Illumination: Difference between revisions

{{PageCredits|description=20thCenturyFoxLover2, thehugetvfan, LogosForTheWin, Shadeed329, LogoFan121092, Minecraft_Logan, Minionbud and SuperMax124|capture=VofDoom, LogoFan121092 and SuperMax124|video=ifrequire}}{{Infobox company|founded=January 17 2007 ({{age|2007|1|17}} years ago)|country=United States|name=Illumination|image=Illumination_Entertainment_logo.svg|founder=Chris Meledandri|key people=Chris Meledandri (CEO)<br>Keith Feldman (COO)|predecessors=Universal Animation Studios|parent=Universal Pictures|subsidiaries=Illumination Studios Paris<br>Moonlight<br>[[Illumination Labs]]|formerly=Illumination Entertainment (2007–2017)}}

'''Illumination''' (also known as '''Illumination Entertainment''') is an American film and animation studio founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007 and co-owned by [[Universal Pictures]], a division of its wholly owned subsidiary NBCUniversal.

 

The studio is responsible for the ''Despicable Me'', ''The Secret Life of Pets'' and ''Sing'' franchises, and the movies ''Hop'', ''The Lorax'', and ''The Grinch'', as well as the upcoming films ''The Super Mario Bros. Movie'' and ''Migration'', the former in association with [[Nintendo Studios]]. The minions from the first title are the studio's mascots.

'''Logo:''' On a dark background with a reflective floor, a large stacked text reading "{{color|silver|'''ILLUMINATION''' ENTERTAINMENT}}" (or in later years, "{{color|silver|'''ILLUMINATION'''}}") appears (written in Futura Condensed). Minions appear below the text (usually Bob and/or Stuart) and get up to a comedic skit, which varies:

* ''Sing 2'': Starting with this film, the animations would be completely different compared to the previous ones. A light clunks on, and we see Bob leading Stuart, Kevin, Otto, Mel and countless other minions in a song involving the company name. The minions clap along as they sing. The camera slowly zooms out until we see the text above. As the minions finish their song with one big note, Otto can be seen doing a bunny-ears bomb on Stuart, which briefly makes Mel chuckle. The text turns off, and "MIN" and "ION" (a mirrored reference to the previous film's variant) are visible for a split-second before the screen turns black.

* ''Minions: The Rise of Gru'': The text is smaller and closer to the floor than usual. A minion swings by on a disco ball, calling out the company name as {{color|darkviolet|purple}} and {{color|blue}} lights appear around the background. As the ball swings around, it knocks out some of the letters and the minion loses control and falls off. When he gets back up, he notices the remaining letters spell "Minion". He turns to the camera excitedly and and tries to say "Minion!", stuttering. Before he can finish, the disco ball swings back into the frame and hits "ION", pushing it into "MIN" and crushing the minion between them, thus forming "MINION". The minion then finishes "Minion...", muffled.

** On a Dutch Twitch ad for the film, the logo is in splitscreen with Nintendo Studios.

* ''The Super Mario Bros. Movie'' (the film itself): A darkened "ILLUMINATION" is seen above a minion inside of a go-kart (similar to those in the film and the ''Mario Kart'' series). He is behind the starting line, and starts to rev his engine. As the countdown sound from ''Mario Kart 8'' plays, segments of the text light up {{color|red}} like race starting lights, then all light up {{color|green}}. The minion attempts to start the go-kart, only for it to stall out. As that happens, the text then turns white. The minion hits the go-kart in frustration, causing it to suddenly rocket off-screen. The minion then yells out "ILLUMINATIOOOOOOOOOOON!" as he rockets away.

* Starting with ''Sing'', the name is three-dimensional.

* From ''The Grinch'' to ''Sing 2'', the logo cuts in and out instead of fading in and out.

'''Technique:''' CGI animation by Illumination themselves through their animation studio, Illumination Studios Paris. 2D animation for ''How to Draw a Minion'', ''Saturday Morning Minions'' and ''Penglai'', and none for the still variants.

* Starting with ''The Secret Life of Pets'', one of the minions (usually Bob) says the company name at the beginning or the end of each logo. In variants where Bob appears without Stuart and Kevin, the name is said twice. In variants from the ''Sing'' franchise, they sing the name in unison. On ''Minions & More'', they only say it at the end of a few variants.

*Sometimes, the opening theme plays over the logo, while the minions talk and the sound effects play.

*The prototype variant for ''The Secret Life of Pets'' is unused, and can be found on Facebook.  

'''Legacy:''' This logo has gained notoriety for its constant use of Illumination's mascots, the minions, and opinions will vary wildly based on whether you find the minions charming or annoying. The ''Sing 2'' variant is generally considered the best even by those who dislike the other logos, however, and some think it should become the main logo on future films.