Sony Corporation

Background : Sony Corporation was founded in 1946 as an electronics shop known as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo. Hoping to make it in the international sector, they went through several rejected brand name suggestions before finally settling for "Sony", derived from the Latin "sonus" (the root word for "sonic" and "sound") and the English "sonny" (American slang back in the day). The name first appeared in 1955 on their TR-55 transistor radio, with the company itself adopting the name in January 1958. In the midst of and following an early '80s global recession, Sony developed the compact disc and acquired CBS Records as its music division and, on September 28, 1989, Columbia Pictures Entertainment, founded on December 21, 1987, as a spinoff of The Coca-Cola Company which had been acquired by Tri-Star Pictures, Inc. (which Coca-Cola 39.6% percent of), as its film and television division, which would be renamed to Sony Pictures Entertainment on August 7, 1991. Though not an actual studio, Sony Pictures Entertainment consisted of various film and television studios. The company currently includes Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems Pictures, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics, and Stage 6 Films for film production & distribution, Sony Pictures Television for TV production & distribution, and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment for home media distribution; older studios under the Sony banner include Triumph Films, Destination Films, and The Guber-Peters Company. The biggest openings for the studio were a pair of Spider-Man movies: 3 and Homecoming. The company did not use an on-screen logo for movies and television until 2014; instead, they had a byline on their units.

Other divisions include Sony Music Entertainment (which includes Columbia Records and BMG), Sony Computer Entertainment (which handles PlayStation-related business activities), Sony Electronics, Sony Mobile Communications, and Sony Financial. The current head of Sony, as of 2012, is Kazuo Hirai.

1st Logo
(April 10, 2014-October 1, 2021, January 13, 2022)

Nicknames : "BE MOVED", "The Sony Flash"

Logo: On a black background, we see the Sony corporate logo, in white, appearing in the center of the screen. It fades in gradually from a white light appearing between the "O" and "N". As it lights up the rest of the logo, it then flashes, which fully lights up the logo. After a few seconds, we then zoom in on the "O", revealing that the Sony logo and the black background are actually a cut-out of a black metal plate with a metallic rim around the holes, transitioning to the logo of whatever Sony Pictures Entertainment unit is distributing the film (Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures, Affirm Films, Screen Gems, Stage 6 Films, Sony Pictures Animation or Sony Pictures Entertainment itself), or the light disappears after transitioning, if the Funimation logo is to follow this logo as it was normally would. If the Columbia Pictures logo is to follow this logo, a group of yellow clouds appears, moving over a blue background with a bright light. The light flashes as we transition to the Columbia lady's torch, seguing into the Columbia logo.

Trivia : This was also used as Sony's motion logo from 2013 until March 2021. Sony continues to use this logo until October 2021 following the reveal of the company's new motion logo.

Variants :
 * On the official Sony website, it just flashes.
 * On movie trailers, an alternate version of this logo is seen where the logo is played in reverse. In this version, the end part of the logo is seen and the flash occurs, which transitions to the logo of whatever Sony Pictures unit is distributing the film.
 * TV series produced and/or distributed by Sony Pictures Television/TriStar Television use the same variant as the movie trailer version, expect the logo transitions to a shortened version of the 2002 Sony Pictures Television logo or the 2015 TriStar Television Logo.
 * On Peter Rabbit, we zoom into the black background, and the Sony Pictures Animation logo appears on it. After several seconds, the second "a" on "Animation" shines, transitioning to the Columbia Pictures logo.
 * On Wish Dragon, the logo transitions to a black background.
 * On Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, the "o" grows fangs and the zooming is faster.
 * On commercial uses, the flash is rainbow colors and "make.believe" appears below.

FX/SFX : CG.

Music/Sounds : The same "ding" sound used at the end of a commercial promoting Sony products, followed by the beginning of the TriStar Pictures theme, the opening theme of the film, a series of synths that beautifully segue into the Columbia Pictures theme, or silence. Sometimes, the opening theme of the film plays over the animation in this logo.

Music/Sounds Variants :
 * On the TV variant, the 2002 Sony Pictures Television or 1993 TriStar Television theme is heard over this logo is heard over this logo, and continues to play when said logo plays. Some shows, such as The Dr. Oz Show, have this logo silent (as it is on the film version), and the theme doesn't begin until that logo actually appears.
 * Sometimes, like in 22 Jump Street, the opening theme is accompanied by the "ding".
 * On Miracles from Heaven, the first bit of the Columbia logo's music is heard, but suddenly cut out to make it silent, then as "SONY" transitions the opening theme starts.
 * On Alpha, the ding sound was omitted.
 * On A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and the CinemaCon premiere of Ghostbusters: Afterlife [where it was last seen; the final release has the next logo], the "ding" was customized for the film's respective theme.
 * On commercial uses, a male voice say "Sony." at the end.

Availability : Common.
 * Debuted on Heaven is For Real, and is seen on most films and TV series produced and/or distributed by a Sony Pictures Entertainment-owned studio ever since.
 * However, this logo doesn't appear on Moms' Night Out, When the Game Stands Tall, or The Interview (though it does appear on the trailer for the middle title).
 * The reverse variant can be seen on the "About Sony" section of the official Sony website.
 * The TV variant can be seen on current episodes of television series produced and/or distributed by Sony Pictures Television.
 * Don't expect to see this on movies from Sony Pictures Classics or Stage 6 Films, as they retain their respective logos.
 * The first movie for this logo to transition to the Sony Pictures Animation logo is The Star.

Editor's Note : This is generally hated, with many viewing Sony as them milking out their corporate name in the movie logos.

2nd Logo
(September 14, 2021-present)

Nicknames : "Sony is There, For Your Every Emotion", "We Are Sony"

Logo : On a black background, a multicolor backdrop is gradually shown then we see the Sony logo flash within the backdrop. It fades to black as only the logo is seen. After a few seconds, it zooms in, just like the previous logo, now in a flat cut-out, transitioning to the logo of whatever Sony Pictures Entertainment unit is distributing the film.

Trivia : This was also used as Sony's motion logo from May 19, 2021. ​The concept of Sony's new motion logo can be seen here.

Variants : There are two white background versions of the logo that are exclusive to Sony-related promos and commercials. The only differences between these two are the multicolored backdrop and the logo's color (black and blue, respectively).

FX/SFX : CG.

Music/Sounds : Same as before.

Availability : Brand new. It debuted with the London premiere of Venom: Let There Be Carnage on September 14, 2021, and is expected to appear on future films from Sony, as well as a standalone logo, as in which, the short version is shown at the end of Sony-related promos and commercials.

Editor's Note : It looks nicer than before.