Aspects in motion graphics, visual effects and broadcast design

Carmen Jones (1954) is the first film to use an animated title sequence by Saul Bass, who also made its poster, marking the start of his long professional relationship with its director Otto Preminger.

For Carmen Jones (1954), its title sequence features a hand-drawn red rose being engulfed in flames.

Otto Preminger directed his other 1954 film River of No Return, starring iconic and world-famous sex symbol Marilyn Monroe.

In contrast to the static title sequence for Marilyn Monroe's River of No Return movie (1954), the title sequence for Carmen Jones (1954) by Saul Bass is more dynamic.

Earlier, Saul Bass did the marketing materials and poster for The Moon is Blue (1953), impressing Otto Preminger so much that he hired him for Carmen Jones (1954).

Saul Bass also created the animated title sequence for The Seven Year Itch, starring Marilyn Monroe as The Girl.

Whereas Carmen Jones (1954) is graphic in nature, The Seven Year Itch uses stop-frame techniques to reveal the script title cards hidden underneath an animated earth-toned square panel.

Incidentally, The Seven Year Itch is the first film to use an all-graphic title sequence by Saul Bass.

For Saul Bass, his abstract title sequence for The Seven Year Itch, in which Marilyn Monroe plays The Girl, earns positive reviews, a feat previously unheard of.

The Seven Year Itch is most notable for Marilyn Monroe's sexy flying white skirt dress scene.

Contrasting to the static titles for the films that are typical of the Golden Age of Hollywood, including Marilyn Monroe's early films, Saul Bass' ones, like The Seven Year Itch, are more dynamic.

Vertigo is Saul Bass' first collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock, featuring spiral motifs in both the title sequence and the film poster, inspired by Jules-Antonie Lissajous.

John Whitney Sr. collaborated with Saul Bass on Vertigo's title sequence.

The technique that John Whitney Sr. used to create spirals for Vertigo with Saul Bass was a mechanical computing system, making it one of the first major films to use computer-assisted imagery 

Maurice Binder had made 14 of the first sixteen film title sequences for the Eon-produced James Bond franchise from 1962 to 1989, with a few exceptions.

Pablo Ferro pioneered fast-paced editing and multi-screen technqiues in film title sequences.

Hailing from Madison Avenue, Stephen Frankfurt revolutionized television advertising by focusing on emotional appeal, visual storytelling and a "show-don't tell" approach.

Stephen Frankfurt brought his innovative techniques from television advertising to motion graphics.

Prior to Stephen Frankfurt, television advertising heavily focused on talking heads.

For instance, the 1950 Royal Triton Oil commercial, which features a young 24-year-old actress called Marilyn Monroe, is one of the earliest to use a major Hollywood star in a TV commercial.

Cynthia is the name of Marilyn Monroe's car in the 1950 commercial for Royal Triton Oil.

Marilyn Monroe's 1950 Royal Triton Oil commercial is one of them in television advertising's early talking head era.

The trailer for The Night of the Iguana was made by Andrew J. Kuehn, which featured techniques that came from the television advertising field, which Stephen Frankfurt pioneered.

Electra Films, a small editing house in New York, did the work for The Night of the Iguana trailer

For The Night of the Iguana, its trailer (co-done by Andrew J. Kuehn and Electra) forever changed the movie trailer business.

In 1960, John Whitney Sr. refined his techniques from Vertigo by founding his company called Motion Graphics, Inc.

Six years later, in 1966, John Whitney Sr. was named IBM's first artist-in-residence.

Douglas Trumbull and Con Pederson, both from Graphic Films, which former Disney animator Lester Novros led, were some of the VFX supervisors for 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The climactic Stargate sequence in 2001: A Space Odyssey, made by both Douglas Trumbull and Con Pederson, uses slit-scan and streak photography.

In the mid-1960's period, both Douglas Trumbull and Con Pederson also worked on To the Moon and Beyond with John Whitney Sr. at the second New York World's Fair.

Suzy Rice designed the iconic and world-famous Star Wars logo, which ILM's Joe Johnston refined to make it more cinematic.

Dan Perri, with Saul Bass serving as his mentor, created the equally-iconic and world-famous opening crawl for Star Wars, with the Suzy Rice/Joe Johnston logo aesthetic at the start of each film.

The inspiration for this Star Wars opening crawl comes from the film serials that George Lucas loved.

For Star Wars, it features the Dykstraflex, the first motion control camera being controlled by a digital computer.

Before the Dykstraflex, special effects shots were often static with locked-off cameras.

The Dykstraflex means that special effects shots feature dynamic and seamless camera movements, all adding fluidity, realism and excitement to them.

William Golden and Lou Dorfsman are pioneers who shaped American television's visual identity.

For William Golden, his works, notably the CBS eye logo, have elevated corporate design from simple advertising to a sophisticated and unified aesthetic.

Frequently paired with a Didot/Bodoni typeface, the iconic and world-famous CBS eye, which William Golden created, has since been a part of its corporate identity.

Hex signs on Shaker barns in Pennsylvania Dutch farms inspired William Golden's CBS eye.

Lou Dorfsman took over as CBS' creative director upon William Golden's death, making architecture, interiors and cafeteria menus, but also implementing the custom Didot/Bodoni typeface.

Frank Stanton is a supporter of the iconic CBS eye logo that William Golden designed.

Even with changes in television graphics, William Golden's CBS eye logo has been a consistent one in television.

The CBS visual identity by the William Golden and Lou Dorfsman duo is done using print.

