Tempo Video

Credits

Editions by
Michael Kenchington and Trevor807

Video captures courtesy of
dylan fagan

History

Tempo Video was originally formed as the children's home video division of MSD Video in 1986, later transferring over to WM Collins Video in 1989, and then being purchased by Anne and Ian Miles' Abbey Home Entertainment in 1990. The "Tempo" brand was expanded within the use of Abbey's products, including a pre-school label - Tempo Pre-School, and music labels such as Tempo Music.

The name was officially retired in 2000 after Just Entertainment's purchase of Abbey, but still appeared on some occasional releases until around 2003. After Just's bankruptcy and the formation of Abbey Home Media, they began solely using the "Tempo" banner for their older children's releases.

(1986-2003)

Logo:

• 1986-1990: On a white background, a blue striped line grows and a V of the same font with extended tops is wiped in, forming "TV". The letters "empo" and "ideo" wipe into the screen in a Helvetica font after the T and V respectively. "Children's Stories" in the ITC Souvenir font then fades into view.
• 1990-2003: On a white background, we see the Abbey Home Entertainment logo spinning towards the viewer. After the AHE logo flies to the upper left of the screen, the same animation from the previous logo, albeit light blue and sans the "Children's Stories" text below, occurs.

Variants:

• On the VHS and DVD releases of The New Adventures of Mona the Vampire and the VHS release of Mona the Vampire: The Book of the Slimey, respectively, the logo is still.
• Another variant seen on Preschool Funtime where the music starts after the AHE logo spins in.

Technique: Computerized 2D animation.

Music/Sounds:

• 1986-1990: The logo begins with a string-like synth drone. A descending piano sting plays when the words wipe in, and a high pitched sawtooth sting plays when "Children's Stories" fades into view. The drone continues until the logo begins to fade out.
• 1990-2000: The ending of Cops on a Bike by Paul Keogh, with the rest of the logo being silent.

Music/Sounds Variants:

• Sometimes, it's silent for the 1986 version.
• Starting in 1994, chimes sound when the Tempo Video logo wipes in.
• On the DVD release of Read Along with Postman Pat, the music from the first Just Entertainment logo plays simultaneously with the music from this one.

Availability: Rare.

• The 1986 version appears on Tempo Video releases under MSD Video and Wm. Collins/Collins Video such as The Adventures of Spot, My Little Pony and Huxley Pig, among others.
  • The 1986 version also appears on the 1987 UK VHS release of Happy Ending Stories: Vol. 1, the 1988 UK VHS releases of Action Force International Heroes: The Movie, Starcom: 3 Episodes, Children's Cartoon Favourites, My Little Pony: The Glass Princess/A Little Piece of Magic, Sparky's Magic Piano, Glo Friends: Two Of A Kind, M.A.S.K. The Movie and The New Adventures Of Care Bears: The Gift of Caring, the 1989 UK VHS releases of Babar: Babar's First Step, Mad Scientist, Introducing Diplodo, Maple Town: Welcome to Maple Town, The Action Adventure Collection 2, Action Force: The Most Dangerous Thing in the World, M.A.S.K.: The Movie 2, Potato Head Kids: A Sack Full of Fun, The New Adventures Of Care Bears: Over The Rainbow, The New Archies: Happy Days Are Here Again and Roald Dahl's Danny the Champion of the World and the 1990 UK VHS release of Video Treats for Toddlers, respectively, as well.
• The 1990 version is seen on Abbey Home Entertainment Tempo Video releases, such as Anytime Tales, Bump, Fun Song Factory, The Adventures of Spot, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, The Legend of Zelda, Rupert, Paddington Bear and Huxley Pig, among many others.
  • The 1990 version also strangely appeared at the end of the 2003 UK DVD of Mr. Men: The Great Alphabet Hunt, itself being a simple transfer from its VHS counterpart, as well as on the aforementioned Mona the Vampire releases, in which this was used instead of the new Tempo logo.
  • The 1990 version also appears on the 1990 UK VHS releases of Sylvanian Families: The Bumper Video, Babar: The Movie, Babar: Babar Returns, School Zone: Small Letters & Numbers and Transformers: Cosmic Rust/Masquerade, the 1991 UK VHS releases of Sylvanian Families: There's No Place Like Home, Transformers: The Nightmare Planet, Bedtime Stories: Care Bears & Babar, Pre-School Favourites, Britannica's Tales: Rapunzel and Beauty and the Beast, Rod 'n' Emu: Pure Magnetism, Fairy Tale Classics: Little Mermaid/Little Red Riding Hood and Maxie's World, the 1993 UK VHS release of The Biggest Ever Saturday Morning Heroes, and the 2000 UK VHS releases of Silent Night: The Story Of The First Christmas and Rupert and the Song Snatcher and Other Stories, respectively, as well.
  • The 1990 version of this logo strangely does not appear on the 1991 UK VHS release of The New Adventures of Fantastic Max: Movie Star Max for unknown reasons.