Optimum Releasing (UK)

Background
Optimum Releasing is a theatrical and home entertainment distributor, founded in 1999 and currently owned by StudioCanal. Since 2006 the company operates as a StudioCanal's releasing subsidiary in the UK. Optimum became one of the most prolific distributors in the region since the collapse of Tartan Films in 2008. In 2011 StudioCanal rebranded Optimum Releasing under the StudioCanal brand (called StudioCanal UK)

1st (Known) Logo (2000's-2010)


Nickname: "Zooming Inverted T"

Logo: We see a galaxy-looking figure and a text OPTIMUM RELEASING, aligned to the right. Immediately the picture collapses into a pack of colored lines, which move horizontally and reveal the name in various styles. Then the figure appears again.

Trivia:
 * On both the UK and Australian Blu-rays of Ponyo, the logo can be seen if you select ‘UK’ in the country selection screen along with a preview reel of other Studio Ghibli films. If you select ‘Australia’, it will play the Madman Entertainment logo and then takes you straight to the menu.
 * This logo can be seen twice on the UK DVD of Spirited Away, one before the menu and one after the language selection (after you press ‘PLAY MOVIE’ from the menu).

FX/SFX: The light effects.

Music/Sounds: An extract of "Goodnight Vienna" by British electronic group LFO.

Availability: Common on many UK-released prints. Four Lions was the final cinema release with this ident while Ponyo and Ocean Waves were some of the final DVDs with it. Most Optimum DVDs/Blu-rays have a high-quality digital version of this ident but some use a 35mm transfer with more washed-out colors.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (2010-September 2011)


Logo: Many light traces come from every direction and join into a galaxy-like figure, which looks silvery in a second. The logo appears like before, but now centered, and the StudioCanal byline in the original font expands below.

FX/SFX: The light traces.

Music/Sounds: A windy synth.

Availability: Was seen on newest movies released in the UK, but it was short-lived, as in September 2011 StudioCanal retired the brand for all further releases. This logo appeared on Brighton Rock internationally, as Optimum did a work of production in it. This also appears on the Blu-Ray versions of My Neighbors the Yamadas, Castle in the Sky and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, with the DVD versions in the sets having the previous logo (Because they are just the original 2006 versions).

Editor's Note: None.