Working Title Films

Background

Working Title was founded in London in 1984 by producers Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe. Some their early films were released through Atlantic Releasing Corporation, Miramax Films and Orion Pictures (under the Orion Classics label). Starting in 1990, they would produce films for PolyGram Filmed Entertainment. Radclyffe would eventually leave the company and was replaced with fellow independent producer Eric Fellner. In 1999, Working Title Films was taken over by Universal Studios when Seagram bought and folded PolyGram. Today, both Bevan and Fellner are currently the co-chairs of the company. Working Title did not use a logo until 1995.

1st Logo (May 3, 1995-May 25, 2001)

Logo: Against a black background is a circle. The words "WORKING TITLE" are seen cut in-between the circle. The word "FILMS" is seen on the bottom half of the circle. The byline " a PolyGram company" with "PolyGram" in the corporate font is seen below.

Variants:

On some films such as The Matchmaker and Billy Elliot, the circle is red.
A byliness variant exists.
A variant that reads "W2" is known to exist.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None or the closing theme of the movie.

Availability: Uncommon. It's seen on pre-2001 films, superimposed over the the closing credits such as Fargo, Bean, The Borrowers, The Big Lebowski, and Elizabeth, among others. The opening version is quite rare.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (April 13, 2001-)

Nickname: "Working Title Gyroscope"

Logo: On a black BG in a brown spot, a blueprint draws a circle. The circle then splits and becomes several circles, which spin around like a gyroscope, until they merge into a single black ring. The brown spot becomes a dark blue spotlight and the words "WORKING TITLE" flip upwards in-between the ring.

Variants:

On The Kid Who Would Be King, just after the words unfold, the left & right sides of the ring begin to glow (a la a solar eclipse of the sun), which expands to the full outer edge of it as the logo usually fades out, segueing to the prologue.
Sometimes, the logo is brighter. This variant debuted on About a Boy (2002).

Closing Variant: The print logo is used.

FX/SFX: The circle drawing.

Music/Sounds: None or the opening theme of the film.

Availability: Common. Can be seen on films such as Bridget Jones's Diary (the first film to use this logo), Love Actually, Johnny English, Thunderbirds, Smokin' Aces, Mr. Bean's Holiday, Hot Fuzz, and Paul, among others. Still appears on films such as Les Misérables. The brighter version is seen on many post-2002 films starting with About a Boy (2002).

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo (Alternate) (April 17, 2009-)

Note: The print logo was shown on posters for their films since 2008, but another in which this is also used as an alternate onscreen logo as well.

Logo: On a black BG is a partially seen circle with a break in the middle. The words "WORKING TITLE" are seen in-between the circle (like before). The "K" is connected to the circle.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Common. Was seen on the trailers for their films since 2010, and first appeared superimposed into the end credits of 2009's State of Play. The previous logo is still used, and this featured one is generally relegated to the end.

Editor's Note: None.