Entertainment unit is distributing the film (Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures, Affirm Films, Screen Gems, Stage 6 Films, Sony Pictures Animation or Sony Pictures Entertainment itself), or the light disappears after transitioning, if the Funimation logo is to follow this logo as it was normally would. If the Columbia Pictures logo is to follow this logo, a group of yellow clouds appears, moving over a blue background with a bright light. The light flashes as we transition to the Columbia lady's torch, seguing into the logo.

Trivia: This was also used as Sony's motion logo from 2013 until March 2021. Sony continues to use this logo until October 2021 following the reveal of the company's new motion logo. It's currently used on the Sony Pictures Television Studios (alongside the 2002 SPT logo), TriStar Television and Gemstone Studios logos.

Variants:

• On the official Sony website, the logo fades out instead of zooming in, showing the homepage following the logo.
• On movie trailers, an alternate version of this logo is seen where the logo is played in reverse. In this version, the end part of the logo is seen and the flash occurs, which transitions to the logo of whatever Sony Pictures unit is distributing the film.
• Television series produced and/or distributed by Sony Pictures Television (Sony Pictures Television Studios)/TriStar Television/Gemstone Studios use the same variant as the movie trailer version, except the logo transitions to a shortened version of those logos.
• On Aloha and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the logo transitions to the 1968 Columbia Pictures logo.
• On The Night Before and The Front Runner, the logo transitions to the 1981-1989 Columbia Pictures logo.
• On the 2019 remake of Little Women, the logo transitions to the 1993-2006 Columbia Pictures logo.
• On The Angry Birds Movie 2 (albeit using a variant) and Wish Dragon, the logo transitions to the 2018 Sony Pictures Animation logo.
• On A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, the logo transitions to the 1993 TriStar Pictures logo.
• An enhanced version of this logo was used on 3D films, the TriStar Pictures logo on JAMM VFX's Vimeo page and on Jumanji: The Next Level in which the flash is bigger and stars appear behind the Sony logo before fading into the next logo. Motion blur is also added when it transitions.
• A cheaper version of this logo has been spotted before the Affirm Films logo in Overcomer and before the Stage 6 Films logo, where the light reveal at the beginning is different and a bit stiffer, the zoom-in just starts instead of the gradual increase in speed like the normal logo and everything looks like it was recreated in a professional editing software.

Closing Variant: The Sony logo appears at the end of the closing credits, either scrolling upwards as with the rest of the credits, or fading in and out. This is followed by the print logo of the unit that distributed the film. From 2014-2018, Sony's former slogan, "BE MOVED", would appear immediately after the Sony logo.

FX/SFX: The fade-in, flash, and zoom in. A simple yet effective logo.

Music/Sounds: Depending on the version:

• Movie Variant:
  • The same "ding" sound in G major (high-pitched to A-flat on PAL prints) used at the end of advertisements promoting Sony products (since the make.believe campaign in 2010) when the Sony logo is fully formed, followed by the beginning of the TriStar Pictures/Screen Gems/Affirm Films/Stage 6 Films themes, the opening theme of the film, a series of synths that beautifully segue into the Columbia Pictures theme, or none at all. If the light disappears after transitioning, if the Funimation logo is to follow this logo as it was normally would, it's the "ding" sound only.
  • Sometimes, the opening theme of the film plays over the animation in this logo, with or without the "ding" sound.
• Television Variant:
  • The 2002 Sony Pictures Television or 1993 TriStar Television themes are heard over this logo, and continues to play when the following logo plays.
  • Most shows, such as The Dr. Oz Show, have this logo silent (as it is on the film version), and the theme doesn't begin until that logo actually appears. This is a more common version.
  • Some shows, like The Blacklist, will have the first two notes of the 2003 short theme playing first on this logo.
  • Sometimes, complete silence or the ending theme of the show.
• Closing Variant: Just the movie's ending theme or silence.

Availability: Common.

• This logo debuted with the London premiere of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 on April 10, 2014, and was seen on most films and television series produced and/or distributed by a Sony Pictures Entertainment-owned studio ever since, with Hotel Transylvania: Transformania being the final film to use it in general.
• It was also seen as a standalone logo, in which a short version is used at the end of every Sony-related promos and commercials ever since, as well as Funimation-produced films as Funimation, distributed under the company's film division. It made a suprise appearance in the English Dubbed & Subbed versions of Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train Arc.
• This logo doesn't appear on Moms' Night Out, When the Game Stands Tall, The Interview, or co-released films (such as those by other studios); although it does appear on the trailer for When the Game Stands Tall, as well as the first trailer for The Interview.
• The television variant can be seen on current episodes of television series produced and/or distributed by Sony Pictures Television (now known as Sony Pictures Television Studios) or produced by TriStar Television.
• This does not appear on movies from Sony Pictures Classics or Destination Films, because they still retain their respective logos without this logo preceding it.
• After the next logo debuted, this was seen on A Mouthful of Air and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City.

Editor's Note: While not in the same level as the Sony Pictures Television logo, it is generally hated by the community. Many people view this logo as Sony milking out their corporate name in the movie logos despite said logos already having the company's byline.

2nd Logo (September 14, 2021-)

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Nicknames: "Sony is There, For Your Every Emotion", "The Evolution of Sony's Motion Logo", "We Are Sony", "The Sony Flash II"

Logo: On a black background, a multicolor backdrop is gradually shown then we see the Sony logo flash within the backdrop. It fades to black as only the logo is seen. After a few seconds, it zooms in, just like the previous logo, now in a flat cut-out, transitioning to the logo of whatever Sony Pictures Entertainment unit is distributing the film.

Trivia: This was also used as Sony's motion logo from May 19, 2021. ​The concept of this logo can be seen here.

Variants:

• There are two white background versions of the logo that are exclusive to Sony-related promos and commercials. The only differences between these two are the multicolored backdrop and the logo's color (black and blue, respectively).
• On movie trailers, the logo is already formed; as it slowly zooms in, the colors flash around the text, transitioning to the unit like before.

FX/SFX: The color gradually flashing when the logo appears and zooms.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Brand new. This logo debuted with the London premiere of Venom: Let There Be Carnage on September 14, 2021, and is expected to appear on future films from Sony, as well as a standalone logo, as in which, the short version is shown at the end of Sony-related promos and commercials.

Editor's Note: A nice change from the previous logo. Only time will tell if the other Sony Pictures units (excluding Columbia Pictures) use this or not.