Unconfined to film titles, posters and logos, Saul Bass also dabbled in television.

For instance, the Playhouse 90 intro sequence that Saul Bass created was cutting-edge, but unused.

Besides the unused title sequence for Playhouse 90, Saul Bass did successfully design other television visuals during this period, like NBC's Profiles in Courage and an IBM promo campaign.

Like Saul Bass, Pablo Ferro, unconfined to film titles, also dabbled in television.

For example, through his Elektra Studios, Pablo Ferro created the animation for the first fully-animated NBC peacock logo in colour in 1957.

Saul Bass is a pioneer in film branding (titles/posters) with Bauhaus as his primary inspiration, but also Hungarian design as his other influence.

Harry Marks designed the innovative intro sequence for ABC's own Movie of the Week series that first began in 1969, with Douglas Trumbull (from 2001: A Space Odyssey) doing the animation.

Slit-scan and streak, borrowed from 2001: A Space Odyssey, are techniques being utilized for the ABC Movie of the Week intro sequence.

What influenced the innovative intro sequence for the ABC Movie of the Week is the climactic Stargate sequence in 2001: A Space Odyssey, in which Douglas Trumbull is involved.

In addition to its Movie of the Week series, Harry Marks and Douglas Trumbull did ABC's innovative motion graphics package for a few years since the late-1960's.

From roughly 1969 to 1975, the intro sequence for the ABC Sunday Night Movie, which was made by Harry Marks and Douglas Trumbull, featured slit-scan and streak.

Nikki, named after and written for its composer's daughter born in 1966, is the theme tune for the ABC Movie of the Week, first aired in 1969.

Harry Betts arranged Nikki into a more cinematic and orchestral feel for the ABC Movie of the Week.

When Douglas Trumbull became too busy doing Hollywood special effects and directing films, Robert Abel & Associates took his place as the main network graphics provider for ABC in 1973.

Robert Abel & Associates carried on the slit-scan and streak traditions in the motion graphics scene for television, which both Douglas Trumbull and Harry Marks have pioneered for ABC.

Besides the innovative intro sequence for the ABC Movie of the Week, Harry Marks also pioneered 3D motion graphics, backlit cel and CGI for television.

The ABC Sunday Night Movie intro depicting a cinema marquee was co-created by Harry Marks and Robert Abel and was used from 1975 to 1981.

Perry Botkin Jr., who is the co-creator of Nadia's Theme with Barry DeVorzon, did the Bacharach-like theme tune for the ABC Sunday Night Movie from 1975 to 1981.

In fall 1981, the intro for the ABC Sunday Night Movie named the Star Tunnel was introduced, which featured advanced slit-scan and backlit cel techniques.

Composing the cinematic and orchestral piece for the ABC Sunday Night Movie's Star Tunnel opening sequence starting in 1981 were Ferdinand J. Smith and Jeff Tyzik.

Using his good relationship with Hollywood's VFX trailblazers Douglas Trumbull, Con Pederson and Robert Abel, Harry Marks changed television graphics with his cinematic approach.

Harry Marks bridged the gap between high-end Hollywood visuals and TV production.

For Harry Marks, he blends high-end cinematic visuals honed by Saul Bass and Douglas Trumbull with print-based broadcast design honed by William Golden and Lou Dorfsman.

The intro sequence for the CBS Late Movie, which was used from 1972 to 1984, was designed by Lou Dorfsman, with Edstan doing the animation.

Hawaii Five-O has a fast-paced and quick-cut intro sequence created by Reza Badiyi.

From the 1960's to the 1980's, both NBC and CBS have their flagship television newscasts make their transition to commercial breaks by displaying their logos without music.

Countering both NBC and CBS, ABC had its main evening newscast do something different: bumpers being used to tease upcoming news stories to prevent viewers from changing channels.

Since ABC's flagship evening news expansion to a half-hour in the late-1960's era, this trend was used without music.

Roone Arledge came to ABC News in 1977 from ABC Sports to modernize the bumpers and others.

The rotating striped globe, which was made by Cranston/Csuri for ABC News (US), was an iconic and famous television news graphic, lasting from the 1980's to the 1990's.

Until the 1980's, the intro sequences for Eyewitness News had a simple wide shot of the studio as the news team walked onto the studio set.

Ever since its inception, Action News has used its fast-paced cinematic intro montage, which includes quick cuts, bold graphics and driving music, all made à la Hawaii Five-O.

The fast-paced intro sequence for Action News differs from the static intro for Eyewitness News.

Some stations that use the Eyewitness News format have their intro sequences made in the style of an Action News intro to reflect a more fast-paced and modern presentation.

Meanwhile, for TV stations using the Classical Gas theme, they utilize the similar cinematic opening sequence to Action News in both the Tom Sellers and Move Closer To Your World eras.

For Telesound (based in San Francisco), its own motion graphics sector had a cinematic look and feel through Classical Gas and others.

Bernard Lodge made the innovative opening sequences for the BBC's iconic and world-famous sci-fi franchise Doctor Who.

The first ever intro sequence for Doctor Who was being made using howlround (camera feedback) for William Hartnell; the howlround effect was discovered by Norman Taylor.

For the second Doctor Who intro sequence, it created a more active (and refined) howlround effect for Patrick Troughton, integrating an actor's face for the first time in this series.

Colour television was introduced to Doctor Who in its third title sequence for Jon Pertwee, which was being made using a thirty-five millimetre camera loaed with 2 film rolls.

Pete Govey added colour to the third Doctor Who intro sequence using the process called Bi-Pack.

Bernard Lodge also created the first stylized logo for Doctor Who under Jon Pertwee.

Doctor Who's fourth and fifth title sequences were being inspired by the Stargate sequence in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the earlier starting in December 1973, the latter for Tom Baker.

The 1973 diamond logo for Doctor Who, designed by Bernard Lodge, is an iconic and famous one.

During its first years as a regional service, HBO used a basic, low-budget and archaic on-air look.

But with its imminent national satellite distribution in 1975, HBO's on-air look was given a facelift.

The Computer Image Corporation had created the first graphics package to use the HBO logo that Betty Brugger had designed in May 1975, while on a regional basis.

HBO's first graphics package with its Betty Brugger-designed logo was made using Scanimate.

Due to the Thrilla in Manila via Westar 1, HBO's first graphics package being created by CIC, with its Scanimate use and its Betty Brugger-made logo, marked its first national on-air presence.

Not long after the Thrilla in Manila and its satellite change to Satcom 1, HBO shifted its graphics from video-based to film-based.

Edstan Studio did the animation for HBO's station identifications until 1981.

Robert Abel & Associates did the animation for the HBO Feature Presentation sequences, the first such occasions.

Prior to these HBO Feature Presentation sequences animated by Robert Abel & Associates, HBO began Hollywood films with a station ID and then ratings bumper.

Kabel is a font being used by HBO in its on-air text, menus and bumpers starting in 1977.

ITC Avant Garde Gothic Bold replaced Kabel as a font being used by HBO in its on-air text, menus and bumpers, which remained from its 10th year since 1972 until 1985.

Tim Landry did secondary branding for both HBO and Cinemax during the early-to-mid-1980's: on-air station IDs, bumpers and promotional graphics, all using high-end film-based-animation.

Celebrating its first decade on-air since its debut on November 4, 1972, HBO commissioned its Feature Presentation sequence, created/produced by Liberty Studios (based in New York).

Anthony Lover, who held Liberty Studios, directed this HBO Feature Presentation sequence, one of the most famous and ambitious opening sequences in television history.

For the iconic and famous HBO Feature Presentation sequence by Liberty Studios, it features the HBO symbol flying in space, made in the form of a futuristic spacecraft.

The usual name for Liberty's iconic and famous HBO Feature Presentation sequence is HBO in Space.

Liberty's HBO in Space sequence was shot on thirty-five mm film, giving it a cinematic quality.

For the iconic HBO in Space sequence, it uses a model city being divided into 3 sections: the city, the outskirts and the countryside, filmed with a computer-controlled camera.

Plus, the big and shiny HBO logo used for this HBO in Space sequence is a physical model made from chromed-plated brass, also filmed with a computer-controlled camera.

Computer-controlled motion control cameras, popularized by the Star Wars franchise, are being used to film Liberty's HBO in Space sequence.

The miniature movie theatre features a marquee reading HBO Theatre in the city section of this HBO in Space sequence, making this network a cinematic experience within the viewer's home.

Visual effects for the HBO in Space sequence include a Stargate effect, star field and swirling colours.

Smoke is used for the HBO in Space sequence to give an atmospheric sense of distance.

James A. Kowalski served as the Director of Special Effects for the iconic and famous HBO in Space sequence, and David Bruce did the Stargate animation.

The Stargate effect, inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey, is in Liberty's HBO in Space sequence.

Mixing live-action with backlit cel animation and others, this HBO in Space sequence is known as an impressive piece of the motion graphics scene.

Ferdinand J. Smith is the composer of the music cue being made for the HBO in Space sequence.

Cinematic Hollywood orchestral music is the basis for Ferdinand J. Smith's HBO in Space cue.

Recorded with a 65-piece orchestra, this HBO in Space cue, which Ferdinand J. Smith composed, was being done by Score Productions, led by Robert A. Israel.

The iconic and famous HBO in Space piece, composed by Ferdinand J. Smith (and produced by Score Productions), features a 12-note motif.

Most TV themes were played by small ensembles or using synths, but the HBO in Space piece (which Ferdinand J. Smith created and Score Productions produced) was a complete opposite.

This iconic HBO in Space piece, written by Ferdinand J. Smith, has a cinematic Hollywood orchestral sound recalling the blockbuster sound of such composers as John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith.

Several variants of the HBO in Space piece were made, but the main theme is the most famous of all.

All in all, the HBO in Space sequence is designed to symbolize HBO's national reach across the United States, but also bridges the gap between high-end Hollywood standards and low-budget cable TV.

Plus, the HBO in Space music cue, recorded with a 65-piece orchestra typically reserved for major film soundtracks, bridges the gap between high-end cinematic orchestral music and low-budget cable.

With Liberty's HBO in Space sequence moving from a local place to outer space, HBO was not a local service, but a national film theatre on television delivered from the stars (Satcom).

Likewise, to celebrate its 10th anniversary since its debut on November 4, 1972, HBO changed the font used in bumpers and text from Kabel to ITC Avant Garde Gothic Bold.

ITC Avant Garde Gothic Bold is an on-air font for HBO, used until 1985.

The first rating bumpers for HBO are made using slides, which consisted of segmented lines forming a diagonal corner at the centre of the screen, starting in 1975, its first national year, until 1978.

Resting by the corner in HBO's first rating bumpers until 1978 is a 3D rating with text under it.

Starting in April 1978, HBO's second rating bumpers consist of a blue MPAA rating logo being located near the top-left corner of the screen on a black background.

Below the blue MPAA rating symbol, white text to describe the rating in HBO's second rating bumpers scrolls up from the bottom of the screen and disappears into below the MPAA rating symbol.

The white text to describe the MPAA rating in HBO's second rating bumpers was made using Chyron.

HBO's third rating bumpers, which began in its 10th year since its 1972 debut, consist of a red-orange MPAA rating logo on the top-left corner of the screen on a black-blue gradient background.

Usually paired with the iconic and famous HBO in Space sequence, HBO's third rating bumpers were created on film rather than video.

In 1985, HBO's rating bumpers expanded to include the new PG-13 rating being introduced in 1984; a gradient was updated to include diagonal rows of embossed HBO logos across it.

The gradient in HBO's fourth rating bumpers was made using Quantel Paintbox.

Meanwhile, the bumpers being used to tease upcoming programs (specifically films) were made using primitive video-based Chyron text in HBO's first national years until May 1, 1980.

For HBO's teases of upcoming programs (especially films), lasting until May 1, 1980, the Coming Up Next text scrolls up on a black background.

Underneath this Coming Up Next text being used in HBO's teases of upcoming programs until May 1, 1980 is a line, a film title and a brief description of the film; the airing time then cuts in.

On May 2, 1980, after Gerald Huerta's refinement of the HBO symbol created by Betty Brugger (and in preparation for Cinemax's debut), HBO's teases and bumeprs underwent a facelift.

The HBO teases starting on May 2, 1980 features a neon-esque sign, with Next On written against three gray lines, positioning to the top as it shines.

Below, the title of the film and some of its actors fade in for HBO's teases starting on May 2, 1980, with the text in a light blue-ish colour.

A few seconds later, the title of the film and some of its actors in HBO's teases starting on May 2, 1980 disappear, and a similar sign, this time with HBO on it, positions right below Next On.

For the HBO teases starting on May 2, 1980, the elements are made on a black background.

HBO's teases starting on May 2, 1980 were being created using film-based motion graphics rather than simple video-based Chyron text, a watershed that elevated HBO into a polished identity.

Until November 1, 1986, the HBO in Space sequence was used before most programs.

On November 1, 1986, the HBO in Space sequence was reduced to be aired before big-ticket primetime movies and special events to prevent it from the process of getting outdated.

In celebration of its silver anniversary since its 1972 launch, HBO introduced a new era called It's On Now, with its own on-air look being made by Telezign, 

For Telezign's 1997 work, HBO went through phases of trying to figure out their identity.

Clyde Beamer and Mike Cushny of Telezign made the HBO package during the It's On Now era, which was criticized for its B-star branding and antics (compared to Cinemax).

The 12-note motif for the HBO in Space cue by Ferdinand J. Smith was also used in its station IDs and bumpers with its 1997 rebrand.

Pittard Sullivan designed the 1990's iteration of this HBO in Space sequence, with Mark Johnston as its director and Cafe FX doing the animation.

The late-1990's version of the HBO Feature Presentation sequence made its debut prior to the exclusive HBO premiere of the Steven Spielberg film Saving Private Ryan, aired in the late-1990's.

Used to rectify the problems caused by the It's On Now era, the Pittard Sullivan-designed HBO Feature Presentation sequence lasted nearly 12 years until the early-2010's.

The first HBO Special Presentation sequence was made by the Computer Image Corporation using the Scanimate system, ending with the Betty Brugger-designed logo.

In the 1980's, the more cinematic HBO in Space sequence for specials replaced the Scanimate one.

Also on November 1, 1986, the HBO Movie sequence was introduced, used before most general movie presentations, created by California Film, with Pacific Data Images doing the animation.

This HBO Movie sequence lasted until October 31, 1997.

For this HBO Movie sequence, it begins with a heliotrope HBO logo positioned across a filmstrip, with light rays shooting through it, then zooms out from CGI squares glowing in neon colours.

Lights shoot out from the final square, illuminating a group of small, rainbow-coloured dots; they zoom out to form a purple HBO logo with the Movie word was made in a script font on a black backdrop.

Wendy Vanguard led California Film

Plus, from 1986 to 1998, the HBO Special Presentation sequence featured the hot pink HBO logo and ended on a slight angle (à la 20th Century-Fox).

Orest Woronewych was a pioneer in adapting computer technology for on-air looks while at HBO; his innovative work led to much of the bold and distinctive graphics used by HBO and Cinemax.

Having worked at HBO from 1978 to 1996, Orest Woronewych's innovations have since been used by many other television networks in the US and the world.

Cranston/Csuri created the intro sequences for HBO Sports programs, including World Championship Boxing, Inside the NFL and Wimbledon, from 1986 to 1990.

Rhythm & Hues did the similar pattern to Cranston/Csuri for HBO Sports from 1990 to 1993.

Hammerhead Graphics designed the graphics for HBO Sports since 1997.

Novocom/GRFX and HBO Studio Productions did the animation for the intro sequence and graphics package for HBO's Inside the NFL during the 1997 season.

On March 4, 2017, HBO commissioned its US-exclusive Feature Presentation sequence by Imaginary Forces, featuring Liberty's HBO in Space sequence.

Plus, in mid-April 1996, HBO introduced its production logo idealized by Bruce Richmond, informally known as the Static Angel.

During its initial years as a regional cable TV service, HBO's on-air look recalled regional television in Australia under the solus system.

Since its national era, HBO's on-air look has recalled regional television in Australia after aggregation.

Incidentally, HBO's first years as a regional channel featured flat, 2D and static graphics, which, in its national era, became 3D, chrome and motion.

Plus, during the solus era, HBO used generic stock music or local jingles, but in its national era, it has featured cinematic Hollywood-like orchestral music.

During its first 11 years, 8 under Ted Turner, even after its national superstation status started, WTCG utilized a low-budget and archaic on-air look.

With the use of the symbol inspired by the Suzy Rice/Joe Johnston Star Wars aesthetic, WTCG was not simply a local station, but a SuperStation delivered from the stars (Satcom 1).

Even after its call change, just a year after this August 1978 introduction of the Suzy Rice/Joe Johnston Star Wars-like logo, SuperStation WTBS still had a similar Star Wars-like on-air look to WTCG.

Plus, SuperStation WTBS maintained this Star Wars-like typeface, first used by its precursor WTCG in August 1978, but in a modified ITC Bolt version and with a star icon, lasting until May 1981.

For the graphics packages made for SuperStation WTBS, during the Star Wars and Rising Star eras, the Quantel DPE-5000, Chryon and Grass Valley systems were used. 

Notably, the Space Age aesthetic for SuperStation WTBS, which started in August 1978 under WTCG, happened right as Turner launched CNN.

In 1981, as cable television became a household staple other than a high-tech novelty, WTBS began to phase out its futuristic Star Wars-like feel in favour of a more polished and corporate one.

This graphics package being created in 1981 for the WTBS national feed had an exclusive focus on the SuperStation WTBS identity, further professionalizing its national presentation.

Besides, the image of the CNN satellite collection was used for the 1981 SuperStation WTBS graphics package to emphasize its national reach and identity.

Regarded as the Satellite Dishes era, this SuperStation WTBS on-air look lasted from May 1981 to July 1984, mainly associated with the start of its unique Turner Time format.

Not long after, the WTBS national feed began using a sophisticated 3D logo design using cutting-edge CGI technology, with Digital Productions doing the animation, during the Marble era.

Studio Productions (Flip Your Lid Animation) designed an on-air look for both SuperStation TBS and TBS SuperStation until the early-1990's, further enhancing CGI techniques.

DesignEFX and a firm by jcbD's brother did the on-air look for TBS in the early-1990's.

AFCG did the animation for PMcD Design's 1996 TBS Superstation graphics package.

From 1986 to 1989, the NYIT Computer Graphics Lab did the 3D animations for both CNN and CNN Headline News, the first instance to use 3D CGI for both of them.

Studio Productions (Flip Your Lid) did the 3D animation for CNN's station ID during the late-1980's.

3 Ring Circus also designed CNN's station ID, with Helium Productions doing the 3D animation.

Besides the Marble look for SuperStation WTBS, Digital Productions also did the animation for Night Tracks and the Cable Music Channel.

When MTV began on August 1, 1981, it used footage of the landing of the first humans on the moon in Apollo 11 (plus its liftoff), held in July 1969, swapping the American flag for the MTV logo.

MTV's usage of the Apollo 11 moon landing reinforced this "satellite/space" theme (present in the logo inspired by Star Wars for TBS in 1978, plus the HBO in Space sequence until 1997).

The countdown sequence before MTV's August 1, 1981 launch came from the Space Shuttle Columbia launch countdown, held on April 12, 1981.

For MTV, with apologies to humans landing on the moon, like Neil Armstrong, it made viewers realize that the music video industry is one small step for music, one giant leap for television.

Plus, MTV's usage of this 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing for its station IDs cemented the idea that cable television had become a high-tech, futuristic alternative to the Big Three networks.

In addition, MTV reframed music videos from being mere promotional clips into a real medium that dominates the 1980's and beyond.

MTV's Fred Seibert and Alan Goodman planned to use Neil Armstrong's One Small Step quotation, but because he ran his name and likeness, it replaced his quote with a beeping sound.

Using the footage from the countdown to the Space Shuttle Columbia launch in 1981 and the Apollo 11 liftoff in 1969, MTV launched itself into space (and into homes across America).

NASA's public domain footage from two historic missions, held in both 1969 and 1981, were known as being symbolic of MTV's own liftoff.

Coincidentally, both the year when humans land on the moon (1969) and the year of the launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia/MTV (1981) fall under the Rooster year.

Wednesday, which is the day that has the highest letter count (9), is when 1969 began on January 1 and ended on December 31 as a Gregorian year.

In addition, 1969 is with the Earth Rooster (12), the Chinese zodiac with the most letters in English.

Thursday, which the day that is tied with Saturday for the second-highest letter count (8), is when 1981 started on January 1 and ended on December 31 as a Gregorian year.

Besides, 1981 is also with the Metal Rooster (12), the Chinese zodiac with the most letters in English.

Scott Miller & Associates made the graphics for TNT, its theme being the cosmos, upon its debut in the late-1980's, with Pacific Data Images doing the high-end animation.

The first TNT graphics package, with its theme being cosmic, proved that it was a TV station delivered from the stars, similar to HBO, SuperStation WTBS and MTV.

Plus, Shelton Leigh Palmer (Shelly Palmer) created TNT's first ever music package.

The first music package for TNT, created by Shelly Palmer and produced by Bill "Troll" Tullis, has a cinematic orchestral sound, laden with rock drums and synths.

For its movie intros starting in late-September 1989, the renamed TBS SuperStation commissioned the newly-opened Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World to be used as a shooting location.

The New York Street backlot at Disney-MGM was specifically used for the 1989 TBS movie intros.

All the 1989 TBS movie intros were being filmed on the New York Street backlot at Disney-MGM and likewise being shot on thirty-five mm film, giving them a cinematic quality.

In addition, Disney-MGM is the location for WCW in 1993, but also WCW Monday Nitro.

During its first 11 years (9 of them that Ted Turner ran, even after its status as a national superstation started), the WTCG on-air look recalled Australia's regional TV under the solus system.

By using its SuperStation logo à la Star Wars and changing its calls from WTCG, as well as CGI, the SuperStation WTBS on-air look recalled Australia's post-aggregation regional TV era.

With apologies to Cinderella, during their local years, the on-air looks of both HBO and WTCG were banished and isolated servants.

The national satellite uplinks of both HBO and WTBS, with apologies to Cinderella, were respectively Fairy Godmothers elevating from servants into princess in graphics and cinematic visuals.

By the same token, with apologies to Cinderella, the national satellite uplinks involving both HBO and WTBS were glass slippers for princesses in ball gowns to marry the charming Big Three princes.

In addition, with apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, the nationwide satellite uplinks for both HBO and WTBS made the tortoises run at the same speed as the hares in graphics and cinematic visuals.

HBO's iconic logo features the O that represents filmmaking, home cinema and high-quality films; the bullseye within the O represents the camera lens or the projector reels.

As for WTCG/WTBS, its SuperStation logo, introduced in 1978, has a cinematic feel à la Star Wars.

For years, television stations located in the First World have used high production values.

Plus, television stations in some neutral nations use the same values as the Western Bloc.

Global television stations have been influenced for years by public and private television broadcasters hailing from core Anglosphere nations, Latin America and mainland Europe.

In the Australian television scene, public and commercial networks have maintained their on-air looks similar to their First World counterparts, ever since it arrived in the mid-1950's era.

For the three main metro-based television networks in Australia, they have often borrowed their on-air looks from the US-based Big Three networks since their debuts, even in colour and digital.

The Nine Network (or Channel Nine), for example, uses the Still the One slogan, which hails from the campaign being used by ABC (US) for 2 non-straight seasons, starting in the 1977-1978 season.

Besides, Channel Nine's news division also utilizes the rotating striped globe, made by Cranston/Csuri Productions for ABC News (US), since 1984.

Plus, Nine maintains long-term programming and stylistic similarities to CBS (US).

From 1989 to the turn of the 21st century, the Seven Network used its iteration of the Circle 7, closely based on one used by WJLA-TV from 1975 to 2001.

Seven also has a close relationship with NBC (US), often sharing news resources and promo styles.

On the other hand, Network Ten is owned by Paramount Global, which also owns CBS; this corporate alignment means on-air styles and content being more closely integrated.

The national television service of the unrelated ABC (which is the BBC's Australian answer) has used a distinctive, high-end, sophisticated and professional on-air look since its mid-1950's debut.

Whilst Australia's three metropolitan-based television networks have borrowed many elements from the US-based Big Three networks since their debuts, the unrelated ABC has had its own, like the BBC.

In the 1950's decade, newspaper groups that have controlled commercial television in Australia used an advertising model based on America's Big Three networks, in contrast to the BBC model.

Making the switch to PAL colour allowed commercial television outlets in Australia to better align with worldwide visuals.

For PAL, this means the adoption of glossy American graphics and promos in Australia was smooth.

Australia's metro places have three commercial television channels, plus the ABC and SBS.

Regional television stations in Australia operated under the solus system, where most viewers provided access to one local commercial station, plus the ABC and later SBS.

Under the solus system, commercial television stations in Australia's rural/regional places were fiercely independent and were not affiliated with any metro-based network.

This solus system meant allowing Australia's rural/regional television outlets to offer programs from all metro-based networks, as well as local programs.

During the era of the solus system, regional television in Australia endured a localized and independent approach (unique logos, locally-produced programs and low-budget presentation).

With aggregation, regional television in Australia became equal to their metropolitan counterparts.

For the solus system, it means that television stations located in Australia's rural/regional places have a basic and archaic look.

However, aggregation means using the high-gloss and metro-based look for Australia's regional areas.

Conversely, aggregation in Australia's regional television scene leads to a decline in localism.

Southern New South Wales is the first region in Australia to have this television industry be affected by aggregation, which came in late-March 1989.

Queensland is the second Australian region to have television be affected by aggregation on New Year's Eve 1990.

Northern New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania come around in the early-to-mid-1990's.

Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory are some Australian regions not to have television initially be affected by aggregation.

Both in metro and rural/regional markets, the television service of the unrelated ABC (Australia) has a unified Lissajous logo since the mid-1960's, unaffected by colour and aggregation.

Stations of the unrelated ABC (Australia) have bben identified by their unique calls.

This aggregation process was made possible through the Aussat system, which was the first domestic communications satellite system in Australia.

With its first two satellites launched in 1985 via NASA's Space Shuttle, plus a third one by an Ariane rocket, Aussat changed telecommunications down under.

Australia's aggregation model is studied and referenced by other countries seeking to modernize their television landscapes in a Western-like approach after the end of the Cold War.

Some of the regions seeking to modernize television in a Western-like approach in the post-Cold War period include the Eastern Bloc, the Arab world and South and Southeast Asia.

Besides, Australia's regional TV aggregation model recalls America's cable television channels, which started on a low-budget and regional basis, then scaled nationally via satellite.

Noted US cable channels recalling Australia's regional television scene in this post-aggregation period include HBO, TBS and CBN.

Incidentally, both HBO and TBS are cable TV pioneers being held by TimeWarner, the latter of which spawned its sisters like CNN, the first 24-hour television news in the world.

Glasnost and perestroika, which are policies that Mikhail Gorbachev spearheaded, led many television services in the Eastern Bloc to be modernized, along with Solidarity, led by Lech Walesa.

The first Gulf War, as covered by CNN, modernized the technology and speed of television journalism around the world, moving towards continuous, live 24-hour news reports.

Metro television stations in Australia has operated with high production values for years.

Rural/regional television outlets in Australia has operated with fewer resources than metro ones before aggregation.

Since March 1989, aggregation for Australian TV has bridged the gap between metro-based networks (professional, glossy, high-end) and regional stations (under-resourced) in graphics and visuals.

With apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, before the aggregation process, the metro television scene in Australia was the fast-paced hare, whereas regional television was the slow-paced tortoise.

Plus, with apologies to the Cinderella fairy tale, before aggregation, Australia's metro television scene served as a beautiful princess; regional TV served as a banished and isolated servant.

Aggregation, with apologies to the Cinderella fairy tale, was the Fairy Godmother that turned regional television in Australia from a banished servant into a princess in graphics and visuals.

In addition, with apologies to Cinderella, the glass slipper by the rural princess wearing a ball gown to marry the three charming national metro TV princes in Australia was aggregation.

Using the aggregation process that was initiated in March 1989, with apologies to Cinderella, regional television in Australia has been transformed from a pumpkin into a carriage.

Locally-produced programs in Australia's regional television scene, conversely, were cancelled, which meant that, with apologies to Cinderella, the stroke of midnight caused the return to rags.

Furthermore, aggregation, with apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, also forced the regional television tortoise in Australia to run at the same speed as the metro hare in both technology and content.

Southern New South Wales is the first region in Australia to have this television industry be affected by Cinderella-like aggregation.

During the Cold War era, television in the Eastern Bloc used lower production values than its Western counterparts overall, and news came under strict communist control.

Incidentally, during the Cold War, television in the Eastern Bloc used a basic and archaic feel.

Some countries in the Eastern Bloc also imported or were exposed to television programming from the Western world during the last decades of the Cold War.

During this Cold War, with apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, television in the Western world was the fast-paced hare, while television in the Eastern Bloc was the slow-paced tortoise.

Meanwhile, in some Eastern Bloc countries, during the Cold War era, with apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, the fast-paced Western TV hare was an alternative to the slow-paced Eastern TV tortoise.

Furthermore, during the Cold War era, with apologies to Cinderella, television in the First World was a beautiful princess, whereas television in the Eastern Bloc was a banished and isolated servant.

In some Eastern Bloc countries, during the Cold War era, with apologies to Cinderella, the Western TV princess served as an alternative to the banished and isolated Eastern TV servant.

Hungary and Yugoslavia are noted exceptions to Eastern Bloc television during the Cold War.

MTV, during the Goulash Communism era, had a more innovative and progressive on-air look than the other Eastern Bloc broadcasters during the Cold War.

JRT used an on-air look aligned with Western broadcasters during the Cold War.

In fact, with apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, MTV, during the Goulash Communism period, was the fast-paced Hungarian hare, using a more innovative and progressive presentation.

As for JRT, it was the fast-paced Yugoslavian hare during the Cold War.

In addition, with apologies to Cinderella, MTV, during the Goulash Communism era, was the beautiful princess of the Eastern Bloc, with an on-air look wearing a glass slipper and a ball gown.

Meanwhile, for JRT, it was the beautiful non-aligned princess during the Cold War.

With apologies to Cinderella, glasnost and perestroika were Fairy Godmothers that elevated the Eastern Bloc's on-air TV looks from modest girls to princesses in graphics and cinematic visuals.

Likewise, with apologies to Cinderella, glasnost and perestroika were glass slippers being used to allow princesses wearing the ball gown in the Eastern Bloc to marry the charming Western princes.

Vzglyad is one of the radical Soviet programs during the era marked by glasnost and perestroika.

Blending news magazines à la 60 Minutes with MTV-like music videos, Vzglyad forever changed the television landscape in the Eastern Bloc.

Labvakar is one of the versions being created in response to Vzglyad's success, popularity and format. 

In the Arabic-speaking countries of the Middle East, just before CNN's coverage of the first Gulf War period, television stations have a basic and archaic on-air look.

However, partly due to CNN's Gulf War coverage, television assets in Arab countries started having a modern feel by being exposed to global media and Western technologies.

A modern and contemporary feel for television in the Arab world, partly due to CNN's first Gulf War coverage, recalls regional television in Australia in the post-aggregation era.

CNN's coverage of the first Gulf War has led to broader changes in the content and style of television programming in media across the Arab world, but also spurred cosmetic modern graphics.

For years, with apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, before CNN's Gulf War coverage, television in the Arab world was a slow-paced tortoise in graphics and visuals.

With apologies to Cinderella, just prior to CNN's coverage of the first Gulf War, television in the Arab countries of the Middle East was a banished and isolated servant.

CNN's coverage of the first Gulf War, with apologies to Cinderella, served as the Fairy Godmother that transformed television in the Arab world from a servant into a princess in graphics and visuals.

Plus, CNN's Gulf War coverage, with apologies to Cinderella, served as the glass slipper being used by Arab television princesses to marry the charming Western TV princes.

Besides, CNN's coverage of the Gulf War, with apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, also forced the Arab tortoise to catch up with (and win over) the fast-paced Western hare.

In stark contrast to Hungarian television's high production values under a communist regime, Icelandic television often operated with few resources until the 1990's.

By the 1990's, Icelandic television had similar high production values to the Hungarian one.

Syn TV (formerly known as Stod 2) is the channel changing Icelandic television presentation.

Until the 1990's decade, with apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, Icelandic television was a slow-paced television tortoise in graphics and visuals for a capitalist nation.

Conversely, since 1957, with apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, Hungarian television was a fast-paced television hare in graphics and visuals for a nation in the Eastern Bloc.

With apologies to Cinderella, Icelandic television served as a modest girl in graphics and visuals for a capitalist nation until the 1990's.

Meanwhile, with apologies to Cinderella, Hungarian television was a beautiful communist princess.

By the 1990's, with apologies to Cinderella, Iceland had become a similar princess to Hungary as being facilitated by the Fairy Godmother.

Likewise, with apologies to Cinderella, private TV channels served as glass slippers allowing Icelandic princesses wearing the ball gown to marry the charming Western European/Hungarian TV princes.

Furthermore, the 1990's, with apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, also forced the slow-paced television tortoise in Iceland to catch up with (and win over) the fast-paced Western TV hare.

Until the 1990's era, television in both Greece and Turkey often operated with few resources until the 1990's.

By the 1990's, Greek/Turkish television had similar high production values to Western ones.

Mega Channel (Greece), ANT1 (Antenna), Star Channel and Skai TV/Alpha are some of the private television channels changing television presentation in Greece.

Star TV, Show TV, Kanal D and ATV are some private channels changing Turkish television.

With apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, until the 1990's decade, television in both Greece and Turkey served as a slow-paced television tortoise in graphics and visuals.

Likewise, with apologies to Cinderella, television in both Greece and Turkey was a modest girl in both graphics and visuals until the 1990's.

Plus, with apologies to Cinderella, television in Western Europe was a beautiful princess.

By the 1990's, with apologies to Cinderella, both Greece and Turkey have become similar princesses to Western counterparts as being facilitated by the Fairy Godmother.

Likewise, with apologies to Cinderella, private TV networks are glass slippers used to allow Greek and Turkish princesses wearing the ball gown to marry the charming Western TV princes.

Meanwhile, during its first decade, television in South Africa often operated with few resources.

By the 1990's, South African television had similar high production values to Western ones.

Electronic Media Network (M-Net) and e.tv are some of the private television channels that changed television presentation in in South Africa.

Until 1986, with apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, South African television had been a slow-paced tortoise in graphics and visuals.

With apologies to Cinderella, South African television served as a modest girl in graphics and visuals during its first decade until 1986.

By the 1990's era, with apologies to Cinderella, South Africa had become a similar princess to Western counterparts as being facilitated by the Fairy Godmother.

Besides, with apologies to Cinderella, private  services were glass slippers used to allow South African princesses wearing the ball gown to marry the charming Western TV princes.

Furthermore, the 1990's, with apologies to one of Aesop's Fables, also forced the slow-paced television tortoise in Iceland to run at the same speed as the fast-paced hare in Hungary.

In mainland China, under Mao Zedong, television stations have a basic and archaic on-air look.

But under Deng Xiaoping as its paramount leader, television outlets in mainland China began having a modern feel by being exposed to global media and Western technologies.

Since Deng Xiaoping, using modern graphics has been a cosmetic task, but it has also brought broader changes in the content and style of television programming in mainland China.

A modern feel in mainland China since the 1990's decade recalls regional television in Australia in the post-aggregation era.

On the other hand, in Vietnam, during the first years after the 1975 reunification as a fully-communist country, many television stations have a basic and archaic on-air look.

However, with Doi Moi, television assets in Vietnam began having a modern feel by being exposed to global media and Western technologies.

For Singaporean television, ever since colour made its arrival, television graphics have improved and evolved.

The BBC won the Queen's Award on numerous occasions for its worldwide achievements.

Large foreign sales by ITC during the 1960's and beyond led to ACC winning the Queen's Award for Export on numerous occasions.

Quantel won the Queen's Award on numerous occasions for its innovative software being utilized on motion pictures and television.

EMI won the Queen's Award on numerous occasions for its work in the music industry.

Initially, Bob Woodhead worked at HBO in its digital graphics department in New York.

While in Atlanta, Bob Woodhead worked at 11th Street Communications (doing many of the animated sequences for Turner networks).

Having moved to Atlanta in 1998 in the wake of the 1996 TimeWarner-Turner merger, Bob Woodhead bridged the gap between the New York-based TimeWarner and the Atlanta-based Turner entities.

Alex Broadbent is a 3D animator (and graphic designer) for Turner Broadcasting System from 1993 to 1997, using Quantel, Alias|Wavefront, Softimage and SGI technologies.

Between the 1960's and the 1980's, the structure and graphics of television news changed.

For newscasts, a presentation style in which scrolling graphics or video consuming the solo screen has evolved into smaller text-to-picture composite graphics positioned alongside the anchor.

During the 1980's, television news presentation changed again, mainly due to advances in production technology and increased competition.

Many of the news studio sets have incorporated elements resembling a command centre, in particular since the 1980's, including video monitors and displays.

In television's early era, superimposing text over a picture was something that tended to disappear.

The method for television's character generator in the 1980's was to add an edge to the letters: either a shadow or a border, notably used by the Chyron IV.

By adding a background behind the letters, either semi-transparent or opaque, text for television made improvements, using the Quantel Cypher and the Chyron Infinit.